In our suite, Sophie cracked open the mini bar and started mixing different types of booze. While Mason was out on the balcony, Orrett said to me, “You must be quite something. Billy never spends time hanging out with women we meet at the bar, and he’s had plenty of opportunity.”
I almost told him we already knew each other but remembered that he didn’t even know Mason’s real name. “You must be quite something too. Sophie doesn’t find very many people interesting enough to even give the time of day to, let alone invite them in for drinks.”
“Well, I am admittedly cool,” he said with a grin. “And we have a lot in common.”
“Really? Are you a musician?”
“I used to be. I’m a dentist now.”
Sophie joined us in the living room with a tray of four glasses and Mason stepped in from outside. I scooted over on the couch to make room for him to sit beside me. The drink Sophie handed me was too strong for me, so I put it back on the table. “How long have you been working on the humanitarian project?” I asked Orrett.
“Almost a month. I’m going home after this project is finished.”
“He’s married and has a three-year-old son,” Sophie added, as if she wanted to make it clear to me that he wasn’t going to be her rebound from Doug. It was hard to tell if she was disappointed about that or not. I was relieved he was unavailable since I couldn’t imagine her or Doug being with anyone other than each other.
Orrett choked back a sip of Sophie’s burning drink concoction and then said, “Even the people who aren’t married don’t usually stay longer than a month. Billy’s a die-hard—four months and counting.”
“Four months?” Sophie exclaimed. “That’s a long time to be away from home.”
Orrett nodded and added, “I have a theory that he won’t confirm nor deny. I think maybe some girl back home broke his heart and he’s not ready to go back.”
Nervous that my expression would let on to the fact that we knew him I made a joke. “Bill seems more like the type who breaks hearts, not the other way around.”
Apparently Mason didn’t find the topic particularly humorous. He shifted his weight and then shot back his entire drink. There was a long, awkward silence before Sophie fortunately changed the subject to some obscure punk bands that Orrett also knew a lot about.
I glanced at Mason, wondering if what happened between us the summer before really had made him not want to go back home. We’d only technically gone on a few dates and more than six months had passed since. We hadn’t left things on bad terms; although it was sort of an abrupt hey-I-choose-Trevor-thanks-for-everything type of closure, it shouldn’t have left lasting scars or traumatic memories that he would want to avoid. Definitely not. His four-month stint probably had more to do with steering clear of his dad’s pressure to go back to work, or to break free from the person everyone back home assumed he was, or to escape the pain of losing his brother.
Orrett noticed how intently I was studying Mason’s expression, so I stopped and focused on what he and Sophie were talking about instead. But I couldn’t help feeling sad that Mason still hadn’t found what made him happy. Maybe that’s how it was for most people. I was lucky that I didn’t have to search my whole life to find it. My happiness had been right next to me all along.
When I glanced over at Mason again he was already looking at me with an intensity that made it seem like he knew what I was thinking.
After another round of gasoline-grade drinks Sophie stood and stretched. “I’m going to get some sleep before it’s time to get up again.”
Orrett stood and pointed at Mason. “Make sure you get some shut-eye too.”
“I’m fine.”
Orrett shot him a stern parental-type look before he left.
Mason and I moved and sat on lounge chairs out on the balcony. “What was that look about?” I asked.
“Nothing. I haven’t been feeling that well lately. He’s just bugging me so I won’t get overtired. He knows it means more work for him if I have to take a sick day. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? We can hang out in the morning instead.”
“I don’t want to go to sleep. I want to talk. I miss our talks.”
I smiled. “Me too.”
The sky turned gold as the sun rose somewhere behind us and Mason said softly, almost as if he didn’t mean to say it out loud, “You’re even more beautiful than I remembered.”
I wrinkled my nose, uncomfortable with the fact that he did say it out loud, and joked, “You’ve been in the Mexican wilderness too long.”
“No.” He stared at me for another second and then focused on the view over the railing. “Trevor’s a lucky guy.”
It was a sweet thing to say, but it felt like maybe the feelings he used to have were surfacing. I didn’t want him to get hurt, and I didn’t want there to be any confusion about my status, so I said, “Thank you. I’ll tell Trevor you said that.”
Mason’s expression twitched subtly with an emotion that disappeared again before I had a chance to decipher it. Liam and his friends got home next door. They were being loud initially but then settled down as they either went to bed or passed out. When it was quiet again I asked Mason, “What does your dad think about you going into marine biology in the fall?”
“He hasn’t really said anything about it. I think he’s hoping it’s just a phase.”
“Is it just a phase? Do you think you’ll start working for him again or actually become a marine biologist?”
He shrugged and crossed his ankles on the balcony railing. “I don’t know.”
Seeing him in casual shorts and plain t-shirt was a stark contrast from the designer tailored suits and European runway clothes I was used to seeing him in. “It might be hard to give up your lavish lifestyle forever.”
He frowned a bit. “No. I like it better when I have to work for things. It makes it easier for me to figure out what I really need when everything isn’t just handed to me.”
I nodded because that did make sense. I shouldn’t have assumed how it would feel to give up the perks of his privileged life. “What have you figured out about your needs so far?”
“It’s all in the letters I wrote you. I’ll send them. Just don’t tell Trevor. I don’t feel like getting an ass-kicking.”
I laughed at first, but the smile faded as I thought about how he must have felt when I had told him about my feelings for Trevor. “I’m sorry if I hurt you by choosing Trevor.”
He shrugged. “You made the right choice. I didn’t even know who I was. It was for the best. It happened for a reason.”
“Do you really believe that?”
He nodded. “Without a doubt.”
Relieved that he was okay with how things turned out, I shoved his shoulder lightly to get him to look at me. “I’m glad we ran into each other. Even if it is just for the day.”
“Me too.”
We talked for another couple of hours. When the sun rose high enough to hit the balcony Mason stood and stretched as he said, “I’m hungry. Do you want to join me for the breakfast buffet?”
“Definitely. Let me grab a quick shower and change my clothes. I’ll see if Sophie’s up yet.”
When I stood, I had a vision. I was running and jumped over the edge of something very high. I fell until I hit water. Then I saw Trevor’s face.
Mason had witnessed my visions before, so he knew what it meant when I zoned out momentarily. He stood in front of me holding my elbow. “What did you see?” he asked quietly.
“I’m not sure. I need to contact Trevor.”