Page 123 of Stolen Moments

“But nothing. Chris is right. If Mason takes one look at me and wants to rip my head off, you’ve got your answer. If he’s a smart man, he’ll beg for forgiveness and come crawling back.”

I jerk back at his remark. “I don’t want him to come crawling back.”

“You’re cute when you lie, my friend.”

Okay, fine. I might be lying a little. Just a smidge. Okay, a lot.

I miss Mason like crazy, but that doesn’t mean I want him back. Right?

He hurt me when he walked away without talking to me, ghosting me for weeks, only to fuck me and tell me it meant nothing. He left me feeling used—a feeling I’ve felt all my life—and I’m through with being made to feel unloved. He walked away from me without a backward glance.

As much as I love him and possibly want to forgive him, losing him without a word was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to endure. I don’t want to go through that again.

Graham knowingly squeezes my shoulder, giving me a soft smile, empathetic to the emotional turmoil I’m wading through. “It will work out, my friend. I have a good feeling about it.” He walks away, leaving me with my thoughts.

Do I want Mason back? More importantly, does Mason want me back?

The butterflies in my stomach swirl again, and I’m not sure whether or not I want to puke. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see how tonight plays out.

Chapter forty-one

Mason

Eli, Cameron, and Iarrive at the restaurant a little late. Our flight from L.A. was delayed taking off, and we barely had enough time to check into the inn—a cute little place in the mountains, where they will get married—before hightailing it here for dinner.

As we enter the restaurant, the sound of clinking dishes, loud conversations, and the scent of Mexican food assault my senses. My stomach rumbles, and I don’t know if it’s from being hungry or nervous to see Emery. As it turns out, she helped Rylann with the wedding planning. I’m not surprised, that’s the direction she wanted to move in with the company, and both Rylann and Scarlett agreed to support her.

I head straight to the bar. I need a fucking drink if I’m going to make it through tonight. I have been a mess, confused by Jace’s comments at Thanksgiving. He wasn’t wrong when he said I shouldn’t worry about her. Emery and I aren’t together. But hearing it out loud? Well, it didn’t sit well with me. I’ve had this uneasy feeling since then.

I always knew it was the wrong move walking away from Emery, but lately it feels like more than that. It feels like I might have made the biggest mistake of my life. Since Thanksgiving, my dreams have morphed into what feels like a bad omen. Night after night, I dream that Emery and I are holding hands, walking through a crowd, when someone bumps into me and I lose my grip on her.When I turn around to find her, people get in the way and she slips further out of my reach. I wake up in a cold sweat, with my heart beating a million miles an hour and a crippling pain in my chest.

The bartender approaches and I shake off my unease, ordering a gin and tonic. Cameron and Eli do the same, ordering beers, before we make a beeline for our parents.

They’ve been here since Christmas, and I have a sneaking suspicion they might relocate soon. They love being with their grandchildren as often as possible. My parents are now retired and have been traveling up here a lot, and with them growing closer to Rylann’s parents, Rita and Ryan, it seems like their move is inevitable.

My stomach groans again when I think about Rita and her tamales. Damn, those are good. Okay, so maybe I’m hungrier than I thought.

I lean in and kiss my mom’s cheek, greeting her, “Momma.”

“You three are late,” she scolds, giving each of us a hug and kiss on the cheek.

Cameron points at me and Eli. “It’s their fault.”

“The plane was delayed.” Eli shoves Cameron’s gigantic frame, barely budging him.

“Sorry, Ma. We had to check into the inn and change before coming here,” I add.

I know she’s just giving us grief, but it’s funny how we—three grown-ass men—just resorted to blaming and pleading our case just as quickly.

“Fine. You’re excused.” She chuckles, shaking her head at our antics.

She loves giving us a hard time. It seems fair, seeing as we put her through hell with our constant bickering, the endless number of sports practices, and all the other stuff moms have to put up with raising four boys. She should get an award for all she’s done to raise us.

My dad joins us as we all fall into easy conversation. Jace and Rylann join us, as does my main man, Rhys. He looks fuckingadorable tonight, dressed in a black suit and gray shirt that matches Jace’s.

I lift him up in my arms, not tired of holding him yet. He’s seven going on eighteen, but he still loves getting doted on by his uncles, and we very much love to oblige.

“How are you doing tonight, buddy? Are you having fun?” I ask him.

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