Page 56 of The Ruse of Romancing
“Just be careful,” Joane called, the whole bakery audience to her parting words. “I know a thing or two about vacation romances, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I appreciate that.”
As I settled in to write, I did my best to push aside Joane’s warning. I knew Allen. In fact, I was fairly certain meetingAllen and allowing myself to fall for him was part of why I’d finally been able to start writing again. His words at Powell’s, encouraging me to keep writing, had become a war cry of sorts each time I sat down and felt the imposter syndrome start to niggle at the corners of my mind.
My only regret was that I’d be leaving Cascade Harbor as soon as my draft was done so I could go with Avery to Italy. Though maybe I could fly straight back to Oregon afterward and capture a bit more time with Allen before we both had to return home to reality.
I pulled out my laptop, picking up the story where I’d left off, Hypatia’s and Petros’s romance calling to me and begging me to reach the conclusion.
But even as I wrote about stolen kisses and magic battles, Joane’s words continued to echo in my mind, a warning that I couldn’t shake.
I knew Allen. He was kind and genuine. He’d never hurt me, at least not intentionally. So why did Joane’s words bring to mind Spencer’s warning from Mason about how summer romances never lasted?
Chapter 30
Mason
Ifoundmyselfwhistlingas I parked my car and headed into Ed’s. While my hair wasn’t quite ready for a cut, I wouldn’t mind a good shave and a chance to catch up on the latest with the Gossip Gang. I had time to kill before I needed to pick up Dani, and I was too anxious to spend the day at home working. Tonight, I was taking Dani to my grandparents’ house where I’d come clean and make everything right.
And while a part of me worried what the drive home would be like if she got angry and wouldn’t forgive me, I was hoping getting away from Cascade Harbor would give us both a clean slate to build new memories without lies between us.
The bell above the barbershop door chimed, revealing that, despite how much had changed in my life over the last week and a half, everything else in town seemed to have stayed the same.
“Oo, looks like someone got some action last night,” Clyde called from his perch next to the window as I walked into the shop. He and the rest of the Gossip Gang watched meexpectantly. The trio of elderly men had somehow managed to dress in matching red shirts with jeans, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was by chance or if they got a kick out of being color coordinated.
Art smacked him with his newspaper. “More like someone isgoingto get some action tonight. Who’s the lucky gal? I haven’t seen you lurking around town wooing the ladies as much as normal. Find a new stomping ground?” Art waggled his bushy white eyebrows in a gesture that should never be made by a man his age.
“That’s none of your business,” I said, settling in to wait for Davie who was working with another client.
Charlie gave me a sheepish but hopeful look from where he sat in his barber chair, clearly waiting for some work.
“Never again, Charlie,” I said kindly but seriously, rubbing the back of my neck. “I don’t think I’ll ever recover from the last time.”
The Gossip Gang chortled at this pronouncement as Charlie blushed a deep shade of red.
“It was an accident,” he muttered, looking up at the ceiling and rocking back and forth in his chair.
“An accident that never should have happened,” Davie said as he walked past Charlie to ring up his customer before calling me over to his chair. “What are we doing today? If I take any more hair off, you’ll be bald. Or are you wanting to rock the hairless look? It hasn’t done much good for Clyde over there.”
Art and Marty found this hilarious, elbowing Clyde, who took the teasing in stride and laughed along.
“Just a shave,” I said as I rubbed a hand along my stubbled jaw. I’d been good at keeping it shaved the first couple of days after Charlie’s mistake, but I’d been so busy the last few days with Dani that I hadn’t given it much attention.
Davie got to work as I listened to the rambling chatter of the trio of old men. There’d been some kind of drama at bingo night involving Spencer and Maisie, the thrift store owner, that I’d have to ask him about the next time I saw him. I’d just started to tune out the chatter when I heard my name.
“You know that girl staying at Mason’s duplex? Apparently, she’s got herself a man, but no one knows him or has seen him.” I tensed at Marty’s casual comment, hoping Davie didn’t notice. “Do you know who it is, Mason?”
“Can’t say that I do,” I said, hoping they’d lose interest in the subject and move on.
“I’ve seen that girl around town. She’s a looker! Told my Benny he should take a crack at her, but you know Benny. If it requires him getting off my couch, he’s not moving,” Clyde said.
“How do you know she’s dating someone?” I asked trying to keep my voice casual as I attempted to ascertain their source of information. If anyone happened to see me out with Dani, everything could come crashing down before I spoke to her tonight. Maybe I should have talked to her last night, risked the explosion without all of my careful planning. “You see her out and about or something?”
“Boy, you need to have Davie clean out your ears while he’s shaving your face. Didn’t you hear Marty say no one’s seen who she’s dating? Apparently, he’s also a tourist, or at least that’s what I heard Joane telling Spencer at the bookstore the other day. Sounds like a recipe for disaster if you ask me. Two tourists sparking up a romance.” I could hear Art’s disapproval from my spot, tipped back for Davie to work.
“Or it’s a recipe for a realgoodtime,” Marty said, causing the other two to break into laughter and start telling stories about when they were younger and dating.
I relaxed. It sounded like my secret was safe after all.
