by Megan Green
Cami shrugs. “Oh, no. Not unless you’re going to perform that biopsy with a pair of nail trimmers instead of a scalpel.”
I look down at the tool in my hand, cursing under my breath when I see that she’s right. I drop the trimmers and reach for the correct tool.
“Something wrong, boss lady?” Cami asks, concern laced in her voice. “You seem a little … distracted.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I guess you could say I’ve been a little off lately.”
Cami holds her hands up. “You said it, not me.”
I smile at her attempt at humor. “Don’t worry, Cami. I’m well aware of my absentmindedness these last few days.”
Cami takes the scalpel from my hand before setting it to the side. “So, what’s up? Does this have anything to do with why Mason and Hannah haven’t been around much lately?”
Tears sting my eyes as I realize that even Cami has noticed a difference in my relationship. “I messed up, Cam.”
At the admission, it’s like a dam bursts, all the tears I’ve been holding in these last few days suddenly coming out in a rush.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Cami says, circling her arm around my shoulders and guiding me over to a chair. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s nothing that can’t be fixed.”
I collapse into the chair, my tears only coming harder as I bury my face in my hands. “I don’t know, Cami,” I say between sobs. “I really think I blew it this time.”
“Deep breaths,” Cami says, guiding me through several deep inhales and slow exhales as she tries to help me get ahold of myself.
After a few minutes, my hiccupping sobs finally slow enough that I feel like I can catch my breath.
“Now, start from the beginning. What exactly is it that you think you did?”
I think back to the other day, the day I found the picture of Stephanie. I wasn’t exactly snooping around. Hannah pulled out that photo album herself. But I opened an envelope that had been shoved in the back. If Mason had wanted people to see that picture, he wouldn’t have hidden it away like he had.
“I came across an old picture of Mason’s ex-wife,” I say, fixing my eyes to the floor so I don’t have to see Cami’s reaction.
She stays silent for a moment, likely getting her thoughts straight before responding. Finally, she speaks, “Okay. And you’re upset that he keeps a picture of the woman he was married to?”
I shake my head. “No, I get why he has it. She’s Hannah’s mother after all. It’s not like he can pretend she never existed.”
“But something about that photo has obviously upset you,” Cami observes.
I nod. “The woman he was married to … well, let’s just say, we have a history. She and her best friend loved to make my life a living hell during high school.”
I finally lift my gaze to Cami’s, watching her eyes as the details click into place.
“Ah,” she says. “And it upset you that he married someone who had been so cruel to you.”
“No. Maybe. I don’t know,” I say, still not entirely sure how I feel about the fact that Mason was married to Stephanie in the first place. “It’s not so much that he married her. It’s that I feel like he tried to keep it from me.”
“He never told you?”
I shake my head. “I mean, he told me her name was Stephanie. But come on, how many Stephanies are there in the world? How was I supposed to make the connection?”
“So, he thought you knew?” Cami asks.
I shrug. “That’s what he says. When I asked him about it, he told me he’d assumed I realized they were the same person.”
“And is this something you feel like you can’t get past? Is this a deal-breaker?”
I vehemently shake my head. “No, of course not. I was upset when I realized who she was and more upset when I thought he’d lied to me about it. But I love him. I don’t want it to change our relationship.”
“Then, what’s the problem? Why do you think you messed things up?”
I let out a sad sigh. “He’s been distant the last few days. Whenever I call to tell him I’m going to be late or that something came up here and I can’t make it over that night, he’s so short with me. It’s like he can’t get me off the phone fast enough. And when we are together, he seems withdrawn. I think I made a mistake by rooting around in his private things. And then made it worse by confronting him about it.”
Cami taps a finger against her lower lip. “Hmm … maybe. But maybe he’s trying to give you space to sort through it. Maybe his distance isn’t out of anger but guilt.”
I turn her words over in my head. It didn’t occur to me that maybe Mason is feeling as bad about this whole thing as I am. “I didn’t think about it like that.”
She laughs once. “Of course you didn’t. Because, deep down, there’s still a small piece of that same scared girl who never believes she’s good enough. You didn’t feel like enough for him in high school, and there’s a part of you that worries that you’re not enough for him today. You have that man up on the highest damn pedestal, and let me tell you, Mason Cooper is a great guy, but nobody can measure up to that sort of standard.”
I push myself up from the chair. “I need to talk to Mason.”
Cami nods. “’Bout damn time you started making sense. The two of you have a history of jumping to conclusions and not talking things through. Relationships are a hell of a lot easier when both parties are willing to open up.”
She’s right. Of course she’s right. I’ve always had a terrible habit of holding all my cards to my chest. Because letting people see my hand—and my heart—has always seemed like too big a risk. Why lay it all out on the line when life has shown me over and over how many people are waiting in the wings to take that line and use it as a jump rope?
But if I want things to progress with Mason, if I truly want to start a future together, then I am going to have to learn to trust him. He would walk that line with me if I only gave him the chance. I know that with everything inside me. I just need to let him take the first step.
I lean in and hug Cami. “Thank you. You really are the best vet assistant I could’ve asked for.”
Cami hugs me back. “You’re the best boss lady I’ve ever had. But more than that, you’re an amazing friend, Maddy.”
“Thank you,” I say, another lump forming at the back of my throat. “That means a lot. You’re a great friend, too.”
She smiles and pats my arm, and I take that as permission to drop my hold on her and leave. I spin on my heel, my eyes already locked on the hook I hung my keys on near the back door.
My fingers are just about to close around them when Cami’s voice stops me. “Uh, Maddy? You do remember we still have a sedated cat who needs a biopsy, right?”
My shoulders slump, my hand falling back down to my side. In my haste to get to Mason, I completely forgot that I still had this last patient to finish with before I could call it a day.
I turn around and trudge back to the surgical table. Cami laughs as I change out my now tainted rubber gloves for a fresh pair.
“Don’t worry, boss lady,” she says, handing me a scalpel. “Just a few slices and dices, and you’ll be free to run into your lover’s arms.”
I drop my gaze to the sleeping cat before me. Cami’s right; it’s a simple procedure that shouldn’t take any time at all.
But now that I know what I need to do, every second spent away from Mason feels like an eternity.
Dropping the blade to the shaved portion of the cat’s midsection, I flash my eyes up to Cami. “Let’s get this pussy excised,” I say with a wink.
19
Mason
My fingers drum against the steering wheel, my foot itching to press harder into the accelerator in order to reach my destination faster. My talk with Reese did wonders to lift my spirits, and as I drive toward my house, the weight that’s been pressing down on my shoulders all week finally feels like it’s lifting.
I’m not one hundred percent positive how the re
st of this evening is going to pan out, but for the first time, I feel like I finally have a plan. Things with Maddy are either about to blow up in my face or become much, much better. That decision will be up to her and whether or not the things I have to say will finally get through to her.
I’m going to lay it all out on the line tonight. I’m going to tell her exactly where I see this relationship heading between us. How I plan to love her for the rest of my life. How I want her to move in with Hannah and me. And how, hopefully, someday in the not-so-distant future, I hope to watch her walk down the aisle toward me and finally make me the happiest man in the entire world.
It might be too much. It might be the exact opposite of what she wants to hear. But at least at the end of it, I’ll know where I stand. No more of this limbo will she leave or won’t she bullshit I’ve been torturing myself with the last few months.
If she tells me I’m insane and she has no desire to spend the rest of her life with me … well, it’ll suck. It’ll more than suck. But I’d rather know now than fool myself for the next five years like I did with Stephanie, only to wake up in the middle of the night and discover the whole thing had been a lie.
Besides, I’m fairly confident that Maddy feels exactly the same way I do. You can’t fake the sort of connection we have. You can’t fake the way we feel about each other.
So, yeah, my heart feels light, and my body surges with anticipation of what I’m ninety-nine percent sure is going to happen tonight.
I’m only a few miles from my house when my phone pings with a text. Glancing around at my surroundings and finding that I’m the only one on the road, I do something I never do. I pick up my phone and open the text.
Mom: Hannah wants to know if Maddy is going to come to your place for dinner tonight or if the two of you want to eat here with us? I’m making spaghetti.
Shit, I mentally curse. How in the fuck did I completely forget about Hannah?
Making a snap decision, I tap on my mother’s name and press the phone to my ear.
Her singsong voice answers after only one ring, “Hellooo, Nancy Cooper speaking. Babysitter extraordinaire. How may I direct your call?”
I laugh, glad to find her in a good mood, considering the favor I’m about to ask of her. “Hey, Mom. How’s Hannah been this afternoon?”
“Oh, perfect, as always. I swear, Mason, if you’d been this easy at her age, I probably would’ve had more kids.” I can practically hear her smile through the phone.
I chuckle. It’s a running joke in my family that the reason my parents stopped with one was because I was such a little terror. In truth, I know they tried desperately for years to give me a little brother or sister. But it wasn’t in the cards.
“Yeah, but why would you try for a second when you clearly perfected it on the first try?”
A whimsical laugh comes through the phone. “Oh, sweetie. You keep telling yourself that. Now, where are you? Will you be here soon?”
“Actually, Mom,” I say, pausing for effect so that she knows there’s more to follow, “that’s sort of why I called. How would you feel about keeping Hannah overnight tonight?”
“Oh,” she says, surprise clear in her tone. “Well, of course, honey. You know your dad and I are always happy to have her here as long as we can get her.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I say, blowing out a relieved breath.
This talk with Maddy tonight will go a hell of a lot smoother if I don’t have to worry about Hannah overhearing.
“Can I ask what for?” my mother asks, her voice tentative, as if she doesn’t want me to feel like she’s prying.
Knowing my mother, it took everything in her not to blurt out those words as soon as I asked the question.
I laugh lightly. “I just think Maddy and I could use some time alone. It’s difficult, getting enough one-on-one time with a five-year-old running around.”
“Say no more,” my mother says. “No, really, say no more. I might be a nosy ninny, but even I have to draw the line somewhere. Hearing about my son’s sex life is definitely over that line.”
“Mom!” I shout into the phone. “That is not what I meant.”
“Mmhmm. Sure it wasn’t. I’m sure the two of you will just spend the evening playing Scrabble and making shadow puppets.”
Another laugh bubbles up from my chest. No, if things go the way I plan tonight, there will definitely be no Scrabble. Might be a few shadow puppets though—in the shape of me making love to her by candlelight.
“Do you need me to run over an overnight bag for Hannah?” I ask her, trying to change the subject to anything other than what I plan to do with Maddy tonight.
“Nope,” my mom says, popping the P with gusto. “We have plenty of clothes for her here. Plenty of extra toothbrushes, towels, and whatever else she might need. She’ll be fine. You have fun with your … charades.”
“Oh my God,” I say with a groan. “Good-bye, Mom.”
“Bye, sweetheart. But just so you know … your dad and I wouldn’t mind another grandbaby. So, if you happen to misplace your protection—”
“Okay, bye,” I interrupt, hanging up the phone before she can finish that sentence.
Jesus Christ. That woman has no boundaries, I think to myself, even as a smile spreads across my face. But I wouldn’t want her any other way.
I pull into my driveway, glancing at the clock on my dashboard. Maddy should be finishing up at the clinic any minute now, so hopefully, I only have about twenty or so minutes to kill before she shows up at my door.
Now that I’m home and this is really real, nerves begin to course through my veins. Climbing from the car and crossing the yard to my house, I start going over everything I want to say to her.
I love you more than I’ve ever loved another woman, Madeline Woods.
There’s nobody else I want to spend my life with.
You’re it for me.
I unlock the front door and head to the kitchen, rinsing the dishes from Hannah’s breakfast this morning and putting them in the dishwasher.
I want you to move in with me, Maddy. I want you to help me raise Hannah.
Hannah loves you every bit as much as I do, and I would love nothing more than for you to be the mother she’s never had.
You complete our family, Maddy. You complete me.
Okay, maybe not that last one. Too Tom Cruise.
The sound of a car door closing outside pulls me from my thoughts, and my eyes dart up to the clock above our kitchen table.
Maddy must’ve finished up early.
I dry my hands on a towel, looking around the kitchen and wishing I’d had time to prepare a romantic dinner or something to have this conversation over. If things go as well as I hope, I’ll have to take Maddy out to celebrate.
I hear her footsteps as they ascend the stairs, and I rush to the door, pulling it open before she can knock.
“Hey, you. I’ve missed … you?” My declaration for Maddy turns into a stunned question when my eyes land on the person standing at my door.
Not Maddy.
“Hey, Coop. Long time no see.”
My mouth gapes as I try to process what’s happening. The woman chuckles, shooting me a smile that’s entirely too familiar and completely foreign to me, all at the same time.
“What? Aren’t you glad to see me?”
My throat bobs as I desperately try to get moisture back to my mouth. It dried up like the Sahara the second I saw her standing here.
“Oh, come on, baby. You could at least let me inside.”
She pushes past me, walking through the door and into my living room. It’s not until I close the door and turn to face her that the picture of her standing among my things finally breaks me out of my shock.
I cross my arms over my chest. “What are you doing here, Stephanie?”
20
Maddy
My fingers tremble as I insert the key into the ignition of my car.
By the time the biopsy was harvested,
the specimen prepped and readied for conveyance, and the proper paperwork filled out to ensure the results would be sent back to me, over an hour had passed since my conversation with Cami, taking some of the confidence I’d felt earlier with it.
I straighten my spine.
This is going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine. I repeat the mantra over and over as I shift my car into reverse, backing out of the parking stall and exiting the lot.
The drive to Mason’s passes all too quickly, and before I know it, I’m turning onto his street. Sweat breaks out on my palms the closer I get to his house, uncertainty making me want to do nothing more than to turn this car around and go back to the safety of my office-slash-home.
The old Maddy would have already done it. She would’ve driven right past this street, preferring the ambiguity of the unknown versus the sting of rejection.
But Cami was right. Mason and I have a horrible track record when it comes to discussing things—mostly because of me. I turned tail and ran once already, and in doing so, I lost the best friend I’d ever known for absolutely no reason at all.
I’ll be damned if I let the same thing happen with the man I love.
Resolution flows through me at the thought, my earlier confidence and determination returning in full force.
This is going to be fine, I remind myself. Because nothing can stand in the way of true love.
And I sincerely believe, with every ounce and fiber of my being, that what Mason and I share is the truest and purest form of love there is.
We are forever.
Mason’s house comes into view, and with it, my smile widens.
I’m coming, baby. And I’m going to make sure we never have another misunderstanding like this again.
From today going forward, I am going to learn to stop bottling my feelings and share them instead.
My smile falters a bit when my eyes fall on an unfamiliar car next to Mason’s, taking up the space where I usually park.
Well, this certainly isn’t how I pictured this conversation going.
