Page 307 of Tell Me I'm Enough

“I’m not—”

That’s when I see them.

Bash is standing next to a bench, smiling at Lydia when he sees her.

And then I see…Mason.

My body goes still, and every nerve feels on fire seeing him.

He looks up, and his eyes instantly lock on mine. He looks like he’s trying to keep a serious face, but wants to break as soon as he sees me.

He looks so…different. Not just physically, although hedoeslook good. But now he also looks…healthier, more full of life, like I can see this new strength in him, even from this far away. He looks so similar to the version of him I first met, but now even better.

My heart drops into my stomach like I’m on a rollercoaster.

Lydia runs toward Bash like she hasn’t seen him in years, and leaps into his arms, kissing him.

My feet won’t move. I just stand there, stuck. Mason takes a step toward me slowly. Like he’s not sure if I’ll bolt.

“Simone,” he says.

His voice is softer than I remember. Still velvety and smooth in a way I’d never forget the sound of, though.

I swallow, throat tight. “Hi.”

He nods and smiles a little. “Hi.”

Lydia and Bash are off to the side now, talking quietly, giving us space like this isn’t the most insane ambush. I glance at Lydia like I’ve been betrayed, and she just gives me a look that says,Please don’t kill me.ThenI look back at Mason, who’s already looking at me, taking me in.

“You look…so beautiful,” he says quietly.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

We just stand there staring at each other awkwardly for a moment. Just two people who used to fit so perfectly together, now unsure where to put their feelings and words with each other.

“Why are you here?” I ask, still trying to wrap my head around him being inmycity.

“I…wanted to talk.”

“Was the flight easier than a phone call?”

He smirks at that, but tries to bite it back as he takes another step closer to me.

“I wanted to see you…neededto see you.”

“Well,” I say awkwardly. “Here I am.”

The way he’s looking at me makes me want to melt on the spot.

I hate how easily I’m affected by him. How my heart wants to run to him when my brain is still scared to.

“Can…can I hug you?”

I just nod.

He walks over to me, closing the rest of the space between us and wrapping me in a hug. I feel my traitorous body relax into it, and my arms move on their own around him, hugging him back. He smells like…him. But it’s different. It’s missing something. It’s not until he looks down at me that I realize I don’t smell…any alcohol. I smile to myself and file that away, not needing to ask right now, not wanting to pop any possible bubble of happiness my heart is living in.

“Can we go…maybe sit down somewhere, and…talk?”