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Mason grinned. "What'd she tear into them about?"
"Oh, missing the wedding and the holidays. Apparently she's badgered them for months to get them to accept me being with their mama."
Mason felt a pang in his chest. "She can be pretty stubborn when she wants to be. It doesn't surprise me at all that she could convince them to her way of thinking. She got me to go on all those crazy adventures in Hawaii after all."
Ray chuckled. "True, but she sure doesn't like yelling. After she yelled at June and Rick, she burst into tears and ran into the house."
Mason frowned. "Tears? That doesn't sound like her."
"Eh, the sun might've gotten to her. It's been over a hundred and ten degrees every day this month."
Mason snorted. "I know. I've only been back in town for a week, but I'm already wishing I was back in the cool east coast."
Ray chuckled. "You didn't miss this heat? Say it ain't so."
Mason laughed and leaned back against the wall again. "Don't worry, Pops. I missed Texas."
"Missed Texas or missed Lucy?" Pops asked.
Mason rubbed the back of his neck and tilted his head, stretching his neck. "What do you mean?"
Ray snorted. "You ask about her every time we talk, son. She's been so lonely since she came back from Hawaii. I thought now that you're out of training and back in Texas, you could ask her out on a proper date."
Mason's heart leaped at the idea, and he desperately wanted to call her, see her, even just hear her voice. But back in Hawaii when she'd talked to Helen... she'd said she didn't want more. She was too scared about his job.
Mason banged his head gently against the wall and sighed. "It's not that simple, Pops. She doesn't want a relationship."
"Is that what she said?"
"I overheard her on the phone. Relationships are traps, and that's what killed her mom. I don't want her to resent me. Amanda resented me when I wouldn't get a safer job."
"Lucy's not Amanda," Pops said softly.
Mason frowned, his chest aching. "I know, I know. They're completely different. I can actually see a life with Lucy."
"Not if you don't tell her how you feel. You have to show your cards sometime, lay them all out on the table and tell her what you want. Then ask her point blank what she wants. She's going to move on if you don't get your butt in gear, son."
Mason's heart raced at the thought of her with another guy. "Is she dating someone else?"
"No," Pops said, making the knot in Mason's stomach release in relief. "But she will soon. Her college roommate moved into the house with her, and with two beautiful young ladies there, it's only a matter of time before the local cowboys are beating down the door."
Mason ran a hand through his hair, groaning. "Damn it. Ok, ok, I'll tell her how I feel on Saturday after we're done fishing, if I can get off work. Thanks for talking about it, Pops. I've missed you."
Ray paused, then said, "I've missed you too, son. Will's going to be here this weekend too. It's been a long time since the three of us went fishing."
Mason swallowed past the lump in his throat. He'd missed his brother's return from deployment while he'd been gone in training. "It'll be good to see him. Let me go talk to my boss and work something out."
"Keep me updated. I love ya, son."
Mason sighed. "I love you too, Pops. Bye now."
They hung up, and Mason continued down the stairs, thinking about family and his brother and—as always—his mind ended with thoughts of Lucy. He wondered if she'd let her hair grow out for the summer or if she liked Crimson Creek.
He ached to see her, to know that she was safe and well. She should be free and happy and healthy. At least he hadn't tried to make a long distance relationship work. At least he hadn't trapped her in something she didn't want, like her father had done her mother.
He tried to convince himself he'd made the right choice. It was a daily argument with himself.
Chapter 43
