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Maybe itistime to stop running.
Mason wished desperately for his phone. He couldn’t remember Ellie’s number without it, and now he desperately wanted to see her. Even if Fred got here soon, he’d have to get ahold of Gerri before he tracked Ellie down.
Oh, Ellie. I’m so sorry.
“Mason!” a loud voice called from the door.
Mason jumped to his feet. “You’ve been bailed,” the guard said, gesturing for him to come forward. Mason got up and hurried to the door, pausing just before he left the cell.
“Hey, Colbert,” he said. “What are you in for?”
The old man grinned and winked. “Moonshine,” he said.
Mason shook his head, laughing as he headed down the corridor. He was surprised when the clerk called him to the desk because he was pretty sure he’d come in with nothing.
“Your clothes,” the clerk said, dropping a garbage bag full of shredded clothes on the desk.
“Thanks, really,” Mason said, sighing. He couldn’t imagine a single reason why he’d want them back, but he supposed it must be the procedure.
“Phone and wallet,” the clerk said. Mason watched in amazement as the clerk put his shattered phone and wallet back on the table.
“How did you guys get these?” he asked, grabbing his phone and quickly checking inside the wallet.
“It got handed in last night,” the clerk said. “It’s all yours?”
“Yes, it is,” Mason agreed. He took a step away from the desk, then turned back. He had a few hundred in cash in his wallet that miraculously hadn’t been stolen. “Hey, can I pay the bail for old man Colbert?”
The clerk laughed. “If you like. It won’t go far, though. He’ll never learn his lesson.”
“About making moonshine?”
“Aboutsellingmoonshine,” the clerk corrected. Mason didn’t think that was too much of a crime, especially if the old guy made decent liquor. He arranged to have the bail paid, then let the officers lead him up the hallway.
Mason was making plans already. He’d get Fred to take him to his jet where he could change clothes and clean up. Then he’d have to do something amazing for Ellie. Something that showed her how he felt and that he was serious about wanting to spend the rest of his life with her.
It might be time to put that old trauma down and stop running.
Mason grinned to himself. He wasn’t going to stop running because all he wanted was to run into Ellie’s arms.
All I have to do is change directions. That shouldn’t be so hard.
With every step, Mason felt like he was leaving his prison behind, literally and figuratively. He knew that all he needed was to see Ellie.
As the guard escorted him to the end of the corridor, Mason looked into the waiting area. He looked around, wondering where Fred was.
Then, someone stood from a corner seat and stepped into the middle of the room. For a moment, Mason thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. Either that or he’d finally snapped and was hallucinating his utmost desire.
Walking toward him on the other side of the gate was the most unexpected but amazing vision he had ever seen. His savior. The only one who could free him from the prison he’d made of his heart.
Ellie.
SIXTEEN
ELLIE
When Mason hurried toward her, Ellie almost ran into his arms. When they unlocked the gate, he rushed to her so fast that she didn’t have time to think, let alone react. She was in his arms and pressed against his warm, hard chest before she knew what was happening.
“Ellie,” he whispered. His face was buried in her hair. He said her name with the reverence of a prayer, and she felt her whole body softening to him.
