Page 91 of No One Wants That (Blitzen Bay)

Mason lets out a long laugh as he pours me a glass. “That’s the very last thing that Butch is. I’ve known him for twenty years. I assure you, he’s the least complicated man on earth.”

“I don’t know. I’m usually pretty good at reading people, but I’ve had a hard time reading him from the start.”

He hands me the wine and sits back down. “That’s your problem. Don’t try to read him, just ask him what he’s thinking. He likes to talk more than any person I’ve ever met. Believe me, he’ll tell you exactly what’s on his mind and more.”

“I think I fucked it up with him,” I say. “But I’m sure you don’t want to talk about it.”

“Kit, I don’t mind talking about it, but you’d be better off talking to Butch. He’ll tell you exactly where he’s at.”

“Okay,” I say. “I’ll talk to him when he gets back from his outing with Raine.”

He laughs again. “They don’t have anything going on.”

“Hmm,” I say, peering at him over my wine. “They seem really close.”

“They are really close. Butch loves Raine—and Millie. He loves them more than most people in the world. But he couldn’t be with either of them—and vice versa.”

“Why not? They’re both cool and you seem to really love one of them.”

“I love both of them.” He stretches his legs out and leans back in his chair. “I’m a perfect match for Millie, but not even close for Raine. Love is only the start. You’ve got to be able to deal with the other person’s shit if you want to have a fighting chance at making it. No, not even be able to deal with it, you have to love dealing with the other person’s shit.”

I raise my eyebrows. “What shit does Millie have?”

He smiles. “Millie’s a princess. Butch wouldn’t deal with that for two seconds. I love dealing with it. I love every bit of it.”

“Millie doesn’t seem like much of a princess. She’s pretty tough.”

“She is tough. And she’s smart and independent and sweet and gentle and tender and funny and I could go on and on, but she definitely needs coddling. It’s the way her dad raised her.” He closes his eyes. “And there’s nothing on earth I enjoy more than spoiling her. It’s who she is and it’s who I am. We fit.”

“That’s sweet,” I say, smiling. “You do seem like the perfect fit.”

“Who’s the perfect fit?” Millie asks as she walks out of the inn.

“We are, baby,” Mason says, walking over to hug her. “We’re the perfect fit.”

“Yes, we are,” she says, stretching up to kiss him. “Kit, do you want to come hiking with us?”

“No way. I’m not getting in the middle of all that cuteness,” I say, waving at them. “And really, I’ve had plenty of hiking for one day. I need a nap. I’ll see you guys for dinner tonight.”

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