Page 44 of The Ruse of Romancing

Dani

I looked back and forth between Spencer and Allen, unable to make sense of the scene in front of me.

Allen was from Rexburg, visiting his grandparents.

And while it was possible he’d met Spencer during one of his previous visits, I doubted they’d know each other well enough for Spencer to show up out of the blue to surprise him with food talking about a commission.

“Spencer, what are you doing here?” I asked slowly, my thoughts racing. I felt like I was watching a TV detective show and all the pieces were in front of me, but my brain was struggling to put them all together to explain the events that had led us to this moment. “How do you know Allen?”

“Allen? Who’s Allen?” Spencer asked, pushing his glasses up his nose as he looked at me like I’d lost my marbles. “I came to visit,” his words slowed, and he turned to look at Allen, “Mason.”

“Dani, let me explain.” Allen turned away from Spencer and the open front door, taking a step toward me, but I retreated, taking a step back.

“Wait, Dani is the girl you were talking about outside Ed’s the other day?

You’re dating the Danielle Baldwin?” Spencer’s eyes were huge.

The look of shock on his face would have been comical if I didn’t feel like all the oxygen was being sucked from my lungs.

“Mason, how could you lie to me about that?”

“Spencer, just stop talking for a minute.” Allen, or, I guess, Mason, stopped Spencer with a hand on his chest and turned back to me, a look of complete panic on his face. “Dani, let me explain—”

I held up a hand, silencing both men.

“Why do you keep calling him Mason?” I asked Spencer. I didn’t recognize my own voice. It was stiff and small.

“Because that’s his name,” Spencer said slowly. “Mason Allen Stuart. Your neighbor and property manager.”

With each name he pronounced, I felt the earth shift beneath me as the pieces finally snapped into place. Mason was Allen. Allen was Mason. Somehow my womanizer of a neighbor and the man who’d made me feel seen and safe were one and the same.

I shook my head, a headache beginning to form.

None of this made sense. Mason was an angry, bearded lumberjack and womanizer who left me sticky notes and made my life difficult by ensuring people parked in the middle of the driveway.

Allen was nothing like that. He was, kind, sweet, and a great listener.

He was clean cut and an incredible artist.

I froze as memories came rushing forward: both Tiffany and Veronica talking about modeling for Mason, Spencer talking about how Mason had done the art prints at his shop.

I glanced at the prints lining the wall, prints Allen had mentioned designing for his grandparents.

After seeing his sketches of me on the beach, I’d mentioned loving his style and requesting he send samples to Avery for my book cover.

A style that was remarkably similar to Mason’s.

I suddenly regretted how much I’d eaten at dinner. I was about to be sick.

“Tell me it isn’t true,” I said, my voice deceptively calm as I searched Allen’s face, trying to see the man I’d started falling for over the last week and a half, but only seeing the one who had frustrated me so thoroughly when I first arrived.

Then I remembered our conversation from the night before.

“Was this why you kept asking me if I could ever forgive a liar while we were watching Pillow Talk ?”

“Dani, if you’d just let me explain.” Allen took a step toward me, his hands extended like he was trying to calm a wild animal.

“I’m listening!” I spat, closing the distance between us and jabbing a finger into his chest.

Allen’s words came out in a rush. “I met you in the bookstore and you started talking about your publisher looking for a new cover designer and it sounded like a gold opportunity. But then I realized who you were and that you would never give Mason a chance so—"

“I told you I don’t trust easily, that I don’t give out my phone number because of how people treat me and use me once they learn who I am.

I thought you were different.” I felt tears burning the backs of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall where Allen—Mason—could see.

“Turns out you’re the worst one of them all. ”

Mason deflated before my eyes, his expression one of complete devastation before he turned his gaze to the floor. “I know.”

“Spencer, can you give me a ride to the duplex? I need to leave.” I hurried down the hall, reaching my bedroom door as the tears began to fall. Desperately, I shoved everything I’d brought back into my overnight bag, not caring if I forgot anything, just needing to be gone and away from this place.

With my bag in hand, I rushed down the hall and to the front door. As I pushed past Mason, he grabbed my arm, stopping me.

“Dani, you have to believe me. I never meant—”

“I don’t have to believe anything you tell me. You lied to me the entire time I knew you. What more do I need to know?” With that, I walked out of the house and to Spencer’s car, my head held high even as my chin began to wobble, and the tears gathered again.

Spencer followed behind me, his steps hesitant.

As I settled in my seat, I turned away from him and determinedly stared out the window, worried any kindness from him would push my emotions further over the edge.

Why couldn’t I have been attracted to him that day at the bookstore?

Everything would be completely different if I’d been interested in Spencer or decided not to open my heart at all.

Lesson learned. Life was easier without relationships and vulnerability.

I spent most of the ride back to Cascade Harbor crying so hard I couldn’t even see the beaches and forests I’d gushed about during our drive to Mason’s grandparents’ home. Not that it mattered. I’d never be able to look at Oregon the same.

Spencer attempted to soothe me, but I ignored his kind words, too busy feeling my heart shatter.

When I finally got control of my emotions enough to stop crying, I dialed Avery.

“Hi Dani! How are things going with Allen? I didn’t think I’d hear from you at all today.” Her voice was chipper, its familiar tone nearly bringing me to tears again.

“Avery.”

All it took was the one word and she knew something was wrong. Seeming to sense I didn’t walk to talk, she went into full big-sister mode.

“Come home, Dani. I’ll book you the first flight. It’s time for you to come home.”

“Okay,” I whispered, the word cracked and broken. Home was exactly where I needed to be right now.

The rest of the car ride passed in silence, Spencer only speaking when we reached the duplex. He carried my overnight bag to the door, but paused before leaving.

“Dani, I’m so sorry. If I had known...” He trailed off, clearly at as much of a loss as I was, his shoulders hunched and his hands shoved into his pockets.

“It’s not your fault, Spencer.” My voice was rough from crying. I reached up and pulled him into a quick goodbye hug. “Thank you for the ride home, and please tell Joane goodbye for me. I’m going to miss her and her baking most of all.”

Spencer gave a nod and a sad smile before climbing back into his car and driving away. Joane would need to stop by the duplex to pick up the sourdough supplies she lent me, but I’d let her sort that out with Mason. I just needed to leave.

I quickly scoured the duplex, shoving everything into my suitcase, muttering to myself as I tried to cram my new sweatshirts and books into the already full bag.

Not that I would be able to wear the sweatshirts again.

Every time I pulled them out, I would think of Allen or Mason or whatever his name was, and the day we spent together picking them out.

The same would be true for the handful of books I’d bought for myself at Powell’s.

Maybe I’d give everything away once I got home.

Or have a cleansing fire. Either option would work, but my thoughts were too tangled to think it all through now.

I’d decide once I’d landed in Utah, where I would be with family and friends who actually loved me and didn’t lie to me.

After all, if Allen had lied about who he was, what else had he lied about? His feelings for me? My skill as a writer?

At least with that last one, if he was lying, I could prove him wrong. Just like I’d promised to prove wrong every negative review and hater of my first book.

I’d channeled the emotions of falling in love with Allen into my sequel, there was no reason I couldn’t do the same with this latest slew of emotions.

As I pushed out of my bedroom, ready to load up my car and leave, my bracelet from Poppy snagged on the doorknob.

It was supposed to bring inspiration and good things into my life, but all it had brought was trouble.

I slipped it from my wrist, remembering every time Allen had stroked it, sending sparks up my arm.

Even though it had been a gift from Poppy, I would forever associate the bracelet with Allen.

Anger at him and his lies overwhelmed me and I chucked the bracelet across the room, not caring if it broke as it hit the wall with a satisfying whack.

My phone buzzed when a text from Avery came through with my flight information. Thankfully, she’d gotten me on a flight leaving in a couple hours. I’d owe her for coming through for me.

Typing out a quick email to the duplex owners apologizing for my hasty departure, I left my key on the kitchen counter, loaded my bags into my rental car, and made the agonizing drive to the airport as the light faded from the sky, my emotions transitioning from sorrow to anger to numbness as the miles passed.

Hours later, I arrived in Salt Lake City after a blessedly uneventful flight. It was late, meaning I couldn’t stop at Poppy’s store to sign book copies, even if I’d had the heart. Instead, I booked it to baggage claim and prayed Avery would be there waiting for me.

When I spotted my sister, I rushed to her, bursting into tears as she wrapped me in a much-needed hug.

“Oh, Dani, it’s going to be okay.” She soothed as she rubbed my back and held me close.

“Avery, I thought maybe he could be the one. That he actually might—” But the words stuck in my throat, and I couldn’t finish.

“Shh, you don’t have to say anything. It’s going to be okay, I promise,” Avery soothed, pulling back to wipe away my tears.

Taking control of the situation in her usual big sister way, she grabbed my suitcase and guided me to her car, the only sound between us that of my suitcase rolling behind her.

I was hit with a fresh round of tears when I saw Hercules waiting in the passenger seat, his head hanging out the window. I climbed into the car and pulled my massive dog onto my lap, not caring that it was awkward, but needing his familiar presence as I wrapped my arms around him and held on.

Avery was right. It would be okay. My heart was broken now, but at least Mason had done me the favor of showing me reality before I’d finished my book. Now I could give it the realistic ending it deserved. And then, I’d move on with my life and forget Oregon ever happened.