Page 154 of Game Plan

“Mason, are you kidnapping me?”

“Sure I am, Shepard.” He helped me put on my jacket and even zipped it up for me.

“I can do this. I’m not invalid.”

“I know. Let me do this for you. Just this once.”

“Fine.”

He grabbed my hand in his and the bag of food in the other. Together, we left the ER and made our way outside the hospital toward the parking lot, the cold breeze sweeping across our faces, sending tendrils of my hair flying.

Mason halted midway and turned to face me. He removed his beanie and placed it on my head, tucking my hair inside. “Better. Tell me, what did the doctor say?”

“They wanna run some more tests. He said I shouldn’t worry, so you’re not allowed to worry either. Deal?”

“I don’t like the sound of it.”

“Mase.”

“Fine. Deal.”

We entered Mason’s house a little after ten. It felt like forever since we had been dancing in the living room while setting up our camping gear or having a cupcake batter shower. A wave of nostalgia hit me. I was looking forward to a night of fun with our friends, and Evan Nichols had spoiled everything because some of his half-kept secrets had been revealed.

“Careful,” my boyfriend said, helping me as I removed my shoes and hung my jacket on the hook by the front door. “I think dinner will be cold.”

“We’ll heat it up. Or we can go camping-style and eat it like that. I don’t mind.”

“Are you hurting?”

“No. The pain meds are still doing their job. Let’s just say I’m glad I don’t have a meet tomorrow, or else I’d be sore.”

“You’re not supposed to joke about getting beaten up.”

“Yeah, well, I won’t cry either.”

Hand in hand, we reached the kitchen but stopped in our tracks. The entire place had been transformed into a fairy garden.

Hundreds of tiny lights had been hung from the ceiling, every piece of furniture—Bob included—and wrapped around the banister leading to the second floor. The tents we didn’t have time to pitch earlier had been set up in the living room. A buffet was spread on the kitchen table, and all our friends were there, beers, coolers, and wine glasses in hand, waiting for us.

“Welcome home,” Cassidy called.

My eyes brimmed with happy tears. “How long have you guys been here?” I asked, a hand cupping my pounding organ at the sight of everyone we cared about gathered, even though they didn’t all know one another.

“Since you guys left. We finished prepping everything.” Rutherford exchanged a bro hug with Mason before glancing at me. “Mel, if you’re tired and you wanna be left alone and rest, it’s okay. We’ll follow your lead.”

I turned to look at Mason.

He stared at me with so much love pouring out of him that I was about to cry.

“Did you know?”

He shook his head. “Nah. My brother said nothing when we talked earlier.”

Donovan neared me and pulled me into a side hug. “Any news? How are you holding up?”

“I’ll have a massive bruise, but otherwise, the doctor said I’m fine.”

He nodded before releasing me. Jules hugged me next, followed by Amber. Even Cassidy, who wasn’t much of a hugger, did the same.