Page 137 of Bang

I frowned.Talk about rude.I texted back,"Meaning?"

"You need to get your ass home."Andthistext was followed byanothertext."Now."

Oh, for crying out loud.By now, I felt like hurling my cellphone against the nearest wall. I was only shopping because of him. Yes, it had been my own decision, but the point remained.

If it weren't for Mason Blastoviak, I'd alreadybehome – and I didn't mean the place I'd been living for the past few months. I meant myrealhome, with my real family, people who actuallylikedme.

But Mason?Hedidn't like me. Oh sure, hesaidhe liked me, but his words and actions were so opposite, I was having a hard time believing any of the nicer things he'd said.

But boy-oh-boy, did I remember the bad stuff.Thatwas burned into my brain like a flaming Christmas tree.

I shoved the phone back into my purse and marched toward the nearest department store. I was halfway there when my cell phone rang. With a sigh, I pulled it out and glanced at the display.

It was Mason.Of course.

When I answered with a curt hello, he said, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Shopping. Thatiswhat people do at the mall, isn't it?"

"Not if they know what's good for them."

My fingers clenched around the phone.Speaking of things not good for me.In a stiff voice, I informed him, "If you're talking about the snow, I know it came ahead of schedule. And Iknowit must be bad, because the mall's closing early."

"Not early enough," he grumbled.

I made a sound of frustration. "Just why do you care, anyway?"

"Is that a serious question?"

"Yes. It is, in fact." Speaking slowly, pronouncing every single word, I said, "Why. Do. You. Care?"

"I care because of Willow," he said. "Now are you leaving or not?"

His words stung, although for the life of me, I couldn’t imagine why. I mean, I already knew I was expendable. And besides, hadn't I already decided that I hated him?

I replied, "Of course, I'm leaving. Didn't you hear the part where I said the mall's closing?"

In a tight voice, he said, "When?"

"Five minutes. There, you happy?"

"I'll be happy when I see you pulling in the driveway."

With a bark of laughter, I replied, "Hah! You? Happy? I'd drive through adozenblizzards to seethat."

"Meaning?"

"Oh, stop," I said. "You know what I mean. You're so damned determined to be miserable."

"So you're cussing now?"

"Hell yeah, I'm cussing. And there's a lot more wherethatcame from."

"Oh yeah? Hit me."

With a stiff smile, I said, "Do you mean thatliterally? Because I'm pretty sure they sell boxing gloves."

"If you mean the mall on Wheeler, they don't."