Page 40 of Nanny for the Firefighter

Mason regards me, his eyes traveling up and down the length of my body. I have to stifle a shiver, but as it is, I know my hands are shaking.

“Bridget, I…” His words drift away, and he shakes his head. “How are you liking the party?”

It’s a stupid question, and we both know it. Still, I can see it for what it is—a move to slow this down—and I’m all too happy to play along.

“It’s good. There are quite a few people down there, though. Just got a little overwhelming.”

Nodding, Mason looks down at the floor before idly sipping his drink.

“There sure is. Can’t say I’m used to it.”

A bit of the tension in my spine relaxes as I realize how uncomfortable Mason looks. He just doesn’t want to be alone in here moping while the party’s going on. That’s all.

At least, that’s what I tell myself.

I think about all the people from Hudson’s work taking up space in Mason’s house. I think about how he could land any one of the beautiful women downstairs.

“You know,” my voice is small, “you could go back down and find yourself a date. There are more than a few women who’ve been tripping all over themselves because of you.”

He shakes his head. “No, thanks. I’m not interested in that.”

“Oh.” I falter, but that need to fill the silence with something is too strong. “So, not much for dating then, huh? How’d you meet Mia’s mom then?”

Mason visibly stiffens, and when he looks up from his drink, his eyes are distant…sad.

“It was an accident.”

In any other situation, I might laugh. Not now. The heartbreak is plain on Mason’s face, and my chest squeezes.

Shit, I never should have said anything.

“Jess had dropped her ice cream.” Mason isn’t looking at anything in particular; his mind caught up in memory. “I was in the park for a run. I saw it fall onto the sidewalk and offered to buy her a new one.”

He sips his drink again, and I can’t bring myself to speak.

“She said yes. It…it, umm, moved pretty fast after that. She was always taking life by the horns, steering it where she wantedit to go. I proposed because she’d dropped enough hints. Hell, if I hadn’t…it was that or break up.”

I feel like an intruder, every bit of me crying out silently to get out of here. It’s like reading someone’s diary with them in the room.

It’s too much.

“You’d been gone for about a year, so…” Mason shrugs, finally meeting my eyes, and the sorrow there cuts through me like a jagged blade. “Before I knew it, Jess was pregnant. But, umm…”

“She passed,” I offer, trying to help get him through the worst of this.

“Yeah. Complications from the C-section.”

“I’m so sorry, Mason.” He blinks, staring directly at me, and that crack in my chest grows a little further.

I feel like I did this to him. If I’d made the right decision all those years ago—but it’s too late for that.

It’s too dangerous. What I need to do is get out of here, but with Mason staring at me like that, I’m rooted to the spot.

“Look, umm…” I shake myself, forcing my body to move again. “I’ll give you some privacy. Some space.”

Mason scoffs, and the sound is more bitter than I’d expect.

“Space?” He glances down at his glass, downing half of what remains. “You really think space from you is going to work? You moved across the country, Bridget. And I was still here.”

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