I nodded.
“Let’s not talk about Dad right now. It’s rude to talk about family stuff when we have a guest with us,” Harlow said, with a smile that didn’t meet her eyes. Something Mase had said had bothered her.
“Your dad has a cool name,” I said, hoping to ease some of the tension that had suddenly entered the room. “The only Kiro I’ve heard of is Kiro Manning. I’ve never heard of anyone else with that name.”
Harlow and Mase looked at each other, and then a real smile broke out across Harlow’s face, and her eyes danced with laughter. “I’ve never heard of anyone else with the name Kiro, either. Except, of course, Kiro Manning.”
I had started to agree politely when her words slowly sank in. No . . . wait. No . . .
“I guess I didn’t tell you my whole name when I introduced myself,” Mase said with a smile.
OK, wait. I wracked my brain. There had been some news or something around the time I left home about Kiro Manning’s wife and daughter. I didn’t always have access to TV back then.
“You don’t watch much TV, do you?” Mase said with a teasing grin, as he took a drink of his soda.
I wasn’t about to explain to him why I didn’t watch much TV. I just shook my head. “No, not much, ever.”
Harlow sighed and then laughed softly. “Someone who doesn’t know who I am, and now you’ve ruined it, Mase.”
I could tell she was joking. I just smiled and tried to wrap my head around the fact that I was sitting at a table with Kiro Manning’s children. In what universe did that happen? The awkward feeling skyrocketed, and I wanted nothing more than to get away. I wasn’t just interrupting a family gathering, I was interrupting a legendary rock star’s family gathering. Oh, God, this was so embarrassing.
I looked at both of them sitting there, so nice, with their easygoing smiles. They seemed like any normal, happy family. They didn’t appear to be what you would expect from a rock legend’s kids.
“I need to go. I . . . my hand is starting to bother me, and I left my medicine at home. Thank you so much for brunch, and I promise to work overtime next week. You two enjoy the rest of your meal, and I’ll see myself out,” I said quickly, before either of them could interrupt me. Then I stood and flashed them one more smile before leaving the room as calmly and quickly as I could.
I had just stepped outside when I felt a large hand wrap around my upper arm. “Not so fast. You want to leave, I’ll take you. You’re not walking.”
Mase wasn’t holding my arm tightly enough to make me panic, but the firm grip caused my heart rate to spike. I didn’t like to be grabbed. I managed to control my reaction. “I, uh, fine. OK. Thank you.” It was exhausting to argue with this man. He was going to win. I might as well give in.
He seemed pleased that I wasn’t going to put up a fuss. He dropped his hand and placed it on my back, as if to lead me toward his truck. I walked ahead of him fast enough so that his hand couldn’t rest against me. I didn’t like to be touched. Not like that, especially. Even though reminding myself how much I didn’t like to be touched wasn’t making the warm, tingly feeling on my back where his hand had been go away. It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation, just a new one. A very new one. Like, it had never happened until now.
Mase opened the truck door before I could reach for the handle, and he took my hand to help me up. Once again, I was in his truck, but this time, I knew more about him. That he was a good, well-loved brother. That he adored his sister. That he was Kiro Freaking Manning’s son.
Holy crap, that was insane.
When he was behind the wheel, I glanced over at him. His tall, muscular body was covered in a flannel shirt and faded, worn-out jeans. His thighs filled the jeans out well, and I could see the muscles flex.
“When you get home, put some of that salve on your wound that we got yesterday. It’ll soften the skin around it and ease the pain.”
“I will,” I assured him.
He nodded and reached for some sunglasses he had tucked into the sun visor and put them on. How did one look sexy while putting on sunglasses? Until that moment, I wouldn’t have thought it was possible.
“Do you need to call Jimmy and let him know you got a ride home?”
I shook my head. “No, I was walking home anyway. He has to work tonight.”
Mase scowled. “There is cab service around here, you know.”
I picked at the bandage and kept my gaze down. I didn’t want to give this man my life story to explain why a cab was pointless. I liked walking. It was what I’d always done.
Mase sighed when I didn’t respond. “Are you working tomorrow?” he asked.
I didn’t have a house to clean tomorrow. It was the day I went to the library and exchanged my books. I would take a walk on the beach and clean my apartment and buy groceries. It was my time for me. “No. I don’t work tomorrow.”
“Good.”
Mase
Two days after I took Reese home from Harlow’s, I was still wondering about her. Worrying about her damn hand and her walking everywhere. I was trying like hell to shake it. She wasn’t my responsibility.
Harlow handed me Lila Kate after she rescued her from her car seat. I held the little miracle baby close in my arms, because she was still so stinking tiny. And the way Grant hovered over her like she might break made me think she just might. I was careful.
“You carry her. I’ll get the diaper bag,” Harlow said, reaching for the large bag full of Lila Kate’s traveling supplies. The bag was bigger than the baby.