by Kate Benson
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” I agree. “And please stop thanking me. Of course, I’m going to help you in any way I can. That’s what friends are for and I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“Thanks,” she says, her eyes softening slightly once more, this time glistening just a little with tears that she blinks back almost immediately. “Okay,” she says, pushing out a deep breath before refocusing on me. “I can’t get emotional yet.”
I’m smiling gently at her reaction, about to reply, when I feel a hand touch my shoulder, jolting my attention.
“Allie? Is that -” he starts, making the color drain from my face. Sonofabitch. “What are you doing here? I thought you moved.”
“I did,” I manage, swallowing hard as I take in the blonde, wavy hair that had threatened my dreams for at least a month after I’d last seen them. “I um…”
“Who’s your friend, Allie?” Evie sings, making me inwardly groan. Somehow, I spaced the fact that the smartass gene runs in the family. “Hi, I’m Evie.”
“Hey,” he smiles, extending his hand to her. “Brian. Nice to meet you.”
They exchange pleasantries for a moment, and I take the chance to arrange my thoughts, the familiar bike shorts and hideous knee brace making me slide a little lower into my seat. Evie’s one of my very best friends, so we’d obviously had the whole ‘ex-talk’ more than once, but somehow, having one of them sweating in front of her with his ridiculous toe-shoes is humiliating on an entirely different level.
“So, when do you go back?” His voice intrudes my thoughts once more, pulling my horrified gaze from his fanny pack and up to his eyes. “I wish I’d known you were in town.”
“Why?” I ask, unable to bite the word back before it’s out there in the world, making an ass out of me. “I mean, why didn’t I think to call you?” I stumble, giggling awkwardly. “I’m just… you know me. Total flake.”
“Yeah,” he smirks, making me deadpan. “Anyway, well it was good to see you. You look great.”
“Thanks,” I offer, trying my best to twist away from his sweaty forehead kiss. “Okay,” I laugh nervously. “Drive – err – bike safe?”
“She’s a character,” he shakes his head at Evie, chuckling like a moron. “Good to meet ya.”
“Believe me. The pleasure was all mine,” she laughs easily, shaking his hand before he goes. When he’s gone, I can feel her beaming back at me. “Wow.”
“Please don’t.”
“How long were you riding tandem with that guy?” she asks, glancing over her shoulder long enough to take in a glimpse of his padded bike shorts. I groan. “Oh, my God. I’m so glad we came here.”
“I’m going back to bed.”
“Oh, calm down. We’ve all dated weirdos,” she shrugs, waving me off. “So, anyway. Speaking of awkward encounters with guys, how’d things go yesterday with Mase?” she asks. “Huge dick?”
“What?” I ask, my cheeks immediately burning crimson as I lean forward against the table, choking slightly on my tea. “How did you-?”
“Just a good guess,” she shrugs. “He’s always a jerk to you. I don’t know what his problem is,” she rolls her eyes and it’s not until now that I realize what she’d actually said. I clear my throat and feel my cheeks go crimson. “He’s always been overprotective – which I get since he practically raised me,” she trails off, her words stunning me. “But he’s only ever been that way with my guy friends. I don’t know why he’s always been so harsh to you.”
“Did you say Mason raised you?” I ask, her words not making much sense, especially since I’d met her amazing mother more than once.
“Kind of,” she shrugs. “I mean, we obviously had mom, but I was still in grade school when our dad died, so Mason stepped up and helped her take care of me, kept me on track, put me through art school and all of that,” she explains, her expression shifting slightly. “I never told you that?”
“No,” I shake my head, considering the things I’d accused him of the day before in the parking lot and swallow hard past the knot in my throat. “I knew y’all were close, but I had no idea.”
“You wouldn’t know it by talking to him, but he’s actually a real standup guy. Sometimes I wonder if the reason he’s been a little nuttier than usual the last couple of years is because he gave so much of his youth up to take care of me and he’s trying to make up for lost time,” she smiles fondly, glancing up to take in my expression. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Mhmm,” I nod my lie, taking another sip and willing my heart to calm. I’m an excellent secret keeper, but a terrible liar, especially when I’m keeping something from a friend. I know there’s a good chance that Evie wouldn’t care about what’s happened between me and Mason this week, but I also can’t be sure that her finding out the week of her wedding wouldn’t throw her right over the edge. Based on my conversation with Amy along with my own nerves about the entire situation, I think it’s best for everyone to keep mum until the wedding is behind her. “Sorry.”
“For what?” she giggles, waving me off. “Anyway, I’m sorry you have to deal with him being like that. I’ll make sure I talk to him again when he gets back from the airport with Mom. He probably just needs to get laid.”
I smile and nod, thankful that for this week, my typically perceptive friend is blissfully unaware of anything outside of her impending nuptials. It’s later than we expect by the time we make it back to her apartment and one look at Dash’s hair tells us the kids are wild. Evie springs into action, hitting Mommy-mode in a matter of seconds as she walks through the door and takes two babies from her fiancé and disappears down the hallway, the insanity lowering three levels almost instantly.
“Babe!” Dash bellows after her.
“Yeah?” she calls back, her voice muffled through the walls.
“You sure you don’t want any help?”
“Yeah,” she replies again, a chorus of laughter and screaming sounding out behind her. “I’m good. Take a fiver and then just clean something before Mom gets here. I got this.”
“Okay,” he calls back again, reaching into the fridge for a beer and falls into the cushions of the couch, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before his eyes move to mine. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I smile, setting my purse down on the ottoman before I bend to grab a few toys and toss them into a toybox in the corner.
“You don’t have to do that,” he shakes his head, shrugging when I wave him off. “At least grab a beer for payment,” he smirks, making me smile and I move to the fridge, accepting his offer before I start collecting more toys. “I was just fucking with you,” he chuckles. “Seriously, sit down. Don’t clean our house. I just need a minute,” he yawns, shaking his head. “All three of those kids are crazy like their mother.”
“What?” she calls out again, making me laugh.
“I said I love you!” he replies immediately.
“You’re a shit liar,” she says as she pops her head around the corner, making me laugh. “But I love you, too. Did you feed them?”
“Yes,” he says, draining his beer and standing up, tossing the empty into the trashcan before he rejoins me in the living room, changing to channel on the television to a game before he begins taking stock of the disaster the twins have left behind. “Did you two have fun?”
“Yeah,” I nod, sipping from my beer before I reach for a blanket and begin folding it, ignoring his look of disapproval. “We had lunch, went over a few more things for tonight, planned out tom-”
“You look different,” he cuts me off, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studies me before finally, he shakes his head clear, dismissing whatever thought he’d been having. “Sorry,” he continues, giving me another sideways glance. I look up at him, biting the inside of my cheek as I reach for my beer and sip in silence. “Hmm,” he shrugs. “Anyway, got it all planned out?”
“Yes,” I nod as I take a seat on the couch and chuckle at Vinnie’s raspy meow and matching scowl f
rom the other end. “Only a couple more errands and we’ll be good to-”
The door swings open, cutting me off, and before I can finish my sentence, Evie’s mother walks in, all smiles.
“Gammy’s here!” she sings out, setting her purse down on the side table beside the door before she reaches for Dash and grabs his face. “There’s the groom!”
She kisses his cheek and musses his hair, the childlike exchange making me smile softly to myself as I recall my own mother and swallow hard. She’d been just as sweet and welcoming as Donna, and every time I’ve been lucky enough to be near her, it always makes me miss my mom that much more.
“Mom?” Evie calls out, rounding the corner before she reappears into the living room, her hand lovingly covering Aspen’s ear as she lets out a squeal of excitement. “Oh, my God! You’re here!”
“I told you I would be, honey,” she laughs, pulling her close and pressing her lips to her hair before she takes a half step back and takes the baby from Evie’s arms. “There’s my baby girl!” she sings, splaying kisses all over her chubby cheeks as she peals with laughter. “Where are your brothers?”
“Here’s one of them,” Dash says as he emerges with Dallas, their matching dimples on full display. “Miles is down for a nap.”
“Then I guess we’ll have to eat that baby for dessert,” she baby talks to Dallas, making him squeal alongside his sister as she pulls him into her free arm. “Gammy missed these babies. Yes, she did. I’m never going to stop kissing these chee-”
The door swings open and light splays into the small apartment, pulling all our eyes to the door.
“Don’t worry, guys. I’ll get all the bags,” Mason deadpans, shaking his head as he steps over the threshold and drops the heaviest onto the floor dramatically.
“Aww, thanks, Bro,” Dash teases, taking one from his hand and pushing the door shut behind him. “Sorry, you know how they get.”
“Whatever,” he rolls his eyes, waving him off. I glance over at him at the same time his eyes make their way to mine and he shoots me a wink as his lips move into a small smile. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I smile back, returning my guilty gaze to my beer.
“Oh…” Dash says, pulling my attention back toward where they’re standing at the door, unable to stop the reddening of my cheeks when I take in his knowing grin. “That’s what’s different.”
“What?” Evie asks, looking over at them in time for Mason to shake his head.
“I got a haircut,” Mason answers for him, saving the three of us from a lie before he joins his mom and bravely takes one of the twins from her arms. “How much time do we have before we’re leaving?”
“I don’t know,” Evie shrugs. “Probably a couple of hours. Alex and I are going to get ready at the hotel in her room. I was thinking you and Dash could do the same. Have some bro time. You good with that, babe?”
“I’m fine with that,” Dash shrugs, glancing over at Mason. “Unless you’ve got other plans between now and then,” he winks. “Don’t want to get in your way.”
“What would he be doing?” Evie asks, laughing as she waves him off and pulls her mom toward the couch. “It’s fine. Mom, do you remember Alex?”
“Of course, I do,” she smiles, bending to kiss my hair, same as the others, and I can’t help but smile. She’s about to say more, but Evie excitedly cuts her off.
“Oh, my God!” she shouts, giving Dash a playful smack on his arm. “Guess what happened while we were out today?”
“What?”
“We ran into one of Allie’s ex-boyfriends at that coffee shop downtown.”
“Oh, yeah?” he smirks, glancing over at me just in time to chuckle at my reddened cheeks. “How’d that go?”
“It was disaster,” I assure him.
“Um, it was amazing,” Evie argues, her lips wide. “He had on those ugly toe shoes and was wearing the most hilarious bike shorts I’ve ever seen. They had this little cushion thing that was … blue?” she trails off, looking at me for confirmation, ignoring Dash’s laughter when I answer with a groan. “Yeah, like a weird, blue hemorrhoid pad. Anyway, he was just riding around like he was the man with his little fanny pack. I think he said he’s like training for the X games or some shit? I don’t know,” she shakes her head, still giggling. “Brian was kind of an ass clown. I don’t think he’s gonna make it.”
“How long did you talk to Brian?” Dash asks, his eyebrows quirking slightly.
“Only for a minute,” she shrugs, taking in his expression. “Don’t be like that. I didn’t have a choice, baby. Allie here was so embarrassed, she’d barely even looked at his new knee braces.”
“Why do you keep calling her Allie?” he asks, glancing over in time to find me shaking my head.
“Yes, Evie, why?” I demand, but she ignores me.
“That’s what the guy kept calling her!” she snorts, resting her hand on his chest as she cracks herself up. “I’m so happy I was there for that, girl.”
“Me, too,” I reply sarcastically, moving my eyes away and inadvertently landing on Mason.
I can’t help but notice the way he’s gone completely silent, barely looking at me. I let out another low, almost silent groan as I lean back against the couch.
“Don’t listen to them,” Donna says, pulling my eyes to her. “Trust me. I’ve seen all the yahoo’s they’ve brought home,” she rolls her eyes, making me smile. “It’s good to see you again, baby. How’ve you been?”
“Good, thank you,” I say, holding my smile. “Congratulations on the new place.”
“Thank you,” she beams. “All you kids are going to have to plan a road trip soon to come and see it.”
The group disperses and eventually, Mason makes his way over to the couch, Dallas sitting with a cookie happily on his lap as he reclaims the tv and claps along to the sound of Sesame Street. I’m zoning out, trying desperately to ignore the internal meltdown my ovaries are experiencing and am sure I’m being completely ignored when his low voice pulls at my thoughts.
“So, Allie, huh?” he says low. “That’s three so far this week. Any other aliases I should know about?”
“Why? Are you jealous?” I manage, picking at the label on my beer bottle nervously.
He says nothing, instead shaking his head almost imperceptibly in my peripheral. I release a low sigh, ready to turn on him to defend myself, but he cuts me short.
“Don’t look at me,” he whispers, yet his tone is sweeter than his words should allow. I release a low hum of acknowledgement, glancing out of the corner of my eye. “What time is Amy getting here?”
“Nine,” I say low, biting the inside of my cheek.
“What time are you and Evie supposed to go to the hotel?”
“Eight-ish,” I murmur, pulling an almost indiscernible nod from him.
“If you’re up for it, I could use a hot ten alone with you,” he admits, making my cheeks heat. “We’d need an excuse to leav-”
“Oh, crap!” I cut him off, pulling all the eyes in the room toward me all at once. “I completely spaced the liquor store and I bet it’s going to be packed if we stop on the way,” I sigh, resting my head against the back of the couch before I move my apologetic gaze to Evie’s. Dash’s mouth turns into a knowing smirk behind her that I ignore as he slips into the kitchen. “Mason? You think you could give me a ride?”
His face contorts slightly as he hides the low chuckle sitting in his chest, before he feigns annoyance and lifts from the couch.
“I guess I don’t really have a choice, do I?” he asks, as he hands the baby back to Donna and grabs his keys, moving toward the door before beckoning me to follow. I don’t miss the way he shoots me a discreet wink as I join him beside the front door. “I mean, it’s not like I can really tell you to go fuck yourself.”
chapter twenty-one
mason
“Bro!” he starts immediately as I pull the door open, eyebrows quirking together in confusion. “What the hell are you d
oing?”
“What’s your problem?” I ask, peeking my head out the door of my room to glance down the hallway before he roughly shoves me back inside.
“Evie’s on her way to your room right now,” he ignores me, eyes falling on a guilty Alex who is making her way out of the bathroom. “You two need to get your shit together. What the hell is taking you so long?”
“It’s only been like thirty-five minutes,” I argue, making his eyes deadpan.
“Dude, it’s been an hour and a half. I had to make up some bullshit to tell your sister to cover your ass.”
“For what?” I ask, moving toward the bed to grab my boots and pull them on. “Evie’s not gonna give a shit, Dash.”
“Any other weekend, I’d agree with you,” he shrugs, moving his eyes between us as he begins to slowly shake his head. “This weekend? The night before her wedding? You’re wrong.”
“Why?”
“You’re an idiot,” he insists. “Do you think she gives a rat ass about any of us right now?” he asks, not waiting for me to answer. “Hell no. She barely even cares if I’m at the wedding. None of us are anything more than supporting roles in her day, but I’m telling you man. If so much as a single hair is out of place, she’s going to straight up lose her shit.”
“No-”
“That woman hasn’t let herself have real sugar since she hit puberty and I watched her have a meltdown over buttercream icing with a raspberry trill or some bullshit at six o’clock this morning,” he cuts me off. “You’re not going to tell me shit, Mason. And stop making me cover for you. I lied for you one time, but that’s it. Get your life together and you?” he continues, glancing at Alex. “You’ve got about five minutes before she’s going to be over there knocking on your door.” He gestures across the hall toward her hotel room door before pushing the door to mine all the way open and beckoning her out. “Come on. We’re having fun in thirty minutes. Let’s move, people.”