Page 102 of His One True Wish

“Lord help me,” Mason muttered, walking up to Mom and me. “And I see you found Billie,” he said, standing next to Mom.

“Did you fly them here?” I asked, turning to Mason.

“Me?” Mason burst out laughing. “Not me. Angel’s crew picked them up.”

At the mention of her name, Angel waved as she picked a stack of menus off the front counter. “Hey, Billie. Hey, Axl. I heard Mason talking to your mom, and I figured, I have a Gulfstream and a crew here, and you may have heard, I’m not going anywhere soon.”

“You sure about that?” Mason asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Mason, darling,” Angel said, walking across the café to squeeze his arm. “I told you, I’m putting down roots, and I am here to help your business grow.”

I noticed my mother’s shoulders tighten as she saw Angel touch Mason’s arm. I was about to say something when Angel noticed it herself.

“I’m sorry, honey,” she said, looking at my mom. “I know you and Mason are a thing, and I want you to know that I am about to bedivorced, and in no way am I looking to move in on anyone’s man. I am done with that shit.”

“He’s not my man … ” Mom stammered.

“Well, I … ” Mason said, shuffling.

Axl gave me a side-eye, and I swallowed a smile. “Angel, thank you for flying my mom up here,” I said.

“Yes, thank you,” Mom said softly.

“Well, it was the least I could do,” Angel said, turning to look at me. “Glad to see you two back here. I almost had the plane fly to the cabin and park in your back yard, but apparently, there are aviation rules about things like that. The pilot refused.”

“Smart pilot,” Axl muttered.

Mom and Mason faced each other, strained smiles on their faces. I stood between Axl and Abby, feeling like a third-wheel on my mother’s awkward date.

“It’s good to see you, Moira,” Mason said, nodding. “I thought you might already be on the cruise.”

“Nope. Nope,” Mom said, shaking her head. “The cruise is in another month. And the house will go on the market in a couple of weeks.”

“That’s good.”

Mom cleared her throat. “My offer still stands,” she said, throwing her shoulders back. She glanced at me, and I had the feeling that something had shifted in her, too.

What offer was she talking about?

“Oh, you know it’s hard for me to leave Smoke River,” Mason said. “I do want to travel with you, Moira. I do want to see the world.”

Angel walked by holding a tray of cinnamon rolls. “So do it,” she said, laughing.

“What?” Mason said.

“I’m staying. I’ll manage the place. I have founded and run a multi-million-dollar corporation that started in my garage. Angelic Homewares,” she said. “Google me. I’m in Target.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” Mason mumbled.

“Sure you could,” Angel said, rolling her eyes. “Look at her.” She glanced at my mom. “She’s hot as hell, Mason.”

Mom took a step back and wiggled her hips a bit. I could tell that Angel’s compliment made her happy.

“Why the hell aren’t you running off with this hottie, Mason?” Angel sighed, and she winked at my mom. “Men, am I right?”

Mom looked positively shocked, then her face changed. “Mason Lee, I am hot as hell, and I’m tired of pretending we are not a thing.”

“Mom,” I said, gasping.

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