“Thank you! I’m so glad you’re here. It would have felt wrong without you.”
Pulling back, her sister grinned at her. “And I appreciate you keeping the bungalow for me to use. It was nice having the bed to myself this time and not having to go and sleep in my childhood room while getting pressured by Mom to move back.”
“Well, damn. I was about to pressure you to move back.” Peyton teased.
“Ugh…not you too. Not today…”
“Okay, fine. But I can’t guarantee the bungalow will be here the next time. I’m almost completely moved in with Ryder and there’s no reason to keep it.”
“Can we put that on hold for today?” Parker asked. “I don’t want to talk about my messed up life when today is your big day.” She squeezed Peyton’s hand and smiled again.
“What? What are you smiling at?”
“Your ring! My God, how is it possible for one man to have such good taste in everything? Jewelry? Women? Clothes? I mean…just look at him, Peyton! Ryder is just…”
“He’s like James Bond,” she said with a small laugh. “The first time he walked into the café, that’s what I thought. And I can say with great confidence that he is the best in every single way.”
“TMI, Peyton,” her sister murmured, kissing her on the cheek. “I’m going to go. I’ll see you over at Mason’s.”
They hugged again and Peyton stood and watched as Parker ran over and hugged Ryder.
And possibly whispered something in his ear.
Ryder nodded and Parker turned and walked to her car while Ryder walked directly to her.
“What was that all about?”
“What was what all about?”
“My sister. What did she say to you?”
He waved her off and began to lead her over to his car. “Just telling me how awesome I am and how nobody’s better than me,” he said with a laugh.
“Somebody’s rather full of themselves. Again.”
“Part of my charm,” he replied, helping her into the car.
“It certainly is,” she agreed. And as Ryder walked around the front of the car, she couldn’t help but smile. When he climbed in beside her, she was nodding.
“What? Now what did I do?” he asked.
“Everything. You truly are the best, Ryder Ashford, and I love you.”
“I love you too. Now let’s go celebrate!”
A Look Back at the Bishop Family with
In Case You Didn’t Know
“Success.” Mason Bishop looked around the room with a satisfied grin. Sure he was alone and talking to himself, but he was alone in a place of his own and it was beyond exciting. It was something he should have done long ago, but he’d let himself be guilted long enough.
Collapsing down on his new sectional, he studied his surroundings with a sense of accomplishment. It was something he was always going to do, but a week ago he had hit his limit at home and decided the time had finally come.
Of course the fact that his cousin Sam kept poking at him because he still lived with his parents had helped, but…
As if on cue, his phone rang and there was Sam’s name on the screen.
“Hey!”
“So?” Sam asked giddily. “Is it glorious? Please tell me it’s glorious!”
Mason couldn’t help but laugh. “I just put the last of the boxes in the trash so I haven’t had the time for it to feel particularly glorious yet, but…”
“Okay, fine. Pretend, for crying out loud. You’re in your own place and it’s filled with your own stuff. Doesn’t it feel great?”
It would be fun to keep needling one another, but to what end? “You know what? It does,” he said with a big grin. “I slept here last night but there were boxes and crap everywhere. Now everything is put away and...yeah, I guess it is kind of glorious.”
“There you go! Now don’t you feel like a complete idiot for waiting for so long?”
“Weren’t you living with your mom up until a couple of months ago?”
“Dude, that was totally different. I’d been living on my own up in Virginia for years. It was only when I was forced to move here that I chose to live with my mother. Apples and oranges.”
“Maybe.”
“No maybes about it,” Sam countered. “And now Shelby and I are living together and it’s awesome.”
“You sure that’s a good idea? Moving in together so soon? Her father’s a pastor. The gossip mill must be going crazy with the news!”
“Thanks. Like I needed the reminder,” Sam deadpanned.
“And?”
“And what?”
“C’mon, are you telling me there’s been no backlash? No one spouting how you’re living in sin and whatnot?”
Sam let out a low laugh. “Oh, they spout it all the time, but we’re good with it. We both know this is it for us and if anyone really starting hassling us, we’re more than okay with going to the courthouse, making it legal, and shutting everyone up.”
Mason was pretty sure his jaw hit the floor. “Wait…what? Are you serious? Making it…? Who are you and what have you done with my cousin!”
That just made Sam laugh harder. “When you know, you know. And with Shelby…I know.”
And damn if he couldn’t hear his cousin’s smile.
It was enough to make a guy sick.
“Wow…just…” He let out a long breath. “I never thought I’d live to see the day.”
“Yeah, well…me either. But like I said, she’s it for me. But I appreciate the uh…concern.” He laughed again. “That’s what that was, right? You being concerned?”
“Um…yeah. Sure. We can call it that,” Mason said with a snicker. “We’re family and we just look out for one another, right?”
“Yes, we do. But enough about me. Weren’t we talking about you and the decisions you’re making for your own life?” He paused. “You know I was seriously just thinking of your own sanity, Mason. Every day I watched you die a little more while under your parents’ thumbs.”
“I know and now that it’s done, I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner–like as soon as I graduated college.”
“Hell, I’m still surprised you opted to move back here at all.”
Raking a hand through his hair, he looked up at the ceiling. “I tossed around the idea of moving somewhere else, but…believe it or not, I like it here. I see all the things I want to do and help change. And if it means I have to live under the watchful eye of my folks, I’ll live.”
“They’ll get hobbies eventually, right?” Sam teased.
“God I hope so.”
“They will. And either way, this move is going to be great for you. Trust me.”
He didn’t need his cousin to tell him that, he already knew it.
Could feel it too.
Last night when he’d carried in the last box and closed the door behind him, Mason felt like he had taken his first free breath.
Sad, right?
“I do trust you and I know the time was right because everything fell into place. The house - even though it’s only a rental - is the perfect size for me. A couple of years from now I might be ready to buy a place, but for now this works.”
“If you’d make a damn decision on the bar Pops left you, you know you could have afforded something of your own. I mean, why are you holding on to this place? Let it go already!”
Yeah, everyone had been in his face about the Mystic Magnolia and Mason had to admit, the whole thing still stumped him. Everyone else got an inheritance that made sense except him. Granted, he never felt the closeness to Pops his sisters or his cousins did, but to be left a decrepit old dive bar just seemed like a slap in the face.
Although–if he was being honest–he’d admit there was one tiny reason he was still holding on to it…
“I’ll deal with it when I’m ready,” he stated, unwilling to let his mind wander any more than it already had. “The lawyer said there wasn’t a rush and everything is being handled - bills are being
paid and all so...I’m still trying to wrap my brain around it all.”
“You mean why Pops gave you the place only old locals go to?” Sam teased. “And I mean old! No one under the age of sixty-five goes there!”
“Okay, that’s not that old…”
“C’mon, fess up. Pops took you there when you were younger, didn’t he,” Sam prodded. “The place must hold some significance to you and that’s why he felt like you should be the one to have it.”
“Why would I go to a bar with my great-grandfather? That’s just...it’s weird, Sam.”
“Some could say it was like bonding, but whatever.”
“Look, Pops never took me to the Mystic Magnolia or any other bar so...I’m stumped.”
“Did he give you a letter? I thought we all got letters.”
Rubbing a hand over his face, Mason let out a long breath. “He said a lot of things in my letter but none explained why he thought I should get that place.”
“Really? Huh...that’s strange. What did he say?”
“It was like he was channeling his inner Yoda or something. He spoke in all kinds of riddles. It was weird.”
“Like what?”
Ugh...this really wasn’t something he wanted to talk about right now. He was feeling all good and proud of himself and had been ready to order a pizza and kick back and enjoy it here in his new place and now his cousin was crapping all over his good mood.
“Look, you um...you wanna come over for some pizza?” he said, hoping to change the subject. “I was just getting ready to order one when you called.”
Luckily Sam could be easily distracted.
“Wish I could, but rain check, okay? Shelby and I have dinner plans with Jake and Mallory. You wanna join us?”
The laugh escaped before he could stop it. “Right. Why wouldn’t I want to be the fifth wheel at dinner? I think I’ll pass.”
Catching his meaning, Sam laughed. “Yeah. Okay, I get it. Are you going to the benefit concert tomorrow night?”
“Shit,” he murmured. “Is that tomorrow?”
Sam chuckled. “Yup. I think your mom bought out the entire VIP section.”
He groaned. “Of course she did.” He paused. “Wait, the Magnolia Amphitheater has a VIP section? Seriously?”
“Sure. Most places do.”
“Still, that place isn’t all that big–like 2,500 seats max.”
“And that has to do with VIP seats…why?”
He groaned again. “Never mind. It doesn’t really matter. We’ll all be there so…wait, who’s playing?”
“A couple of bands, I think. I didn’t pay much attention either, but they’re all somewhat local.”
For the life of him, the name of the band escaped him, but it didn’t really matter. “Go have dinner and tell everyone I said hey and I’ll see you all at the show tomorrow.”
“Yeah, sure. Sounds like a plan. Have a good night.”
“You too.”
After he hung up, Mason stretched his arms out along the top of the sofa cushions and smiled. He could order some pizza and maybe invite some friends over and not have to hear about what other people his age were doing or who had just gotten married or engaged or who would be a suitable spouse for him. Seriously, he loved his parents but their obsession with his life had gotten out of control.
Ten days ago had been the breaking point.
He had come home from work to find his mother having wine with a woman he’d never met before. Leslie....something. Mason had figured she was involved in one of his mother’s many charity projects and said a brief hello and went to go change so he could go for a run.
That’s when it all went wrong.
“Mason, sweetie,” his mother said in her best southern drawl. “You can’t go for a run. You have dinner reservations in thirty minutes with Leslie.”
The rage he had felt in that moment had been like nothing he’d ever felt before. In the past he’d dealt with being introduced to women his parents thought would be a good match for him or being asked to take out one of their friends’ daughters, but this was the first time he had been so blatantly ambushed in his own home.
Forcing a smile onto his face, he looked at Leslie and said, “I’m so sorry you were misled, but...I already have plans this evening.” When he turned to leave the room, his mother had jumped to her feet and come after him, berating him for being rude.
“Rude?” he snapped. “You made dinner reservations for me with a stranger without talking to me about it and I’m being rude? This is it! I’m not doing this anymore! You have interfered with my life for the last time!”
The argument had gone on for hours and even though his father had come home and tried to calm things down, it was too late. The damage was done. Mason had walked to his room, packed a bag and walked out.
And hadn’t talked to either parent since.
He spent a week staying at Magnolia on the Beach - a small local hotel - and frantically combed the real estate ads looking for a place to live. The house was a complete godsend and when it was available immediately, he knew it was meant to be his. Furnishing it had been a breeze since his cousin Mallory owned the local decor place in town and helped him and then his sisters had both taken turns bringing some of his things from home over to him. They could be total pains in the ass at times, but he was thankful for them right now.
It was quiet and for a long minute he sat there and enjoyed it and then...not so much. He wasn’t used to it and he had a feeling it would be a while before he was. Suddenly the thought of sitting home eating pizza wasn’t quite so appealing, but then again, neither was going out to a bar or going out to eat alone.
Maybe he should’ve been the fifth wheel.
“This is ridiculous,” he murmured coming to his feet. He’d lived in this town his entire life. Surely he could go out and grab something to eat and maybe run into a friend or two and kill some time before coming back here alone.
Or maybe...not alone.
Hell, he could finally bring a woman home instead of either going to her place or going to a motel!
The idea had merit.
But then…it didn’t.
Honestly, he was tired, sweaty, and hungry. There was no shame in admitting that a quiet night in his own home was really what he wanted. Still, now he didn’t want pizza, he wanted something with a little more substance. Feeling like he had a bit of a plan, he walked with purpose into his new en suite bathroom to shower so he could go out and grab something to eat before settling in for the night with some Netflix.
“I think my virginity is growing back.”
“Engine grease under your fingernails isn’t very attractive, Scar. Maybe that’s why guys aren’t banging down your door to ask you out. But that’s just my opinion.”
Scarlett Jones looked down at her hands and frowned.
Damn.
With a shrug, she walked back into her bathroom to rewash her hands. Yeah, she wasn’t a girly girl. She grew up working in her father’s garage alongside him and her three brothers and it turned out she really had a gift for working on motorcycles. If the engine grease and the smell of gasoline on her didn’t turn guys off, the fact that she was fiercely independent did.
Did it bother her? Yes.
Enough to make her quit? No.
Glancing up at her reflection, Scarlett couldn’t help but wonder what was wrong with her. In just about every other aspect of her life, she was confident–sometimes overly so. She was smart and caring and always willing to help out anyone in need. Everyone was always saying how great she was.
And yet, she hadn’t been in a relationship in a long time.
Like…a really long time.
Hence the fear of her virginity growing back.
Turning off the water, she shook out her hands as she continued to stare at herself. While there wasn’t anything particularly remarkable about her, she was bold enough to know she was attractive–long, wavy brown hair, dark brown eyes, and -if she did say so hers
elf, a pretty kickass body. So why couldn’t she seem to attract a decent guy?
“You’re not pissed at me, are you?”
Reaching for a hand towel, Scarlett pulled herself from her thoughts and looked over at her best friend Courtney. With a smile, she replied, “Nah. That would be a pretty stupid reason to be mad. I had grease under my nails and you were just pointing it out. No biggie.”
Only…it did bother her.
Not that Courtney had pointed it out, but that it was there in the first place and she hadn’t noticed it.
And it probably wasn’t the first time.
“Are you sure? Because you just sort of up and walked away.”
Scarlett tossed the towel aside before holding up her hands and wiggling her fingers. “To get rid of the grease!” With a small laugh, she walked past Courtney and back out into her bedroom. “Okay, where are we going tonight? Do I need to change?”
Looking down at herself, she seriously hoped not. She was comfortable. For the most part, they stuck to the local pubs and going out in jeans and a nice top were fine. But lately, Courtney had been wanting to broaden their horizons and that meant dressing up more.
She bit her tongue to prevent her from complaining out loud.
Courtney walked across the room and flopped down on the bed with a dramatic sigh.
That can’t be good, Scarlett thought, but waited her friend out.
Busying herself with straightening up her room and not looking for something else to wear, she mentally prayed Courtney would just say what was on her mind.
“I think I want to move,” she finally said and Scarlett immediately gasped in shock.
“What? Why? Where?”
Sitting up, Courtney flipped her hair over her shoulder and sighed again. “Anywhere. I’m just never going to do anything or meet anyone if I stay here. I’m over small-town life.”
They’d had this conversation multiple times and for the most part, Scarlett was used to it. Walking over, she sat down on the bed beside her. “Okay, what brought this on? Last weekend we went out and had a great time and I seem to remember seeing you make out with Mike Ryan.” Then she winked. “And I distinctly remember watching you wave goodbye to me as you left with him.”
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