Page 29 of Raised On It (Between the Pines #1)

Mason

“ Y ou guys, it’s really sweet that you want to include me, but I don’t think I’m up to going out.”

“Nonsense! It’s my last night in town for quite a while, and you already RSVP’d,” Rachel says as she slides hangers back and forth in the closet.

I’ve gotten to know Rachel and Reece as well as the other ladies, and the way they’ve taken me in as one of their own in such a short span of time really is quite touching, but I still don’t want to go out.

Not when I know Miles is going to be there.

Not even the adorable pixie cut blonde can make me feel like going out tonight.

“I RSVP’d when I thought I would be going with Miles. Tonight is for The Crew.”

“And their significant others,” Emmett chimes in from her spot on the bed.

“Well, I’m neither of those things. ”

She’s lying down on the bed with her hands behind her head and her feet crossed. “Katie really has great taste. I wanna do a house swap with her when you're done. Oh, and you’re funny, Mason. You really think you and Miles are over? Come on. We all know better.”

“Listen, I’ve been here before. My ex was charming too.

The life of the party. Everyone loved him, and his flirtatious nature was endearing.

When in all actuality, it was just a way to cover up the fact he was sleeping with half the city.

If he flirted with the little kids and the old ladies, then how could I get mad when he flirted with the young twentysomethings?

He cheated on me for years, and no offense to you guys, but my friends all knew and didn’t tell me.

I’m not saying you would do the same, but these were friends I had had for most of my life.

So, when I say I’ve been here before, I mean it. Sorry, Emmett.”

“Mason, I am so sorry your ex was a lying, cheating bastard, but that just isn’t Miles.

He’s fallen for you hard, and there’s nothing he would do to jeopardize that.

Miles lives life to the fullest, and he loves people, especially the people in this town.

You can’t ask him to stop living that way because you wouldn’t have the feelings you have for him if you did. ”

Emmett’s words are true. I wouldn’t want him any other way.

“How do you know he’s fallen for me?” I ask like an insecure teenager.

“Mason, listen.” Amelia speaks up from the chair in the corner. “Miles Montgomery is loyal. Has he slept with a lot of women in this town and the surrounding counties? Sure. Has he ever really committed to any of those women? Nope.”

“I know but…”

“He is committed to you, honey. I talked to him earlier, and he told me what happened. I told him I was sorry because it was all thanks to the pictures I posted while we were at the wedding, and you know what he said?”

“What?” I ask quietly but inside I’m screaming WHAT? !

“He told me not to sweat it. That he didn’t do anything wrong, and he knows that you know that.

He followed that up by saying he was in love with you, and he knew you loved him too and the two of you would figure it out.

He said he didn’t need to hide who he really was because you loved him, and you know deep down the man he is. ”

“He really said all that?”

“He sure did.”

“Here, this is pretty,” Rachel says, handing me the short little red sundress I had on when Miles got home on Wednesday night.

“He told Reece the night we were all at The Jumps you were the one. Something about you finally finding him. So, why don’t you get dressed and then we can all go so I’m not late to my own shindig. ”

Emmett sits up and pulls my hair tie out, fluffing my hair. “Yep, let’s go so you can tell your guy you made a mistake and you’re sorry for torturing him the past twenty hours or so.”

“He’s not my guy anymore. And I’m not wearing that.”

“Oh, honey, if Miles says he’s your guy, then he’s your guy. Now put on the dress.”

Thirty minutes later, I’m in my red dress, but I’ve added a wide brown belt and a cropped jean jacket. We’re sitting in the girls’ favorite booth, and I’ve managed to tuck myself into the corner.

I’m trying my best to focus on the fun conversation about Emmett and I opening up a cute little new and used bookstore here in town that started while I was getting ready, but as amazing as the idea sounds and no matter how serious I may be about the topic, focusing on the details of the conversation is nearly impossible.

Every time the door to the bar swings open, my gut wrenches in anticipation of him walking through it.

When he doesn’t walk through the door this time, I’m lost in my own head, wondering if he isn’t here because of me.

Have I hurt him so much he would miss tonight with his best friends?

Did he get in an accident on the way here?

Did something happen to Lou?

Where is he?

Why is he so late?

Why…

My thoughts are derailed by the breathtaking man who by simply walking through the door changes the atmosphere.

Crackle.

Finally.

I’m not changing my mind about being with him, but it doesn’t mean I don’t care.

That I don’t love him.

Because dammit, I do.

But this time, I have to love myself more. I have to remember the pain and humiliation from before.

He knows where to find the girls and heads right to our table.

He makes it no secret he sees me from across the bar.

There never is any hiding from his eyes.

Pulling my jean jacket closed in the front to hide the dress I have on underneath, I squirm in my seat, averting my eyes when he reaches the table.

“Ladies, what are we all drinking tonight? I’ve got the next round.”

“Just EBCs for us and Beau’s famous margarita on the rocks for Mason.”

“No EBC for you tonight?”

“Not tonight.”

I have a feeling my favorite beer would taste a tad bit bitter to me now. A reminder of what could have been.

“Wow, you really are stubborn,” he says with new edge to his voice. His megawatt smile is turned down a notch or two. Yep, he’s still pissed. “I’ll bring a couple of pitchers of beer and one margarita over stat. ”

“I’m fine, thanks.”

He ignores my comment but not me. There is a small smile on his face, but his eyes are full of sadness and somehow confidence all at once. As if to say, when are you going to pull your head out of your ass and stop hurting us both?

Oh, Miles, I wish I could. Trust me. It’s better for us both to just end it now.

“Be right back.”

“Daaaaamn, girl,” Rachel says with dramatic flair. “I feel like I just watched a scene out of a movie. You’ve got him all spun up.”

“I don’t want to have him all spun up, Rachel,” I whisper-yell across the table. I’m just trying to avoid the inevitable.”

“You are insane, you know that, right?” Emmett questions me. “You’re a writer. Why not just move here and write while he runs the company and the farm? You can travel with him, and you’d have a pretty plush life.”

“I know I can write anywhere, but I’ve been the one to move before and look what it got me. Besides, I do just fine and live a pretty plush life all on my own. If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that I don’t need a man to take care of me.”

I can hear the bite at the end of my statement, but I am so tired of being told I can write anywhere.

“No offense, sweetie. We just hate to see you go back to New York and most of all hate to not see things work out with the two of you. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“I know you didn’t, Emmett. Sorry, it’s just a sensitive topic for me. Tonight is supposed to be all about Rachel and Reece anyway.”

“Yes, it is,” Reece says, taking Rachel’s hand and pulling her up from the table and her seat next to me. “They’re playing our song, babe. I’ll have her back in about three minutes.”

I’m watching them slow dance while Sam Hunt sings about cop cars when Rachel’s abandoned seat to the left of me is filled with a presence I know all too well .

His big hands carried two pitchers of beer in one hand and a margarita in the other. He places the beer in the center of the table, then slides the margarita in front of me.

“In case you change your mind.”

I can’t help but think he means more than just my drink.

He knows he isn’t playing fair by sitting next to me.

Having him in my space like this is distracting, to say the least. We aren’t touching, but we’re close enough.

The heat from his body is radiating off him, and his smell is infiltrating my senses.

The Verdict suddenly feels stuffy, and without thinking, I slide my jacket off in the hopes I’ll be able to catch my breath again.

“You have got to be shitting me?”

Crap. I forgot why I wore the jacket.

“What’s wrong?” Amelia asks Miles from across the table.

“Oh, nothing, Melly. I was just reminded of something rather rudely, but I’m fine.”

Emmett and Amelia stay silent on their side of the booth, and Amelia can’t get out of the booth fast enough when Andrew arrives with his hand out dragging her away to dance.

“So, what’s happening? What are you guys all chatting about?”

I want nothing more than to escape or at least run to the ladies’ room for a second to collect myself, but that would mean asking him to move and having to slide past him, and I don’t feel strong enough at the moment.

Oddly, I wasn’t even strong enough to write in my journal after he left last night.

I tried again today but just stared at the page.

There has never been a time when I couldn’t get what I was feeling on the page.

Not wanting to put the truth down on paper.

Because the truth of the matter is, I’ve fallen in love with a beautiful, kind man, and I’ve ruined it before it even had a chance.

The booth is beginning to close in around me.

My stomach is sick with anxiety.

Breathing seems nearly impossible .

“Excuse me,” I say pushing on his arm. “I need to get out. Please move!”

“Mase, you okay?” There’s concern in his voice, but I don’t dare look into his eyes.

Clearly worried, he moves, letting me out of the booth.