I pulled out my phone and grabbed earbuds from my purse in the mudroom. Happy. I needed music that had a beat, and catchy lyrics you could sing along to. I settled on a nineties and early 2000s pop mix with boy bands galore. Then I turned it loud enough to drown out any lingering critics in my head.

I moved from drawer to drawer, pulling everything out, cleaning, and organizing. I wasn’t sure how long I worked. I lost myself in the simple purpose of it all. Anytime my thoughts began to waver from my task, I doubled down on what the best organizational structure might be for the drawer or cabinet in question.

I reached to the very back of a shelf, stretching so I could clean the farthest nooks and crannies. Someone pulled one of my earbuds free, and I let out a scream. It cut short as Mason filled my vision. “God, don’t do that!”

The corner of his mouth kicked up. “Maybe don’t listen to your music at a decibel that will burst your eardrums.”

My chest heaved as the adrenaline slowly left my system. “Just enjoying a little escapism.”

Mason surveyed the kitchen. “You know I have a housekeeper, right?”

“I know.”

His expression sobered. “You okay?”

I nodded. It was a total and complete lie, but I’d get there eventually. “Where’s Juliette?”

“She’s staying at the resort.”

There was a five-star resort on the edge of town that would make the pickiest traveler happy. I tore at the wipe in my hands. “Because of me?”

Mason tugged at the material between my fingers and tossed it into the trash can I’d pulled out for my project. “Because of her.”

“Just tell her what this really is. A favor you’re doing for a…friend.” I struggled to get the word friend out of my mouth. That too felt like a lie.

Mason leaned against the counter. “Is that what you still think this is? A favor?”

His tone was deceptively calm, but I could see the anger heating in his eyes. “I don’t know.” The lingering touches and soft kisses were enough to make a smart woman lose some of her brain cells. I knew there would be a line at some point. We would either cross it, or we wouldn’t. Smart Anna would stay firmly on this side of the line. Reckless Anna would hurl herself over it for a chance to lose herself in Mason.

He moved in closer so I could feel the heat pouring off him. Mason lifted a hand, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers trailed down my neck and slipped beneath my hair. “This isn’t a favor, Anna. It’s so much more. I think you know that, but you’re scared to let yourself recognize it.”