Be My Hero (Forbidden Men 3)

"Yeah," he said. "Tonight."

I about hugged him, but that would've been way awkward because the last time I'd tried to touch him, I'd reached for his junk to show Reese he was a cheating bastard just like every other dick out there. But he hadn't been a cheating bastard; he'd knocked my hand away, and Reese had turned on me as if I was the backstabbing whore of the century. Not wanting to relive any of those memories, I cleared my throat and ran my fingers through my hair, glad when Reese entered the kitchen.

"So what're we doing for supper?" she asked, completely clueless as to what Mason and I had just discussed.

Mason jumped because his back was to the doorway and he hadn't seen her enter. When he whirled toward her looking as guilty as spit, I snorted. Time for me to set the wheels in motion before he blew it.

"You two are driving me crazy," I said, taking control. "Both of you have been moping around the house all week, and it's enough already. I'm officially kicking you out for the evening. I'd leave myself, but . . . I hate walking too far in this condition, ergo, you guys have to go. I'll pack you a picnic supper, but you better not come back until you're both freaking approachable again. Got it?"

Reese lifted her eyebrows and sent me a withering stare. "Wow. I'm so sorry our drama is messing with your life, E. Let me just get right on—"

"Sweet Pea." Mason stepped toward her and swept an arm around her waist, making her look up at him in surprise.

As her startled blue eyes grew wider, he forced a tense smile. "Let's just . . . let's listen to her and go out for a couple hours, anyway. Just the two of us."

She started nodding immediately, but it took her a few seconds for her to say, "O . . . Okay. Yeah, that sounds good."

"Great." His smile was slow and devastating enough to make Reese visibly melt. I swear the girl almost let out a dreamy smile.

Then he kissed her forehead and released her. "I'm going to grab my . . . my hat from the bedroom. Be right back."

As soon as he was gone, a grinning Reese whirled to me. "Did you just see that?" she demanded and began bouncing on her toes. "He touched me. Ohmigod, Eva. I think he's starting to come around again."

I had to turn away before I spilled the entire surprise, but I was so happy for my best friend. I couldn't wait to see her face when she and Mason returned from their picnic. "So, what kind of food do you want?" I asked, already opening the refrigerator and yanking out deli meat. Sandwiches sounded like a nice light meal for the simple kind of proposal Reese would prefer.

She tried to assist me in packing the supper, but she was so eager to get going and too busy jabbering about what might've cheered Mason up that she mostly just followed me around as I bagged up some fruit and veggies along with some of her favorite chocolate chip cookies.

When Mason returned to the kitchen, he slid a hand into his pocket and leaned a shoulder against the doorframe. I noticed he'd totally forgotten to put on a hat as he said he was going to do, but Reese didn't. She just smiled adoringly.

A knowing grin lit his face as he studied the brilliant sheen on hers. "About ready?"

"Yep," I answered for her, waving a mini bottle of wine behind Reese's back so Mason could see the last thing I shoved into the hulking lunch bag before I zipped it closed. "I think you guys are good to go. Have fun. Don't come back until it's late, and feed the ducks for me while you're there."

Slinging the strap of the bag over my shoulder, I put my hand at the base of Reese's back and propelled her toward Mason. He straightened up in time to catch her around the waist and pull her close. Then he grinned at me and took the lunch bag. "Thanks, E."

Reese suddenly sent a suspicious look between the both of us. I swallowed, hoping she hadn't caught on to what was happening. But then she whirled to me. "You're really eager to get rid of us. Are you planning to throw some wild party while we're gone?"

I snorted. "Yeah, I'm having my secret boyfriend come visit and we're going to practice for baby number two." But as soon as I said that, an image of Mason's co-worker, Pick, popped in my head. But I smacked him right back out and rolled my eyes at my cousin as I patted my belly. "Wow, why are you so paranoid?"

"Yeah, Reese." Mason slid his hand down her arm and laced his fingers with hers. "Who cares why she wants us gone? Let's just go have fun."

She turned to him, and I could tell she'd already forgotten who I was. "Okay," she said. "I guess I'm ready."

I'm glad she was already w

earing a cute outfit. She never would've forgiven me if I'd let her leave the house for her proposal wearing something sloppy and old. But even her hair looked adorable in a perky ponytail.

I followed them to the opening of the kitchen as they crossed the living room hand in hand. Neither of them glanced back as they left. But strangely, instead of feeling left out, I felt full and content. Huh. I guess that article I'd read knew what it'd been talking about. Make someone else happy and the feeling came back to you tenfold. What a wonderful discovery.

Still wishing I had a crystal ball so I could eavesdrop on their picnic and watch the big proposal, I settled on the couch with my healthy snack and pulled Reese's computer onto my lap so I could look up more baby sites.

I'd stumbled across this do-it-yourself-mommy website I was absolutely in love with. Since I was finally learning I couldn't go out and buy whatever my spoiled heart desired, I had started making all kinds of neat things to get my baby what she needed in an affordable way.

Reese let me have one of her old knock-off Dolce and Gabbana bags to transform into a diaper bag. It was black, gold, and leopard print, but I was thinking it needed a splash of pink along with a couple more pouches for all the necessities I was going to need to carry around for my baby girl.

As I stitched, my mind wandered back to Mason's coworker. It still bothered me that he'd guessed my past somehow. Like a constant itch under my skin, I hated knowing what he knew about me. And I wasn't so sure I liked the way he affected my hormones either. I'd just been getting used to the fact that I never had to use a guy again to go to my numb place. I wanted to wipe sex from my life completely. So why was I wondering what Pick looked like shirtless, or just how many tattoos and piercings he had under the rest of his clothes?

I wished there was a way to wipe my feelings and his knowledge about me completely from existence. Brooding, I kept sewing and thinking, and coming up with no good plan. Not that it mattered what I did about Pick Ryan. I doubted I'd ever even see him again. Who cared what he knew about me?