Chapter 15

 

Cassie couldn’t remember the last time she was this happy. She kept waiting for something to happen—expecting it, even—though she tried not to think about it. The old Cassie had always focused on the negative, and now she wanted to embrace the positive.

She smiled warmly at all the people dressed in biking gear coming in and out of the tasting room. Mason and Caleb’s event, as far as she could tell, was a total success. The brewery had been filled with people since the doors opened, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Shay’s cupcake table was a huge hit for not only the children, but for the adults as well, each indulging after a morning of bike riding. Kate’s custom handblown growlers had been admired and flying off the shelves at record speed. She still didn’t know about the one that Cassie broke, and even though Cassie saw Mason slip the cost of it in an envelope, she vowed to herself to pay him back as soon as she could. After all, she was the one who broke it, and she didn’t want him to have to clean up her messes.

It was nice to have someone to take care of her, but she didn’t want to become reliant on him or take advantage of his kindness. With Dylan, she allowed him to be the one in charge of everything, making her nothing more than a child who he took the liberty to punish on a daily basis. She had no say in anything, not the clothes she wore or the people she associated with. He was the reason she had no friends—why she had nothing to her name except for a backpack filled with a few changes of clothes and some toiletries. She relinquished control of her own life and lost everything. She wouldn’t make that mistake again.

If she and Mason were going to be together, she needed them to be on an equal playing field. She needed a partner, not a keeper. She needed someone who would let her clean up her own messes, make her own decisions, and someone who would trust that she was capable of doing so.

She didn’t doubt that Mason was that guy, but he was also insanely protective of the ones he loved, and wouldn’t think twice about doing everything he could to help them. She just wanted him to know that whatever burden she carried was hers, and while she wouldn’t mind a little help to shoulder the weight, she didn’t want him to try and carry it all.

She caught his gaze across the tasting room, his dark green eyes that made her knees weak, and she smiled. He patted whoever he was talking to on the back and made his way toward her, all muscle and devastatingly good looks.

“Hey,” he said as he approached, resting his hands on the bar.

God, she wanted to lean across the bar top, press her lips to his, and let him lace his fingers through her hair as he held her close.

Not yet having the nerve to be so brazen in front of so many people, she settled for saying hey back.

“You’ve been going all morning. Why don’t you take a break? Go have a cupcake or ride a bike.”

“I don’t know how,” she admitted.

Mason’s eyes widened. “You don’t know how to ride a bike?”

She shook her head, letting her eyes fall down to her hands as embarrassment sent heat across her cheeks. Living in and out of foster care, no one cared enough to teach her. She used to watch other kids in the neighborhood riding by, their hair whipping behind them, huge smiles on their faces while they passed. By the time Francine had adopted her, she was too old and too proud to admit she didn’t know how to ride a bike, so she said she didn’t like them and preferred to walk.

She had always used that as her response, but for some reason with Mason, the truth fell effortlessly from her lips.

It dawned on her then, like a fire igniting in her brain.

She was falling in love with Mason.

“That’s unacceptable,” Mason said then turned from her, scanning the room. “Cooper,” he called and waved his brother over.

Cooper flashed Cassie that Hayes charm before nodding to his brother. “What’s up?”

“Man the bar for a few minutes for me.”

“Sure. Everything all right?”

“Yup, just have to teach my girl how to ride a bike.”

His girl. She thought she wouldn’t like the possessive reference, but coming from him it didn’t sound possessive at all. It sounded like he was proud to have her, ecstatic that he got to share the information with other people. Instead of scaring her, it made her heart leap with joy.

Wait… he was going to teach her to do what?

“Oh no,” she said, waving her hands in front of her.

Mason came around the bar, wrapping his hand around her waist and urging her forward. “Oh yes,” he said with a stupid grin that, even at her strongest, she wouldn’t have been able to resist.

“I really don’t know how. I don’t want you to get frustrated with me.”

Cooper came up behind them as he grabbed a pint glass to fill an order. “Mason? frustrated? This man has the patience of a saint.”

“With you as my brother, I have no choice.”

“Don’t ever tell me I’ve never given you anything.” Cooper winked, then went back to filling glasses and flirting with anybody who had tits.

“I don’t know,” Cassie said, still not convinced. She had always wanted to learn how to ride a bike, but she was never given the opportunity. Now here was this amazing man, willing to show her. She’d be an idiot to turn him down, but she was scared. Scared of falling, of making a fool out of herself.

“Are you afraid of falling? You really think I’d let that happen?”

Deep down she knew that whether it was a bike or life, he would move heaven and hell to stand by those words. If he was willing to give her the chance to learn, then she was willing to take it.

“You promise?” she asked.

He kissed her forehead, soft and sweet. It felt like a million promises in itself. “Cross my heart.”

***

Mason couldn’t believe that Cassie had never learned to ride a bike. It was a rite of passage, and every kid should have the opportunity to experience it. He still didn’t know much about her life, but what he did know was that he wanted to make up for everything she’d missed out on. She deserved that much.

He spotted Caleb making eyes with Kate across the way while she helped supply bottles of water to those coming back from their ride. “Caleb,” Mason said as he and Cassie approached. Caleb made some face to Kate that had her giggling like a teenager before turning to them.

“What’s up?”

“Cassie wants to try out one of the bikes. Which do you think will be the best fit for her?” He didn’t want to say she didn’t know how in case she was embarrassed by that information.

“I’ve never ridden before,” she admitted, and he smiled because he knew that meant she felt comfortable with not only him, but with his family as well.

“Definitely the Epic 29er.”

“Perfect. Do we have to sign it out?”

“I trust you’ll bring it back. If not, I know where you live,” Caleb said. “I’ll send your sister after you.”

“She fights dirty.”

“Oh, I know,” Caleb said with lust in his voice that had Mason holding his hands up.

“You think I’d learn by now not to set myself up for those.”

“You would think so.” Caleb pointed to the line of bikes. “It’s the red one with the black accents.”

“Thanks, man.” Mason patted him on the shoulder and turned to Cassie. The dusting of freckles on her nose was more visible out in the daylight, and he loved that she didn’t cover them up with makeup. “Ready?”

“I think so.”

Mason brought the bike around to the back of the brewery, away from the crowd and down an old service road that was used to get to the cows out in the field. He wanted Cassie to have space, but he also wanted her to be able to do this without a million eyes on her.

He held the bike out and pointed down. “Those are the pedals.”

“Is that what you call those things?”

“Cute,” he said with a smirk. “I just want to cover all the basics.”

“I know the basics. I get on the bike, put my feet on the pedals and go. I’m not really sure about my balancing capabilities.”

“Only one way to find out.”

She kicked her foot over the bike and stood with the seat behind her. The determination on her face was adorable, but he also saw a slight twinge of fear in her eyes.

“Maybe I should go get you a helmet, some knee pads, elbow pads.”

“Why don’t you grab some bubble wrap while you’re at it?”

“I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“You got me, don’t you?”

She was right. He would do everything in his power to protect her. It wasn’t because it was the right thing to do, it was because he didn’t think he could handle seeing her hurt. It would damn near punch a hole through his chest and rip his heart out.

“Damn straight,” he said, and gripped the back of the seat. “We’ll go at your pace. When you’re ready, pedal, and I’ll hold on until you think you can do it alone.” He rested his other hand on the handlebars, loving the feel of being close to her, smelling that clean crisp scent of her shampoo, and seeing those freckles he loved so much up close.

“Okay.” She took a deep breath as she got into position. “Don’t let go.”

“I would never.”

She lifted one foot then the other and she was off, going slow but steady. He stayed beside her until she began to pedal too fast and he couldn’t keep up.

“You’re doing it.”

“Oh my god, I’m doing it!”

He let go having total faith that she didn’t need his help. She was fiercely determined when she set her mind to something, and he was right. She kept going, her reddish-brown hair trailing behind her in a blaze of glory.

He started to jog toward her, wanting to be close to celebrate her victory. She came to a stop and jumped off the bike. “Holy shit! I did it! I actually did it,” she yelled through laughter. She covered her mouth as if she couldn’t believe it, the excitement coursing through her as she jumped up and down in place. “I totally did it. I rode a bike.”

Mason approached, her joy spreading to him and invading his heart. “I didn’t doubt you for a second,” he said as he scooped her into his arms and spun her around. Her arms tightened around his neck, and she smiled down at him. And in that moment, looking into those golden eyes, he knew he loved her, and he would do anything for her.

He wanted more firsts with her, more everything with her. Ever since Cassie came into his life, everything was just better.