Page 22
Me:
Depends on the offer.
Why?
Smirking, I set my phone back down on the table and grab my mug before bringing it to my lips and taking a sip. I first met Mason a little over eighteen months ago when he brought his dog, Sadie, into the clinic for a checkup with Dr. Hebert. He was charismatic, devastatingly charming, and the first man in a very long time to catch my attention but I was vehemently against getting into a relationship so when he asked me for my number, I declined. Not that it deterred him. Over the next eight months, he brought Sadie into the clinic once a week for everything from teeth cleaning to mysterious illnesses that Dr. Hebert could never diagnose. It didn’t take long for everyone to catch on and Dr. Hebert even started to joke that if I didn’t agree to a date soon, Mason was going to fund a beach house for him and his family.
Eventually, Mason managed to wear me down and I agreed to one date. That one date turned into two and then three and four. For the first time in a long time, I could see a future for myself and I allowed myself to care for him. We’ve been seeing each other for close to a year now and I’m happier than I can remember being in a long time. What Mason and I have, it’s not the raw, passionate, chaotic love that I knew with Noah but I’ve learned over the past seven years that maybe that’s for the best. My relationship with Mason is older, more mature, and above all, stable. It’s something that can last through the years, something we can both survive in one piece and if I’ve learned anything from the fall-out from my relationship with Noah, it’s the importance of that. There’s a part of me that will always love Noah but that doesn’t mean we’re good for each other.
I learned that the hard way.
My phone buzzes and I shake my head to clear my mind as I set my mug down and scoop it up.
Mason:
I miss you already and
I want to see you again.
Me:
I suppose I can squeeze you in. ;)
I set the phone back on the table and lean back as I sip my coffee. There’s a couple steaks in the fridge and I just need to run to the store to grab a few things for a quiet night in and after going out last night, that sounds perfect. As I set the mug back down, I grab my phone and smile as I type out my reply.
Me:
I’m thinking you, me, candles, and a quiet
dinner at my place. You in?
Mason:
Baby girl, when it comes to you,
I’m always in.
My smile is wide as I set the phone down again and grab the mug. The large bouquet of flowers on the table catches my attention and I reach out to touch one of the petals. Despite all my objections, Mason still brings me flowers at least once a month and he never fails to show me how important I am to him. It’s one of the things that made him win me over. He always strives to make me feel like the only girl in his world and I love it.
Sighing, I finish my coffee before standing up and carrying the mug over to the sink. As I flip the water on, I glance up and gasp before biting out a curse. There, at the end of my driveway, in a truck I recognize all too well, is Noah LeBlanc. Our eyes meet, almost like he can see me through the darkened glass even though I know he can’t, and I set the cup down before gripping the edge of the sink.
Damn him!
I spin around and lean back against the sink, going over the best way to handle this situation. When I sent him away the other day, I knew he wouldn’t stay gone but I didn’t think he’d be back so damn soon and him being here causes me all kinds of problems. God, who the hell does he think he is showing up here after all these years like we’re just going to pick up where we left off? We haven’t seen one another for seven damn years. We’re nothing anymore and we never will be again. He needs to get the hell out of my life and stay gone this time.
Pushing off the sink, I shove my feet into my boots and march over to the back door before kicking it open. As I round the front of the house, Noah opens the door to the truck and steps out before closing it behind him. He smirks as he leans back against the truck and crosses his arms over his chest, his gaze falling down my legs. I glance down, realizing that I’m still in a tiny pair of shorts and a tank top but I can’t stop now.
“Looking damn good, Kady, baby. Better than I imagined.”
I hold my hand up to silence him as I stop in front of him. “Save it. What the hell are you doing here?”
“You didn’t really think I’d just give up, did you?”
“Give up what, Noah?” I ask with a sigh, crossing my arms across my chest to fight off the early morning chill. He scowls, studying me.
“You. I’m here for you.”
I bark out a laugh, backing away from him. “You wasted a trip then.”
