Page 25 of Mason Wilder
“Yeah. When there’s a reason to be. Which is, like, never. I can handle myself. And when have you ever noticed him being over-protective? He doesn’t tell me what to do. No one tells me how to live my life. You know that, Sindy.”
“I know. That’s why he doesn’t say anything, but he’s always watching to make sure guys don’t try to touch you inappropriately or get out of line. I’ve noticed that since I first met you. Lucas is your big brother, and it’s his job to look out for you. You’re the chick that rocks. You’re every guy’s dream. Lucas is always watching you with one eye, but he’s sly about it because he knows you’d be pissed off if he tried to butt into your business.” Sindy rested her hand on Tessa’s arm. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t confide in him. Trust him enough to tell him.”
“There’s nothing to tell.” The truthfulness of the statement weighed on Tessa, and her face fell with remorse and sadness. She wished she could blurt out that she and Mason were in love and were waiting for the right time to tell everyone. Or relay a romantic tale of how she had confessed her love to Mason and he had wrapped his arms around her and said he loved her as well. But that was only the way she had fantasized it would happen, which couldn’t be further from the way it played out.
Sindy’s mouth turned downward with realization. “But you wish there was something to tell, don’t you?”
Unable to keep this mess bottled up inside her any longer, Tessa let out an exhausted sigh. Emotion welled in her throat and she covered her face with her hands to hide her quivering lips.
“Come on. We need to talk in private.” Sindy took Tessa by the upper arm and led her into the bedroom and closed the door.”How long have you felt this way about him?”
Tessa wanted to dive into the bed and pull the covers over her head, but settled on covering her face with her hands. “Oh, God,” she sighed. “I didn’t want anyone to know.”
“You should at least tell Mason. Give it a shot.”
Hot tears filled her eyes as she lowered her hands and stared at Sindy.
Sindy’s shoulders fell and her face filled with empathy. “You did tell him, didn’t you?”
Tessa nodded. “The last night of the tour. I kissed him and told him I’d loved him since I was a kid. He told me that he loved me like a sister and that was it.” Repeating the words burned and stung, and she was unable to continue.
“I’m sorry, Tessa.”
The hug that Tessa received somehow made her feel worse. She worried she was making a fool of herself, and tucked her chin into her chest and rubbed her forehead. “Am I acting like a fucking idiot?” She looked up, tears blurring her vision. “I don’t know what else to do. I’m not ready to give up.”
“No. You’re not an idiot. You’re adorable. He’s the fucking idiot. You and Mason are perfect for one another. You’re best friends already. You share so much of your lives together. You shouldn’t have to try so hard to make him see that.”
Tessa’s heart galloped in her chest, embarrassed that her flirtation with Mason had been obvious. “Does Lucas see it, too? I don’t want my brother to think I’m acting like a desperate fool.”
Sindy huffed and waved her hand. “He’s a Neanderthal. He has a one-track mind. Music. Music. And music theory. That’s it.”
Biting back the tears, Tessa swallowed hard, and tried to think clearly about the last few weeks. Mason was worth fighting for, but she wondered if her persistence was pointless. “Do you think I have a chance with Mason?”
“Listen to me. I’m your best friend, and I’ll never lie to you. If you want Mason, go after him. But know when to stop. If he’s not interested, fuck him. Move on and find someone else. Don’t waste your time on someone you have to make fall in love with you. If he doesn’t see how perfect you are for him, it’s his loss.”
Tessa nodded, reluctantly. She was giving it her best shot, but then she was done. She wasn’t wasting the rest of her life chasing after Mason. But she wasn’t giving up yet. She swung open the bedroom door and marched into the kitchen. Standing with her hands on the breakfast bar, she watched Mason with Lucas at the table. He was wearing a smile that gave her life and set her heart on fire. She thought about what Sindy said about knowing when to give up. Would she ever know when to stop when it came to Mason? Probably not.
Sindy came up beside her. “What’s the game plan?”
It was simple. She had no elaborate scheme or intricate ploy to win him over. “The plan is to be myself. I’m not going to make believe I’m someone I’m not.” She shrugged. “This is me. This is what I have to offer. My bubbly personality. My pitch-perfect voice. My dynamic bass playing. My know-how when it comes to the band. My design skills. And my phenomenal cooking.”
Sindy let out a short laugh. “Let’s not forget your modesty.”
“Hey, a girl’s gotta play up her attributes.” Tessa smiled, picked up the cake plate and headed for the table, feeling better and remaining hopeful once again. She cut the first piece for Mason. It was a large perfect triangle, deep crimson against stark white.
Mason slid the plate closer to him and looked at Tessa with an odd look in his eyes.
She was laying it on too thick, just like Sindy had said, and Mason caught on. She needed to cool it. Tone it down. But it was hard. She was so tired of hiding her feelings.
“Do you want me to put on the coffee?” Sindy asked.
“The coffee!” Tessa practically ran to the kitchen, berating herself for almost forgetting what she thought was the best part of the meal. She ground the fresh espresso beans, filled the silver pot and placed it on the stove.
“What are you doing in there?” Lucas called to her. “Come eat dessert. This cake is delicious. Don’t worry about the coffee.”
“I’ll be right there.” She made the perfect espuma, stirring the sugar with a bit of the espresso until it was a light caramel color and nice and frothy. She filled four small cups with the rich coffee, topped with deliciously sweet foam, and the intoxicating aroma filled her nostrils. She carried a tray to the table, proud of the traditional Cuban coffee.
“What did you make?” Sindy asked.
