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“I know, and there really is no apology needed.”
Disappointment welled inside me. For a second, I’d thought he was going to say something else. But who was I kidding?
He’d invited me here for Scottie.
Nothing else.
* * *
I was finishing up in my small en suite bathroom when there was a soft knock at the door. For a moment, I thought it might be Rory. She and Noah had made sure I got back okay before heading to her apartment.
But when I crossed the room and checked the peephole, my heart ratcheted. The door swung open, and I sucked in a shuddering breath at the sight of Mason standing there.
“What are you doing here?” My fingers curled around the edge of the door, my heart crashing violently in my chest.
It was late, late enough that the girls on my floor were either still out partying or locked away in their rooms, so the hall was quiet. Almost silent. No disguise for the violent thud of my heart.
“I… honestly…” He dragged a hand through his hair, his eyes burning with hesitation and bad intentions. “I don’t know.”
“You said we were a mistake.”
That’s it, Harper. Be strong. Don’t make it easy on him.
“I know. Fuck, I know. But you’re everywhere I look. It’s like I can’t escape you.”
Escape me?
He wanted to escape me?
My heart tumbled into my stomach.
“I tried to get out of the dinner, but Scottie—”
“I’m glad you came.”
“You are?” I frowned.
“Yeah, blondie. I am. You’re great with Scottie, and I think you won my mom over too.”
But did I win you over?I bit back the words, reining myself in despite how unnatural it felt. It wasn’t too much to confess your feelings to someone—to lay it all on the line—was it?
“Did they get settled at the hotel, okay?”
“Yeah, he crashed within minutes.”
“He really enjoyed watching you play, Mason. His live commentary was pretty awesome too.” I smiled.
“He’s a good kid. But I worry about what life will be like for him.”
“With you looking out for him, he’ll be okay.”
“But I won’t always be there.”
Mason got this distant, pained look, his torment bleeding into the space between us. I hadn’t even invited him inside, and yet, this moment felt intimate. Private. Like we were in our own little bubble where nothing could touch us.
Before I could answer, though, he said, “Anyway, I didn’t come to get all deep, sorry.”
“So why did you come?”
