by Kate Benson
“Literally every bartender who knows how to make an old-fashioned.”
I stare back at him, my jaw set, my head shaking slowly.
“Why don’t you kiss my ass, Dash?” My words do little more than bring another laugh from his chest as he rises from his seat, taking a look at himself before he pulls out his phone and moves to take a picture for Evie. “I don’t know what you’re laughing at.”
“I’m laughing at you,” he says bluntly. “I love you to death, bro, but sometimes you act like a whiny beeotch.”
“I hate you,” I lie, pausing to smile for the picture before he snaps two and lowers the phone. He begins to speak but something stops him, his eyes pulling away from me almost instantly. “What?”
“Hey, check these out,” he starts, moving toward the rack. When he lifts to blue shirt, complete with white sparrows sketched over the fabric, my eyes go wide. “You think Evie would like this?”
Before I can reply, my phone begins blazing in my pocket, pulling my attention just slightly.
“Speak of the she-devil,” I groan, pulling his eyes to mine, though the shirt is still securely in his tattooed hand as he starts toward the dressing room. “I can’t let you do it, man.”
“What?”
“Back away from the bird shirt,” I insist, swiping over the button and reluctantly pulling the phone to my ear. “Yeah?”
chapter ten
alex
“You know, I don’t think I’ve never seen you in a good mood.”
“Well, up until about eighteen months ago, I was in a good mood all the time,” he argues, and I don’t have to see him to know he’s shrugging indifferently. “What do you think that says about you?”
“Hey, someone’s been practicing,” I commend him sarcastically, unable to stifle my amusement at his clever insult. “Good for you.”
“Thanks. I can’t tell you what that means to me,” he replies dryly. “What’s up? Why are you calling me?”
“Because your sister asked me to,” I clarify, turning the low huff filling the line into silence. I’m about to continue when his voice cuts me off again.
“I’m waiting?”
“Would you chill the hell out already? I’m working on it,” I spit, throwing my arms up in frustration. “Jesus. You’re so freaking impatient. I just need to know if you’re on your way back or if you’re going to be modeling lumberjack couture a little while longer.”
“That’s why you’re calling me?”
“Evie. Asked. Me. To.” I ground out, each of the words feeling as if they’re being caught between my gritted teeth. “Would you please just answer me so I can get off the phone?”
“He’s almost done,” he finally replies. “And just for future reference, don’t call me with bullshit like this again. I don’t have time for it.”
“Oh, am I annoying you?” I ask, my voice dripping in feigned concern, mocking his complaints. “Are you super busy and important and your mean old boss is being unfair to you again?”
“You’re an asshole,” he replies. I don’t have to see him to know he’s shaking his head, fuming – probably while wearing a plaid tiara. “I’m just saying we could’ve summed all of this up a lot easier via text.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I allow, releasing a low sigh. “Hey, I have an idea!”
“What?”
“Why don’t you get fucked via yourself, Brawny man?”
mason
Despite his genuine look of concern when I angrily shove my phone back into my pocket, Dash laughs way too hard at my recap as we make our way back to his truck. By the time we pull into the parking lot at the apartment, his laughter has faded, but only just, putting me in a hell of a mood. I’m about to call him out on it when his phone rings, cutting me off.
“I’m gonna head up, man,” I tell him, earning a nod.
I grab a few of the groceries and make my way upstairs, smiling at Evie’s laughter through the door before my joy is wiped away by the sound of Alex’s voice following shortly after. Instinctually, I glance down at my shirt and shake my head in annoyance.
“This is a cool ass shirt,” I grumble to myself as I reach for the handle. “Asshole.”
I step inside and their combined voices grow even louder, halfway making me smile again, halfway making me cringe.
“So then I told her to just throw it all in the bag and I ran out the side door before anyone else saw,” Evie giggles, pulling a louder squeal from Alex that has them both doubled over. “Well, what was I supposed to do?”
“Leave!” Alex insists through her laughter. “If that ever happens again, just get the hell out of there!”
“I couldn’t! I needed the veil!”
“Oh, my God,” Alex sighs, both of them still in hysterics as they glance up to find me coming through the door.
“Hey!” Evie smiles widely at me. “Bro Bunyan made it back!”
My smile immediately fades into a look of contempt focused directly on Alex, my eyes deadpanning further when she chokes on her wine and falls against Evie’s shoulder in another fit of laughter.
“So, I see you two have been busy,” I sneer, stepping passed them toward the kitchen to set down the bags.
“Oh, don’t be like that, Mase,” Evie smirks from the couch. “Paul Bunyan’s like … the coolest one.”
“Yeah?” I ask, eyebrows raised. “Name another one that isn’t the Brawny man.”
My words make her choke on her laughter before finally, she stands from the couch and makes her way into the kitchen beside me.
“Tom Selleck?” she tries. “No, he’s an actor,” she shakes her head before her eyes light up and she gives my arm a little pat of encouragement. “Hey, but I bet if you grew a really cool porn ‘stache, no one would even notice how dorky your clothes are.”
“What the hell is he doing to you?” I ask, shaking my head. “When I gave you to him, you were sweet as sugar and now look at you. Mean as shit.”
“As much as I enjoy blaming things on others, I don’t think we can put all of this on Dash, Mase,” she admits. “Besides, I’ve always thought you could dress better.”
“Yeah? So, what are we really saying here?” I probe sarcastically. “You think I ought to strut around for six months out of the year wearing a Ramones t-shirt and shitty black combat boots that went out of style in the ninth grade? Would that make me cooler to you?”
“Aw, honey. No,” she smirks, her expression growing sympathetic. “You could never pull that off, Mase.”
“Whatever,” I roll my eyes, internally resolving to throw this shirt out once and for all after the appropriate time has passed so it’s not obvious it’s all connected to this barrage of bullshit. “Give me your baby.”
“Here,” she giggles, carefully shifting Miles into my arms. “So, how did everything go?” Evie asks in a near-whisper, standing from the couch and making her way over to me. “Did he do everything I asked him to do?”
“Yeah,” I nod, my irritation fading as I’m met with blue eyes, dark curls and baby coos. “It was touch and go there for a minute, but the bird shirt idea has officially flown the coop.”
“Thank God,” she says dramatically, making me smirk. “Is he on his way up?”
“Yeah, he got a phone call,” I explain, my attention still solely on the baby. “Are the twins still napping?”
“Yeah,” she says. “I’m about to go get them up, though.”
The front door swings open and Dash steps inside, making his way toward Evie immediately.
“Hey babe,” he says, sounding slightly out of breath as he presses his lips to her hair. “Sorry, the garage called me just as we were pulling up,” he explains, glancing over her shoulder to get a better look at the baby. “Hey handsome.”
“Hey man,” I tease, making Evie smirk before I glance back at her. “I thought you weren’t supposed to wake a sleeping baby?”
“Well, I guess you’re not, but if I let them bank up too much
energy, they’re going to keep me up half the night.”
“They got that from me,” Dash winks, making me cringe.
“Why?” I ask, making him laugh.
“I don’t know,” he admits with a shrug. “Shit’s just funny,” he smirks, taking the baby from me and blowing kisses over his cheeks. “Daddy’s funny,” he sings to Miles, making Evie’s smile widen. “You’re my best friend.”
“He’s about to be your only friend,” I grumble, making Evie giggle as she watches them move into the living room. We follow after, the two of them taking a seat on the couch beside Alex and I settle into the recliner, leaning forward on my knees. “So, you said that was the garage calling you back?”
“Yeah,” Dash looks up, his eyes holding slight apology as he faces Alex. “They didn’t have the part in stock at the shop,” he sighs. “They’re getting it, but it’s going to be at least Saturday before they can get your car finished.”
“Oh, no,” she groans, resting her head in one hand before she reaches for her wine glass with the other.
“I’m sorry,” he offers, making her wave him off.
“Don’t be,” she insists. “You helped me out a lot, I just don’t know what I’m going to do all week without a car. I guess I could try and get a rental or something, but…”
“No, don’t waste your money on a rental,” Evie shakes her head. “Save yourself the headache. We’re spending the week together anyway, girl. I can just pick you up for wedding stuff and you know this city better than all of us combined,” she continues. “I know it’s a pain in the ass to be without a car of your own, but everything you could possibly need is right next to that hotel.”
“And my buddy who’s working on your car is coming with his wife to the wedding on Saturday,” Dash interjects. “He’s just going to follow her up in your car the morning of, so you won’t have to worry about that,” Dash interjects. “As for the anything else you need,” he trails off, his eyes moving from sympathetic to amused as they find their way to mine. “I’m sure Mason won’t mind-”
My eyes grow wide, internally cursing his words, willing him to shut the hell up. Instead, he lets out a choked laugh and rights his expression immediately before he returns his gaze to hers.
“He would be happy to help. He said so himself. ‘Anything to help my baby sister have the wedding of her dreams’,” Evie finishes for him through clenched teeth, her eyes widening in my direction this time, more subtle, but more silently vicious, both of us ignoring Dash’s look of amusement. “Right, Mase?”
Dammit.
DammitDammitDammit.
“Mas-”
“Yes,” I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose as I swallow every ounce of happiness I’ve ever known in my life. “Of course, I’ll do that for you, Eve.”
chapter eleven
alex
“Thanks again for dinner,” I smile toward Evie as we all begin to lift from the couch cushions. Before she can answer, I move my gaze to Dash. “And for helping me with my car. I really appreciate the hookup. I can’t say it enough.”
“You already have,” Evie replies, both of them waving me off. “As far as dinner goes, feeding you is the least we can do and believe me when I say it, I’ll be calling in a few favors of my own this week. We’ll be more than square.”
Her words make me smile wider and when I pull her in for a hug, it’s a tight one, the kind you reserve for the truest of friends.
“Well, consider me officially on call,” I wink, kissing her cheek and giving Dash a quick side hug before I move my attention toward Dallas. “Do you want to come with me?” I ask playfully, my chest warming when he lets out a peal of giggles. “I could eat your dimples for dessert.”
“Package deal,” Dash teases with a wide grin. “You take one, you take ‘em all.”
“That’s okay with me,” I sing toward Aspen. “I can have your chubby little cheeks for breakfast before I bring you back to your mama.”
“That’s what you think,” Mason teases from his place near the doorway. “They’d be halfway to Mexico by breakfast.”
His words earn a shrug from Evie and a thoughtful look from Dash and I can’t help but smirk as I glance over to find him fawning over Miles.
There are a lot of terrible things I can say about Mason King, but I’d be lying if I said the hidden side of him as an uncle didn’t offer him a little instant redemption. It’s like that, though, right? No matter how awful the guy might be, if he’s good with kids, your ovaries kind of turn on you for a split second.
Traitorous fuckers.
I shake my thoughts away as quickly as they come and return my affection to the twins.
“Here,” he laughs, carefully repositioning Baby Miles in his arms as Aspen happily goes to Dash’s free arm. “Take him or I’m moving in,” he promises, gently pressing his lips to his forehead before he hands him back to Evie. “I’ll be here to spring ya in the morning, kid.”
“Love you,” Evie laughs at his words, smiling sweetly when he kisses her hair. “You know where the hotel is, right?”
“Yeah,” he nods, rolling his eyes when she mouths an order for him to be nice to me that I pretend not to see. “Shut up,” he whispers, making her shake her head. “Love you.”
“See you in the morning, bro,” Dash says, following us out. “Alex, I’ll have Evie text you later if I hear anything else about your car.”
“Thank you!” I call back, blowing Evie a kiss before the door shuts quietly behind us, leaving me and Mason alone on the small, concrete porch.
The moment our eyes meet, we’re still both smiling awkwardly and we shake our heads clear at the same time.
“You ready?” he asks, pulling a nod from me that he barely acknowledges before he gestures for me to take the steps first.
We’re approaching his car, the city lights of Austin in the distance tugging at a part of me I’d hoped I’d forget the moment I left.
“I’m over here,” he says, stepping past me and hitting the key fob to unlock the doors when we get close enough.
“You know, you don’t have to take me, Mason,” I offer, both of our feet coming to a slow stop, his expression somewhat surprised when it finds mine. “It’s really okay. I know you were just offering to make Evie happy and it’s fine,” I continue, no malice or façade in my voice. “I can call a cab. I really don’t mind.”
He considers my words, seeming to weigh his options, probably trying to determine if the risk of his sister finding out he left me in a parking lot is worth the ten minutes of extra solitude I’m offering him with my out.
Finally, he shakes his head.
“Don’t be crazy. I wouldn’t leave you out here in the middle of nowhere.”
“We aren’t in the middle of nowhere,” I shake my head, unable to stifle the smirk. “I lived here for years, Mason. I know my way around this city better than most. I can have a cab here in five minutes and be at the hotel in less than twenty. It’s totally fine.”
“Well, I mean, do you want to call a cab?” he asks, shrugging slightly.
“I don’t mind calling a cab.”
“That’s not what I asked you,” he argues immediately. “If you would rather take a cab, I’m not going to force you into my car, Alex,” he smirks, though there’s little mistruth or amusement in it. “If it’s that, you just have to say s-”
“I know you only agreed because Evie asked you to,” I cut him off. “And I get that, so it’s really not a big deal for me to make other arrangements. I won’t say anything to her if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I’m a grown ass man. I’m not worried about anything,” he shrugs nonchalantly once more, moving toward the car and surprising me when he pulls my door open for me and moves around the hood. “Get in the car, Alex. Despite what you might think of me, I’m not a total douchebag.”
I make my way to the car and slip inside, something inside me warming just a little as he climbs behind the wheel beside me. M
aybe it’s the fact that I’ve spent the bulk of the day watching him with his family, maybe it’s my exhaustion, maybe it’s nothing more than the fact that I’m lonely and the street lights above us are illuminating his Roman features in a way I’ve never noticed before tonight. I can’t be sure, but whatever it is, my feelings toward Mason don’t feel quite as harsh as they had this morning on the drive up. I wouldn’t call him a friend, not by a longshot, but I’m surprised when I realize that the hatred I’ve spent harboring for him over the last year and a half is a little more dim tonight than usual.
I glance over as he cranks the ignition and release an almost silent sigh.
“Thank you,” I say awkwardly, forcing my eyes away from the ridges in his arms and pulling a nod from him. We ride in silence for the first few blocks, coming to a slow at a red light and I glance over, the red hue staining his features and muting the pattern in the flannel I’d been giving him shit over for the bulk of the day. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re a total douchebag.”
“Hmph,” he snorts, disbelief written all over his features. “Is that a fact?”
“Sure,” I shrug, leaning back further into the seat. “I mean, seventy, eighty percent? Obviously, but…”
My words trail off and I smirk at my own cleverness, surprised when I glance over to find him failing to hide his own amusement.
“Well, the night’s still young, I guess,” he muses, pulling forward as I shake my head, stifling another smirk. “Do me a favor, will you?” he asks, gesturing toward the ash tray. “Will you reach in the back of that and hand me that joint.”
“What?” I reel, my hand freezing. “I’m not handing you a joint while you’re driving!”
“Why not?” he asks, making my jaw drop for a moment before he stifles a smirk. “I’m not going to smoke it while I’m driving,” he offers. “I’ll wait ‘til we’re in the lot, I just want a couple hits before we go inside.”