She made her way to her computer, talking about some big project she had coming up then smiled and settled into her desk chair. “Well, I’m sure I’ve taken up enough of your time with all my chatter.”
“Oh, I’m the one who’s wasted your time. Thank you so much for showing me around your studio.”
“I love talking photography. Mason can vouch for that. It’s the unspoken rule in our family. Don’t mention cameras or photos or even make a clicking sound in front of Aunt Elise.”
Mason nodded. “She’s serious.”
I laughed. “Well, I appreciated it. They have no clue what they’re missing.”
“Hear that, Mason, your girl—” She caught her slip and cleared her throat. “Felicity appreciates me.”
Mason grinned. “I knew my girl would love you.”
Okay, so maybe I wasn’t willing to be his girlfriend, but I didn’t exactly mind being his girl either.
Chapter 18
Mason
About an hour into our drive home, I glanced at Felicity and chuckled. She’d been rambling nonstop since we left the studio.
“What? What’s so funny?”
“It’s not funny. I just love your excitement.”
“I’m sorry. I’m probably boring you to death.”
“Far from it.” I reached over the console and lifted her hand into mine. “I don’t think I’ve seen you this happy about something. I thought it would be cool for you to meet Aunt Elise, considering how similar you two are, but I had no idea it’d go this well.”
“Thanks. Really.” She shifted toward me. “I can’t put into words how much this meant.”
“You don’t need to. I can tell, and it was more than worth it.” I smiled. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“After today, do you believe you have a future?”
“I hope so. Your aunt made me realize photography is a real possibility. Now it’s a matter of figuring out how to make it happen.”
I kissed the back of her hand. “It’ll happen.”
“That would be awesome but it’s kind of a long shot.” She stared out the window and worked her bottom lip with her teeth then sighed. “Regardless, I’m going to try. Maybe start with some online photography classes. Learn how to use that new editing software you helped me find. And I’ll ask around. Maybe I can find a photographer in town who will let me shadow them or something.”
“That’s great, Felicity. You have talent. Don’t waste it.”
“Can I tell you something? And please don’t take it the wrong way.”
Uh-oh. “Okay…”
“It’s just, today, at lunch, being around you and your friends, I sort of got really down on myself. You guys are all smart. You’re in college. You live in these nice apartments. Have futures planned out. And I’m only a waitress from a little fishing town…but I’d never really felt like that girl. It’s the place I grew up and the job paying the bills. I didn’t identify with it. But it hit me today. That is my life. It’s who I am. And it sucked.”
“That’s not—”
“I know you’re going to say that’s not who I am and a bunch of other really nice stuff, but let’s face it. It kind of is. At least, for now. But meeting your aunt changed everything. It made me realize I could be so much more. I don’t know how it will happen or if it will. But at least there’s hope.” She pulled her feet onto the seat, tucking her knees to her chest. “Elise said she used to work the graveyard shift at this diner so she could have daytime hours free for photography. She said she’d work a wedding then go waitress right after. She went from champagne and cake to coffee and bacon. Evening gowns to truckers.” She smiled. “The weddings paid well, but the night shift inspired her. Isn’t that amazing? A five thousand dollar dress on a bride couldn’t compete with five thousand miles on a trucker’s face. She said his wrinkles told a better story than silk ever could.”
My aunt may have said those words, but hearing the complete awe in Felicity’s voice as she repeated it, made them beautiful.
She shifted toward me. “I’m talking too much again, aren’t I?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think I could ever get tired of hearing you talk like this.”
She grew quiet and stared at our hands.
Too quiet.
I glanced at her. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No.”
I traced the worry line between her brows. “Then what has you so upset?”
She frowned and blurted, “I like you.”
I glanced back at the road. “Uh, I like you too, but I’m definitely not sure how that’s a bad thing.”
“No, Mason, I really like you.”
Wait…My head spun toward hers as a slow smile pulled at my mouth. She liked me, liked me?
“Watch the damn road.” She crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat.
I chuckled. “No fucking way. You’re pouting about this?”
“I’m not pouting. Ugh, it’s just so complicated. I don’t do complicated.”
“This isn’t complicated, Felicity. The complete opposite, actually. We like each other. Simple as that.”
—
“So now that you’re in like with me, do you think we should start color coordinating our outfits?”
She rolled her eyes and groaned. During the last half hour of our car ride, I’d hounded her about her confession. Mostly because I liked to see her squirm. Well, and because she liked me. I was freaking stoked. So I teased her about everything from the necessity of pet names to the value of posting couples’ selfies on various forms of social media to suggestions about our “celebrity” name—I was rooting for Macity.
“For what it’s worth, I’m in serious dislike of you right now.”
I laughed, enjoying this way too much. “We should also start having sleepovers…since you’re in like with me.”
She pressed her palms to her forehead then dragged them down her face. “Oh. My. God. I’m going to kill you before we even make it out of this car.”
“Tomorrow I’ll run to the store and get extra toothbrushes so we can keep them at each other’s places. Should I get his and hers towels too?”
She banged her head on the headrest.
“Too soon?” I pulled into the parking lot of the marina. “Okay, only toothbrushes.”
“I’m going to murder you with that fucking toothbrush if you don’t stop saying ‘in like’ with you.”
I parked the car. “You started it.” The overhead light popped on as I got out.
“Mason!”
I laughed as the car door shut.
Grumbling, she got out, and I greeted her on the passenger side.
“One more, then I promise I’m done.” I shut her door and pushed her up against it. “I’m happy you’re finally in like with me because I’ve been in like with you for a while.” I twirled a wave of her hair around my finger then studied her face, my gaze slowly roaming over it. God, she was perfect. I kissed her, gently at first then deepened it when her tongue lightly brushed mine.
Someone cleared their throat, and I reluctantly pulled back. But when Felicity noticed it was Colby, she straightened.
“Hey, sorry to, uh, you know…” Colby waved his hand then rubbed the back of his neck. “I wanted to let you know we aren’t going out tomorrow morning. The group pushed it back to an evening charter.”
“Cool. Thanks. I actually get to sleep in. Can’t complain about that.” I held Felicity’s hand.
Colby agreed. “No shit. It’ll be nice to get a few extra hours of sleep.” He glanced between us. “Also, a few of the guys were going to get together. Thought you might want to join us, but, uh, it’s cool if you—”
“You should go.” She pulled her hand free. “I have to work the first shift tomorrow, so I’m heading to bed early.” She smiled. “Enjoy your night off. Y’all don’t get many.”
I studied her, unable to tell if she was being nice or pushing me away, like s
he’d admitted too much and was now running from her feelings. Which she was good at. “Can you give us a second?” I asked Colby.
“Sure. I’ll be at my truck.”
As he walked away, I turned to her. “Everything okay?”
She nodded. “I just need…to be alone tonight.”
“Why are you pushing me away?”
She gnawed her lip, took a deep breath then blurted, “I’m not ready to have sex with you.”
Now that I hadn’t expected. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“If you are anywhere near me tonight, my body is going to override my brain. And I don’t want to do something I’ll regret later. So please, go out tonight.” Pink flooded her cheeks, and it was seriously adorable.
“Hey.” I waited for her to make eye contact then went on, “I’m not going to push you for sex tonight or any other night.”
She stared at her feet again. “I know you wouldn’t. But I…I want to. And I know inevitably we’ll get to that point, but I’m not ready for tonight to be that night.”
“Huh. You’ve been full of all sorts of unexpected revelations today.”
She glanced up. “Please don’t embarrass me. I can’t believe I just told you all that.”
“Why would I want to embarrass you about that? I’m pretty sure that’s the hottest fucking thing to ever come out of your mouth.”
I leaned in and kissed her again, my mouth gliding over hers, slowly at first. Then it picked up. My hand went behind her head, locking her into place as my tongue worked its way into her mouth. My other hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her tighter against me, but it wasn’t close enough.
She pushed her hands into my hair and tilted her head, letting me deepen the kiss and then, just as suddenly, she placed her palms on my chest and broke our kiss.
“Colby can see us.”
“And I’m supposed to care, why?”
She grinned and shook her head. “I guess you aren’t.”
“That’s what I thought.” Then my mouth was back on hers. Colby and every other guy in a ten-mile radius could see us for all I cared. This girl was mine.
She draped her arms over my shoulders and pushed into me. Her body molded with mine, and she all but sighed into the kiss. Knowing how bad she wanted me only made me want her more. It was sexy. Hot. And tempting.
This time I broke the kiss. “If we don’t stop now, I’m going to have my way with you on the hood of my car.”
She smiled. “I kind of like that idea.”
I lifted an eyebrow, glanced at the car then took a deep breath. “I’m doing this for your own good, because it sure as hell isn’t for mine.” I took a step back. “Brain. Body. No regrets. Remember?”
“I have no control when it comes to you.”
“Well, thankfully, I’ve got that covered.”
She stared at me, her gaze roaming down, then she looked back up. Eyes full of longing.
“Seriously, you’re killing me. Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like that.” I pointed at her, raising and lowering my finger accusingly.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” With a grin, she gave me a little push toward Colby. “Go have your guys’ night out.”
“I’d rather be having a night in.”
“Goodbye, Mason.”
Damn. This girl knew how to drive me out of my mind. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you in the morning.”
—
Colby had dragged me to a big party on the beach with a bonfire and everything. And yeah, I’d been dragged because I really hadn’t wanted to leave Felicity. But I got what she was trying to say, and I respected her need for a little space but shit, my body was amped, and the only release was her. She wasn’t the only one who wanted to push things a whole lot further tonight. It was probably a good thing I hadn’t stayed. I wanted to wait until she was ready, but my restraint was thinning by the second.
Owen plopped into the chair next to mine, way more drunk than he should be for this early in the night.
“You look like you’re having too much fun.” He handed me another beer.
I shrugged. “Just not feeling it tonight.” Not that it was from lack of trying. I’d been pounding back the beers, but my mind was somewhere else. Or more accurately on someone else.
“Sure you aren’t feeling that?” He pointed to a girl with a short blond bob, and, yeah, I’d noticed her looking my way all night too. She wasn’t exactly trying for subtlety.
I tilted my beer to my lips and didn’t bother with an answer. He didn’t know how serious things were getting with Felicity, and considering he had a big mouth—and what I suspected was a bit of a crush on her—I didn’t care to bring it up.
“Oh, c’mon. What’s your deal? There are girls everywhere. If she’s not your type, then take your pick.” He motioned to the crowd.
And I needed to redirect the conversation. “What about you? You got your eye on one?”
He laughed. “One? How about ten.”
I smiled and shook my head, mostly at the fact that not even a month ago my answer would have been along those same lines. But now ten girls had nothing on the one who mattered.
I flashed back to my apartment and the way Felicity fit perfectly under me and how her hands had felt around me…Which was a bad idea, because now I was hard as a rock, and she was nowhere around to help alleviate the building pressure.
“Change your mind?” Owen laughed and nudged me with his elbow.
I glanced at him then tracked his gaze to the blonde with the short hair and yellow dress, who was now coming our way. I’d been thinking about Felicity and mindlessly staring off, but without realizing it, I’d been looking in this other girl’s direction, which she must have taken as an invitation to finally make her way over. Fuck me. I couldn’t even get up and walk away because thanks to my overactive imagination and thoughts of Felicity, all the blood in my body had rushed south.
Fighting back a groan, I adjusted my shorts, gulped down half my beer then settled in for what was bound to be one hell of an awkward conversation. But just as she neared, her friend gave her a little push in my direction. The girl stumbled and, with an awkward thump, landed in my lap. To avoid us both tipping over, I steadied her.
Her eyes widened a bit, her gaze shifting from my hand, resting on her thigh, to my crotch. And, yeah, there was no hiding what she felt. Maybe it was from all the beer or maybe I was just losing it, but I laughed. Because honestly, what more could I do at that point?
She looked back up, her eyes meeting mine, and just as I was about to politely remove her from my lap, she smiled. “Hi, Mason.”
She knew my name? “Uh, have we met?”
Her smile widened as she responded. “It’s been a while.”
I tried to place where I might have met her before but drew a blank.
She laughed. “Kate.” When it didn’t seem to register, she added, “Waller.”
“Katie?”
She nodded. “Just Kate now.”
It had been two years since I met her at my uncle’s Fourth of July party, but man, had she changed since then. My gaze slid down then back up. And it was confirmed. Little Katie Waller was all grown up.
Chapter 19
Felicity
As to be expected, I couldn’t sleep. I checked the clock and noticed it was barely after midnight. Usually my restlessness didn’t start until the early-morning hours, but I had too much on my mind to sleep. Mason. Photography. And the future of both.
I headed upstairs, planning to watch the waves, but noticed Mason’s light on. He must’ve gotten in recently because he wasn’t back when I’d gone to bed. I saw a silhouette at the window but then the light went out, which was for the best. Late-night visits to Mason were asking for trouble. I stared into the water, letting it help silence my brain, then decided to give sleep another try.
It must have helped because the next thing I knew it
was morning, and I had to be at work soon.
I jumped in the shower, threw on my work uniform, pulled my hair into a quick, damp ponytail and rushed outside. Standing in the parking lot across from me was John, Colby and Owen.
“I’ll go ask him,” Owen said before stepping onto the stairs leading to the boat slips. He almost bumped into me in his rush.
“Hey, Owen.”
“Oh, shit, sorry T. Didn’t see you there.”
“What’s up?”
He glanced at his dad and Colby then back at me. “We’re going to breakfast. Seeing if Mason wants to join us.”
I waved to John and Colby.
“Morning, Felicity. You heading into work?” John asked, moving closer to the steps.
“Yes, sir.”
“We’ll have to request your section.”
I smiled. “I’d like that.”
Owen’s head shot up suddenly as he glanced over my shoulder.
I turned to see what had him looking so spooked just as a girl in a little yellow dress stepped out of Mason’s cabin into clear view…followed by Mason.
Heat crept over my skin and my stomach fell, like a lump weighed it down.
The girl stared at us, wide-eyed, then at her feet as she made her way to the front of the boat. But her expression had nothing on Mason’s. It was a mixture of shock, fear, maybe a bit of anger, combined with something that looked like regret.
His gaze locked on mine as the sting of angry tears forced me to blink. I looked back at the girl then turned away. Disgust wouldn’t properly describe how I felt.
The girl, who’d made her way onto the wooden dock, mumbled a quick “excuse me” then darted past where we stood. She ducked her head, letting her blond bobbed hair cover a little of her face.
Owen tensed as she passed. Colby shook his head then stared accusingly at Mason, and if his dad hadn’t been a foot away, I had a feeling he’d have more than a few things to say about the situation.
“Mason?” John’s voice held a question and a warning like he didn’t approve of a girl getting off his boat this time in the morning. But he had no clue how much it had wrecked me.
Mason stepped off the boat, and I backed away as if he were poison. He tried to make eye contact, but I couldn’t even begin to look at him. My throat was scratchy and dry, and my eyes stung. One word and I’d lose my shit. I stared straight ahead, trying to hold it together, but still able to make him out in my periphery.
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