So stupid.
Over the table, my phone vibrated. I picked it up before others noticed it. I glanced at the screen and rolled my eyes.
“Who is it?” Liana asked in a hushed tone.
I pressed the end button. “Donnie.”
Liana’s eyes widened. “Oh, poor guy. Doesn’t know he has competition.”
“There’s no competition,” I snapped.
“Then why are you avoiding Donnie?”
Good question. “Because … I don’t like him.”
“Don’t like him or—?”
A girl from the table beside ours shushed us, and I glared at my friend. We lowered our heads and continued our research in silence. When my phone vibrated once more and I turned the call off without answering, Liana tsked.
My phone vibrated again. I reached for it, determined to turn it off, but saw it was a message from Liana. I looked at her across the table.
Smiling, she gestured to my phone.
Shaking my head, I read the message.
Liana: So, about that Donnie boy.
Me: What about him?
Liana: Don’t like him or you like someone else?
Me: Both.
Liana: Oh, so you confess!
Me: What good is confessing when I know I can’t do anything?
Liana: It’s a step, sista!
Me: Toward a wall where I’ll bump face-first.
Liana: You should be a comedian.
Me: What?
Liana: Anyway, what’s wrong with Donnie boy?
Me: Can we talk about this later? Much better than typing.
Liana: All right. But you’re not off the hook yet. I WILL know it all!
I didn’t know what else Liana wanted to hear from me. She knew everything already. I had told her about our dates, about our semi-kiss, about how I didn’t feel anything.
I tucked my phone inside my purse and tried focusing on my project.
The words before my eyes were blurred. Ugh, I really didn’t care about them at the moment. My life had been uncomplicated so far. Not real, but simple. I just had to do what my mother wanted me to. Now, with temptation so close, it was becoming harder to continue doing what I didn’t want to.
“All right, I’m tired of this.” Liana closed the book with a loud thud almost two hours after our arrival. Two hours I hadn’t really done anything other than look around and hope, and then un-hope, Mason would show up. “Let’s go skate somewhere before heading home.”
When did I deny going roller-skating? More than a hobby, it helped clear my head and relax my tense muscles—just what I needed.
We left the library, heading to the parking garage a half-block ahead.
I fought against the will to turn my head and look everywhere for him. But it wasn’t needed.
“Hey.” Mason’s voice came from the street.
Mason
Charlotte turned as I stepped on the sidewalk. She looked more like herself in a jean skirt and a simple blouse—and beautiful too.
“Hey,” she muttered.
“I saw you from the other side of the street.” I halted before her and ran a hand through my hair.
“Hi, Mason,” Liana said, stepping beside Charlotte.
“Hey, Liana. Nice to see you again.” I shook her hand briefly.
Liana kept talking. “We’re looking for a park where we can roller-skate. Do you know any?”
I pretended I didn’t see as Charlotte placed her hand on Liana’s back, and probably poked her.
However, I had been trying to come up with a plan to approach her, to find her, to find her phone number, and I wouldn’t let this golden opportunity get away from me.
“I don’t know much about the city yet,” I said. “But there is a nice park thirty minutes south of here. On foot. Ten if driving.”
Liana smiled. “How about you come with us and show the way?”
I locked my eyes with Charlotte’s. She didn’t look happy. “I’m not sure …”
“No worries.” Liana stepped in our line of sight and stirred me toward a parking garage. “We’ll be good company.”
Charlotte remained in her spot on the sidewalk. “Liana, perhaps Mason has someplace to be. You don’t want to be—”
“That’s okay,” I said, determined. She wouldn’t escape me. Not now. “I was just getting acquainted with the area before my classes start.”
“Great.” Liana grabbed my arm with one hand and Charlotte’s elbow with another, and pulled us into the garage. “Let’s have some fun.”
On the second floor, Charlotte fished car keys from her purse, and unlocked a silver Porsche Cayenne that easily cost $100,000.
I knew she didn’t like talking about money but I couldn’t help it. I whistled, eyeing her amazing machine. “So this is your car. Nice.”
Shaking her head, Charlotte slid behind the steering wheel and Liana sat in the backseat, leaving the front passenger seat open for me.
With a smile, I joined them inside the car.
In silence, Charlotte drove out of the parking garage.
“Where to?” Liana asked.
I pointed to the right. “This way.”
Charlotte shook her head again. “Mason, she lives in Washington. She knows the park you’re talking about.”
I glanced at the backseat. “Really?”
Liana shrugged and mouthed, You’re welcome.
A new smile spread on my lips. With her best friend on my side, how hard could this be?
Charlotte
The ten-minute ride seemed like ten hours, even though Liana kept the conversation going, touching only light subjects—weather, the park, if Mason liked roller skating. Once at the park, Liana ran ahead of us, putting her skates on in a rush and darting away on the smooth pavement.
Unsure what to do or to say, I sat on a bench and put my skates on, trying to admire the beautiful view before me and failing, admiring the handsome man near me instead.
Mason sat by my side. “Still skating, huh?”
I nodded. “My father gave me my first pair of skates when I was five. Haven’t stopped skating since.”
“Is it just a hobby, like I first thought, or do you enter competitions and things like that?”
A loud laugh came from my mouth. “What? Competitions? Yeah, right.” I stood on my roller skates. “This is just for fun, and as exercise perhaps. But mostly fun. My mother would kill me if I entered a competition.” I slapped a hand over my mouth, embarrassed I blurted out something about my mother.
“What?” Mason stood and stepped before me. “What is it?”
Shaking my head, I pushed the pavement under my feet and strolled away. Unconsciously or not, I rode slowly and Mason kept up with me.
After a few minutes, I stopped and faced him. “Why did you come here?”
His eyes bore into mine. “Because I wanted a chance to talk to you. Once more, I found you by chance. These opportunities are rare and I won’t waste them.”
“Mason”—I stared at the pavement—“this is ridiculous.”
“Why? Because you’re gonna be America’s princess soon, and I’ll continue working as a bartender and waiter to pay my bills?”
I shook my head again. “It’s complicated.”
“That’s the oldest line in the history of the world.” Mason put his finger under my chin, sending jolts of warmth down my body, and raised my face so my eyes met his. “Talk to me. I need you to talk to me.”