“You need to make peace with the fact that Anna may never be ready to open up to you the way you want her to. If you can’t handle that, you need to walk away. It’s not fair to either of you to expect her to be someone she’s not.”

I knew it would always be a struggle for her to let me in. But I believed she would get there, bit by bit—as long as I didn’t keep pulling bonehead moves like I had yesterday. “I love Anna for exactly who she is. I just want her to feel safe enough to let down her guard with me.”

“Hell,” Cain muttered. “You’re done for. I can see it already. Just don’t get your hopes up that things will change overnight.”

“I won’t.” I looked at the clock icon on my computer. “Can I play hooky today?”

He chuckled and waved me off. “Go get your girl.”

That was exactly my plan.

I heard the garage door go up, and my gut tightened. I hadn’t been this nervous since I’d taken Cynthia Shepard out on my first date in the ninth grade. I glanced towards the dining table. I’d done my best, picking up some flowers from a local florist, and candles, too. It wasn’t expertly put together, but I’d done my best.

Two filets were warming in the oven, along with some mashed potatoes. A Caesar salad chilled in the fridge. And a Chateauneuf-du-Pape from one of my favorite wineries sat on the table.

Anna’s movements slowed as she crossed the space, taking in the low light and soft music. “What’s going on?”

“We need to talk.”

She sighed, letting her eyes fall closed for a moment. “I don’t have it in me, Mason. It’s been a long day, I’m exhausted—”

“Then let me feed you. Just give me five minutes to say what I need to. If you want me to shut up after that, I promise I will. Not a word for the rest of the night.”

“Not one?”

I mimed zipping my lips and throwing away a key.

Her mouth twitched as if she wanted to smile but then tightened into a thin line. “Okay.”

I gestured to the dining table. “Sit. I’ll get everything.”

Anna didn’t argue, as if she were grateful for a little distance to breathe. I hurried to get everything ready. I brought out the salad and mashed potatoes. Then topped our plates with the steak, the peppercorn sauce already on the table.

Anna looked down at the plate I set in front of her. “You didn’t have to go to all of this trouble just to talk to me for five minutes.”