“Oh, Chloe wants me to tell her sugar bear hello and to give you a big squeeze,” I tell him before I forget. She’d kill me if I forgot. “We’ll have to send her a selfie. Really make her jealous.”
“Is she still seeing that guy?” Mason asks, and I know he knows his name so I give him a glare, for that, too.
“Dominic. And, yeah. I think things are getting serious.”
His eyes sparkle. He always was a better gossip than his sister. “Really? Do you have a picture?”
“Of course I do.” I grab my phone and scroll to his social media page, pulling up his profile picture.
Mason inspects the photo carefully, like he can tell from that single picture if Dominic’s going to make the cut and be allowed to date Chloe. It’s amusing, really, watching his internal debate. Finally, he hands the phone back. “Not bad. Do we like him?”
“From what I know of him—” I stop mid-sentence when something suddenly occurs to me. “Wait. Did you do this with me? When I started dating Brian?”
“Maybe,” he says in a way that tells me he absolutely did.
I narrow my eyes. “What was the verdict?”
“He’s nice. Polite. I think he treats you well. All good things.”
That I believe. Of course Mason would be protective while also giving someone a fair chance. His sister, on the other hand…
I look at my teacup. “What about Alex? What did she say?”
“She said as long as he made you happy, she’d tolerate him.”
“Not quite a glowing review,” I say quietly.
“Based on the things she’s said about some of the other guys you’ve dated? Yeah, I’d say that’s pretty glowing coming from her.”
I frown. It’s not as though her dislike for some of the people I’ve shown interest in was ever hidden. She’s told me more than once that I deserve better, but somehow, it still bothers me that she would complain about Brian to Mason.
“Any news on the wedding?”
Ugh. I would rather go back to discussing pickleball. The wedding is all anyone wants to know about. I’m tempted to make Mason a deal. No questions about his heart if he doesn’t ask me any about the wedding.
But his expression is so genuine, like he’s not asking just to ask. And thatisthe purpose of this lunch, to catch up. Plus, he’s also always been so easy to talk to that I find, after my initial repulsion, I actually don’t mind telling him. Maybe it’s because I know I can be honest, and he won’t judge me.
“Well,” I start and take a deep breath. “We have a venue in mind and an idea of a menu but no date yet. I wanted something in June ofnextyear. He wants December ofthisyear. Maybe we should just split the difference and have it next Valentine’s Day like his mother wants.”
“Do youwantyour wedding on Valentine’s Day?”
“I honestly don’t knowwhatI want.” It sounds bad. I know it does. But lately, I’ve been questioning all of it. Like, maybe I’m not ready to get married. What if everyone is right, and we’re too young?
Mason gently puts his hand over mine and squeezes. “If you ever want to talk about it, I’ll be around. You don’t have to wait for our lunch dates. And if we can’t get together, just say it aloud and send it into the universe. I’ll hear you.” He squeezes my hand again. “Or you know, text me. Whichever.”
My throat feels tight, and I nod, appreciating the offer and knowing how sincerely he means it. “Okay, it’s your turn,” I say after our food comes. “I haven’t seen you since Thanksgiving. What’s new?”
“Not a damn thing besides a haircut and my fresh new beard.” He turns his head slowly from side to side so I can get a good look.
“It suits you,” I tell him and mean it. I heard from his mom that he was talking to Sarah again. It makes me wonder if the new look is for her.
He looks at his soup and stirs it a few times, not looking at me when he says, “We missed you at Christmas.”
A blanket of guilt envelops me. This is only the second Christmas I’ve missed with the Pestanos since I was seven years old. The first was when Alex was studying abroad in France and wasn’t sure she was going to be home. My mom always wanted to spend the holidays somewhere tropical, so I agreed to a Florida Christmas.
When Alex ended up coming home, I was devastated and vowedto never miss another Christmas with her. A promise I kept up until this year, when Brian surprised me by renting a huge cabin and inviting both sets of parents. He reminded me that once we were married, we’d be blending holidays anyway and may as well get a jump start.
I didn’t tell him how much it killed me to miss my own traditions and how I wasn’t sure I was ready to start new ones. It also bothered me that he made plans and cornered me into going because he knew I’d say no if asked.
