Page 5 of Mine to Keep

“Is that right?” I glanced at JJ as he nodded.

“Matt said so. I’m walking well and feeling pretty good.”

I looked around. “Where is the little mouse?”

“Mouse?” JJ snorted.

“He always runs and hides from me.”

JJ pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. “Mmmhmm, and why is that?”

I raised a brow and pointed at the wannabe detective. “Nope.”

“That’s not an answer.”

I sighed and walked over. “Honestly, I’m not sure. I think he’s embarrassed, but I’m not telling you why. It’s private and his story. But it’s the only thing I can think of.”

JJ’s jaw dropped. “You’re fucking kidding me right now with that bullshit!”

“What bullshit?” Mason sauntered in and of course, he would be no help in shutting JJ up.

JJ hooked a thumb at me. “He had an altercation with Matt at some point and is all secretive, and Matt avoids him and Nick is like, he’s embarrassed, maybe? I dunno…stuff. And he won’t elaborate.”

My eyes widened. “That’s why I won’t tell you, because you blab to Mason and Shep about everything.”

JJ gasped and looked at Shep, who shrugged. “He’s not wrong, my vicious viper.”

JJ double-gasped. “Rude!”

“Anyway, when’s the cake done?”

“No.” JJ slapped the table. “No cake for you!”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.” I left the room, turned down the hallway, and ran into the very man who was working so hard to hide from me.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, eyes on his feet.

“Hey.” I didn’t move, just waited. “Look at me.”

Slowly…like molasses-slowly, he did. His brown eyes had flecks of gold in them I hadn’t noticed. They were real pretty.

“Yeah?” His voice caught.

“Why are you running from me, Little Mouse?”

His brows furrowed. “Mouse?”

I grinned. “Ah, there’s the fire.”

“I’m not avoiding you, I’m working.”

“Hmm…I know what avoiding looks like.”

His smirk was adorable. “Is that so? A lot of people run away when they see you?”

“See, that right there. I mean, why? Last I remember, you hit on me and puked, I took you home, made sure you were safe, and left.”

He clenched his jaw. “You didn’t even know me…you still don’t. You interrupted something that could have been a great night for me.”

---