AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Wasn’t there family who could help? Grandparents, aunts, or uncles?”
He shakes his head. “Not really. And they all lived out of state.”
“Are you and your brother close?” How could they not be, after suffering something so tragic?
Hunter Price was a senior on campus when I was a freshman. Dad always talked about what a talented football player he was.
Emotion flickers across his face before it’s quickly shuttered away. It’s only after a few beats of silence that I wonder if he’ll answer the question.
“We were for a long time.”
His words are so low that I have to strain to hear them.
My brow furrows. “But you aren’t anymore?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Oh.” As tempting as it is to dig deeper, it’s obvious from his forced responses that Mason doesn’t want to talk about the rift in their relationship.
He picks up his glass and takes another drink before setting it down again. “We had a falling out during his senior year of college, and for a long time, we didn’t speak.”
“I’m so sorry.” How much more can this guy deal with on top of everything else?
“Me, too. What happened was my fault. I thought I was making the right decision. Turns out I didn’t.”
“We all make mistakes.”
A steady breath escapes from him. “Yeah, well…this one was huge. And it wasn’t something he could get over or forgive.” There’s a pause before he admits, “I pushed his girlfriend into leaving town so he could focus on his future. They were apart for three years before he found out what happened. Needless to say, he was pissed.” His lips reluctantly quirk at the corners. “Actually, furious is more like it.”
I dredge my memory, trying to recall bits and pieces of information I’ve heard over the years regarding Hunter. “Isn’t he married?”
“Yup.”
When he doesn’t elaborate, I ask the question that sits poised on the tip of my tongue. “Is it to the same girl you pushed away?”
“Yeah. Her name is Skye, and they got hitched after graduation.”
“Wow. I’m glad they found their way back to one another.”
He’s silent for a long moment before admitting, “Me too. They belong together.”
“That’s what matters in the end, isn’t it? Finding your person and doing whatever it takes to be together?”
His dark gaze locks on mine, pinning me in place. “I suppose it is.”
His low words send an electrical current zipping through my veins, and I get the feeling we’re no longer talking about Hunter and his wife.
We’re talking about something else altogether.
We’re talking about us.
Mason
If I’d been secretly holding out hope that dinner would be a complete bust, that turns out not to be the case. For the most part, there weren’t any awkward lulls in conversation. We flowed easily from one topic to another. I hadn’t realized that Poppy lost her mother when she was so young. Maybe the circumstances are different, but the loss of any parent is something you don’t just get over or move on from.
It’s a painful ache that lives in your heart forever.
What is it about this girl that puts me instantly at ease? As much as I want to deny the truth, I can’t.
