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That didn’t make him feel any better. He looked away, but not fast enough.

“Hey,” she murmured, touching his face and turning it so she could see his eyes. “What’s the matter?”

Mason shook his head. It wasn’t attractive to show envy. That was one thing he knew without a doubt.

Her eyes delved into his, and her smile broadened. “You’re not jealous are you?”

“No,” he muttered. “You had a life before you met me. So did I.” Though his life was less colorful than hers.

“Hey,” she said softer this time. “I had a really good time last night. I don’t think I can recall a date I’ve loved more than this one. And it’s just the cherry on top that you managed to irritate my mother at the same time.”

“You didn’t seem all that pleased with that tidbit.”

She shrugged. “I was more worried about what it would mean for you. I can handle my mother. The worst that’s gonna happen is that she’ll extend my sentence.” Harley leaned closer and brushed a gentle kiss to his lips. When she pulled back, she grinned once more. “I can think of worse fates.”

Harley moved away and got to work helping him clean up. The steady fire that had been lit only intensified as he watched her. Abrams would be upset, but from what Mason could tell, it was totally worth it.

When she glanced in his direction, he finally tore his focus from her. There was work to be done, and as much as he would like to spend the rest of his day with her nestled into his side, he couldn’t.

* * *

“I shouldn’t have to remind you that you are here to prove you are capable of running my farm when I retire. At this point, I’m not sure you will be ready when that time comes.” Mr. Abrams picked up a pair of reading glasses and put them on before he reached for a newspaper at his side.

“Sir—” Mason took a step toward Vern Abrams, but he held up a hand to stop him.

“The terms of our agreement were clear, were they not?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You were to keep an eye on my niece and my farm. But this morning, you did neither.” The older gentleman released a heavy breath through his nose and adjusted how he sat on the chair in his bedroom. His leg was propped up on a cushioned bench, but he didn’t appear comfortable at all.

“With all due respect—”

One sharp glance from Mr. Abrams and Mason snapped his mouth shut once more. Harley had insisted that she wouldn’t let Mason get fired for this little mishap. She had said her uncle wasn’t nearly as scary as he appeared to be. But right now, Mason could see only one thing.

The farm was slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.

“When your brother recommended you, I was skeptical. I needed a young man who wouldn’t be swayed by my niece’s manipulative behavior. I needed someone who would take this job seriously.”

“Sir,” Mason said firmly. “I was not manipulated. The date was my idea. I wanted to spend some time with your niece away from the farm. Respectfully, I don’t agree with your judgment of my interest in your farm.” Mason straightened his back, lifting his shoulder as he stared at the man with an unwavering gaze. “I may not have been working for you long, but I assure you that there is nothing I want more than to be the man you can count on to take care of your property.”

The air turned colder as the silence stretched between them. He could imagine Harley listening behind the closed door, lying in wait to see what would happen next. They’d been caught on their first date. There would be no keeping this from anyone in town after Wade told everyone what had happened.

Abrams pressed his lips together in a thin line, his facial hair prickling out much like Mason would imagine a porcupine would. His eyes narrowed, drilling into Mason worse than any dark look Elijah had shot in his direction.

Whether from sleeping in the bed of his truck or the exhaustive way he held his spine in this moment, Mason’s back ached. He couldn’t remember a single moment in his life that felt worse than this one. “Please, sir. I don’t want to miss out on this opportunity.”

Abrams tapped his fingers on his armrest. “Do you know the kind of tongue-lashing I received from my sister when I told her that her daughter was missing?”

“I would imagine it wasn’t great.”

“No, it was not.” Abrams stopped his tapping. “That being said, I will admit to my relief when your brother informed me that the two of you were together. Afterward, the conversation I had with my sister wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been.” He looked pointedly over the rims of his glasses. “I wonder, Mr. Keagan, if you understand the implications of what I’m saying.”

“Sir?”

He pulled the glasses off and placed the temple tip at his lips. “While I understand my niece’s propensity for getting into trouble, I had thought I could trust you. At this point in time, I am unsure who is going to be influencing the other.”

Mason opened his mouth to assure Abrams of his intentions but didn’t get the chance.