Page 50

Mason

Something loud thundered near Mason’s head, jolting him from his sleep. His eyes flew wide, and Harley shot up from where she’d been slumbering beside him. She blinked through bleary eyes.

Someone cleared their throat, and Mason’s head snapped around to find Wade on horseback at the side of his truck. With one brow arched and his lips in a grim line, Wade’s judgmental stare wasn’t going to be the worst part of the day, and Mason already knew it.

Harley gasped. “What time is it?”

Wade’s eyes didn’t leave Mason’s face. “I thought you knew better.”

Mason rubbed his eyes with his finger and thumb. “We weren’t doing anything wrong.”

Wade chuckled and peered out into the fields that surrounded them. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

Harley swore under her breath, drawing Mason’s attention. She glanced at him. “My uncle tried calling me over a dozen times. I didn’t even know he knew my number, let alone that I snuck out my phone.” Then she grimaced. “So did my mom. I’m never going to hear the end of this one.”

Wade chuckled. “You know it’s bad when Abrams tracks down my phone number and calls to ask if you and Harley are together. He was worried when you didn’t show up for work this morning. Even more when Harriet didn’t come out for breakfast. You can imagine my surprise when I checked your room.”

Mason stifled a groan. He’d never been late a day in his life. Sure, his work was at home, but he always made sure no one had to get him up for it. “How bad is it?” he muttered.

“Pretty bad.” Wade’s eyes flitted to Harley. It was clear he wanted to say something about this whole thing, but he was restraining himself for her sake.

“How did you even find us?” Mason peeked at his brother and then got started cleaning up everything they’d used.

“There’s this little thing called tracking a phone.”

His head shot up. “You tracked my phone?”

“No,” Wade drawled. “Someone named Blaire tracked hers.”

Harley swore again. “I’m never gonna forgive her.”

Wade pulled the reins of his horse to turn the animal around. “Seeing as you wasted most of my morning with this little issue, I’m gonna need you to pull double duty today so we can catch up. Elijah is already upset about you not pulling your weight at home—”

“But you said I should take the job.”

“That’s true. But if I were you, I’d try to play nice and just make sure you’re not the reason we get behind in our work today.”

Mason scowled at Wade but didn’t argue. He made a good point. After their little discussion last night, Mason wasn’t willing to add to the drama with Elijah.

“See you at home.” The horse took off at a gallop, leaving the two of them alone.

Harley groaned. “I’m so sorry.”

“What do you have to be sorry for?” He stopped rolling the sleeping bag and stared at her. “I’m not sorry.”

“That we got caught. I shouldn’t have brought my phone.”

He chuckled. “Just because you brought your phone doesn’t make this your fault. My phone died. It’s what I use for my alarm. If I had kept it charged, then we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

She bit back a smile. “I bet you’ve never been in a mess quite like this one.”

“You’d be right about that.” He started rolling up his sleeping bag again. “Have you?”

“Oh, several times.”

He paused again, this time doing his best to hide the jealousy that slipped through his defenses. “You’ve woken up in the back of trucks with men several times?”

She crawled toward him, a sly grin touching her lips. “No. I’ll admit this is a first. But I’ve missed appointments or been caught not in my room by my mother several times.”