Page 71 of Off Plan

“I don’t.” Not… an unreasonable amount. Not an insurmountable… amount.

“—that’s cool, but someone else will. Either on this island or elsewhere. So, like, he’s gonna do what he’s gonna do. Eventually. With someone. Who’s not you.”

I rubbed at the back of my neck, angry at the world. “What do you want from me, Beale? This isn’t easy, you know?”

“Right? I know. So imagine how hard it is for Mason.” Beale pursed his lips. “And just to say, and then I really will drop it forever before your talking-about-feelings allergy kicks in and you go into anaphylactic shock—”

“Jesus—”

“—one of the things that hurt you most about Thad when he fucked you over was that he made you think he was really into you, but every time he had a chance to prove it, pushed you away, right?”

I swallowed. I hadn’t pushed Mason away. “Mason and I agreed.” It sounded lame, even to my own ears.

“You know, Mason and I were talking the other day—”

“Yeah, I heard all about yourtalks.” I made air quotes, even though I hated making air quotes, just on general principle.

Beale didn’t even bother concealing his amusement anymore. “Anyway, he mentioned something about his Instagram account, so I’ve been checking it every morning after my beach run, while I eat my oatmeal—”

“I’m aware he has an Instagram account, Beale.” I wasveryaware. I also knew exactly which pictures made the cut and which did not.

“Hmm. Maybe you should check it out. I have to say, I found his most recent post… highly educational.”

Educational? “What the fuck would I want to do that for? Last thing I need is endless pictures of his stupid loafers, or the hashtag-mating habits of whatever hashtag-wildlife he thinks he’s seen.”

Beale literally doubled over with laughter.

“Have you finally lost your mind?” I demanded. “Is this how it ends?”

Beale sobered somewhat. “Sorry! Sorry. Just…mating habits.That’s a good one.”He sniffed loudly like he was trying to compose himself and clapped my shoulder with one giant paw. “Anyway, I’m just saying, if you could see what Mason looks like when he’s looking at you… if you could see whatyoulook like when you look at him… you might remember that he isnotTexas Thad. And you might rethink your decisions.”

He turned and strolled off, whistling.

I narrowed my eyes and watched him walk, wondering what the hell he meant. How did Mason look at me? How did I look at Mason? What was so educational about Mason’s Instagram?

Well played, Beale.

I hurried after him.

Chapter Twelve

Mason

Per Toby’s advice,I’d woken up Saturday determined to bepatient, to give things time, to not overthink. I hadnotchecked my Instagram to see the fallout of posting my picture with Fenn, because that post had been an accurate representation of where I was for that one moment in time, and it shouldn’t matter what anyone else thought. I didn’t let myself replay the kiss over and over in my mind, because Fenn and I were going to befriends, and thinking about him sexually was counterproductive. I congratulated myself for evolving and maturing to the point where I’d mastered my own thoughts and regarded self-knowledge as its own beautiful reward.

In short, it was maybe the most peaceful nineteen minutes of my life.

And it had ended the literalsecondI’d crashed into Fenn on the balcony.

I couldnotbe friends with Fenn Reardon. What the hell had I been thinking to ever agree to such a stupid plan? It was adorable that Fenn wanted friendship, it really was. But that friendship was meant for some alternate-universe Mason and Fenn. An innocent universe. A universe where Fenn’s hand had never been on my cock and I’d never screamed his name while I orgasmed my spleen onto the Florida sand.

Sadly, inthisworld, I was fairly certain that if I ever got close enough to breathe his air again, like I had this morning, I was going to molest the fuck out of him, despite him explaining very logically last night why that would not be good for either of us, and despite the fact that I very logically agreed with him.

Mason Bloom Takes Charge of His One Goddamn Lifewas never meant to be a romance.

So, therefore, I was putting a restraining order on myself. If I saw Fenn coming, I was going to walk away. If I knew Fenn was going to be hanging around the motel, working on his car, I would be elsewhere.

If the man had managed to avoid me for an entire week, surely I could avoid him just as easily, right?Pfft. Of course I could.