Page 31 of Raised On It

“No…well, yes. I don’t know. I’m just saying it’s a landmark that means something to me. And for some reason, I love the logo. Something about those two empty chairs grabs at me. I’ve always imagined sitting there with a special someone while we drink our beers. I don’t know, there’s just something about it. I know, I know, it’s a beer logo, and it’s a silly thing to be drawn to.”

He pushes a loose hair behind my ear, and quietly says, “It’s not silly at all. I think it’s kind of beautiful.”

The close proximity and the quiet in his voice are enough to send me into a screaming orgasm all on their own, but with the light touch of his fingers against the side of my face, I’m having to press my thighs together to try to calm the ache he’s causing with no effort at all.

“Mason, let me show youmyEastlyn. If you’re looking for inspiration, we need to get you off Main Street and show you how much more there is to the town. I have to be in Portland this weekend, and I have meetings I can’t miss most days next week, but I’ll have time between if that works? And next weekend, I’m free.”

“Can I see the farm?”

“You know what, I can do better. How about watching the sun rise over the farm? Tomorrow morning? I can’t spend the whole day, but I’m good until after lunch.”

“Are you sure? If you’re too busy with your meetings, it can wait.”

“Tomorrow, things don’t get started until the afternoon. How about we hang at the farm for a bit, and then we’ll start our tour Monday after I get back?”

“That works for me.”

“I’ll pick you up at ten till five?”

“In the morning?”

“You good with black coffee?”

I nod my reply, wondering if I should rethink our morning excursion. I mean, who gets up that early?

“Good. It’s a date. See you bright and early.”

And just like that, he takes his dog and walks out of the house as though he didn’t just say we were going on a date.

Let the roller coaster ride begin.

CHAPTER 9

Mason

Miles sent me a text last night to let me know it could be a little chilly this morning, and I should dress accordingly. So, here I am at 4:45 a.m. in a T-shirt and flannel, jeans, and Dr. Martens with my camera slung across my chest, pacing in front of the living room window waiting formy dateto show up. Getting my anxiety out by wearing a trench into Katie’s floors seems the only way to keep my nerves at bay.

When the headlights from his truck illuminate the driveway I don’t wait for him to come to the door. I need to get out of the house and get this sunrise started before I combust. I’m halfway to his truck before he’s out of the cab.

“Wow, I wouldn’t have thought of you as a morning person,” he whispers, so we don’t disturb the neighbors, as he runs across the driveway to meet me halfway.

“Hardly. I can’t remember the last time I was up this early,” I whisper back.

“Well, here.” He holds out a silver thermos and leans in close, filling my head with the scent of soap and Miles. “This should help, but be careful. It’s hot.”

He can’t be real.

I keep waiting for him to do something douchey but no such luck.

“Thank you. Did you make it?” I ask, screwing off the top to take in the fresh brewed coffee smell on my way to the passenger side of his big Dodge.

“Sure did, but you might want to put the lid back on before you get in. Lou’s bound to be excited to see you, and I’d hate for you to spill hot coffee all over yourself.”

He opens my door while I put the top to my thermos back on.

When I climb in, Lou proves his dad right and tries to hop up in my lap, causing Miles to lean over me to push him back. He says something to the dog, but I don’t hear it because he’s so close. His left hand is braced on the seat behind me while he leans in front of me to use his right hand to push the dog back.

He smells like he just got out of the shower, and with his head sans baseball cap this morning, nothing prohibits my view of him. His short hair doesn’t need a lot of work to get where it is, but it’s clear he styled his waves today.