happened over a year ago. It’s one of the nights I’m least proud of. On the other hand, my fuckup brought me one of my greatest blessings. Yes, that little boy has crimped my sex life, but he’s also changed everything, mostly for the better. All the joy he brings me definitely outweighs any difficulty I encounter in being a single dad. And I’m fiercely protective of him.
“How much did Harlow tell you about me?”
She closes her tube of lipstick, kills the light, then flips the visor up. “Not much. I didn’t want too many details. Nothing against you, but I didn’t want the sex to be an emotional experience. I’m saying that wrong. I just didn’t want to get attached.”
I get it. Before I met her, before I touched her, I felt the same.
As I race through a yellow light and we roll down Maui’s half-empty streets, I realize there’s no easy way to say this. “I have a son. And sole custody of him.”
Masey’s eyes widen. “How old is he?”
“Five months. I’m not trying to be too personal. I’m telling you because my mother was watching him tonight so I could be with you.”
“Oh.” The ramifications are clearly hitting Masey.
Same here. I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to function for the next few weeks without Makuahine’s help. I’ve got jobs booked, and I need that income.
I’ll have to figure that out later.
“I see.”
“He’s in his playpen now, so he’s fairly safe, but—”
“Of course you had to rush over to your mom’s. She’s hurt. Your son needs you. You don’t have to apologize or explain to me.”
I suspect she wants to know where my son’s mother is and is simply too polite to ask. It will come up. Maybe Masey won’t be surprised or even care. Harlow described me as a man whore. I just don’t like the idea of anyone thinking of my son as a burden…and I’m touchy because his own mother felt that way.
“Thanks.”
Then there’s really nothing left to say as we speed through the evening. The silence is a little awkward—not going to lie. I open my mouth more than once to ask what she’s thinking. But I shut it. I’ve dumped a lot on her in a really short period of time. She said she didn’t want emotional, so I can’t demand she share her feelings simply to set me at ease.
But there is one other thing… “I should warn you, my mom may try to play matchmaker. She does it all the time.”
“She must not be too successful, right?” Masey shrugs. “You’re still single.”
“Because I don’t bring women home to meet her.”
“Never?”
“Not since, like, my junior prom. Because my brother was a pro athlete and lived on the mainland, she gave him a pass until he retired and moved home. He literally met Harlow the day he landed on Maui, so she didn’t have time to meddle in his life. But I was right here, underfoot, all the time. She tried to set me up with the daughters of every single one of her friends for a decade. She settled for marrying off my younger sister—at least for now.”
But if I show the least bit of interest in Masey, I know Makuahine. She’ll do everything she can to throw us together.
The fire between Masey and me doesn’t need more kindling. We just need a night in the sack.
I have to hope it will fizzle out after that.
“If she’s insistent, I’m sure it’s only because she wants to see you happy.”
I snort. “And because she wants grandkids. And from the moment we accidentally dropped in on Noah and Harlow shortly after they met and it was clear they were…busy, she all but chanted some ancient Hawaiian fertility ritual and prayed daily for Harlow to conceive. When my sister-in-law did, Makuahine was convinced the power of her divine prayer was strong.”
Masey smiles. “How do you know it wasn’t?”
“Don’t encourage her,” I warn with a sidelong stare. “Or she’ll do everything possible to couple us up. And she won’t be happy until we’re walking down the aisle and you’re announcing you’re pregnant.”
“You already gave her a grandson.”
“And she loves Ranger. But she wants me to have the wife and picket fence, too.” I don’t know how else to explain it, and I don’t have time now that I’m pulling up in front of my mother’s house.
I park in the driveway and jump out. The kitchen light shines through the front window.