"But you said it was ten whole miles."
He gave a curt nod. "Which to Willow is a fifteen-minute drive."
I saw what he meant. She was, after all, only seven years old. "But speaking of driving," I said, "how'd you happen to drive past us that day? Were you out looking for Willow?"
"No, because I didn't know she was missing." He grimaced. "So you can imagine what I thought when I saw her walking down the street with a couple of strangers."
I bristled. "Hey, I'm no stranger."
"You were to her."
"But not to you," I pointed out.
"Trust me," he said. "That's no mark in your favor."
So much for civility. I couldn’t stop myself from saying, "Just why do you hate me so much, anyway?"
"You've gotta ask?"
"So you're admitting you hate me?" This shouldn't have been a surprise. And yet, it bothered me more than I liked. "Is this about Brody's truck?" I said. "Because it really was an accident."
"So he says."
Now that got my attention. "You mean Brody says? When?"
In what felt like a change of topic, Mason said, "Do you know why you weren't fired?"
"Fired from what? My consulting job?"
"What, you got another one?"
"Not yet," I admitted. "But even with this one, I was never almost fired."
"You sure about that?"
"Reasonably sure," I said. "I mean, I think I'd know, right?"
"Wrong," Mason said. "That day I saw you with Willow, I told Brody you had to go." He gave me a serious look. "And that if he didn't fire you, I would."
Unbelievable. "But you can't fire me," I protested. "I don't even work for you. And technically, I don't work for Brody either."
"Trust me," Mason said, "if we wanted you gone, you'd be gone."
I started to argue, but stopped myself just in time. His claim was truer than I cared to admit. In fact, I'd concluded the very same thing on my own not too long ago.
Mason continued. "And you wanna know what Brody told me?"
"What?"
"That if you were forced out, he'd leave, too."
My jaw dropped. "What? He didn't."
"He did."
"But when?" I asked. "And why?"
"The 'when' is easy," Mason said. "It was after I brought Willow back home. By then, I'd gotten the full story on what had happened, and…" He gave a tight shrug. "I figured I might owe you an apology."
Holy Hell.
So he was admitting it?
I gave him a tight smile. "Oh, you might, huh?" With an expectant look, I added, "Just so you know, you can start any time."
"Later," he said. "And, as to your second question, the 'why,' – Brody said it wasn't right for you to pay for my screw-up."
"Wait. Your screw-up?"
"Willow's my responsibility. Not yours. And not Brody's. It was my fault she went missing."
"And the nanny's," I said.
"Nanny or not," Mason said. "Brody was right – even if he was lying his ass off."
"Wait, what?"
"His reason was bullshit, and I told him so."
I wasn't following. "But you just said you agreed with it."
"No. I said I agreed with his analysis – that it was my fault, not yours. But that's not why he threatened to walk." With a rueful laugh, Mason added, "Or kick my ass."
"Wait, he did?" I was so stupidly touched, I felt my eyes grow misty. "Seriously? He did that for me?"
"He did it for someone," Mason said. "And it sure as hell wasn't me."
I stared up at him. "But why are you telling me this?"
"Because I owe you," Mason said. "And I always pay up. For good or bad."
That last part sent a shiver down my spine, and I suddenly recalled how much he hated me, even now. Choosing to focus on the positive, I asked, "But why would you owe me?"
"For your help with Willow. And for doing it low-key." He shook his head. "We've worked hard to keep her out of the spotlight. And if you'd played it differently, well…" He paused. "Let's just say I don't want to see her name or picture on the internet."
I saw what he meant. Still, I had to say it. "I don't want to be rude or anything, but if all of this is true, why did you wait so long to tell me?"
"Good question."
"So…?" I prompted. "What's the answer?"
"Maybe that's how long it took."
"For what?" I asked.
With something that was almost a smile, he said, "For me to pull my head out of my ass."
I was so shocked, I could hardly speak.
Mason said, "So consider this your apology."
I almost laughed. "So, are you gonna actually say it?"
"I'm sorry," he said. "There, you happy?"
As far as apologies, it was seriously lacking. And yet, I was surprisingly happy. But it wasn't because of the apology. It was because of the rest of it. I was insanely touched that Brody had fought – almost literally – to keep me from getting fired.
But all too soon, my happiness faded as I recalled everything else that had come between us, the lies in particular.
To Mason, I said, "Well, thanks. Not just for the apology, but for letting me know that Brody stuck up for me."
"You're welcome." And with that, Mason turned once toward his car.
Apparently, I was being dismissed.
But then he paused and turned back. "There's something else you should know."
"Really? What?"
He flicked his head toward my grandparent's place. "That house? It's all Brody's. But I handled the transaction. Not him."
Chapter 67
Arden
Cami said, "Oh, my God. Is that true?"
As usual, I was hunkered down in my bedroom trying to talk on my cell phone without Waverly overhearing. I'd just finished repeating to Cami everything I'd learned from Mason, and she sounded just as shocked as I felt.
I replied, "That's what he said."
"Wow," Cami breathed. "Talk about a snork-show."
This wasn't the word I would've used, assuming it was a word at all. But I knew exactly what Cami meant. Mason had driven away from my grandparent's place nearly an hour ago, and I was still reeling from everything he'd told me.
Into the phone, I murmured, "Yeah,
