Betting on You by Jessie Evans

with his most charming smile.
    Vicky’s mouth twitched on one side. “Well,” she said, raising her eyebrows at Lark. “He always was too good looking for his own good, but you keep him in line, honey. And make sure that engagement ring is big enough to blind people from fifty feet away.” She leaned in, hugging Lark one last time. “See you later, sugar! Don’t forget to tell your sister to call me.”
    By the time she finally hustled away to the opposite corner of the restaurant, Lark’s cheeks were bright pink with embarrassment.
    “I am so sorry,” she whispered, sliding back into the booth, clutching her coffee like a lifeline.
    “Why are you sorry?” Mason asked. “I’m the rat.”
    Lark shook her head, keeping her eyes on her cup. “It’s this town. Everybody knows everything about everyone else. It probably wouldn’t have been so bad if I hadn’t called all my friends the night you proposed, but—”
    “You didn’t do anything wrong,” Mason said. “I did. And I have to deal with the fallout.”
    “But you shouldn’t have to put up with people calling you a rat every time we’re out together,” Lark said. “That’s ridiculous.”
    “It’s not so bad.” Mason shrugged. “And it can’t last forever. Within a few months, we should run into everyone who hates me on your behalf. Eventually I’ll have apologized to all of them and we can all move on.”
    “I don’t know.” Lark lifted a dubious brow. “Between the three of us, the March sisters have a lot of friends.”
    Mason smiled. “Not surprising. You’re fun people. Even Aria,” he added with a wink.
    Lark laughed softly. “Poor Aria. But she’s smart, you know? She’s refused to tell anyone what happened with her and Liam after they moved to Nashville. Not even Mom or Dad. No one’s going to be talking about her behind her back.”
    “Of course they will. They’ll just make something up if they can’t find any factual dirt,” Mason said. “The gossips in this town don’t have anything better to do. You know that.”
    Lark lifted one shoulder. “Maybe, but at least she has her pride. Everyone won’t be thinking she’s an idiot for going back to the man who made her the most pitied girl in Cobb County.”
    Mason frowned, a sour feeling flashing in his chest for the first time this morning.
    The waitress chose that moment to return with their order, and soon the table was covered with hot, greasy, delicious diner food. But when Lark began to scoop eggs and grits, Mason sat with his hands braced on either side of his empty plate.
    “What’s wrong?” Lark asked after a moment.
    “Nothing.” Mason fiddled with his fork.
    “Doesn’t look like nothing,” Lark said. “You’ve got your blank face on.”
    Mason was good at keeping his emotions concealed when he wanted to, another skill learned when he was young and had to be careful not to make any of the volatile grown-ups in his house angry. Most people had no idea what he was thinking when he shut down like this, but Lark always knew when something was wrong. She called it his “blank face” and knew he only put it on when he was feeling something he didn’t want anyone else to know about.
    Mason shrugged. “It’s not a big deal, I just…” He dropped the fork and forced himself to look Lark straight in the eye. There were people he didn’t mind hiding from, but Lark wasn’t one of them. “You’re not an idiot, and I don’t want you to feel like one.”
    “I don’t,” Lark said, brows furrowed in confusion for a moment before she realized what he was talking about and her forehead smoothed. “Oh, you mean what I said about— It doesn’t matter, Mason. Really. Let the gossips and Aria’s friends and my friends think whatever they want. I don’t care. I know I’m making the decision that’s right for me.”
    “You do?” Mason asked.
    “I do. You’re right for me,” Lark said in a soft voice. “And I would rather live through a hundred