Page 32 of Developing Hearts (Pine Point Fixer-Uppers #5)

Chapter thirty-two

Mason

Hibiscus and mezcal were not the cure for all of Mason’s woes, but that hadn’t stopped him from downing three cocktails in the short time he’d been at the bar, and he was currently partway through his fourth.

Maybe I’d be able to actually solve this if I knew what the hell was so wrong .

He’d been so mad, and it felt right in the moment.

The way they acted about David, and about Mason’s choices, they deserved some ire.

But with liquor in his system and some time to himself, Mason was having a hell of a time finding the heat of that anger now.

I’m sure it’ll come back once I sober up.

So I should just stay drunk forever. Totally viable plan .

“Hey sailor.”

Mason jumped a little bit, then turned, finding it way harder to do than it should have been. “Sorry, I’m drunk.” He finally got to where he could make eye contact…with David.

“That tends to be what we do in bars, yeah.” David slid into the seat next to him, then wrapped his hands around Mason’s glass and pulled it over.

“But I am going to insist on you switching to water because you’re wobbling just sitting here.

” He took a sip through the straw and his eyebrows went up. “And damn, that is good.”

“It’s a Hilo-rita.”

“Well, I’ll finish off your Hilo-rita and you’ll order a glass of water. Wouldn’t want you having two on an empty stomach.”

“Four.”

David clicked his tongue a couple times. “Then I am officially cutting you off.”

Part of Mason wanted to protest—mostly the drunk part—but he understood as David kept a hand on the drink, then flagged down the waiter and ordered a couple glasses of water.

Mason sighed. “I guess people figured out that I’m gone.”

“We were getting ready to pull everyone for a search party until I cracked into your laptop and looked for your phone.”

It took a couple breaths for that to fully sink past the drunken haze in Mason’s brain, so it was a little bit delayed before he actually got a response out. “I thought I had geolocation off on my phone.”

“Thankfully no.” The waiter dropped off two glasses of ice water, and David pushed them both over to Mason as he kept talking. “If you’re already this drunk, I’d hate to see how far this would have gone.”

“I’m allowed to get drunk.”

“Well, drink your water and stop trying to make excuses.” David’s brows met in the middle, and Mason wasn’t sure that he’d ever seen David look so…

serious. So concerned. “I know you’re upset about what happened last night, but I’m not.

You don’t need to be mad on my behalf over this.

I’m glad you have so many people who care about you. ”

“Right. Care.” Talking about, Mason could remember a little bit more about why he was so damn pissed.

He took a swig from one of the water glasses before continuing.

“They just think I’m some helpless idiot who can’t pick his own boyfriends without completely fucking up.

Like I don’t make a dozen decisions for all of them every day.

” He took another drink, the heat rising back up through him.

“You know, they can trust me to do stuff for everyone else, but god forbid I do something for myself, right? Couldn’t possibly be making a good decision.

My new boyfriend must be taking advantage of me.

Who could love Mason, right?” His voice clotted, and he finished off the first glass of water, like that might cool the emotions.

“Hey. You’re allowed to be mad, but I don’t think you’re being too reasonable there.” David leaned in close, a tight smile over his lips. “And trust me, I see the irony of me suddenly trying to be the voice of reason between us.”

Mason leaned in and grabbed David’s hand, squeezing hard. “No irony. You’ve been the reasonable one the entire time. I’m just an uptight chubby dude. Emotional regulation is not my strong suit.”

“Pardon my French, but bullshit.” David pulled him into an…

well, it was technically a hug, but between the way they were sitting and the fact that Mason was pretty drunk, it seemed like it barely worked.

Once they were settled in, it sure felt like the right place.

The place Mason belonged, as he listened to David’s voice and felt his words vibrating through his chest. “You do nothing but regulate emotions. Yours and everyone else’s.

I would have cracked and gone on a bender after day two.

” He kissed Mason on the top of his head.

“And you’re the only one talking about your body in this scenario.

Unless one of the guys said something. Then I’ll knock some heads for you. ”

Mason chuckled, and while it wasn’t a complete relief, it was harder to be so mad. Intellectually, he understood that Bunny and the guys were on his side, but it never felt like any of them were exclusively his. They operated as a group. A wonderful group. Mason’s best friends.

David was on his side, no matter who was over there against him.

Mason lifted his head up and kissed David on the lips, then chugged down the second glass of water. “Thanks for finding me, but I suppose I need to go back, right?”

David shrugged. “You want to run away, I’ll head back and grab my car, and you just name the destination.”

It was a joke, but Mason was more than a hundred percent certain that, if he played along, David would follow through. They could be on the road to Pine Point or Portland or Philadelphia in twenty minutes.

Mason rose and took a few moments to stabilize his legs under him. “I’ll need to stop for coffee. If I’m coming back, I should at least pretend to be sober.” He rested a hand on David’s chest, feeling the steady, gentle beating of his heart. “You really came to find me.”

“I was freaking the hell out when you wouldn’t answer you phone.”

Mason cringed. “Sorry. I assumed it was everyone but you. I should have checked.”

David wrapped his arms around Mason and pulled him close, then kissed him on the lips once, twice, three times.

Then he patted Mason’s butt. “I’ll cover the tab, then let’s get going.”

“You’re going to spank me, then expect me to be functional?”

David shrugged, heading up to the bar counter. “Your ass was right there. Was I not supposed to give it a little love tap?”