3. Chapter 2
~ Mason ~
Damnit.
I didn’t need to be a jerk, I knew that. And it was evident that she didn’t know where she was. I felt bad, I shouldn’t be yelling.
But I also wasn’t expecting this.
Nor was I expecting to happen upon a beauty by this truck. That had a bed full of suitcases and boxes.
I ran my fingers through my hair before pinching my nose.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered, making her cock a brow.
Yeah, I deserved that.
“Really, I am. You threw me for a loop. No one comes up here and certainly not in a little truck that can’t handle the terrain.”
“Yeah, well, I was assuming it was asphalt,” she launched back and I couldn’t help but lift my lips a little at her sass. I kind of liked that.
“The road into town is. I’m assuming you made a right turn when you should have made a left and ended up driving up to my cabin. It’s just around the next tree in fact.”
“Oh. It’s quite possible. I was fuming on my way up here and might not have been paying attention. That was my own fault.”
I watched her as she opened her door and grabbed her phone, easily using it. Which was almost impossible in mountain areas like this.
“You have service?”
“I do. I come from a small town where service is shitty so my son helped me find something that was stronger to get into remote areas. I pay more for it, but it comes in handy when there’s nothing around.”
I peeked in her cab, expecting a kid in there. But when I didn’t, I frowned even more. Where was he? Not that it was my business, but it was a little strange.
“Did he stay behind?” I asked, causing her to look at me.
Her brows snapped together in confusion. “Stay where?”
“In your other town. Or is he with his dad?”
“He’s in his last year of college,” she said slowly, making my eyes open in shock. This woman did not look like she should have a son that old, especially as I was guessing she was no more than thirty-two or thirty-three.
“Bullshit,” I said, shaking my head. “No offense, but how old are you?”
She stared at me for a moment before she busted out laughing, her hands clenching her stomach and for whatever reason, I liked that sound a lot. Far more than I should, actually.
Finally, after several moments, she wiped her eyes and turned to me. “I’m forty-six, and Dixon is twenty-three, graduating at the end of this year.”
My jaw fell open at that, which sent her into another round of laughter.
This woman did not look that old, not at all. I mean, sure there were some silver strands weaved through her hair, but damn, she still looked amazing. Her legs were still tanned and toned, her breasts were still perky, and she hardly had any wrinkles.
“Thank you for the laughs,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’m Patty.”
“Mason,” I said, automatically taking her hand. I jerked back though, at the zing that zipped between us. She looked at our hands in confusion before slowly pulling hers back, her head tilted slightly.
Yeah, I was feeling much the same on that part.
“A pleasure,” I told her, shaking all of those thoughts out of my head.
“Likewise. Let me call a tow truck and I can get this out of here for you,” she said, turning back around to call but I lightly touched her arm, feeling that zing again.
And just like before, my hand quickly fell away because I didn't know what that meant and I was a little too scared to analyze it.
“I can get it out with my truck. A tow truck will take hours because there’s nothing around here. So, we all learn to help each other out. Let me do it as a way of making it up to you for being a jerk earlier.”
“Thanks.” I nodded before heading back up to my cabin, slipping on a shirt, then getting my keys for my truck. There was something about this woman, I just knew it.
Just like I knew that, thanks to her, my world had shifted on an axis I wasn’t ready for. But deep down, I wasn’t sure I wanted to fight it.
~ Patty ~
I was a little floored that he thought I was that young.
It was sweet, but I felt like I looked my age.
Sure, I lucked out without having a lot of gray hair, but I had a small tire around my stomach that I could never get rid of.
And there were veins all over my legs that I hated, but it did showcase how much I was on my feet.
It was flattering though and certainly boosted my ego. Not that I needed it.
Because I was not thinking about men.
Especially ones who didn’t seem to like people invading their space.
I chuckled to myself, finally hearing the roar of this truck as he came down to mine.
Within minutes, he had a line wrapped around my back hitch and was moving it out of the way. I planted my hands on my hips as I watched him do all of this quickly.
Late for work my ass. He just wanted to be a prick.
Once he moved it back up to his cabin, I followed, glaring at him as he jumped out of his cab.
“What?”
“Late for work, huh?”
He gave me a sheepish grin which had my stomach knotting up.
Nope, don’t go there girl. Remember, no men.
“I really am sorry. Just caught me off guard and I lashed out.”
“Your people skills when accidents happen need some serious work there, Mason.” I looked at my truck and sighed. “I’m also about to ask for some favors because I don’t know anything. How far away is the town?”
“A few minutes. You weren’t far by any means.”
“Oh, great. Okay. Can my truck stay here until I get things worked out? I need to check the diner before I start moving anything in. That’s really my first concern right now.”
I watched him as he paused, his eyes raking me over yet again and I fought the urge to hide myself.
“You own it now?”
“Yes. I used to own the one in my old town. Been running that one for years. I know what I'm doing, if that’s what you’re worried about?”
“No, not that. Just surprised. Then again, you seem to be full of them today, Patty. I can drive you over to the diner if you like?”
“Don’t have work to get to?”
He ran his hand over the back of his neck, giving me another panty melting grin and I had to mentally fight to not let it get to me.
“Don’t really work. Help out around these parts, but not a full-time job. Retired.”
“Aren’t you young to be retired?”
“Sure am. And I love it. Hop on up.”
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to not take that the wrong way and accept it as a personal invitation. Where the hell was all of this coming from anyway? I wasn’t a hussy, didn’t need sex.
But since seeing him, I was thinking far too much of it. And with him. And let’s be honest, that was not good. For all I know, he could be married. Or sleep around. Or wasn’t even attracted to me.
I smacked my forehead, trying to get rid of those thoughts.
Because none of it mattered.
I wasn’t here for relationships. Or fuck buddies. I was here to work, to get some type of life together again after having it implode like that. I wanted to be able to retire wealthy. Well, I could. But I loved working at a diner, loved being an owner.
“Okay pretty lady,” he said, pulling up to the building.
True to word, the town was not big. It had a bar, which was currently closed, a very little town hall and chamber building, the diner, and what looked like a YMCA of some sort.
I shook my head and walked to the front door, taking out the key that was sent to me and walked in, doing my best to not inhale the dust.
I glanced around, seeing the good bones in it, and that it didn’t need much. A little TLC and I could have this place running pretty quickly.
Now, maybe Mason would be so kind as to help me with some staff. I walked back outside, grinning as I stopped outside his door, his eyes narrowing at my look.
That's right buddy, don't trust me, because I sure as hell don’t trust myself around you right now.