Free Believe Me (Hearts for Ransom Book 3) by Georgia A Evans

laugh was on me, wasn’t it? You haven’t changed at all. You’ve just become more devious.”
    “Wait a minute,” Mason said. “It’s not like that. Betsy’s not like that.”
    Emily’s eyes traveled straight to Betsy’s chest. “Right.” With one last glare at Mason, she turned and left the room, not even bothering to make sure the door closed behind her.
    Betsy quickly stood up and put her coat on.
    “I’m sorry I messed up your visit with Zoey.” She didn’t make eye contact with Mason, instead keeping her eyes downcast.
    “Listen to me, Betsy.” What could he say to fix this—to keep his new friend? “I’m sorry. It looks like we were both right. Nobody is ever going to give either of us the chance to show them we’re not who they think we are.”
    She smiled sadly, still not meeting his gaze. “Goodbye, Mason.”
    “Hey, we’re still friends. You’re going to stop by and see me again, right?”
    She shook her head. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. All your other friends will think the same thing that lady did.”
    Mason clenched his fist. “If they’re really my friends, they’ll give both of us a chance.”
    Her voice was barely audible as she turned to leave. “Goodbye,” she repeated before walking out the door and closing it quietly behind her.
    Mason was shell-shocked. He couldn’t believe he had been that close to seeing Zoey. And he wasn’t doing anything wrong—nothing that could justify Claire changing her mind.
    Suddenly he realized something. He was tired. He was tired of feeling guilty all the time. He had apologized more times than he could count and tried in every way he knew, to show Claire how sorry he was. And she still plainly didn’t believe anything he told her, not really, or she would have at least given him a chance to explain what Betsy was doing there.
    He didn’t have much to do but think, and he just might have to think about taking the decision for him to be Zoey’s father out of Claire’s hands. He was pretty sure he had some rights. He was going to call Brody Gaines to see if he would come and visit him. Besides being the state champion second-baseman and base stealer Mason knew, Brody was the best attorney he’d ever met. And he needed some legal advice.

 
     
    Claire walked to the final table she was responsible for serving. If she had any idea the hospital Thanksgiving party was going to be this large, she might have had second thoughts about working at it, extra money or not.
    “What would you all like to drink?” she asked before looking at the table’s occupants.
    “Claire?” an increasingly familiar voice asked.
    She looked up and into Emily Taylor’s eyes. Of course. She knew Emily was a nurse in the emergency room. She was bound to be there tonight.
    “Hello.” She forced a smile, remembering their last awkward encounter. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll get another server to your table.”
    Emily’s brows shot up. “That’s not necessary.”
    Claire was still embarrassed because she was foolish enough to trust Mason Wright, and Emily had been a witness to her humiliation. “I think it would be for the best,” she firmly insisted. “Annie will be right with you.” She’d just switch this table for Annie’s tenth one, keeping their workloads even.
    Emily reached out and touched Claire’s arm, stopping her from leaving. “Will you be free anytime this evening? I mean when I can talk to you for a few minutes.”
    “I’ll have a fifteen-minute break after I serve the entrees.” She couldn’t imagine what Emily felt inclined to talk to her about this time. “Why?”
    “Because I really need to speak to you,” Emily spoke fervently. “It’s imperative.”
    Claire glanced up and saw her boss frowning at her. Annie was already leaving her last table, so it was too late to switch with her.
    “Okay,” she told Emily. “Now, may I please get your drinks?” She plastered a smile on her face as each person