Mason
I know what a lobster feels like when he’s boiled alive. It’s equivalent to spending four solid hours knee deep in gritty sand with the sun beating against your back.
The long, cold shower helps. But it’s Kiran who brings me the magical cure by rubbing a healing tonic of cold, blue gel on my back and shoulders.
“Where did you get this?”
“Melanie. She said it works wonders.”
“I have to agree.”
I lean back and close my eyes.
“Mason, did you ruin your sandcastle on purpose?”
“The bottle just slipped. I’m clumsy.”
“No, you’re not. I watched you carve an entire building from sand today. You’re not clumsy. But you are a very bad actor. A man doesn’t just say ‘oh, well’ and move on if that wasn’t intentional.”
“How about we take a break on the grilling, Sherlock, and do a little more work on the massaging? You missed a spot.”
She kisses me on the cheek. “You’re a really good man, Mason Cutler.”
“What else could I do, darling? Did you see that kid? She could barely stand. Maybe I wouldn’t have won, but if there was even a chance, I could not in good conscience take that victory. I gotta be ten times the size of her.”
“I don’t care how many excuses you make. It was a very special thing to do. Rob did the same thing, right?”
“He took one look at her and ditched his shovel.” My stomach growls. “Hey Kiran, I’m starving. Do you want to get room service?”
“Sure. I’ll get the menu.”
I can tell by the way she says it, she’s disappointed. I pull her arms. “What do you want to do tonight?”
“You’re tired. We’ll stay in.”
I crack my neck. “I’m feeling better. You’ve got healing hands.”
“If you’re sure.”
“Positive.”
“Then I have an idea.”
“I’m up for anything as long as I get to eat and get my favorite dessert.”
“And what dessert would that be?”
I kiss the corner of her mouth. “Peaches, of course.”
* * * *
Kiran’s idea was a moonlight picnic on the beach. It doesn’t get more romantic than this. She’s barefoot in a teal sundress that hugs every curve.
The discarded sandcastles still line the beach. She stops in front of mine. “This is the spot.”
“In front of my damaged sandcastle?”
“Damaged but not destroyed.” She takes out a blanket from her knapsack. I help her lay it out. She lights a few small candles and carefully sets them inside each opening of the castle. Against the sand, they cast a soft glow, highlighting each detail.
We purchased a couple sandwiches, drinks, and snacks from the café. I hold up her options. “Chicken salad or turkey?”
“Turkey please.”
We chew on our food, lost in our thoughts, watching the flickering flames grow higher and listening to the music of crashing waves. I finger the strap on her dress. “This is a nice dress.”
“Thanks. I wasn’t planning to bring it, but I grabbed it at the last minute.”
“Why not? It looks gorgeous on you.”
“I haven’t worn it since high school.”
“Well, I’m happy it made its way into your suitcase.” I move the strap and kiss her shoulder. “Now it just needs to make the journey to the floor of my room.”
She feeds me a grape. “In due time, Cutler.”
I hope that time is soon.
She stares at the sandcastle as if she’s trying to memorize every line and curve.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing, just picking out my room.”
“Your room?”
She points to one of the still erect turrets. “You said you built it for me. So if this is mine, I want to live right here.”
“The west turret, huh?”
“It’ll be the sunniest place. It looks spacious too. Of course there are a ton of stairs to get there.”
Her tone is wishful, and God, I don’t know if I want her to stop talking or never stop talking. “What are you doing, Kiran?”
The candles flicker for a second before going out. She frowns. “I’m dreaming for a second. It’s silly but…”
“I’ll build you an elevator. It’ll be a damn sight safer than the one at the hotel too.” I don’t care. I’ll buy into her dream. Dreams are cheap. Hell, they’re free, aren’t they?
She’s relieved I’m playing along and honors me with one of her luscious smiles and slight bow. “Thank you, good sir.”
“So this room of yours… Is it spacious enough for two?”
She taps her lips. “Yeah, Mason, there’s always going to be a space for you.”
I swallow the thick lump that forms inside my throat. Pull yourself together, Cutler. I drag myself from the edge of despair and back into the beauty of this dream she’s building for us. I pull her onto my lap. “I got a question for you.”
“What?”
“How in the hell do you propose we pay for this gigantic castle? The utility bills alone will kill us, let alone the property taxes.”
She laughs and wraps her arms around me. “Only you can be practical when we’re talking about moving into a sandcastle.”
“One of us should be.”
“We’ll figure it out, Mason. We’ll make it happen.”
I nod at Kiran’s castle. “Or we can always move into your thing. It’s a cave, right?”
She punches my arm. “It’s a cottage.”
“Oh, I see it now.”
“You do?”
“No, darling, I’m sorry. It really looks like a cave.” I angle my head to sneak another peek. “Or maybe a large, soft, lopsided—”
“Mason!”
“What? I was gonna say cage. A lopsided cage.”
She laughs, her mouth against my neck. “Let’s dream a little bigger. I want the castle you built for me.”
“Then it’s all yours, princess.”
“Just to set your mind at ease, I have a plan.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll peddle my stories. If I don’t make enough, then I’ll sell jewelry made from seashells to the tourists.”
“You make jewelry?”
She frowns. “No. I’ll learn, though.”
“That’s reasonable. For my part, I’ll find work at some garage.”
Her head tilts. “Or you can always be a professional sandcastle builder.”
“Is that a career option?”
“Why not? We’re dreaming, right? There aren’t any limits. We can live on the beach in a shack, and I’d be ecstatic.”
“As long as it’s got four walls and a roof to shelter us.”
“And maybe a couple windows so we can look out at the world once in a while.”
“Windows with heavy blackout curtains so we can shut out the world whenever we need.”
“It’s the perfect plan.”
This is dangerous. I should have stopped us three dreams ago. Tomorrow’s our last day, and we need to face reality. Rob Jorgenson’s advice weighs heavily on my mind. It rings true because I’ve seen it happen firsthand. Now, there is no question Kiran would be faithful to me. This girl is loyal to a fault. But do I really want to hold her back from all the experiences she deserves? Even if she’d consider being with me in these uncertain circumstances, there are other worries too. I watched her jump out of a plane and almost had a heart attack. What the hell am I gonna do if I’m halfway around the world and she’s in trouble? I couldn’t get to her. I would lose my concentration, my thoughts all straying to her without my consent. I need every shred of focus, now more than ever. I am embarking on a journey that will lead me down paths unknown. Ironically, Kiran and I are not unlike these abandoned sandcastles. What we have is beautiful, but it’s not meant to last.
She leans her forehead against mine. “I love you, Mason Cutler.”
Is it more honorable to be honest or to lie to her? I have no idea. But hearing her affirm what I feel in my heart makes it impossible to hold back. Tonight, under the stars and next to the surf, we can dream. We’ll worry about waking up tomorrow.
“I love you too, Kiran Shenoy.”
Trouble is, love isn’t enough.