I shook my head and giggled. “Why do they always do it during the jubilee that they are both a huge part of? How many pies is Debbie making this year?”
Mason chuckled as he laid all the way back onto the deck. “Isn’t it like fifty something pies?”
Shuddering at the thought of having to help Debbie make fifty pies, I shook my head and pushed it all from my mind. “We should go somewhere.”
Mason crossed his legs as he kept his eyes closed. “You and me?”
I glanced down at him and couldn’t help but notice the sweat-soaked white T-shirt that showed off his perfect abs. “Yeah. ‘We’ usually means two or more people, and since you’re the only other person here, when I say ‘we’ … I mean you and me.”
Mason sucked in a deep breath then blew it out. “Damn, that would be nice. Where would we go?”
I shrugged my shoulders as I peered out over the lake before I dropped back next to him. “Dunno. Maybe the coast?”
“Hell no. It’s hot and humid there too, Em.”
Giggling, I replied, “Okay, how about Colorado? I bet it’s not hot there.”
Mason didn’t say anything for a few minutes before he quickly sat up. “Let’s do it. You and me. Let’s run the fuck off and spend a week somewhere. We could go fly-fishing. Rent a place along a river and do nothing but fish and hike and … fuck.”
I rolled my eyes, sat up and rested my chin on my knees. “Jesus, has any of your old girlfriends ever told you how romantic you are?”
Mason tapped my nose with his finger and lifted his brow. “We aren’t dating, Tink. I don’t have to be romantic with you.”
Pursing my lips together, I thought about what he said. “This is true. Fly-fishing, huh?”
Mason smiled bigger. “Fly-fishing, baby. And sex with me any time you want. What more could a girl ask for?”
I laughed and gave him a push as he pulled me with him. Landing on him, I met his stare while I chewed on my lip. “Do you think Sam and Debbie would suspect something if we both took off at the same time?”
Mason grabbed me and helped me up as we both stood and regarded each other. “I don’t give a shit if people find out we’re sleeping together, Em.”
Feeling my heart rate increase tenfold, I swallowed hard. “I do! Mason, everyone will think you’re this badass guy who’s been screwing me the last couple of years, while everyone will look at me as a pathetic whore who has been sleeping with her best friend, who by the way happens to be my ex-boyfriend’s best friend too. Then it will open up Becca’s old wounds again.”
Mason lifted his brows. “Becca’s old wounds?”
Shit. I needed to lead him away.
“Mason, people will gossip.”
“Fuck them, Emylie. No one cares. I wouldn’t be surprised if people don’t expect us to end up together anyway. Best friends, always together. Besides, Holden is living happily in California, and who the hell knows where Suzy is. It’s time we moved on.”
Taking a step back, my mouth fell open. “Mason, what are you saying? Are you wanting to take this further?”
Mason held up his hands and said, “No! That’s not what I mean. I’m not saying you and I start dating, but who cares if people know we’re together. If you think about it, it makes sense really.”
I quickly turned away and noticed Debbie standing on the back porch talking on the phone. I was tired of everyone trying to fix me up on dates … Debbie included. “Fine. How about we test it out tonight at Shifty’s?”
He made his way over to me and pulled me into his arms and planted a long wet kiss on my lips. “I like this plan. Now my mother will stop asking me if I’m gay.”
Mason quickly stepped around me and headed off to the main house. I lost it laughing as I followed him.
Walking up to Debbie, she smiled at both of us. “I hope you two don’t have any plans next week. We have lots of things going on.”
“Um … actually, Debbie, Mason and I were talking about how we wanted to head up to Colorado to do some fly-fishing. There is a fishery up there that I would love to stop at and talk to them for a bit.”
When the expression of horror moved over her face I instantly stopped talking. “You want to leave? You can’t leave!”
I shook my head as I held up my hands and said, “What? No, I thought since Mason and I both needed a vacation, we could take one and do some fly-fishing and maybe do a bit of research while I’m up there. Not for a new job.”
Debbie looked between Mason and me while she attempted to find words to speak. “Mrs. Warner, are you okay?” Mason asked.
Letting out a quick breath, Debbie attempted a smile. “Yes. Yes, I’m fine, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to say no to you both requesting vacation. The ranch is going to be bustling with people, and I can’t handle this reunion without you. It’s imperative that you’re here next week, Emylie. Imperative.”
Mason cleared his throat as he looked at me and then back to Debbie. “That’s fine, Mrs. Warner. How about if Emylie goes ahead and takes a vacation. I can cover any work she would be handling.”
“No!” Debbie shouted, causing both Mason and I to jump. “Kids, come on. This is the worst time of year to ask off. I need both of you here.” She glanced my way again. “Especially you, Emylie.”
Smiling weakly, I gave in to defeat probably easier than I should have. Ever since Mason and I graduated from Texas A&M, we had been working for Sam and Debbie without a single vacation. Mason was hesitant on taking the job that rightfully belonged to Holden, but Sam had begged him. He hadn’t talked to his son since he informed his parents, me, and Mason, that he had met some girl named Daphne and would be staying in LA indefinitely. No other reason but this woman.
Disappointment rushed over my body. “No worries, Debbie. You know you can count on us.”
Mason stared at me then shook his head. I could see how pissed off he was. As much as I wanted to leave for a bit, I didn’t want to leave without Mason.
There went that safety net feeling. I really needed to work on that. Mason was not my crutch. Okay he was, but I needed to change that and do it soon.
“Oh, thank you, darling. I promise once we get past these two weeks, if you both want to head on out, you’re more than welcome to. I have a feeling you won’t, though.”
Mason gave a polite grin and tipped his cowboy hat. “Thank you, Mrs. Warner.”
Her response caught me off guard. What did that mean? I have a feeling you won’t though.
Flipping her hand at Mason, she sighed. “Mason, I’m like your mother. Stop calling me Mrs. Warner and call me Debbie. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
He let out a soft chuckle and replied, “Yes ma’am. I’m going to head on back to work now.”
Debbie turned to me with a smile I couldn’t really read. “I have lots to do to prepare and lots of planning.”
“Pies?” I asked with a wink.
Giving me a devilish look, she shook her head and said, “Oh no, darling. Much, much bigger plans.” She danced excitedly into the house while quickly clapping her hands together.
I got the feeling those plans were going to end up giving me a lot more than just a headache and a missed vacation.
Mason and I rode up to the main house on horseback as we talked about scouting the whitetail deer sometime this week. Whitetail hunting season wasn’t until the beginning of fall, but it would be here before we knew it. There were some prize bucks we had both seen. I needed to make sure the food plots were laid out in the right areas. The sooner the better.
“Want to head to the barn?” I asked as Mason stared straight ahead. Turning to see what he was staring at, I said, “Oh shit. Are there people coming already for the reunion? This soon?”
“Looks like it. Damn it. I didn’t get mesquite for the grill, and you know Sam will want to start grilling the moment people show up,” he quipped.
Turning to following him, I said, “I’ll help. We can knock it out faster if we
both get it.”
Mason nodded. “Sounds good.”
Thirty minutes later, we were riding up with mesquite wood in bags thrown over our horses. Coming up almost to the back porch, I slid off my horse and grabbed the bag. Mason was already two steps ahead of me when he ran into a blonde Barbie doll who had rushed out of the back door.
“Jesus! Watch where you’re going. I mean, really! You about knocked me over … oh my … well … because you’re so handsome doesn’t mean you can be rude.” The blonde eye-fucked the hell out of Mason. Something most women did when they saw how handsome he was. Add a cowboy hat to the mix and forget it; you’d be dreaming about him for days. From what it looked like, the Barbie was already deep into a fantasy of her own.
Mason looked shocked as hell as I attempted to hold back my laughter. Clearly, this family member was from the city and one we’d never seen before.
Turning to me, the blonde probed me. “Oh. A Latino girl. Do. You. Speak. English?”
My expression widened in surprise. Okay, so she was half right. My father was Hispanic and the reason for my dark hair and sun-kissed skin. But to flat out say that to me and talk to me as if I was stupid … and deaf. I swear if I could, I’d tell her ass off in Spanish. Giving her a polite smile, I said, “Excuse us, and we’ll be gone before you know it.”
Lifting her pointed snobby nose in the air, she flicked her hand as if dismissing me.
My mouth dropped open while I spun on my heels and walked over to Mason. As we unloaded the wood and piled it up next to the pit, I leaned over and whispered, “Can we say bitch?”
Mason glanced back over to the blonde. “Royal bitch. Jesus, I feel sorry for the guy who sleeps with that thing every night.”
“Daddy, it’s me. Yes, I’m stuck in God-awful Texas.”
Mason coughed as he said, “Bitch.”
Laughing, I pulled out the last of my wood as the blonde kept talking. “Apparently he thought he would surprise me. I’m not the least bit happy about this. I was not prepared to meet the country folk.”
I stood and turned to gape at her. Holy hell was this girl a serious bitch.
Mason slipped his arm around my waist and said, “Come on, let’s go.”
As we began walking back toward the horses, Debbie came out of the back door that led from the kitchen. “Oh no,” she said as she stopped dead in her tracks. Her gaze immediately went down to Mason’s arm around me. Any other time, Mason would have pulled it away, but he clearly embraced this whole attitude about people knowing we were together. Kind of together. What surprised me even more was the evil smile that spread over Debbie’s face. Like she was happy to see his arm around me, even though it was more of a friendly gesture than anything.
I went to speak but was stopped dead in my tracks, as did Mason. Holden walked out and looked directly at us. My heart slammed against my chest as Mason whispered, “Fuck.” Dragging out the f-sound out much longer than he needed to. Holden glanced down at Mason’s arm and we both quickly stepped away from each other.
Mason and I both said at once, “Holden?”
Swallowing hard, Holden attempted to smile, but failed. As for me, I was frozen in place. A million emotions rushed through my body all at once. Anger, hurt, sadness, lust for the man I thought I was over, only to see him and realize I was far from being over him, and then right back to anger again.
The three of us all stood there staring at each other before Debbie finally said, “Mason, Emylie, isn’t it wonderful to have Holden home for the family reunion?”
Mason took a step closer to me and took me by my elbow. He must have noticed I had begun to sway as I felt my knees grow weaker.
Holden is here.
Standing before me looking as handsome as the day he kissed me goodbye at the Austin airport and told me he loved me … forever. Only to crush my world by telling me he had fallen for another woman after he returned to California.
“Yeah, it’s a … um … it’s a surprise to say the least,” Mason said with an awkward laugh.
Holden held my stare. I tried like hell to break away, but I was lost in the pool of sadness. All I could do was think back to all those moments he had made love to me and professed how much he had missed me. How there would never be anyone for him but me. How he loved no one but me.
Lies.
They were all lies.
“Holden, darling. Are you going to introduce me to your workers?”
Mason gripped me tighter while he brought my body up against his. Holden’s eyes narrowed and turned dark as he watched his best friend hold on to me.
Oh God. This is not happening right now. He brought her home.
Pulling my gaze from Holden, I glanced over at the blonde. She made her way over to him and kissed him on the cheek as bile began to build at the bottom of my throat.
“Mason,” I whispered. I needed to get out of here. He brought her home. Oh God.
“I’ve got you, Em,” Mason replied back.
Holden glanced between Mason and me, then back at the blonde and gave her a forced smile before focusing back on me. “Um … Daphne, these are two of my best friends. Mason Frank and … um … Emylie … Emylie Sanchez.”
Quickly looking at Daphne, I felt as if all the air had been ripped from my lungs.
It was her. Daphne.
Two of my best friends.
Did he really just say that?
“Oh, how nice. I do believe Holden might have mentioned an Emylie before.” Turning back to Holden, she gave him a bitchy smile before peeking back at me. “So, I’m sure you both already know that Holden brought me to his little home town to announce our engagement. We’re planning on staying the entire week. How lucky are we?”
Whoosh.
There it went. The last of the breath in my lungs as Debbie and Holden both attempted to get Daphne to stop talking. It felt as if someone had rocked the ground so hard I was sure it would knock me over.
“Come on, Em,” Mason whispered as he ushered me toward the horses.
I dug deep inside my inner self and forced him to stop in front of Holden and Daphne. There was no way in hell Holden would know how I felt. Or worse yet, his little whore. Forcing a smile, I replied, “That’s news to us … Daphne. But congratulations. I’m sure you’ll both be happy together—” Staring into Holden’s eyes, I added “Forever.”
Turning, I made my way down the steps and to my horse without Mason’s help. Climbing up on the mare, I quickly turned her around and took off toward the barn as Holden called out my name. The whole time I forced air in and out of my lungs as I tried to keep myself from totally losing control of the tears I had somehow managed to keep at bay.
He’s getting married.
Holden’s getting married.
He found his forever, and it wasn’t me.
I STOOD ON the back porch and watched as Emylie and Mason rode off toward the barn. The moment I saw Mason’s arm around Emylie, I had to fight the urge to punch him. Knowing I had no right to feel that way, I tried like hell to not let the idea of my best friend dating my ex-girlfriend bother me. Or the hurt on Emylie’s face when Daphne mentioned we were getting married.
Fuck my life.
This is why I never came home.
I was a coward who didn’t want to face the one person I promised to love forever.
The one person I knew I still loved as much as the day I kissed her goodbye at the airport.
My mother walked up to me and placed her hand on my shoulder. “Maybe you should go talk to her.”
“Her? That girl? Who is she, Holden? What’s going on?” Daphne spat out as she grabbed me by the arm.
I closed my eyes and prayed I could disappear for a few hours. Opening them, I smiled at Daphne. “Daphne, you look tired. Why don’t you go lay down for a bit, while I go talk to Mason and Emylie?”
Daphne motioned to talk to me alone. My mother took the hint and said, “I’ll be inside making potato salad.”
“Thanks, Mo
m,” I replied with a weak grin.
The moment the door shut, Daphne started. “First off, I’m totally pissed that you brought me here and I’ll never forgive you! Ever!”
Pulling my head back, I stared at her. “Why?”
She widened her eyes and gave me a disbelieving stare. “Seriously? Holden, had I known we were coming to meet your family … a very large portion of your family … I would have prepared differently. I have no jeans, no boots, no backwoods country attire at all!”
“You’re worried about your clothes, Daphne?”
She slowly shook her head and sighed. “Yes, Holden, I am. I would have also liked to prepare myself mentally for all of this. It may not seem big to you, but meeting your future husband’s family is kind of a big deal.”
“I’m sorry for not giving you a heads up. I wanted to surprise you.”
Letting out a huff, she replied back with, “Well you certainly did.” She glanced off toward the barn. “I take it Emylie is your ex.”
Swallowing hard, I peered over my shoulder. Mason and Emylie had rode into the barn and were now out of sight. “Um … yeah.”
Daphne tilted her head while she flashed a satisfied smile toward the barn. “Looks like I wasn’t the only one who was surprised. Better that she finds out now and get it over with. She’s lucky I didn’t mention the baby.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. What a cold-hearted thing to say.
Daphne examined me with an expression of pure evil. “I’m going to go lay down and pray like hell this headache goes away. Take care of the things you need to take care of, Holden, and please do it quickly. I’ll be waiting for you.”
Spinning on her heels, Daphne headed back into the house, screaming as she jumped and yelled out, “Spider!” Running quickly into the house, the door slammed behind her as I let out a frustrated moan.
I ran my hand through my hair as I made my way to the barn and tried to figure out what I wanted to say to Emylie.
As I approached the barn doors, I heard Mason talking. “Don’t let it get to you, Tink. Please, please don’t cry. Baby, don’t cry.”
Made for You Page 3
