Page 88 of Fun and Games

"Bet they will," Mason said.

"Listen, I gotta run," Steve said. "But let's get a beer sometime, yeah?"

"Sure thing." Mason plastered on a smile, but it was clearly faked.

Steve hurried off, already on his phone, no doubt thrilled to tell his bandmates the good news.

Mason pressed a thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose, as if he had a headache. I took his other hand in mine and laced our fingers together.

"Did the two of you used to be friends?" I asked softly.

"Used to be," he said shortly.

I rested my head against his arm.

"Do you want to go buy some more treats for Lucky?" I asked. "I think he's eaten almost the whole bag by now. Maybe we can find a new flavor for him to try."

Mason put an arm around my waist and rested his chin on the top of my head.

"Yeah," he said, sounding tired. "Let's go spoil Lucky."

Thirty-Four

"It's your turn,"Mason said as he adjusted the rearview mirror.

"My turn for what?" I asked.

"I've been trying to keep my place nice and neat because you're always coming over," he explained. "It's your turn to panic and throw everything into a closet before I come over."

"So that's how the place has stayed so tidy," I said. "You're just hiding the mess."

"I told you, I have a special closet where I store my mountains of junk," he said.

"Don't we all."

Mason pulled into the parking lot of my apartment building. A little shudder ran down my back as we walked up the steps, remembering the last time Mason had come over, remembering the package I'd found in the doorway.

But it was only the briefest of sensations and soon forgotten. Mason was coming over to have dinner, and then probably have a round of hot sex. Maybe we'd watch another Disney Princess movie — we were going to run out of them soon — or maybe we'd go to bed early and fall asleep in each other's arms.

I couldn't help but feel a little giddy. I hadn't felt this happy, this carefree, in a long time.

"Should I brace myself?" Mason asked as I unlocked the apartment door. "Am I going to walk in and see a disaster?"

"I can't remember the last time I cleaned," I told him. "Hopefully you won't be too traumatized."

The apartment had the usual smattering of random clothes thrown over chairs and takeout containers left out, but all in all it wasn't too bad. Nothing to be embarrassed over.

"We're probably going to have to order takeout," I said. "I go grocery shopping about as often as I clean."

"I'm always up for pizza," he told me.

I placed the order online using my phone, since my usual place already had my address saved.

"It'll be about thirty to forty minutes," I told Mason.

"Thirty minutes, hm?" he said with a wicked lilt in his voice.

"You're thinking something dirty, aren't you?" I accused.