Adjusting the bag in my hand, I slide the key into the lock and swing the door open.
“Lissa,” I call out, hoping she’s home. I saw her car parked outside, but for all I know she could still be at Adam’s.
“Brea!” she shouts, as she comes barreling down the hall. As soon as she rounds the corner, her arms fly out ready to hug me. “I’m so glad you’re here. You’re home!”
I stand here with two bags slung over my shoulder and a duffel bag in my hand, not feeling nearly as enthused as she is. This whole day has been emotionally draining.
“Sorry, here! Let me help you,” she says, racing over to take the duffel from my hand. It’s been awhile since I’ve made the trek up the two flights of stairs to our third-floor apartment. I feel myself a little out of shape already as my chest heaves with every winded breath.
“How was the drive?”
“Not as quick as I would’ve hoped,” I mumble, slipping my shoes off near the door. Standing in front of our rocker recliner, I fall back on the seat with a huff. The air conditioner is on full blast, all thanks to my amazing roommate who appreciates the feel of bought air.
“Why’s that?” Lissa asks, rounding the couch, sitting on the end with her chin perched on her fist.
“I met with my dad for lunch before I left,” I say, leaving that little fact in the air. Lissa and I talked several times while I was away so she’s aware I hadn’t spoken to my dad while I was gone.
“How’d it go?”
“I’m just glad it’s over. I’m surprised Adam’s not here with you,” I mention, changing the subject. When I talked to her earlier, she mentioned he might join us, but now looking I realize he isn’t here.
She doesn’t say anything, looking down at the throw pillow on the couch. She rubs her finger along the silk edge, and I can tell something is bothering her.
“Everything okay, Lis?”
“Yeah, everything’s great.” She looks up at me with a sad smile. “We are just starting different parts of our life, and I feel like we are moving in two different directions now. Adam graduated and he got a new job where he’s already been promoted. Here I am getting ready to start my senior year. Things just feel…different.”
“It’s just a lot of new things happening at once. I’m sure you will both get settled into your new normal again soon.”
I watch as Lissa nods her head agreeing, but I can tell she still isn’t too sure.
“Have you talked to Mason today?” she asks.
“I texted him to let him know I was almost here but that was about an hour ago. He should be here with Graham in a few minutes. They are going to help me unload the stuff I brought from home.”
As if on cue, two knocks on the door sound as Mason and Graham come walking through the door.
“Yes, sure! Just come right on in,” Lissa grumbles, clearly annoyed how Mason just waltzed in unannounced. Graham flashes a look of apology to Lissa as he turns to close the door.
Mason, however, completely ignores her as he come straight to me. I can tell by the look on his face something is bothering him but he doesn’t waste any time as he pulls me up from the chair and into his arms.
His hands are pressed against the side of my face, brushing the strands of hair away as his lips crash down to mine. I should’ve known it was coming; he’s promised me for weeks what this moment would be like. My hands clasp around his strong arms, feeling the smooth skin of his muscles as I hold on for the ride.
I feel his tongue run across my lip, eagerly seeking entrance into my mouth. He knows all the right ways of tangling his tongue with mine, showing promises of what’s to come later.
His hands are molded against my lower back. Mason breaks our kiss as his lips skate across my cheek up toward my ear. The feel of his hot breath against my skin leaves goose bumps in his wake.
“I’m so glad you’re home,” he whispers low enough for only me to hear. “Promise me I can have you alone sometime tonight.”
He leans back, meeting my stare before his eyes travel down to my mouth as I bite my lip, smothering my wayward smile. Mason’s mouth curves up before he presses his lips against my forehead before taking a step back.
“Hey, Graham,” I say, raising my hand, feeling somewhat embarrassed. He surprises me with a wide grin that takes over his face.
“Glad to have you home, B!”
“Is your car unlocked?” Mason asks. By the tone of his voice, I am picking up something is clearly bothering him.
“No. Here, let me get my keys.”
Walking into the dining room, I grab my keys from where I tossed them when I walked in the door. I turn to hand them to Mason and without another word, he shoulders past me and heads out the door.
“It’s wonderful to see you, Mason. Always a pleasure,” Lissa says after the door shuts behind him, looking at me as she rolls her eyes. “I’ll be in my room.”
Giving a small wave to Graham, she makes her way down the hall to her bedroom.
“Everything okay with him?”
“He got into it with Callum earlier. They haven’t been getting along, and today it all blew up.”
I’m aware Mason hasn’t spoken to his brother since Callum visited this past May. He’s mentioned to me a few times how he’s tried to reach out to his brother, with no response. There were nights we would stay up late talking, in hopes getting it off his chest would make him feel better.
“Is he okay?”
“He’ll be fine. Believe it or not, he’s happy you are home. I don’t know how honest he was with you, but he missed you. More than I think he’d like to admit.”
“I missed him, too,” I mumble, looking to my hands while running my thumb along my fingernail.
“I’m going to head down and help him unload your stuff. Like I said, it’s great to have you back, B.” He reaches out and touches my shoulder reassuringly. Without another word, he turns and heads toward the door.
Picking up my bags I left by the door, I lug them over my shoulder and bring them to my bedroom. I’m thankful when I find my room nearly the same as I left it. I turn on some music as I start unloading clothes, hanging them up in my closet.
I’m so lost in the sound of the music that I don’t even hear Mason as he enters the room. Bending down, I line up my sandals on the floor of my closet. When two hands grip around my hips, catching me off guard, I nearly do a somersault forward.
“Good God, you scared the hell out of me.”
“Who else would have their hands on you like this?” Mason asks, as I stand turning myself to him. His arms wrap around my waist, pulling me close to him again. All signs of whatever was bothering him before are gone.
“No one.” I defend. “I just didn’t expect you to come up on me unannounced. I didn’t even hear you.”
“How could you? Not with this playing.” He laughs, pointing to where my phone is docked on my iHome as Ariana Grande plays through the speakers.
“What? You don’t like this?” I ask, letting my hips move to the beat of the music. He takes a step away from me, biting his bottom lip as he lets his eyes roam over my body. Laughing, I smack him on the shoulder.
“If you’re going to be in here, you need to help put stuff away. Otherwise, you’ll just be a distraction.”
“It’s been almost three months since I’ve last seen you. I’m going to distract you all I want.”
“Alright, well if that’s the case, sit,” I say, pointing at my bed. I can see the hopeful look on his face, paired with his devilish grin, as if thinking we’re taking this somewhere else. “Where is Graham?”
“He and Lis are in the kitchen ordering the pizza. Graham is just going to go pick it up quick since it’s not too far away.”
My phone chimes play through the speakers of my iHome. Turning down the volume, I pick up my phone from the dock.
I bite on my lip as my brows furrow when I see who it is.
Kaleb: Welcome back to Chicago. Can we meet up at some point to talk? I’ve missed you, B.
“Everything okay?” Masons asks, shaking me from my thoughts.
Closing out of the text message, I set the music on low.
“Yeah, sorry. It’s nothing important,” I mutter, pushing the text out of my mind.
I feel terrible for lying to him but I’m not prepared to talk to him about Kaleb, especially after I practically just walked in the door. I’m not planning on seeing Kaleb so the way I see it, what’s the point in bringing it up.
“Alright, it’s time to spill it,” I command, changing the subject.
Bending forward, I pull more shirts from my duffel bag. Grabbing hangers from my closet, I walk to where he’s lounging on my bed and start sliding shirts on each one.
“Spill what?”
He’s trying to avoid this conversation, so I’m going to have to drop it or force it out of him. I decide to go with the latter.
“Graham told me something went down with you and Callum. He didn’t tell me what, but it was enough to tell me I need to ask you about it. So, spill it.”
Flashing me an unamused look, he rubs his hand along his jaw as he falls back on the bed.
“I’m just fed up with him and his arrogant ass attitude all the time. After his trip to Chicago, he has blown off both mine and my dad’s calls and texts. I know how he feels about my dad. Hell, I understand it, but he won’t even let me get a fucking word in edgewise to talk to him. He had no idea when he got here, Dad had just put himself through rehab and was released. I mean, damn, the least he could do is hear him out.”
While I understand how Mason feels, like the news of his dad’s release from rehab could change things, he also needs to understand some mistakes are not always easy to overlook.
“He still doesn’t know about his arrest or stint in rehab?”
I’m almost shocked. Mason is from a small town in Iowa named Arbor Creek. While the city I’m from isn’t small, I know all too well how word can travel like wildfire.
“Nope. My mom and Randy know, and I told my friend, Brannon. While my Mom doesn’t like the idea of us fighting, she thinks Callum’s feelings about our dad need to be worked out on his own. Even though the woman likes to meddle in people’s business, she doesn’t want to get in the middle.”
“Well, she’s not wrong you know. You can’t force him to feel something that he doesn’t feel. Hell, before I left, my mom told me I should find it in me to forgive my dad for his actions leading to the divorce. It just doesn’t happen like that for everyone. Sometimes you have to let people heal on their own terms.”
“When you put it that way,” he mutters, as if piecing together that although our situations are very different, Callum and I are both justified to feel how we do about our fathers.
“It’s good to have you home,” he confesses, grabbing the pillow from my bed, tucking it beneath his head, making himself at home. “I know we talked on the phone and all, but having you here like this is different. Sometimes I just need you next to me, knocking sense into me.” Leaning over, he grabs my hand, pulling me to sit beside him.
Mason slides his fingers around mine and brings my palm to his mouth giving me a small kiss.
“I’m sorry about earlier. Everything blew up with Callum right before we left. I guess I let it get the best of me.”
“You’re forgiven.” I smile, rubbing my thumb along the back of his hand.
“God, I’m so fucking glad to have you here,” he says, pulling me closer. Climbing on the bed next to him, I lean my head against his shoulder and lay my arm across his chest.
“I’m glad to be here. So glad,” I sigh, letting my eyes drift closed.
“How did things go with your dad at lunch?”
I called Mason earlier as I panicked standing in my bathroom getting ready to meet up with him. Thankfully, despite the fact he was busy, he was there to calm me down.
I knew before even meeting up with him, I wasn’t going to bring up the tuition issue. I’m done looking to him as a parent, as someone who I thought would always be there. I need to live on my own two feet, and I’m determined to do that now.
“It was painful…” I say, running my hand along his chest. “I told him how angry I still am for all the lies and secrets. He finally told me everything, or at least most of it. How they met, how it happened. As hard as it was to hear, I’m glad I’ve finally been given the chance to know the truth.”
“Are you okay?” Mason asks, knowing how hard it was for me to hear.
“Yeah, well I will be. I just need a little bit of time. I told him I forgave him for what he did, but I wasn’t ready to forget or if I’ll ever be ready to meet them. I know it’s not Kyla and Kaden’s fault, but I feel like meeting them is still betraying my mom.”
“Sometimes you have to let people heal on their own terms, right?” he says, repeating the same phrase I used earlier.
I don’t say anything, instead, I nod my head again and squeeze him close.
“I got a call from my buddy, Brannon, from back home. He’s planning on coming into the city in a couple of weeks to visit. I’m trying to figure out something for us to do. We were thinking of hanging out at Dean’s house, grilling out and maybe lighting off some fireworks. You and Lissa could join us, if you’re up for it.”
Tilting my head up, Mason turns his head to peer over at me. Wrapping his hand in my hair, he waits for me to respond.
“Yeah, that sounds like fun. I’ll talk to Lissa about coming, but either way I’ll be there.”
We continue to lay here in bed as Mason tells me stories of him and Brannon growing up. I find myself smiling as I think of a young Mason riding dirt bikes and playing football after school. It’s like the stress we were both wearing earlier has lifted and, in the quietness of my bedroom, it’s just the two of us.
I can’t predict what tomorrow will bring, and I don’t know what the future has in store. The only thing I do know is regardless of the feelings I have for Mason, it’s much more important for me to have him in my life in some way than not at all.
I just hope I don’t break my heart in the process.