Page 8 of Mason Wilder
“Sorry, I can’t do that.”
“Tessa!” Mason called from the hallway. “Open the door. This is crazy. Let’s talk. Please.”
She refused to answer and hugged the pillow to her chest.
”What’s going on?” Now it was Lucas’ voice outside the door.
“Tessa won’t let me in,” Mason explained.
“Why not? Did something happen? Is she all right?”
Tessa buried her face into the pillow to quiet a sob, hoping her brother didn’t hear her.
Mason paused before he answered Lucas. “She won’t let me in, and she told this guy not to let anyone knock on her door.”
”That doesn’t sound like my sister.” Lucas banged on the door. “Tessa. What’s wrong? Let us in.”
No. No. No.The security guard wasn’t getting rid of them, and she couldn’t face either one of them, especially her brother. She needed to make him leave and scurried to find her phone so she could text Lucas.
TESSA:It’s not a big deal. I’m exhausted. Just want to sleep. Goodnight.
She heard Lucas’ phone ding on the other side of the door. There was a pause while he read the text message, and then he told Mason, “She said it’s no big deal. She’s tired and going to bed.”
“That’s bull,” Mason stated. “She’s upset.”
“Why is she upset? What happened?”
Mason paused before he answered, causing Tessa to suck in a breath. “Nothing. It’s just . . .”
“You know her, Mase. If she says it’s not a big deal, it’s not a big deal. If she’s pissed off, she’d tell you. She doesn’t hold anything back.”
Except she held her tongue for 22 years.
Mason huffed out a breath. “This is ridiculous. Tessa!” He wrapped on the door and waited. It wasn’t his usual rat-a-tat-tat that served as his calling card, but an impatient series of hard knocks. “Tessa, come on.” Defeat worked its way into his voice. “Fine. I’ll leave you alone. If you change your mind, call me.”
She had no intention of calling Mason because she wasn’t changing her mind. A sob threatened to burst from her lungs, so she buried her face in the pillow and squeezed her eyes shut. She never wanted to talk to Mason about pursuing a relationship ever again. She was done.
