Page 132 of Sapphire Spring

Can’t wait to see you. Kiss you. Get my hands on you,came Mason’s response.

The L word was on the tip of Naser’s tongue, but he held itthere.

Some things were better said in person.

34

When Mason had imagined the day ofhis release, he’d pictured himself making the return trip in Shirley’s Tesla,downloadingall ofhis experiences and personalrevelations in a frantic, caffeinated rush. He never imagined he’d be makingthis ride with his old man.

But here he was in the passenger seat of his dad’s Mercedesafter a morning spent gathering his belongings and saying goodbye to thecounselors while his dad hovered nearby the whole time, hands in his pockets.

They’d been riding in silence for a good half hour beforehis dad broke it. “So, um, Chadwick… He called the office two days ago. He wasa mess, son.”

Mason grimaced. “We had a fight before I left. A bad one.It’s part of why I went to Pine Rise.”

“Yeah, well, he barely mentioned that. Apparently, theshit’sreally hitting the fan. Did you know he’s about tolose his license?”

“Why?”

“He was talking a mile a minute, but it sounds like he’s beingaccused of paralyzing some woman’s face with the wrong injection.”

Mason went cold from head to toe. “Jesus,” he whispered. “Hesaid something about an investigation a while ago. Hewanted a statement from me or something, but he wanted me to lie and say he waswith me when he was accused of intimidating a witness against him. When it cameto Chadwick’s work life, there were a lot of questions I didn’t ask. I didn’twant the answers, I guess. But he’s out of my life now. The fight was bad,Dad.”

“All right, well I fucked up then.”

“How?”

His dad cleared his throat, clenching the steering wheel atten and two. “I told him you were at Pine Rise. I thought it would shut him up.He kept saying he needed you, but he sounded high. I thought if I mentionedrehab he’d shut up and go away. Given how messed up he sounded, I didn’t wanthim anywhere near you when you got out.”

Mason was genuinely touched by his father’s protectiveness.“Thanks, Dad.”

Another silence.

“So…Naser?” his dad asked.

“I’m going to call him when I’m home. I don’t want the firsttime he hears from me to be a text message.”

“That sounds…you know…sweet, I guess.”

“Sweet? PeteWortherthinkssomething is sweet?”

“Okay, fine,romantic. Jesus. What are you tryingto do to me?”

“Just give you a little shit, I guess.”

Pete shook with silent, restrained laughter.

Silence descended again.

Handing over his phone a month before had felt like gettinga hand cut off. But now, after four weeks without it, the thought of weddinghimself to it again made him feel clammy all over. The envelope into which Tonyhad placed it on day one was now stuffed inside a larger one containingpamphlets and helpline numbers and a bunch of resources Pine Rise gave all itsgraduates upon departure. He couldn’t bring himself to pull it free just yet.For one, it would be out of juice. Now he was pretty sure there’d be a dozenpsycho voicemails from Chadwick on it.

Shirley met him on the steps of his house with a giant,perfumed hug that made his throat catch.

“So proud of you,” she whispered into his ear. Then she madehalting, awkward conversation with his dad as the three of them moved inside.

On his kitchen counter was a giant gift basket filled withbottles of his favorite sparkling water and some of his favorite snack foods.

But only one word pulsed through his mind again and again.

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