“Trixie,” I choked.
“Bye, Mason.” Then she walked inside with Jimmy and shut the trailer door.
I wanted to follow her, to shove that damn door open and make her talk to me, make her change her mind.
But she’d made her feelings clear.
Trixie was leaving, and she was taking my happy with her.
Chapter Eighteen
Trixie
I climbed out of the car, a gift for Quinn under my arm, while trying to straighten my dress. Jimmy clambered out after me, looking happy to be out and about, and dutifully followed.
Quinn was one of my best friends, and despite the butterflies having a dance-off in my belly, I was going to celebrate with her. She was adding to her family, it was a big deal and not something I would miss.
But I could admit, when Eves told me the guys would be at this baby shower as well, several excuses to get out of it had entered my mind. I wouldn’t let her down like that, though. I wanted to be here, I just wasn’t ready to see Mase.
The week since our confrontation had been…not great.
No, Mase wasn’t back with Janie. Not yet, anyway. But I’d seen with my own damn eyes the way they’d looked at each other.
He hadn’t purposely hurt me, but that didn’t change how much pain someone felt. And maybe he wouldn’t get back with her, but letting myself fall even deeper in love with him, then losing him anyway, would be a whole lot worse.
I couldn’t lose myself again like I had with Adam.
Gran had been right. Roots were shackles, and love was a one-way ticket to heartbreak city.
Laughter drifted from the backyard of Quinn and Bull’s house, and I squared my shoulders and headed for the open door. A few people were inside, but most were out back. I put my gift on a table set up in the living room and then headed out through the kitchen, Jimmy trotting along at my side.
The backyard was decorated with blue streamers, and a big sign saying it’s a boy in sloping script hung on the side of the garage.
Bull stood under the sign, grilling, drinking a beer, and chatting to Ted, Cassy’s friend, and Cal, who was holding his baby girl next to a table overflowing with food and drinks. Dane had his nephew, Jack, on his shoulders, nodding his head to the music, while Riff handed out fresh drinks.
Across the yard, my girls all sat talking and laughing and making a fuss over Quinn. God, I was going to miss them. It hurt how much. But I was never meant to stay in Rocktown for two years, that was never how it was supposed to be.
The only bright spot in my week was that Ross had come through for me. He’d actually booked a flight. He’d sent me his flight information and everything, so I knew it was true. I was going to drive him home, so we could travel together for the first week of my trip. Knowing that I’d have him there meant everything.
I’d never needed him as much as I did then.
Plastering a smile on my face, I strode over to my girls. They greeted me with hugs and smiles, and Jimmy did the rounds, getting pats, then made his way back to my side. He’d been clingy since we moved from Mase’s. My boy sensed when I was sad and did his best to comfort me. He’d been doing that as long as I could remember.
I took a seat beside Lila at the end of the bench, and she handed me a drink.
“It’s a blue Hawaiian. Yours has all the booze, but Quinn’s drinking the virgin option if you’d prefer.”
“Nope, I want all the booze. Gimme.” The only way I was getting through today was tipsy.
“Rub it in, why don’t you,” Quinn said and flicked Lila’s ear.
“Hey!”
Quinn chuckled. “I don’t actually care about the lack of alcohol. I’m all about the food. Speaking of…” Quinn waved, a grin on her face. “Yo, Mase, while you’re filling your plate, do one for me as well.”
I froze, my gaze sliding to the food table, and sure enough Mase was there. He smiled at his sister before his gaze slid to me, then down to the table. He grabbed another plate, loading it up.
Lila’s hand slipped into mine under the table, silently offering me moral support. Lila, Eves, and Addy knew about Mase and me. Quinn and Cassy did not, and I wanted to keep it that way. It was over, right? There was nothing to tell.
Mase was wearing a navy T-shirt and jeans, showing off those muscled and inked arms. He had a little more scruff on his jaw than usual and his hair looked like he’d been running his fingers through it a lot. In other words, he looked utterly gorgeous.
I tried to focus on the conversation happening around me, but I couldn’t, not when he was about to come over here. I’d blocked his number, for self-preservation’s sake, so I hadn’t talked to him, or seen him, since he came to my trailer.
Then he was striding our way, and I was doing my best not to look at him and failing miserably, especially when Jimmy ran at him, excited to see him again. Mase gave Quinn a one-armed hug and put a full plate of food in front of her. “There you go, brat.” He gave my dog some love and glanced up, taking in the rest of the table, again his gaze darted to me, then away quickly.
“Thanks, you’re a life saver,” Quinn said, picking up a tiny cupcake and popping it in her mouth.
“You doing okay?” he asked her.
She held out a foot. “I have cankles, so no, not so great.”
“You do not,” Cassy said. “You’re gorgeous.”
Mase frowned. “Cankles?”
Goddamn, he looked hot when he frowned. I loved grumpy, frowny Mase.
