Page 93 of Fun and Games

"Not helping," I said.

"What else was there?" she continued. "It couldn't have just been that."

I cast a glance over to the end table, where everything was still sitting on display like a crime scene.

"It was the rings," I said in a small voice. "I had my and David's wedding rings on top of one last note from him. I think it was going to be part of his wedding vows."

"Mason saw two wedding rings on top of David's vows?" Sheila asked, her voice turning higher-pitched. "All right there in one place, right next to your bed?"

"I know!" I cried. "I know it looks bad. It looks like I haven't moved on at all. It looks I'm obsessed with my dead ex or something."

"I'm sure if you just talked to Mason, you'd be able to explain," Sheila said.

"I told you, he won't take my calls." My breathing started getting heavy and labored with dread. What if I never got a chance to explain? What if he just cut me off for good?

"Do you know where he works?" Sheila asked.

"You want me to confront him at his job?" I asked.

"It's not the best solution," she said. "But if you really like this guy, you need to talk to him. He's probably hurting and upset."

A tear fell down my cheek.

I already knew that. I knew I'd hurt Mason. Again. How many times was it now?

"I need you to take another slow, deep breath," Sheila said.

I did so, and the panic eased somewhat.

"This is all just a misunderstanding," she continued. "If Mason is the great guy you say he is, then he'll listen. Okay?"

"Okay," I said in a shaky voice, desperate to believe her.

Sheila ended the call once she knew I was calmer. I splashed cold water on my face to try and get rid of my red, puffy eyes. I ran a brush through my tangled hair, trying to smooth it down so I didn't look like a mess when I showed up in front of Mason.

Luckily, it was only Tuesday, so Sin and Tonic wasn't very full. Not too many people there to watch me beg for Mason to let me explain.

What a fucked up situation this was. What a sick kind of coincidence. The minute I thought I might be falling for someone, after years of thinking my heart was broken beyond repair, he ended up stumbling upon a pile of damning evidence that made it look alarmingly like I was still obsessed with my ex.

I ran a hand over my face with a small, dismal moan. Why had I left everything out like that? Why hadn't I put it away, or done something with it?

I rubbed at my eyes one last time and took a steadying breath. I straightened my back and walked through the doors of Mason's bar.

Lizzy was behind the counter, and she looked up when I came in. Her eyes went round, immediately ducking under the counter to rush toward me.

"What the hell is up with Mason?" she hissed. "Did you two have a fight or something?"

"We…" I cleared my throat. "We had a misunderstanding."

"You better un-misunderstand yourselves real quick," she said. "Because Mason is seriously messed up right now."

My heart clenched with anguish.

"Is he in the back?" I asked.

"Yeah, I can go get him—"

"What are you doing here?" Mason asked hoarsely, appearing over Lizzy's shoulder like a ghost. His hair was messy and falling over his forehead, not in a stylish way, but as if he hadn't taken a comb to it in days.