looked around. “Caucus? It’s just you and me. That’s a conversation, one between two people who now have similar goals. Mine is to see Nanette happy as she grows into a responsible young lady, and yours is to see Nanette happy as she grows into a responsible young lady.”
His mouth twisted. “The conversation topic, then, please. I have a lot to do today.”
“I want to be present when you tell Nanette that you’re her father. I think we should do it as a family.”
He blinked, caught by surprise. He’d expected her to argue about Nanette living with him. Actually, he had deliberately left his mind open to any shock she might throw his way, because it was Mimi he was dealing with. But this one was bigger than he’d expected.
He narrowed his gaze. “I would think that would be the obvious way to go about it.”
“You always thought everything was obvious. Most of us couldn’t measure up to your vision of plain-in-sight.”
Now he was getting steamed, and he really had meant to stay calm, rational and focused in all his dealings with the mother of his child. Respect, he told himself. Respect the mother of your child, even when she has that tone that only Mimi knows how to deliver so effectively.
“Us?”
“Never mind.” She waved a hand. “Let’s just focus on the future.”
“Fine by me.” He crossed his arms, glaring.
“Would you grant me that, Mason? I need to be present when you tell Nanette that you’re not her uncle. She’s going to be so surprised, and she’s going to have a lot of questions. I think I’m the appropriate person to give her the level of information she will need.”
He didn’t want to upset his child, that was for certain. And if Mimi could help smooth his transition from uncle to father… “We should probably talk as a family,” he conceded.
“Thank you.” Mimi flashed him a smile women usually gave men in black-and-white Westerns, as if he was a hero or something.
Mason knew he was no hero. She was working him like a steer. “Mimi, no drama.”
“What are you talking about?” The grateful smile slid off her face.
“I want to keep it very simple between you and me. While I appreciate the fact that you’ve moved into my house, we need to establish some basic rules. We make appointments to chat with each other about Nanette. You cause no disruptions. You make no decisions for me or my household. In return, you can stay here rent-free.”
Mimi gasped. “You jerk! You arrogant, pigheaded son of a—”
He held up a lordly hand. “Mimi, no drama, no disruptions.”
Mimi’s lips pursed. “You are an ass, as always. I will never know why I loved you all those years.”
Her hand flew over her mouth, but Mason couldn’t say who was more shocked, Mimi or him. They stared at each other, dumbfounded. He couldn’t process her confession fast enough, her statement too large to take in, and before he understood what she was doing, Mimi had grabbed her purse and run out the front door.
His jaw could hardly be more loose if it was a separate, oiled and hinged piece of his face. “Loved me?” he repeated to himself, stunned. “Loved me all those years?”
Chapter Four
What in the hell was Mimi talking about? Mason told himself not to listen, not to get sucked into Mimischemies, but his bomb shelter wasn’t completely protected against such an onslaught. He stalked out after her, catching her before she could back her truck down the driveway. Without thinking, he jerked her door open. “Stop,” he demanded.
“No, Mason.”
He reached in, switched off the engine, pulled her out and kicked the door shut with a boot, gently dragging a reluctant Mimi into the house. “Explain.”
“No!”
He sat her on the sofa and walked a safe space across the room. “I think you’d best speak now or forever hold your peace.”
Mimi was silent. Then she sighed. “Mason, it’s no secret to anyone in this town, or to your brothers, or just about anyone else. I did love you. I guess all my life.”
“We were friends! You couldn’t have loved me.”
Mimi shrugged, wiping away something on her face. Mason told himself stubbornly that it was a piece of grass, or dirt—anything other than tears.
“You might not have loved me, but I loved you.” Mimi looked away from him. “I’ve made jokes about being the girl who could never get her man. So if your feelings are hurt because I didn’t tell you that Nanette was your child, think of how I felt loving you and finding myself pregnant with a child I knew you…wouldn’t want.”
“I would have wanted her,” Mason said, feeling himself get angry again.
“You want her because you know her now,” Mimi said, “but if I’d come to you and told you I was pregnant, you would have thought I was trying to trap you into marriage. You’re always suspecting me of a scheme.”
He froze, right in the middle of thinking that very thought.
“Would you have been able to conceive of what having a child would mean to you, Mason? Now you know Nanette, and the two of you are inseparable. But I don’t think you would have welcomed the news of a pregnancy then. You were dealing with Last, and your father, and I was married…it was far better to continue on the course I was on. At least I thought so at the time. You know, sometimes life is messy, Mason, but it’s not always because I want it to be that way.” She took a deep breath. “Actually, all my life I’ve wanted stability. I think any child who grows up without a mother wants that, and since you and I both lost ours, you should understand more than anyone how much I want a stable home life for Nanette.”
“I’m sorry,” Mason said, surprising himself. “So you did love me?”
“Mason,” Mimi said impatiently. “Don’t make me repeat it.”
He shook his head. “But you said it past tense.”
She looked at him. “Past tense?”
“You said you’d loved me.”
“Oh.” Mimi blushed a becoming pink that went nicely with her blond hair and delicate features. “Well, it was a long time ago.”
“I see,” Mason said, somewhat deflated. Gathering his pride, he nodded. “Thank you for your honesty. It makes having to live under the same roof easier.”
Mimi turned to go. Mason felt as if he needed to say something to make her stay. “For what’s it’s worth, I never stopped thinking about that night.”
She slowly turned to look at him.
“And I mean, I guess I could say that I knew she was my daughter, that there was this instant connection. But I thought that
