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Mason
Mason stood in the rain, not caring that he was getting soaked. Not when the one woman he’d avoided the last three weeks was hugging his daughter, hiding her pain with a smile so his little girl didn’t see how much it was probably tearing her apart to be reminded of how Mason had failed them both in a single afternoon. Protecting Aspen like she’d done at gunpoint. And how did I thank her? He’d been shocked at finding his daughter battered and bruised, and was berating himself for missing those ten calls. When he heard the actual story from Aspen, Mason regretted his harsh words to Pippa. He’d panicked, seeing his little girl in pain.
“I was surrounded by them and Cara pushed me and called me names. I was so sick of it. Then I remembered what Pippa told me,” Aspen explained.
“Pippa?”
Aspen nodded. “She told me that it’s best to stand up to them . . . so I finally put those self-defense moves you taught me to use . . . Pippa also told me to tell someone I trust to help me. Then she made me promise I would tell you, but I was scared. I’m sorry, Daddy.”
Mason’s chest squeezed tight like a vise. “It’s okay, sweet pea. I’m just glad you’re safe. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to get you.”
She shrugged. “It’s okay. Grandpa got me ice cream on the way home.”
Mason had fucked up. And then he’d kept Aspen from Pippa.
A part of him had wondered if it would hurt Pippa more to see Aspen and be reminded of him.
I’m a coward. He’d been angry at himself and he’d blamed Pippa. He’d hurt her in the worst way. His father had ripped him a new one when he’d returned too.
“I don’t know what you said to that woman, but she isn’t the one who deserves your wrath. I know it was just an accident; I’m sorry if I made you feel like I blamed you. I was just so worried about it because it was so unlike you.” His father took a step forward and set his hand on Mason’s shoulder. “You missed a call; next time, you’ll do better. Luckily you had me and Sebastian to pick up the slack when you needed it. And, son, I’ve never seen you with a woman since Amanda passed. If you were bringing her home, I imagine Pippa means something to you. But you’re an idiot if you push her away because life happened.”
Mason clenched his jaw. “I got distracted. I failed Aspen because I—”
“Your daughter got hurt, and she’s okay. She defended herself like a champ. You want to take out that anger, call the camp, call the parents of those bullies. Grow the fuck up and stop feeling so sorry for yourself.”
His father’s words hit him back then like a ton of bricks. Was it true? Had he been filled with self-pity disguised as a drive to be the perfect parent?
Pippa had done what she’d thought was best in that situation. And she’d proven time and time again how much she cared for Aspen, going as far as risking her life for his little girl. And still I doubted her . . . or was it me I doubted?
Mason slipped his phone out, his thumb hovering over her contact for what seemed like the thousandth time in weeks. He owed her an apology at the very least. She deserved to know he didn’t blame her and that he was wrong, even if she’d likely never forgive him.
The vision of her on that paddleboard flashed in his mind.
“I’m just . . . scared.”
She’d bared her soul to him, and what had he promised her?
“I’m here. Whatever you need.”
At the first test, not even an hour later, he’d turned himself into a liar.
“I trust you.”
He’d fucked up. And his focus needed to be on Aspen. He couldn’t fail his little girl again.
Mason pushed the phone back into his pocket and walked to the diner, rain trickling down his head, dripping onto his shoulders. He needed to make this right, to fix what he’d broken.
Aspen looked up as he approached her table. Her eyes rounded and she hid the comic behind her back and stood. “D-dad? I didn’t think you’d be here for another hour.”
“I see Pippa was here.” Even saying her name aloud tore at his already mutilated heart.
She looked down guiltily before anger flared in her eyes. She straightened her spine and tipped her chin up, crossing her arms over her chest. “Yeah, she was. I miss her, and I love her, and I don’t know why you are punishing me like this.”
“I’m not punishing you.”
“Yes, you are!”
He sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair. “When you get older, you’ll understand.”
