Free Take a Chance by Abbi Glines Page A

right?” Mase finally said.
    I shook my head. “No, he doesn’t. He wants me to forgive him for . . .” I stopped. I couldn’t tell Mase the truth. It was very likely Mase would go after Grant with one
of the big guns he used for hunting.
    “For what?” Mase asked, standing back up, his body tensed. Crap. I had to fix this.
    “He and I became friends a couple of months ago. I started to like him. We kissed. Then his friend drowned and he came back here. He didn’t call me again. I thought maybe he was just
mourning his friend and needed time. Then I found out he was sleeping with Nan.”
    Mase gave an unhappy grunt and crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s all he did? Kiss you? Did he make you any promises?”
    I shook my head because lying to Mase was the only way I could keep Grant alive.
    “If it makes you feel better, he’s beating himself up over hurting you. He doesn’t want Nan. My guess is he wants you and knows he’s fucked up. My advice is stay the fuck
away from him. Guys that weak aren’t the ones worth sticking around for. When a guy gets the attention of someone like you, he’s supposed to understand his luck. Not toss it away. He
doesn’t get it. Find a man that understands your worth.”
    I smiled and finally looked over at him. “Is that big brother advice?” I asked.
    “The best. I’m full of it. Now, go, get on your jeans and pull on those cowboy boots I sent you for Christmas. We’re going to hang out with the common folk,” he replied
with a wink.
    I walked over and hugged him. “Thank you,” I whispered.
    “Don’t thank me for taking care of you.”

    The bar Mase found was a good twenty-minute drive outside Rosemary. The bright neon lights in the windows and several trucks in the parking lot had been all the incentive Mase
needed to pull in.
    “Mud on the tires means there’s good beer here,” he explained, opening his door. I rolled my eyes and opened my door to jump down out of the truck.
    We walked toward the door and Mase stopped, then looked back at me. “Try not to look appealing. I just want to play pool and have a beer. Spend some time with my sis, not beat a stupid
shit up for coming on to you.”
    I laughed, then nodded. What did he think I was going to do? Go in there and bat my eyelashes at everyone who looked my way.
    He pulled open the door to the bar and we walked inside. The smell of cigarette smoke filled the air. This was a familiar scent for me. Mase took a deep breath and grinned at me. “I can
smell the beer from here. The tap is good,” he said with a goofy grin before heading over to the bar. I followed quickly behind him. I glanced around the large room while Mase ordered us both
a beer. I didn’t point out I was underage. I just let him do it.
    The pool tables were full and I searched for a booth that was empty. I tried not to make eye contact with anyone. But my eyes found a familiar face. She wasn’t looking at me. She was
staring at the drink on the table. I watched as a man walked up and spoke to her and she replied without looking at him. The guy shook his head and walked off. The sadness in her profile and the
slump of her shoulders broke my heart.
    I turned back to Mase. “I see someone I know. Can you let me talk to her alone? I’ll be back in a few minutes. She just looks like she needs a friend.”
    Mase glanced out over the crowd and I knew when his eyes found Bethy. He nodded. “Sure. I’ll just be right over here.”
    “Okay,” I replied, then made my way over to Bethy. She didn’t look up until I slid into the seat across from her.
    The confusion in her eyes turned to surprise. “Harlow?” she asked, then glanced around in case I was with someone else she knew. I could see the moment of panic. She didn’t
want anyone to know she was here drinking away her pain.
    “I’m here with my brother. No one else,” I assured her, and she looked back at me, relieved.
    “Oh,” she simply replied.
    I wasn’t