Page 62 of Wild and Unruly
“Ah.” My brother nods, giving me a brief glance before looking away. He was in sweatpants, his normal attire. The T-shirt on his back looks clean…ish, and his beard is heavily overgrown. But who could blame him? Why would he go out of his way to get ready for anything?
“You know…” I pause, clearing my throat, and go out on a limb. “Are you busy this week?”
My brother looks over at me, not a single flinch of his facial expression as his green eyes watch me. “No.”
I shrug, pretending this is all nonchalant and maybe just came to me even though it most certainly did not. “You could come up with me? I’m staying at this great place that has the best view of the mountains. And you’d really like the people I’m working with. All guys except for Dani, so I think you?—”
“No,” he cuts me off, his gaze moving back to its normal spot. Doesn’t it get boring looking at the same thing every day?
“No,” my brother says again, making me realize I accidentallysaid the quiet part out loud. Dang it. “It doesn’t. I’m fine where I am, Bobo.”
I feel my heart melt at the nickname he’s always had for me and soften my tone as I lean forward on my knees. “Mase, please. I really think a change of pace would be nice.”
“Bonnie,” he says sternly, giving me his glare. “I said no.”
“Look,” I sigh and stand, pacing a few steps away from him before turning back to face him. “We both love Mom, but getting away from her would be good for you. Even she thinks so.”
Wrong thing to say. I know it immediately and yet my big fat mouth said it anyway.
His hard gaze holds firm as he says, “You and Mom have been talking behind my back, huh?”
“Mason…” I say on a sigh, my patience wearing thin.
“Bonnie, I’m not telling you again. I’m not coming to your stupid ranch.” The bite in his tone actually seems to offend me, something that’s not easy to do.
I flinch and look at him, wondering how the hell I was going to get my big brother to come back to me. I try softening my tone and say, “Dani is a miracle worker. She worked with her husband’s brother, who had injuries from his time in the service, and now he rides all the time.” I take a step closer. “I just think?—”
Suddenly, his arm moves and latches onto a mug by his chair, throwing it with a force I’m not prepared for as it hits the wall behind me. I flinch, watching as it shatters to a million pieces and falls to the floor.
I stand there in shock, watching in horror that I did this. I pushed him too hard, and now he was over it.
“Mason.” My whisper is ignored as his tone makes me take a step back.
“I said leave it, Bonnie. I don’t need to be fixed. I don’t need to be reminded that I’m broken, and I don’t need you nagging me to fix myself.” His piercing glare hits me in the chest. “Leave me alone.”
I glance back to where the mug sits on the carpet, wishing I could take back the last five minutes so that didn’t happen.
Mom was going to be pissed, not just that I pushed him but that he threw that mug. The problem was, she wasn’t going to say a word to Mason. She never did. The guilt from the accident, the mother’s guilt she felt because her son was hurting so badly, held her back from saying what she really wanted to.
I glance at my brother one more time, tears burning, and before they can fall, I turn, grab my bag, and I leave.
23
stetson
Three fucking days.
Shit.
I was absolutely screwed.
Bonnie was gone for three days back in Denver to handle things at the office. She had to work on some other projects she had going on, and while she called every day and we texted throughout our time apart, I missed the hell out of her.
Which is why, when her shiny truck pulls up to The Lodge, I’m already there waiting for her.
Her face stretches into a wide grin, and she abandons her truck, leaving her driver’s side door open as she takes some running steps to me. I’m there, ready to catch her when her arms wrap around my shoulders, and I’ve got her by the waist.
Fucking hell, this was it. This was the home I’ve always wanted. With her in my arms, I finally felt like I could take a breath, and it was nice to see that the feeling was reciprocated.
