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Jedd drops the grin, and says, “No, but seriously. You’re glowing. Why are you glowing?”
“Glowing?” I ask, dumbfounded.
“Yes, glowing. Guys can glow too, Har, it’s not just for pregnant chicks. What happened?”
I start to shake my head, but then think better of it. What’s the harm in telling Jedd? He knows not to run his mouth, and I could use advice. Though I should probably be talking to Boone about this, since he’s the only one in a committed relationship, but I’ll take all the help I can get.
“I kissed Maisie last night.” The confession emerges as a gruff declaration. My office door is still open, and the men and women who work for me are the worst gossips. The last thing I need is for them to tease me about Maisie, or for this to get around the station — or worse — the town. While I don’t give a shit — I know Maisie will — and the entire town gossiping about us is the quickest way to send her running for the hills.
Jedd’s eyes widen as he whips his phone out of his pocket and he stabs furiously at the screen.
“What are you doing?” I ask, but I already know.
He scoffs at me. The sound saturated in sarcasm and disbelief. “What do you think?” he quips.
I think that in less than ten minutes my brothers are going to descend on this office and there’s not much that I can do to stop it.
And I’m right. It doesn’t even take the full ten minutes either before my brothers are crowding into my small office, sitting in the chairs or leaning against the walls.
“What’s the emergency meeting for?” Duke asks, running his hands down his thighs. Little puffs of sawdust float into the air with the action.
“Harlan kissed Maisie,” Jedd says, pointing to me, like he just announced to the whole playground that I have cooties.
“Jesus Jedd.” I rub a hand down my face.
“Nice.” Rhett drags the word out and tries to high five me, but I swat his hand away.
“How is this news?” Boone asks — attired in his ranger uniform. He must have come from work.
“What do you mean how is this news?” I ask.
He scoffs at me before tossing a smirk my way. “I’m a man obsessively in love with my wife, and I’ve seen how you look at Maisie. Don’t be dumb.”
Fair enough.
“Wait. Wait. You saw this coming?” Finch yells, and I slash a hand in his direction.
“Could you yell a little louder? I don’t think they heard you in the next county over,” I bite out.
Finch grimaces. “Sorry. You bringing her to dinner on Friday?”
“Yeah.”
“So, how was it?” Duke asks.
I don’t have the words to explain what the small kiss did to me. It was dangerous because — to me — it’s the start of a swift and scary fall into the unknown, but it also leaves a warm weight to my chest. The two conflicting emotions are distracting, and I’ve thought about finding a reason to find Maisie and extend the preview of that kiss more than once since last night.
Thank god for work.
At least work keeps my mind occupied enough that when Maisie pops into my thoughts every three seconds, I have something to keep me busy.
“Harlan’s smitten,” Rhett crows.
“No shit, Sherlock,” Duke says.
“Tell us something we don’t know,” Rhett agrees.
“You’re in so much trouble,” Boone says to me.
