Chapter 13

 

Cassie looked out the window, enjoying the last moments of warmth before she had to head out into the cold, damp day. It was a rainy morning that made the leaves on the trees around the house glow brighter. It amazed her how something as gloomy as rain could manage to make something even more beautiful.

She still couldn’t believe she had her own place. A year ago, if she could have imagined where she would be, this would have seemed like an unrealistic fairytale, but somehow it was her life, and she was eternally grateful to everyone who had helped her get here.

She looked up and smiled. “Francine, if you’re there like I think you are, thank you for everything and sorry for getting lost for so long. I know I let you down, and I know if you were here you would tell me I could never let you down, but it’s okay. I’m turning my life around. I’m going to make you proud. You just wait.” She blew a kiss toward the ceiling, hoping wherever Francine was she would receive it.

She grabbed her jacket off of the hook by the door and headed out into the rain. She imagined what it would look like if it was snow instead. Now that she had a place to live, she was looking forward to the snow. Truth was in all her twenty-six years she had never seen snow. Sure, she had seen it in movies and in pictures, but she had never experienced it herself. Never caught a snowflake on her tongue or felt the coldness of a snowball in her hand. She wanted to build a snowman and go sledding—everything she missed out on as a kid who never left the sunny state of Florida until this past June.

Just as she was about to step off the porch a familiar Bronco pulled up.

Heat rushed through her as she spotted Mason through the truck window. She could still feel his lips on hers, the way his hands cupped her face, and the gentle stroke of his thumb across the apple of her cheek as he deepened the kiss.

She had replayed that kiss over and over and drifted off to sleep in blissful peace. It was the first night since arriving in Red Maple Falls that she’d slept soundly through the night.

Mason waved for her to get in the passenger seat, so she ran out from the overhang above the front door and straight to the truck. She flung the door open and pulled herself in. It was nice not having to carry her backpack with her everywhere she went, but now she didn’t know what to do with her hands. She hadn’t put too much thought in past the kiss, and now that she was in his truck, she wasn’t exactly sure how to proceed.

She didn’t have to wonder long. Mason reached across the seat, taking her face in his hands and bringing his lips to hers. He kissed her soft and sweet at first, then his movements became more urgent and greedy, which she didn’t mind. She liked when he lost control, because it was fueled by his desire for her and nothing more. She trusted him completely, and when his mouth was on hers, she was willing to surrender her innermost fears and get lost with him.

She parted her lips, letting him deepen the kiss. He didn’t hesitate, thrusting his tongue past the crease and meeting her in a slick dance. They moved with languid strokes, exploring and discovering one another, giving and taking until their breaths were short and desperate.

They pulled back, Mason resting his forehead against hers as she closed her eyes and savored the electricity coursing through her veins. “That was only supposed to be a short peck hello,” he said against her head.

“I’m glad it wasn’t,” she said, laying her hand against his chest and loving the feel of his heartbeat beneath her hand.

“You are? I didn’t…” He didn’t finish his thought, but he didn’t have to say the words; she knew what he was thinking. He was afraid that he would scare her.

“You surprised me,” she said, and she could see the apology on his lips so she rested her finger against them. “But it was a good surprise. The kind I like.”

He sighed in relief.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

His eyebrow arched and butterflies took flight in her stomach. “For what?”

“For making you feel like you have to worry about everything you do when it comes to me.”

He smiled, shaking his head slightly as he caressed her arm. “I don’t mind.”

“I do. I want you to be able to touch me, kiss me without being afraid. I don’t want you to hold back.” Anger and frustration balled together into an ugly knot, causing her to lose her resolve. Hot, annoyed tears pushed at the back of her eyes, but she took a deep breath, willing them away.

“Hey,” he said, wrapping his hand around her head and bringing his forehead to hers. “Look at me.

She shook her head, afraid if she looked at him the tiny thread of strength she was holding onto would snap and she’d fall apart. That couldn’t happen. She had come too far to succumb to her emotions now.

“Please.” The single word was like an arrow to her chest, piercing straight through to her heart. She had promised herself that she would never give in to a man’s commands ever again, but this wasn’t just a man. This was Mason, and he wasn’t giving her a command; he was pleading with her.

She blinked up, his dark green eyes meeting her golden brown. A smile played at the corner of his mouth as he ran a finger beneath her eyelid, brushing away a tear that managed to escape.

“We have all the time in the world, and if I have to hold back for a little while until I know that you feel safe with me then for me it’s worth it. I’d rather be patient than rush this. What this is? It doesn’t happen every day.”

No, it didn’t. Their connection was strong and intense. Even when she’d thought Dylan was her knight in shining armor, she’d never felt like this. Mason was right. What they had didn’t happen every day. It was a once in a lifetime connection, and if he was willing to put the work in to make it last, then she was willing to be patient, too.

“I never felt like this before with anyone,” she admitted.

“Me neither, which is why I don’t mind that you’re a little broken.”

She laughed at his honesty.

“Though, you call it broken, I call it beautiful.”

“There’s nothing beautiful about me.”

His eyes darkened and widened as he reached across her and pulled down the visor. He sat back, pointing to the mirror. “Do me a favor. Look at yourself.”

“I’d rather not.” She didn’t like looking in the mirror. She used them to make sure she looked presentable for the public, but as far as spending time looking at herself, she just didn’t.

“Cassie?”

“Fine,” she said and moved away from his side of the truck and back to hers. With a deep breath, she glanced up at herself. She tried not to see the girl staring back at her. The last time she did, she was so ashamed. The blood on her face, the bruise forming around the puffy swell of her eye… it was an ugly sight, and an embarrassment that she allowed it to happen to herself.

She chewed on the bottom of her lip, keeping her attention on the sharp pings her teeth caused as they bit down a little too hard.

“Are you looking?” he asked as if he knew she wasn’t. Mason’s hand rested on her thigh and gave it an encouraging squeeze. She appreciated his efforts, but she couldn’t borrow his strength; she needed to find it within herself. She closed her eyes, thinking about everything she had accomplished in the past few months.

She escaped an abusive relationship and survived. She made new friends, got a job and a house with hot water and a fireplace. She met a man who was willing to be patient with all her issues and she was happy. She could feel it in her heart like a warm kindling, sparking the other parts of her body back to life. She was happy, and it wasn’t because she put her happiness in someone else’s hands. It was because she was in control.

With the realization, she found the strength to look into that mirror and face the girl she was hiding from, but that girl wasn’t there anymore. Instead, all she saw was herself. The real Cassie, the girl who had been in hiding for so long, was finally free.

***

Mason just wanted Cassie to see what he saw. When she finally looked at herself, her eyes widened as if she was shocked to see what he already knew. She was a beautiful, strong, independent girl, who was blossoming more and more every day. Her past was a part of her, nobody could deny that, but it didn’t define who she was. Every now and again she had a break in her resolve, but she always found the strength to rise above it.

“You’re beautiful,” he said. “And not just on the outside. That”—he pointed to the mirror—“is worth all the time in the world, and it’s time you see that and believe it.”

“I want to.”

He leaned across the seat and kissed her, proving his word through the movement of his lips on hers, then pulled back. “We’re late.”

“Your fault,” she said, giving him a playful shove.

“Do you think the boss will be mad? I hear he’s a pretty lenient guy. ‘Awesome’ I believe was the exact word.”

“Really? I’ve heard he’s an asshole.”

He turned to her, mouth agape in amused shock. She stifled a laugh with her hand, and he pulled it away. He never wanted her to hold back. Ever. The laugh flowed freely from her pink swollen lips, and it was absolutely infectious.

He laughed with her, relishing in the moment. It was like he watched one of her walls come crashing down in front of his eyes, and man, it was fucking glorious.

Once he gathered himself together, he put the truck in park and headed to the brewery.

He had a lot to get done for the bike race this weekend, but he found himself constantly getting distracted by Cassie. The way she leaned across the bar to wipe it down made his mind imagine how she would look doing that naked. His hands gliding over her curves, resting securely yet gentle on her hips, feeling the weight of her breasts in his hands, and the roundness of her ass pressed against his throbbing erection, pinching her nipples until they turned into tight peaks, his name on her lips as she cried out in pleasure…

“Mason. Mason? Are you okay?” Cassie’s voice penetrated his fantasy and brought him back to reality.

“What’s up?” he asked, as if he was just standing there with a broom, staring at her like some savage beast.

“We’re out of toilet paper and getting pretty low on paper towels. Did you want me to run to the store?”

Oh god, yes. Maybe by the time she came back he’d have his head on straight, and would be able to be near her without his mind immediately thinking of all the ways he wanted to have her.

“That would be great.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, grabbing a hundred. Before he put the wallet back, he asked, “Do we need anything else?”

“I have a list,” she said. “I started jotting things down as they were running low so we wouldn’t run out.”

She was organized and efficient, and that was a massive turn on. He took out another couple of bills and walked over to where she stood behind the bar. “Here, get whatever it is we need.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys, handing her those as well.

“Did you want to look at the list first?”

He shook his head. “No, I trust you.”

A smile tilted her lips, making it all he could focus on. Even if they were together, he needed to keep things professional when they walked through those doors. He could have both as long as he kept them separate. But as she took the money from his hand, her fingers brushing his, all rational thought was gone. He laced his fingers through hers and stepped around the bar, pulling her against him.

“Hi,” he said when her hand landed against his chest.

“Hi.”

“I just need to do this,” he said as he dipped his head and crushed his lips to hers in a long, searing kiss. He thrust his tongue passed the divide and explored her mouth, savoring her taste and memorizing every nook and cranny that was distinctly Cassie. Her hands knotted in his hair, and he pressed his hand into the small of her back, moving her closer still.

A tiny moan sounded in her throat, and his dick jumped at the erotic noise. He wanted to take her right on the bar, listen as a million of those moans fell freely from her lips as he brought her over the edge.

But he couldn’t, so he found the strength to tear his lips away from hers. He kissed the sprinkling of freckles across her nose and stepped back. “Go before I lose control,” he said, his voice rough with desire.

“Do you need anything?” she asked.

“No, I’m good.”

“Okay, I’ll be back then.” She kissed him on his cheek, lingering just long enough to get his dick excited again, but not long enough for him to grab her.

He watched her ass sway in those tight jeans as she walked out the door. He rested against the bar, taking a deep breath and trying to get his hormones under control. For Christ’s sake, he wasn’t some high school kid. He was a man who could control his desires, and it was time he started acting like it.

He grabbed the broom and got back to work, making a pretty decent dent in his to-do list. He was about to move onto the next task when Nick, Daisy’s ex-boyfriend, walked in, dressed in a tie and button-up shirt that was tucked tightly into a pair of khakis. At one point in time he had been like a little brother to Mason. He had started dating Daisy when they were both fourteen, and they’d stayed together up until Daisy took off to New York without telling anyone. Daisy hadn’t even told him—her high school sweetheart and best friend.

Mason didn’t want to get involved, but it was hard not to know how devastated Nick was. He had their life planned out, right down to the house he would buy when they both graduated college and how many kids they would have. Her leaving threw him for a loop, and Mason always felt horrible for how his sister had treated him.

He kind of had a soft spot for the guy.

“Mason, it’s good to see you,” he said, walking over to the bar and extending his hand.

Mason took his hand and shook it. “You, too. What brings you in here? Looking to try some beer?”

“I have a proposition for you, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“Go on.”

“You’re going to hire me as your salesperson.”

“No.”

“Oh come on. Give me a chance. I went to school for sales and graduated with a 4.0. I was the youngest person to achieve a senior sales position at Hershel’s doubling my sales within the first quarter of my promotion.”

“Then why’d you leave Hershel’s?”

He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. His shoulders slumping slightly forward as his smile fell. “My dad’s sick again.”

Mason was surprised he didn’t already know especially with how word spread in their small town. It must’ve been a new development. “I’m sorry to hear that. Your dad’s a good man. He doesn’t deserve that.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it. All I’m asking is for a chance.”

If Mason could he would, but he simply didn’t have the means at the moment. “I can’t afford you.”

“Let me show you I’m worth it. You don’t have to pay me anything until I prove myself.”

“You’re going to work for free?”

“For now, but I have faith in this place. I mean look around. What you did here is amazing and your beer is quality. You just need someone to get your name out there and that someone is me. I am confident enough that I can make you huge.”

“I just want to make beer.”

“Which is exactly why you need me. You know I give a hundred and ten percent to everything I do. I won’t let you down.”

“Fine.”

“I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t think… wait. Did you just say fine?”

Mason nodded.

“Seriously?”

“Why not? If you’re willing to work for free until you can prove yourself, I’m willing to give you the chance to do so.”

“You are not going to regret this.”

“Do me a favor, Nick.”

“Anything.”

“Lose the tie.”

“Done!” Nick loosened the noose around his neck and pulled it off. “No tie. You got it. I’ll be in touch,” he said as he moved to the door then stopped. He turned around and Mason knew that sad look in his dark eyes. It was the same look he carried for almost a year after Daisy left.

“How is she?” he asked, his voice filled with concern and curiosity, but mainly heartache.

“I don’t want to get involved.”

Nick nodded because he knew Mason wasn’t one to discuss his siblings’ lives. He stayed far away from their personal lives unless they came to him, as he didn’t ask.

“I know,” Nick said. “I just want to know she’s okay.”

Mason felt bad for the guy and wished he’d find the strength to move on. But Nick would always love Daisy, and he needed to know that wherever she was in the world, she was safe, and as her brother, Mason appreciated and respected that.

“She’s okay,” he said.

“Okay.”

Mason had hoped the information would satisfy Nick, but instead it looked like it deflated him. The love of his life was doing just fine without him, and Mason could see how that would sting just a little.

“I’ll see you later, man.”

“Yeah, later.”

Nick walked out, and Mason grabbed a tasting glass, filling it halfway before taking a sip. The smooth taste of roasted malts, a hint of chocolate and coffee hit his tongue and instantly calmed him.

The door opened, and Cassie walked in carrying a few shopping bags. “Rough morning?”

“Complicated.”

She placed the bags in one hand and hooked her finger over her shoulder. “Does it have anything to do with the guy in the parking lot who just informed me he works here now.”

“That would be Nick. He’s our new sales guy.”

“I didn’t know you were looking for someone.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Oh.”

Mason took another sip from the tasting glass, and Cassie placed his keys on the bar, sliding them across to him.

“Find everything okay?” he asked, motioning toward the bags.

“I had to go to three different stores, but I got everything on the list.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to send you on a wild goose chase.”

“I didn’t mind. I actually enjoyed smelling all the different hand soaps.”

He arched his eyebrow at her in curiosity. “Hand soaps?”

“Nobody wants to touch a bar of soap that’s been touched by a million other people. That’s gross.”

He smirked. “I guess you have a point there. I didn’t think about that.” It was soap. To him it did its job just as well as any other soap would, but she was right.

“Stick with me and I’ll teach you,” she said with a smile.

“I plan on it,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him.

He kissed her, knowing the rest of his to-do list was just going to have to wait.