I was just the first woman he’d been with since his wife left. We were compatible in bed, and Mase had gotten caught up in that. His feelings for me were clouded because it’d been so long since that part of his life had truly been fulfilled.
But once the final embers died out between us, he’d realize the mistake he’d made. I wouldn’t wait around for that to happen.
“I don’t believe you,” he bit out.
I drew in a steadying breath. He had to know we were a head-on crash waiting to happen? And I couldn’t put myself through that again. I wasn’t strong enough. “I’m sorry if I hurt you, but that’s just the way it is.” Somehow, I managed to keep my voice from cracking.
He stared into my eyes, so much going on in his blue gaze, waiting for more from me, and when nothing came, he shook his head. “Okay, Trix…you win.”
Trix. Another blow.
But he wasn’t finished.
“If you’d rather believe the made-up shit in your head instead of talking to me like a fucking adult, there’s nothing else I can do.”
Then he stepped back, turned, and waded back to shore.
“Mason,” his name burst from me without my say-so.
He turned back.
Come back. Don’t leave me. I love you. But I wasn’t going to say any of those things. “I’m sorry,” I rasped.
He planted his hands on his hips and shook his head. “Whatever, Trixie. Leave town, run from your shit.” He took a step back. “I hope you find that happy you’re looking for, because you’re right, it sure as fuck isn’t here.”
Then he walked onto the beach, dragged on his clothes, and walked away without looking back at me once. Jimmy, for once, didn’t try to follow.
I stood there in the water, not moving until my skin turned wrinkly and I was shivering.
The airport in Springhaven was small but fairly busy.
Ross was on an early flight, and I couldn’t wait to see him. I stood in the terminal, watching as the doors opened and the passengers from his flight streamed in, some running to family and friends, hugging each other. I hadn’t seen my brother in two years.
The crowd thinned, and I tried to ignore the dread growing in my belly, right up until the last passenger walked through.
He wasn’t coming.
He’d let me down. Again.
Blinking rapidly, the stinging in my eyes and the burn in my throat couldn’t be contained any longer. I swiped away the useless tears.
I’d believed him. I’d wanted this so much that I’d ignored all common sense and believed his lies.
Head down, I rushed to my car. I shut myself in, gripping the steering wheel so tight it hurt.
My phone chirped and I looked down at it.
Ross: Sorry, something came up.
I was done. It was one blow too many.
Gran was right. She’d always been right.
I was better off alone.
Chapter Twenty
Mase
I had no idea why I was here. It was late, close to midnight. I hadn’t planned on coming. But here I was.
You’re a damned glutton for punishment.
Trixie had shot me down twice, but I’d come anyway because she was going to be here tonight. And because, fuck…she was leaving tomorrow.
As much as I wanted try again to convince her to stay, to beg her to take a chance on us, she’d made up her mind. I was in love with the girl, but she didn’t feel the same way. Harassing her, taking out my frustrations, my fucking gut-wrenching pain on her, like I had at the lake, wasn’t how I wanted us to part ways.
The bar was packed as usual, but more so tonight since Bull had set up karaoke and right now some guy was singing an off-key rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the top of his lungs.
Bull slid a beer in front of me when I made it through the crowd gathered around the bar. Cal, Dane, and Riff were farther down the bar, but I wasn’t in the mood to talk. I propped myself up against the wall and scanned the room. I spotted Cassy, Addy, Eves, and Lila standing by the small stage, while Quinn and Trixie were busy flipping through the songbook.
They were all laughing and talking, and except for Quinn, obviously more than a little tipsy, and Trixie looked…fucking beautiful. She was wearing the same dress I’d first seen her in, that red fucking dress that had caught my eye. Nah, that was bullshit. Trixie could’ve been wearing a flour sack and I would have noticed her. Her red lips were smiling, and seeing her like that damn near cracked me down the middle.
The guy on stage finished and the girls climbed up and grabbed microphones. Everyone cheered and hooted, then the first strains of the song began and I had to swallow the damn lump in my throat. “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston. They all sang, off key and at the top of their lungs, with everything they had. They ignored everyone in the bar, singing to each other, laughing and crying, their arms around each other and swaying.
And fuck, I knew she was leaving but it hit me like a ton of bricks in that moment and this, fuck, this sense of urgency slammed into me. Janie said I hadn’t fought for her. I wanted to fight for Trixie. But how did you fight for something when you were the only one who wanted it?
I sipped my beer and watched as they finished,
