The Line: The Complete Series

by Nikki Rose

  I touched the small of Hana’s back and was pleased that she didn’t tense at my touch. “We should probably grab a shower and clean up before dinner though.”

  Hana looked up at me and grinned, “Oh yeah, we definitely should get cleaned up. It’s been a long day.”

  “That’s perfect. I’ll just let Mom know that we’re going to be having company. She’ll be so happy. See you in about an hour?”

  “Sounds perfect.” Hana beamed at him and my jealousy was back.

  “See you then, Jack,” I placed my hand on the door and started to shut it before he even had time to say more.

  Just before the door closed in his face he said through the crack, “It’s Jake.”

  Hana

  I was quick to hop in the shower after Jake left, excited to visit with him and his mom after over a year of not seeing either of them. The last time I’d seen them both was at my grandma’s funeral and I was too distraught to really enjoy time with them.

  Jake and I had practically grown up together. He was the only kid even close to my age and whenever I’d visit my grandma, we’d always take time to go swimming in the pond or catch frogs by the old stream. We’d stay out all day living on fresh picked apples and walnuts from the trees on the property until my grandma and his mom would have to drag us home for dinner.

  Mason had seemed odd when meeting Jake but he was probably on edge since we had people after us. It was almost like Mason was jealous, but that was silly though. I hurried through my shower and while Mason took his, I managed to do a little something with my hair and make up to make myself look presentable for Jake and Mrs. Steves.

  My clothing choices were pretty limited since we’d bought them at the same place, we’d picked up our groceries but I was glad I’d picked up a cute flowy top to go with the new pair of jeans.

  I sat at my grandma’s antique vanity and cringed slightly as I ran a brush through my hair one last time. Mason stopped removing the tags from his new shirt and walked over to me.

  “How’s that place on your head? I never did get to look at it very good before. It might need stitches if it's too bad.”

  “It’s fine. Just a cut and a small lump. Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Are you sure? I’m afraid this dinner might be too much for you. You should be resting and probably put some ice on that if there’s a lump.”

  He put his fingers in my hair, trying to part the strands so that he could see the cut but I swatted his hand away.

  “It’s fine. I promise. And, going to dinner doesn’t take a lot of exertion. I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m just looking out for you.”

  “I know. And, I appreciate it.” I smiled at him through the mirror and he finally backed off to finish putting his shirt on. “You don’t like Jake very much, do you?”

  “What?” He looked at me like I was crazy as he buttoned up his shirt. “I don’t even know him.”

  “I know, you just acted—”

  “I was on edge. We’d just finished running for our lives then some guy shows up at your door with a gun, telling us to come out...”

  “Yeah, I guess that wasn’t the best first impression.”

  I stood up and Mason offered me his arm. “Ready to go?”

  “Ready,” I smiled excitedly and looped my hand around his arm. Just as we started to walk out something caught my eye at the back of Mason’s collar and I stopped. “Oh, wait. You missed a tag.”

  “Oh,” Mason reached back to get it but I beat him to it.

  “I got it. Hold still.” I tugged the tag off of his shirt and tossed it in the trash on the way out the door.

  Jake lived right next door so there was no real need to drive. We walked through the open field. It was a beautiful night, clear skies allowed an unhindered view of all the shimmering stars which seemed to multiply this far from the city.

  “It’s gorgeous out here,” Mason looked around in awe.

  “See why I love it?”

  “I really do.”

  CHAPTER 11

  Hana

  Mason placed his hand on the small of my back, letting me lead the way up the steps to Mrs. Steves’s porch. I was so excited to see them again and for Mason to get to meet some of the most important people in my life. I reached up to knock on the door when I heard an old familiar voice call from beyond the door.

  “Girl, if you knock on my door when this is practically your home, I’m gonna ring your neck.”

  I chuckled and looked back at Mason who looked completely thrown but then laughed.

  “Guess we should go on in then,” he nodded toward the door and I opened it.

  Stepping into the Steves’ living room was like being transported back in time. I felt like a kid again, coming in after a long day of playing out in the field or climbing trees.

  “Hi Mrs. Steves,” I grinned at her and walked through the rustic style living room and into the kitchen where she was placing homemade biscuits on a pan.

  “Oh, my goodness. Look at you. It’s amazing what one year can do. You look even more beautiful than ever, my dear girl.” She hurried over to me and placed her hands on my cheeks, studying my face for a moment before drawing me into a big hug.

  “It’s so good to see you again. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed this place.”

  “And we’ve missed you,” she turned away to put the biscuits in the oven and Mason quietly chuckled, wiping the flour off my face. His eyes seemed lighter and almost sparkled when he looked at me.

  “By the way, this is Mason.”

  “Oh yes. Jacob said you had a male suitor with you.” She closed the oven door and wiped her hands on a dishrag before walking back to us and pulled Mason into one of her big hugs.

  “Suiter? Oh, Mason’s not—”

  “Relax. You don’t have to explain to me. I’m just happy that you’ve finally found someone important enough to you to bring him around here.”

  I smiled at Mason and shrugged. Did we really want to try to explain the situation to her anyway?

  Mason smiled brighter and wrapped his arm around my waist once she released him.

  “Oh, and he is such a handsome young man. I see why you like him. He’s got a good soul.”

  “A good soul?” I asked, perplexed. I knew Mason wasn’t a bad guy but I wasn’t sure how she could know something I was only just learning.

  “An old woman knows these things.” She smiled and chuckled softly as if she knew more than she was letting on.

  “Please, you two, sit. Can I get you something to drink? Lemonade maybe?”

  “Homemade?” I grinned at her excitedly.

  “Is there any other kind.” Mrs. Steves’s lemonade was the best I’d ever had. I wasn’t sure what it was about it but it was perfectly sweet with just the right amount of tartness.

  Mrs. Steves pulled a pitcher of lemonade from the fridge and poured it into two glasses, offering one to both Mason and myself.

  “Thank you,” he smiled politely as he took the glass and immediately put it to his lips to take a sip. Mrs. Steves paused, watching him as he took his first sip. “Oh, that is really good lemonade. I’m afraid none is going to measure up now that I’ve had yours.”

  He was such a charmer and it worked perfectly. Mrs. Steves beamed at him as though she’d just won a national lemonade competition. “Oh, I’m so glad you like it. I’ll have to teach Hana how to make it so she can keep it around the house for you.”

  “You’d teach me?” I was completely shocked. I never thought she’d part with that recipe.

  “Absolutely,” she grinned at me again and went back to cooking. “I hope you two like chicken and dumplings. I already had it started before Jacob told me we’d be having company.”

  “I love chicken and dumplings,” Mason said enthusiastically.

  My cheeks hurt from smiling so much but I was so happy to be around Mrs. Steves. She reminded me of my grandma and happy summers out here in the country. She and her late husband had fiv
e children. Jake was her youngest and a surprise later in life so even though he was only three years older than me, she was closer to my grandma’s age than my mom’s.

  “Where is Jake?”

  “Oh, I sent him to get cleaned up. He was busy helping me around here and barely had the time. He should be out soon.”

  “Someone talking about me?” Jake came out, buttoning the last button on his shirt as he sauntered into the kitchen.

  “We were, but you’ll never know what all we had to say.” I smirked playfully at him and he hurried over to me.

  “Oh, is that so?” He looked down on me as if trying to be intimidating which just made me want to laugh but I kept serious and nodded.

  “It sure is.”

  “No worries. I know how to make you talk.” Jake gave me an evil grin before moving behind my chair, reaching down to either of my sides and tickled me mercilessly.

  I squealed and squirmed but he didn’t stop. “Okay, okay. I’ll talk. I surrender.” I gasped and laughed so hard I could barely breathe but he didn’t stop until I nearly fell out of my chair. Mason jumped, placing his hand hard on the back of my seat to bring it back onto all four legs, keeping me from tipping over.

  I looked over at him. His eyes were darker, his previous smile was nowhere in sight.

  “You okay?” his voice was gravelly and I nodded, straightening myself in the chair again.

  “You two, quit your rough housing at the dinner table. I swear, it's just like when you were kids.” Mrs. Steves chuckled and shook her head at us which just made me smile.

  “Sorry, ma,” Jake said before stepping away from my chair and into the kitchen. “You need any help?”

  “Such a good boy,” she gently patted his cheek and their exchange warmed my heart. My parents were never that affectionate with me. “Here, carry these bowls to the table. I’ll bring the pot on over.”

  “You sure? It’s heavy.”

  “Nonsense. I’m not some old feeble woman, yet.”

  Mason was still sitting there scowling when Jake came back to the table with our bowls. I wasn’t sure what had upset him so much but I wanted to break him out of whatever mood he was in. I placed one hand over his on the table and squeezed lightly. He looked up at me and I offered him a smile which seemed to soften his mood to my relief.

  Mrs. Steves brought the large pot of chicken and dumplings to the table and sat down with an audible sigh as she settled into her seat.

  “Oh, the biscuits.” She placed her hands on the table, ready to jump up but Mason beat her to it and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

  “I’ve got it.”

  “Oh, thank you, dear boy.”

  We ate dinner, laughing and talking about old times until well after our dinner had ended. With a full belly, all the events of the day began to take its toll on me and I found myself growing very weary as I stifled a yawn.

  “Poor girl. You look positively exhausted.”

  “I should probably get her back to the house,” Mason placed his hand on my arm and smiled at me gently. “You ready to go?”

  “Yeah. Thank you so much for an amazing meal, Mrs. Steves.”

  “Any time, honey. And you, Mason. Don’t forget to stop back by before you leave and I’ll have my chicken and dumpling recipe written up for you.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Steves. That’d be wonderful.”

  “I’m so glad Hana found her a man who can cook. Maybe you can teach her a thing or two.” She flashed me a teasing smile and I chuckled.

  “I burn cookies in your oven a couple times and you never let me live it down,” I laughed.

  “It took me three weeks just to get the burnt smell out of the kitchen,” she laughed and walked us to the door. “Don’t let it be so long between visits next time.”

  “I won’t.”

  She drew me into a big hug and whispered into my ear, “and I expect an invitation when you two get married.”

  I pulled back, looking at her with large eyes and stumbled over my words, “Oh, we’re not...I mean—” She smiled and patted my arms before letting me go.

  Jake came up next and pulled me in for a bear hug but stopped short, giving me a gentler hug instead. He turned to Mason, offering him his hand and they shook.

  “It was nice to see you again, Mason. Hana, make sure you come say goodbye before you leave again, okay?”

  “I will.” I leaned up onto my toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before letting Mason lead me out the door.

  “Well,” Mason looked at me when we were about halfway across the field. “That was fun.”

  “Thank you for tonight. For being okay with all this.”

  “I enjoyed it. That Mrs. Steves really can cook. I hope she comes through on getting me that recipe.”

  “Oh, if she says she’ll do something, she does it.”

  “And Jake...” Mason’s voice lowered to a less enthusiastic tone, “How long ago did you two date?”

  “Date? We never...” Mason raised his brow but I shook my head. “I had a little childhood crush on him a long time ago. Back when he saw me as just a kid. Once I grew up and was in high school, I think Jake started to see me a little differently but by that time, he was more like a brother to me.”

  “So, nothing ever happened between you two?” Mason studied me carefully.

  “No. Never.”

  He let out a breath and I could see a visible change in the tension in his shoulders. I wasn’t sure why he was so relieved but something about it made me smile inside.

  We climbed the porch steps and Mason went to open the front door for me when I paused.

  “Hey, Mason?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Sit on the front porch with me for a little bit?”

  “Sure.”

  We sat on the front porch swing in comfortable silence except for the swing which creaked with every sway but it was nice to share the moment with Mason. The quiet of the evening was strange when I’d become so used to the constant hum of the city. It was like I could finally take a deep breath, one I’d needed for a while.

  “This is really nice out here,” Mason spoke as though he were deep in thought.

  “Yeah, it really is.” I breathed in the fresh country air and let it out slowly, closing my eyes and laying my head against the back of the swing.

  A cool breeze blew and I shivered in the early fall air.

  “Cold?”

  “A little chilled.”

  “You want to go on inside?”

  “Just a few more minutes.”

  Mason wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side to keep me warm and rested my head on his shoulder, soaking in his warmth. It was a strange but nice feeling being so close to him.

  For some reason, in that moment, the way Mason had acted around Jake came to mind. All those tense looks and how he didn’t act like he liked him very much, though I was never sure why until it dawned on me. I felt silly for even considering it but I had to know.

  “Mason?” I lifted my head from his shoulder to look at him.

  “Hmm?” he startled from staring out at the dark open field and looked at me.

  “Were you...jealous of Jake?”

  “Jealous? Why would I—?”

  “You’re right. It’s stupid. I just thought maybe—” I turned to look away from him, embarrassed that I’d even considered the possibility.

  Before I could finish my thought, Mason scooped his fingers under my chin, lifting my face to look up into his eyes again. He wanted to say something but he was holding back as his eyes darted around my face, looking at one eye then the other, down to my mouth and back up again. He met my eye with a new kind of determination just before he cupped my jaw and dove in, bringing his lips crashing onto mine.

  He kissed me with so much passion and need that everything around us disappeared. His tongue skimmed along the seam of my mouth and I opened for him. Our tongues danced together before he suddenly pulled away, leavi
ng me breathless.

  “I’m sorry, I—”

  “I’m not.” I whispered in a husky voice. I placed my hand on his cheek, and leaned in to plant a soft, tender kiss on his lips.

  He kissed me back with just as much tenderness. He ran his fingers through my hair gently as we kissed for a long time until the night’s chill drove us inside. He kissed me and kissed me like he never wanted to stop and I didn’t want him to.

  We were suddenly startled apart by Mason’s phone ringing. He glanced down at the caller i.d. Before looking up at me apologetically.

  “This is Hunter. It could be about those guys who attacked us. I have to take this.”

  “It’s okay, I understand.” and I did.

  “Carlile,” Mason answered as he walked toward the door.

  “I’m really tired. I’m going to go ahead and start getting ready for bed.” I whispered to Mason.

  “Hang on,” he said into the phone and looked at me. “I’m really sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll see you inside when you’re done.”

  Mason nodded and went back to his call.

  CHAPTER 12

  Mason

  I woke up to the bright sun shining through the window of Hana’s grandmother’s cabin. Faint music flowed in from beyond the closed bedroom door.

  I climbed out of bed and slipped on my pants before going out into the main part of the house. I followed the sound of the music to the kitchen. The sight before me brought a smile to my lips. Hana stood in the kitchen with her back to me, swaying energetically to the upbeat yet sensual music pouring from the radio and singing while she cooked, though I couldn’t see what from my vantage point.

  I watched for several minutes. When one song ended, I couldn’t resist applauding her. She squealed and whirled around in shock.

  “Geez, you scared me half to death. How long have you been standing there?”