Page 58 of Hidden Resolution

“Tommy McAdams?” What were the chances of seeing her childhood friend when she needed a kind face the most? “Wow! It’s been forever! How are you?”

She lurched forward and hugged him, the years falling away. He was her first unrequited love at age eight. But of course, young love never stood a chance.

“Look at you,” she said. “All grown up and a heartbreaker.”

His laugh was pure sunshine, and it tugged a smile from her.

“You look…” He paused, frowning as he took in her tear-streaked face, ripped jeans, and wild hair.

“Like a hot mess?” she offered with a watery grin, recalling her predicament.

“I was going to say beautiful, but I doubt you’d believe it, seeing as how you’re a little worse for wear at the moment.”

The kindness went a long way in soothing her emotional hurts.

“Thank you.”

“What happened?” he asked.

“Would you believe I was mugged?”

“In Stonebrooke?” The disbelief in his voice was understandable. Nothing ever happened in their sleepy little town.

“I know, right?”

“God, are you okay? Do I need to call the police? What can I do?”

“I’ve got it covered, cuz. They’re on their way,” Mason’s voice answered from directly behind her, smooth and deep. He startled a squeak from her.

She had to be in bad shape if he failed to trigger her body’s early warning system.

“Mason. Hey, man. Were you outside when it happened?” Tommy asked, eyes wide.

“You could say that.” His tone was dry, and the silence afterward was weighted and strange.

Shonda jumped into the verbal gap. “The phone, Tommy?”

“Oh, yeah, come on back.”

“No need,” Mason forestalled them. His voice was clipped but fully loaded when he added, “I brought you here. I’ll damn well take you home.”

“I’ll call Eva, but thanks.” Pride kept her spine stiff, even as her bones ached to curl into his warmth. Accepting his help meant surrendering and pretending what had happened in the car didn’t make her bleed. She couldn’t go back to their unsuitable arrangement.

“You’re being a stubborn fool,” he ground out, closing the distance between them.

She backed until her shoulders hit solid muscle. Tommy’s arm caught her, supportive and keeping her upright. The gesture drew Mason’s cold stare straight to the contact point. He lifted his withering glare to his cousin’s face, as if sizing up a threat.

Tommy’s chest vibrated with his low chuckle. “That’s not going to work with me, cuz. The McAdams clan is made of sterner stuff.”

“How about if I threaten to break your fucking arm off?” Mason growled, dead serious.

“Ah, it’s like that, is it?”

Tommy couldn’t have come up with anything better to get Mason to back off. The hostility dissipated, leaving indifference in its wake.

“Not at all. Knock yourself out.” Mason spun on his heel, calling over his shoulder, “I’ll be outside, giving my statement to the police. Text me if you want to have a beer sometime, Tommy.”

Ice settled around Shonda’s heart, numbing the ache. It allowed her to remain unaffected and casual when she faced her new champion.