When I'm Gone (Rosemary Beach #11)(44)

Nan’s eyes went wide, and I enjoyed every damn minute of it as my words sank in.

“I’m even going to suggest that she sue you for the money she’s already given you, plus a million dollars for pain and suffering. You are Kiro Manning’s daughter, after all. She might as well go for a lot. You can afford it.”

Nan let out a laugh that sounded forced. “She can’t afford a damn lawyer. That’s not going to happen.”

“She won’t have to pay for one. I’ve already called mine.”

Nan slammed her wineglass down and stood up. “Really, Mase? You, too? The whole damn family hates me. Now you’re going to take sides with some girl you’re f*cking?”

I took a step toward her, reminding myself that I didn’t hit women. But dammit, that was hard. I wanted to wring her neck. “Don’t. Ever. Call. Reese. That. Again. She’s more than you could ever imagine. She doesn’t even know I’m here, because she didn’t tell me about this bullshit with you. Rush did.” I let that sink in. Then I added one more thing. “You bring the hate on yourself, Nan. Stop being a bitch.”

I had said what I came to say. Turning, I headed for the door.

“Rush called you?” Her voice sounded smaller. Even the brother she adored, who loved her when no one else did, was done with her bullshit. She was getting that, finally.

“Yeah. He did. He hates to see Reese suffer at your evil hands, too,” I said, glancing back at her.

She didn’t look so angry anymore. Crestfallen was a better description. It was a shame there wasn’t one small piece of me that cared. We shared a father, but I hated this woman. Not just for what she had done to Reese but for how she had treated Harlow when she first came to Rosemary Beach, too. I didn’t hate easily, but Nan made sure to bring that emotion out in people.

“Wait. Here, take the damn check. I don’t want any more money. But I don’t want to see her again, either. She isn’t getting her job back.”

I turned and took the check from her outstretched hand. She’d just left all of Reese’s life savings lying there on her coffee table under a bowl of fruit, as if it were a napkin.

Tucking it safely into my pocket, I gave Nan one last pitying look. “I hope you figure out one day that piss and vinegar ain’t attractive. After a while, you can turn everyone away from you for good. Snap out of whatever this shit is that controls your head, and change. Because you’ve lost everyone else already. Don’t lose Rush, too.”

The pain that sliced through her expression was enough. I left.

I was ready to go take care of my girl.

Reese

A ringing in the distance interrupted my dreams, and I turned in circles to look for the source. I saw nothing but the clouds around me. The ringing stopped, but then it started up again. Frustrated, I stomped my feet, but then it dawned on me. This was a dream.

My eyes snapped open, and the ringing was my cell phone. Rubbing my eyes, I sat up and looked for it, still a little disoriented. The sun hadn’t risen, and it was still very dark outside. It had taken me forever to fall asleep.

My phone continued to ring until, finally, I saw the screen glowing in the darkness. I climbed out of bed and picked it up from where it had fallen to the floor. Cowboy boots. Mase.

“Hello,” I said in a hoarse whisper.

“You have someone at your door. Could you open it so both of you can crawl back into bed and go to sleep?” he said in his deep, sexy drawl on the other end of the line.

I frowned, and then I heard the knock. It took me a few seconds to register that Mase was at my door. I dropped my phone onto the bed and took off running to open the door. Why was he here? His phone call earlier tonight had been so short it had worried me. He hadn’t even asked me to read to him.

This was why. He was coming to see me.

I threw open the door, and he stepped into the apartment, looking as perfect as always. It was then that I realized my hair was probably sticking up everywhere. I hadn’t even checked myself in the mirror.

But he was here. I just didn’t care about anything else.

“Sorry I woke you up, but I didn’t want to sleep in the truck all night when I could crawl into bed and sleep with you in my arms.”

Swoon. This man and his words.

I grinned. I was so happy to see him I couldn’t help it. I knew I had the silly grin on my face that I got when I was giddy. But having Mase here made me giddy. I hadn’t expected to see him again so soon, and after the week I’d had so far, I needed this.

Just being with him fixed everything.

He closed the distance between us and ran his hand over my hair with an amused smirk on his lips. “I like this. Seeing you like this.”

I wanted to melt into him. “You’re here,” was all I could say.

He nodded. “I am. We can talk about it tomorrow. Let’s get you back into bed.”

He was coming with me. This was . . . oh, crap. I was dreaming. I would have bet this was a dream. It was the only thing that made sense. I didn’t want this to be a dream. I wanted him to be here, dammit.

“Pinch me,” I told him, as his hand slipped to my lower back.

He frowned. “Why would I do that?”

“To prove I’m not dreaming,” I explained.

His deep chuckle made me tingle all over. “How about I do this instead?” he said, just before his mouth covered mine.