Page 72 of Hidden Resolution

“Not hardly. Who do you think gave me the idea to kiss you?”

Shonda’s mouth dropped open. “No!”

Dane’s answer was a shit-eating grin.

“She’s the devil.” Ten paces later, she stopped and scowled. “Wait. You didn’t want to kiss me?”

“Are you serious right now?” he scoffed. “Hell yes, I wanted to kiss you. More, if truth be told, but you’re Mason’s girl.”

“Now we’re adding delusional to your family’s flaws,” she said sourly.

“The two of you can keep pretending, but the rest of us have eyes.”

While they waited for the doctor to set his nose, Dane clasped her hand and said the one thing that stopped her inner spiral.

“My sophomore year, you walked down the hall in your cheerleader uniform, ponytail bouncing in time to the hemline of your sexy skirt. I had to carry my backpack in front of me for a full fifteen minutes to hide what it did to me.”

Shonda ducked her head and bit her lip to hide a grin.

“Shonda?” His deep, serious tone brought her gaze up. “It was worth the broken nose.”

She smiled. “You say that now.”

“I’ll say it forever.”

“Why couldn’t you have been the brother I fell in love with?” she asked with a heartfelt sigh.

The second it left her mouth, she wished she could snatch it back.

But Dane didn’t flinch or appear surprised by her slip. “Timing. If I’d been your flight mate, you wouldn’t have looked twice at him.”

“Probably.” She squeezed his hand. “Thanks for not making it weird. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to him about…” She gave a vague wave, unable to mention love a second time.

“Mum’s the word.” He smiled, then winced. “You owe me TLC. Caring for me should piss him off more.”

Shonda barked a laugh, and thanks to Dane, she had the feeling she would be okay. Eventually.

21

Connie came in search of Dane, replacing Shonda in the procedure room. She assured her any blame was on Mason for his poor behavior.

With no further duties to occupy her, Shonda drifted back to the waiting area outside Charles’s ICU. Mason was parked on the far side of the room, arms folded, scowl firmly in place, as he projected icy disapproval.

Curbing her desire to tell him off, she sank down and closed her eyes.

Thankfully, Zack returned, taking a seat beside her, effectively breaking the oppressive spell of Mason’s silent fury. But as the hours rolled on, the oddness of his behavior set her on edge. Zack wasn’t his usual engaging self, and his silence, added with the covert glances at his phone, was a dead giveaway.

“You’re awfully quiet,” she murmured.

He shot her a guilty look, and she leaned in, keeping her voice low. “What are you planning?”

He darted a quick glance around before returning his gaze to hers.

“Nothing.”

As if. Did he think she’d fallen off the turnip truck yesterday?

“You are, and I want in on it,” she insisted in a harsh whisper, slashing a quick look at Mason before refocusing on him. She nearly laughed when Zack shot him a grin.