Page 68 of Off Plan

“He’s in love with someone,” I blurted.

Mason and I stared at each other, both wide-eyed with shock.

“Please forget you heard that.” I closed my eyes and rubbed at the spot between my brows. “That’s… not a thing I should be talking about.”

“No, of course.” Mason mimed zipping his lips together. “But… who?”

My mouth opened and closed like the world’s largest, most dishonest fish.

“Fenn… we’re friends, right? Isn’t that what we decided?”

I nodded woodenly. We’d decided. Or possibly Beale’s Universe had decided for us, because it was capricious as fuck and loved to taunt me with things I couldn’t have. One or the other.

“So you know I’m not going to say a word. You can tell me.” He stepped closer like he was worried about being overheard. Of course he wanted to know.

My punishment for lying was immediate and totally disproportionate to my crime. Having Mason in my space, close enough that his scent filled my lungs and his green eyes filled my vision, felt like being on fire.

“I… I can’t say,” I croaked. “Jesus, I shouldn’t have said even that much. It’s a, um… complicated situation.”

Mason sank his teeth into his lower lip, looking so sexy I nearly groaned. “The poor guy.”

Beale was going to kill me. And at this rate, it would be a mercy killing.

“Loafers, stick to doctoring. Don’t worry about Beale.”

“Right.” Mason pursed his lips and gave me a knowing look. “Say no more.”

“I’m serious.”

Mason stepped away and blinked in feigned innocence. “Of course you are. Me too!” He grabbed his doorknob and pulled his door closed, which was when I put together exactly how he was dressed, in a plain T-shirt and shorts that didn’t even look ironed.

“Fenn! Get your ass down here!” Beale yelled good-naturedly. “Dad wants us.”

Mason and I both stepped forward to peer over the railing, our shoulders brushing.

We looked at each other guiltily and each took a step away.

“Yeah, coming,” I called down.

“Doc!” Beale’s smile was like the sun emerging from a cloud. “Hey! How’s your Saturday going?”

“It’s about an hour old, but so far so good. Just going for a walk on the beach now,” he called down to Beale.

Beale grinned, eager as a fucking puppy. “Nice! I just finished a run, myself!”

I rolled my eyes.

“Fenn and I are working today, but I should be back around lunchtime, if you want me to drive you anywhere,” Beale offered.

Mason shot me a look I couldn’t decipher. “Nah, I can walk myself down to town if I need to go. That’s fine. But thanks.”

“Let me know if you change your mind!” Beale’s good cheer was disgusting, and absolutely sincere. I should have felt worse about lying.

“Seriously, he’ssosweet,” Mason cooed, too low for Beale to hear.

Okay, yup,nowI felt worse. But not about lying.

“Anyway. I guess I’ll run into you later. Hopefully not literally.Ha.” Mason aimed a smile somewhere over my shoulder.