Page 96 of Baby, Be Mine

“We miss you. Sami asks where Uncle Mason is all the time.”

Guilt ate at me. I’d managed to see my family a handful of times since Christmas. Juggling the restaurant, staffing, and the barge had left me little time for sleep, let alone seeing my family.

“I know. Things will be better now that I have some help.” My gaze tracked to Emma again. She was making our dad laugh and she just sparkled under the mason jar lights she’d convinced me to add to the MJ2. From her hair to her smile and all that golden skin in between, she was simply golden.

And warm and outgoing.

Everything I needed for this job, sure.

But more than that, she’d made me sit up and take notice as well. Rules be damned at this point. I didn’t want her to leave.

To leaveme,never mind the job.

The music ended, dragging me out of my spinning thoughts. Emma was standing on a chair near the bar with a microphone in hand.

Where the hell had she gotten a microphone?

“Since it’s such a lovely night, we’re going to have dessert and sparklers out on the lawn near the oak tree. You can’t miss it.” She winked. “It’s lit up like Christmas. We wanted one more way to celebrate these two crazy kids. Give it up for Jared and Gina.” The space erupted into clapping. “And both their families as well as friends for coming out to show them how much they mean to us.” She lifted her mason jar. “And bring your drinks. Just don’t even think about taking them to your cars or you’ll end up in cuffs.”

She hopped down and made a beeline for me. “Hope you got as many sparklers as it looked like you got.”

I laughed. “I did.”

Jared whacked me on the arm then gave Emma another hug. “Thanks for making the party so special. We should have hired you to do the wedding.”

Emma laughed and hugged him back. “Not on your life, pal.”

“Smart woman. Even doing mostly everything ourselves, I’m freaking tired of hearing about swatches and cakes and fish versus chicken verses a damn steak.”

She snorted. “Always the steak.”

“See? Thank you.” Jared gave me another hard look.

“Go get your almost bride, please.” I pushed him toward where Gina was scanning the crowd for him.

Emma laughed as he went.

“You’d never know my brother was a grumpy asshole a few years ago. Now he acts like a golden retriever with a tennis ball.”

“Love makes us all a little crazy.”

I glanced down at her. “Did it make you crazy?”

She searched my eyes before answering. “I don’t know. I’m still figuring it out.”

“Mason! Did you lock up the sparklers somewhere?” Stef called from the dock.

“We better get down there.” Emma grinned and headed for the stairs.

I tried not to growl as I was transfixed by her swinging hips. Life was a lot easier before I let lust start making decisions for me.

We both rushed down the stairs from the second level to the main deck. On our way by, Emma grabbed a water bottle out of the melted ice in the metal tub and drank deeply as we hustled down the dock.

“I’ll meet you at the tree.” Emma dabbed at her mouth with the back of her hand, and I wished I could taste that cool wetness on her lips instead.

I was seriously in trouble.

Her eyes grew heated as she gripped my hand for a second before disappearing into the crowd to make sure the desserts were being passed out. Sugar Rush had made a cake as well as petit fours for those who liked a more bite-sized treat.

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