Until We Kissed (Pine Valley Book 6)

by Heather B. Moore

  “Okay then,” Livvy said, her voice more perky. “You do your thing, I’ll go do my thing, then we can hook up later.” She released him and straightened, and Mason felt the loss of her touch immediately.

  He watched her walk away, her bag slung over her shoulders, wearing no coat—of course—and no boots, despite the snow outside. Tonight they should really talk about when he was leaving. They had to be realistic.

  Or maybe they could talk tomorrow, or the next day. Mason wasn’t quite ready to pop their bubble.

  He wrote for another hour. By the time he left the library, the bowl game had already started, but it wasn’t like Mason had to be on time or anything. When he pulled up to Dawson’s place, there were lots of cars in the parking lot. But Mason had no idea which car or truck belonged to who. He snatched the sack of food he’d picked up along the way, then climbed out of his Jeep.

  Mason knocked on Dawson’s apartment door, and moments later Dawson opened it with a grin. “You’re late.”

  So apparently he could be late.

  Mason handed Dawson the sack of food. “Brought some stuff.”

  “Thanks, man,” Dawson said. “Come in and join the gang.”

  The living room of Dawson’s apartment was crowded with about eight guys. Dawson pointed Mason to a kitchen chair that he’d brought in just as a touchdown was scored. Everyone jumped from their seats and cheered, except for a dark-haired man who groaned.

  “Jeff’s cheering for the other team,” Dawson told Mason with a laugh.

  Jeff looked over at Mason. “Who’s your team?”

  Mason glanced at the giant TV screen. “Neither.” His gaze also caught the faces of the other men in the room. And yep. Slade was in the group. Slade didn’t look away from the TV though. Who knew the doctor was such a football nut?

  “That’s great to hear,” Jeff said, rising from his spot and extending a hand. “I’m Jeff Finch.”

  Mason refocused on Jeff, knowing that it would be seconds before Slade realized who’d joined the party.

  “Jeff’s a real estate agent,” Dawson told Mason. “Watch out or he’ll be selling you property before you know it.”

  Jeff’s brows rose. “Are you looking? Single or family dwelling?”

  Mason cleared his throat. “Uh, I’m renting a cabin for a bit while I finish my book.”

  “Oh... you’re the writer,” Jeff said, casting a significant look at Dawson.

  Dawson only smirked and moved away.

  “You’re from San Diego, right?” Jeff continued.

  “Yeah, that’s me,” Mason said, wondering why the room suddenly seemed very quiet. Had someone muted the game? He could practically feel Slade’s gaze boring into him. Hadn’t Dawson told his friends who else he’d invited?

  “Cool,” Jeff said. “I wish I had more time to read.”

  Mason nodded as if he understood. Some people considered reading a luxury, but then they spent hours every day watching TV or football or whatever their poison was.

  Mason sat in one of the empty chairs, and Jeff took the seat next to him. Apparently they were now friends, and Mason wondered if Dawson had been completely serious warning him about being pitched on real estate by Jeff.

  “I can’t imagine even trying to write a book,” Jeff said. “I mean, how do you keep all the characters and events straight?”

  Mason shrugged. It was a common question from readers. “It’s sort of like watching a movie or a television series. You get introduced to one set of characters and plotline at the same time. It’s the same with writing. You create a character at a time, then figure out how that character interacts with others and the world around him.”

  Jeff actually looked interested. But the atmosphere of an intense football game with a bunch of guys probably wasn’t the place to wax poetic. Some great play happened, and the men cheered again.

  Jeff rubbed his face. “It looks like I’m doomed.”

  Mason focused on the game, purposefully not looking over at Slade.

  Dawson settled into the chair on the other side of Mason. “I put all the food in the kitchen, so you can load up a plate whenever you want to.”

  “Thanks,” Mason said.

  Jeff turned to Mason again. “So how long are you in Pine Valley? And have you ever thought of having a second home?”

  “I’m only here for a couple more weeks,” Mason said. “The cabin owner has other renters coming in for Christmas.” As soon as he said it, he regretted revealing that bit of information. Since he and Livvy hadn’t discussed particulars, he’d hate for her to hear about it from someone else.

  “It’s about time,” someone muttered.

  At first Mason thought the comment had something to do with the football game, but by the way the room suddenly went silent, he realized that the comment had come from Slade.

  Now Mason couldn’t ignore the guy, as much as it would be the easy way out. He looked over to where Slade was perched on the edge of the couch. The man’s green eyes were on Mason.

  “Hey man, chill,” Dawson said to Slade.

  Slade only seemed to tense more.

  Really? Was the idiot doctor going to suddenly decide that Livvy was worth more than the dirt he’d treated her as?

  “I should go,” Mason said under his breath.

  “What’s going on?” Jeff said, looking from Mason to Slade, then to Dawson.

  “Nothing,” Mason said and rose to his feet.

  Across the room, Slade stood, his gaze not moving from Mason.

  Dawson stood as well. “Don’t leave, Mason. Things are cool. Football’s the great equalizer, right?” He laughed and looked about the room, but no one laughed with him.

  Now Jeff was on his feet. “Have I missed something?”

  Jeff was tall and broad, and Mason hoped the guy would be on his side. But all these men had probably been best friends their entire lives, so the smart thing for Mason to do was leave.

  Leave Dawson’s place, and leave Pine Valley.

  “He’s dating Livvy,” Slade said, his tone clipped. Cold. Clinical.

  Heat pulsed through Mason, and he felt all eyes focus on him.

  “Wow, I didn’t realize,” Jeff said, his voice a mixture of surprise and humor. “Awkward.”

  “Yeah,” Slade continued. “I don’t think we’ll be too sad to see him go. Then Livvy will finally come to her senses.”

  Mason should just leave. Now. Let Slade have the final word. Instead, Mason stepped forward. “Livvy came to her senses on her own. You only have yourself to blame, Doc.”

  It was obvious that Slade wasn’t expecting Mason’s comeback. Slade blinked, his jaw tight, his shoulders stiff.

  Mason took another step, and Dawson’s hand clamped on his shoulder.

  But Mason wasn’t finished. “If you were ever off your phone for more than five minutes,” he told Slade, “maybe you’d see the value of the people in your life who aren’t paying you to spend time with them.”

  Just then Slade’s phone rang, and Mason wanted to laugh at the irony. But he was still too pissed.

  Slade’s face reddened, and he pulled out the phone from his pocket, then read the screen. A panicked look crossed his face, and Mason finally did laugh.

  “Go ahead and answer it,” Mason ground out. “You know you’re not the only doctor in town. And once you understand that you aren’t God’s gift, you’ll appreciate the real relationships in your life.”

  Slade’s phone stopped ringing, so now the only sound was the sports announcer on TV talking about an illegal helmet grab.

  No one spoke. No one seemed to be moving. A muscle twitched in Slade’s jaw.

  Slade’s phone rang again, and this time he did answer it. His face went red, but he spoke into the phone in a controlled, calm manner. Ever the professional doctor.

  Slade strode past Mason and walked into the kitchen.

  “Well, I think I’d better go,” Mason told the room at large. “Sorry to bring the drama.” He felt he
’d gotten his point across, even if it meant all the men in this room now hated him. And if nothing else, he’d at least defended Livvy.

  “That was awesome,” Jeff said, his eyes flashing with mirth.

  “Glad I could entertain,” Mason said.

  “Don’t go,” Dawson said. “Slade will probably be leaving any second by the sound of his conversation.”

  “Yeah, stay,” one of the other men said. “I’m glad you told Slade why Livvy dumped him. He needs to get over himself.”

  “Sit,” Dawson said, his hand on Mason’s shoulder again. “Really. Slade needs to get used to you being around.”

  Mason met Dawson’s gaze and noted the acceptance and challenge in it.

  Mason decided to take the challenge. “Okay.”

  Dawson grinned.

  Mason realized Dawson was right. Slade came out of the kitchen a couple of minutes later, mumbled a goodbye while managing not to make eye contact with Mason, then left.

  A few moments later, Mason fixed himself a plate of food and found that he was quite hungry.

  Livvy stood on a ladder, stretching to hang the garland along the top of the bookcase. Decorating the bookshop with Felicity had taken longer than she’d thought, and she was surprised Mason hadn’t called her yet. Maybe that was a good sign though. Livvy selfishly wanted Mason to have friends in Pine Valley. Even though he seemed perfectly happy playing the reclusive writer type, Livvy felt the more connections he had around here, the better.

  Because she was dreading him returning to San Diego. She wanted him to stay, but how could she ask him to? How could she expect him to? Of course there was always the other option... she could move to San Diego. But that would be more like a major commitment. And she couldn’t let her heart even hope that Mason was in love with her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

  Livvy sighed despite the cheerful Christmas music playing from the Bluetooth speaker Felicity had next to the cash register.

  “He hasn’t called yet?” Felicity said, coming to stand by the ladder.

  Livvy didn’t need to check her phone to know it was turned on, and the volume was all the way up. “No.”

  “I thought you were happy he was hanging out with ‘the guys.’” Felicity batted her lashes in exaggeration.

  “I am happy.”

  Felicity laughed. “You could have fooled me.” Tonight she wore a red sweater and red glasses. Although Felicity didn’t need prescription glasses, she liked the fashion statement.

  Livvy found it endearing.

  “Are you going to ask him the big question tonight?” Felicity handed up another swag of garland.

  The big question. About Christmas.

  “Are you staying in town?” Livvy asked.

  “I think I’ll go to my parents for a day or two,” Felicity said.

  From what Livvy understood, things were pretty quiet in Felicity’s household since she was an only child.

  “I don’t know how Mason will act if I invite him to my family’s place for Christmas,” Livvy said. “I mean, it would take things to another level. And I worry that it will turn off Mason if I even suggest it.”

  Felicity fell quiet for a moment. “Maybe ask him what his Christmas tradition is, then you can go from there.”

  “Good idea.” Livvy blew out a breath and climbed down the ladder. “I’m still a ball of nerves.”

  Felicity grinned.

  “What?”

  “It’s good to see you happy and not pining after some doctor fantasy.”

  Livvy grimaced. “Don’t remind me. I saw Slade the other day at the grocery store. Thankfully I was with Mallory, and we only exchanged very brief hellos.”

  Felicity’s brows shot up. “Any regrets? Any pining?”

  “Nothing.” Livvy picked up the ladder and moved it several feet down the aisle. “Which I guess is good to know. Even when... Mason leaves... there’s no way Slade will ever be in the picture.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Felicity said. “Because I think you have a visitor.”

  Livvy turned to see Mason opening the door of the bookshop. It was after hours, but the lights inside made it no secret that they were both decorating in here.

  She found herself stupidly grinning as he walked in.

  “Wow, looks great in here,” he said.

  His blue eyes met hers, then cut to Felicity. Then he looked at Livvy again and smiled. That heart-stopping smile, making Livvy’s insides all gooey.

  “I’m going to get that thing in the back,” Felicity said.

  Livvy barely heard her. She could only see Mason as he walked toward her. He stopped in front of her, and she breathed in his scent of clean, and musk, and the faint smell of leather that reminded her of his Jeep.

  “Are you about done?” his voice was casual enough, but Livvy sensed an undercurrent there. He hadn’t come to hang out in a bookstore.

  Still, she had the urge to press her mouth against those lips of his. “Almost,” she said.

  “You’re good to go,” Felicity called out from someplace in the store. “I’m going to lock up soon and get home for some hot chocolate.”

  Mason’s mouth quirked in question.

  “She really likes hot chocolate,” Livvy whispered.

  “I heard that,” Felicity said, laughter in her voice. But she was still keeping to the back room.

  So Livvy stepped up to Mason and raised up on her toes to kiss the edge of his jaw.

  Mason slipped his hand into hers, and instead of returning her kiss, he said, “Let’s go.”

  “Okay,” Livvy said, her nerves starting up. Mason had something on his mind, and she wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. She reveled in the warmth and strength of his fingers enclosing hers. Surely he wouldn’t be holding her hand if he had bad news to tell her, right?

  Mason opened the bookshop door, and the cold air swirled around Livvy as they walked out together.

  “Do I even need to ask if you brought a coat?” Mason said, his tone wry.

  “I didn’t want to drag it around,” she said.

  “Of course not.” Mason slowed his step. “Did you drive?”

  “No, I rode over with Felicity.”

  Mason nodded and led her to his Jeep, which was still running. He opened the door for her, and she climbed inside.

  As he walked around the front of the Jeep, Livvy’s heart thumped hard. What was going on? A dozen thoughts entered her mind, but she was too afraid to dwell on any of them.

  “How was the game?” Livvy asked once he climbed in.

  He glanced over at her. “Started out a little rough, then got better.”

  “Who was playing?”

  Mason didn’t answer for a moment, and it seemed his mind was someplace else.

  Livvy tried to relax and took a couple of deep breaths. On one hand, she knew Mason liked her. On the other hand, he had a completely different life from her in another city hundreds of miles away.

  “We need to talk about some things,” Mason said.

  Livvy’s stomach knotted. There it was. The dreaded words. They were about to discuss their future, or the impossibility of it.

  “Okay,” she said, her voice sounding like a squeak.

  Mason said nothing the rest of the drive to his cabin. Since Livvy didn’t have her car, if there was some sort of argument between them, or even an official breakup, it would be really awkward getting home after. She could only imagine a totally silent car ride. Much like this one.

  Finally they reached the cabin, and like the gentleman he always was, he parked, then came around to open her door. He didn’t hold her hand as they walked in through the garage door that connected to the house.

  He turned on a lamp in the great room, and the yellow glow should have cast a comforting light over everything, but it all seemed stark right now. Livvy shivered. The cabin was warm, but the vastness of it made her wish she had her coat on. She sat on the couch, unsure what else to do.

 
Mason didn’t sit by her, but instead he crossed to the hearth and flipped on the gas fireplace. He stood there for a few moments, staring down at the flames.

  Livvy couldn’t stand the silence, or his brooding, or whatever this was, a moment longer.

  “Are you mad at me?” she asked in a quiet voice.

  He rubbed the back of his neck, still not looking at her. “No, I’m mad at myself.”

  Livvy felt her eyes burn—and she didn’t even know what was going on. She just knew that something was terribly wrong. “Why?” she managed to say.

  Mason finally turned to look at her. He folded his arms. “Slade was at Dawson’s.”

  Livvy felt like the breath had been knocked out of her.

  “We had words,” he continued.

  She couldn’t keep sitting, so she moved to her feet. “What does that mean? Did you guys get into a fight or something?” She scanned his face for signs of bruising, but there was nothing.

  “He called me out, and I called him out.”

  Livvy blinked. “What did you say?”

  “Nothing that I haven’t said before.” Mason dropped his arms and slipped his hands into his pockets. “His phone rang like always, and he ended up leaving. I stayed to finish watching the game, and now Jeff Finch thinks I’m his best friend. He offered to look for a place for me to live.”

  Livvy didn’t know if she’d heard him right... Did this mean . . .? She didn’t dare hope, but it had blossomed anyway.

  “I’m going back to San Diego on the twenty-third, whether my book is finished or not,” Mason said. “The cabin owner has another family coming in for Christmas.”

  Livvy blinked. And then her eyes started to burn. Just like that... She’d known this would be the result from the very beginning. He’d never made it a secret that he’d leave after his book was done.

  “That’s like, in a week . . .” She stopped talking because it was impossible to mask the tremble in her voice.

  Mason nodded. “I probably should have told you sooner. Jolene informed me a couple of weeks ago, but I was selfish, living in my own little world. Writing every day, spending my free time with you, ignoring the rest of the world.”