Page 59 of The Puck Charmer
Alek cracks a beer and hands it to Cason. “She’s a landscape artist, doing the lawn for Tyler.”
“Oh yeah,” Cason says as he smiles at me. “You’re not one of Tyler’s sisters?”
“No, I’m a local,” I say.
“A landscaping artist, huh? That’s a cool job,” he says. “I’d love to hear more about it.”
Cason pulls a chair out beside me and plunks down into it, and his warm scent of soap and fabric softener reach my nose. “Ever get out to Seattle? I could always use a great landscape artist. Just bought a place.”
“You live in Seattle?” He nods, and I can’t help but think he’s far from home. “I always wanted to visit.”
“Sure, and now that I have a new place, you’ve got yourself a place to stay.”
“Back off, Cason,” Quinn says, and rolls her eyes.
“What?” he says with a laugh.
“You’re such a troublemaker.”
“That’s why they call me the troublemaker,” he says, and my gaze goes back and forth between the two. Clearly, I’m missing an inside joke here.
Alek hands the tongs to Jonah, and a look I don’t understand passes between them before Alek turns his attention to Cason.
“Cason, can I see you inside,” Alek says.
Cason pushes from the chair, and the two step inside. “What’s that all about?” I ask Quinn, who is glaring at Alek’s back.
“I don’t think Alek likes Cason hitting on his girl,” she says.
His girl.
Damn I like the sound of that.
She puts her hand on mine and gives it a squeeze. Big blue eyes search my face in an almost comforting way. “I also think you two need to talk, Alyssa.”
I look into her blue eyes, and my heart jumps into my throat as dread takes hold. I swallow uneasily and inch back in my seat, the feeling that something very bad is about to happen rushing through my blood like a runaway freight train ready to go off the track.
17
Alek
I take my last bite of steak, and somehow manage to get it past the lump in my throat. Even though every part of my being is fucking terrified that I’ve messed this up with Alyssa, we need to talk sooner rather than later. I hated asking my friends to keep my secret—Quinn looks like she’s ready to neuter me—but she needs to hear it from me, and I have to figure out how to tell her without her hating me.
From across the table, Scotty is telling some story about Daisy, Zander’s daughter, and everyone laughs at his antics. Alyssa seems quite taken with the boy in much the same way my buddy Cason was taken with her. Fuck, I had to shut that shit down, fast. Cason is a great guy, one of the greatest I know, but he had to know Alyssa was off limits.
Is she though?
When it comes right down to it, I have no claim on her. We agreed to a summer fling, nothing more and by rights if she wants to go out with Cason she can. It will just have to be over my dead body.
“Who wants to hit up the pub?” Cason asks. “Shoot a couple games of pool?”
Jonah looks at Quinn and she waves her hand. “Go, Scotty and I are going to go for a swim and then I’ll get him settled in for the night. Maybe we can all play cards or a board game when you get back. Alyssa, do you like cards?”
Alyssa smiles, like she’s so happy to be included. My heart hurts for the beautiful woman, inside and out, who’s never really been a part of a family, and damned if I don’t want to offer mine up to her. She needs this, deserves this, and there is nothing I want more for her.
Jonah leans over and gives her a kiss. “Sounds li
ke a plan.”