Page 98 of Yours To Hold
Gemma walks back up, sipping on a beer and handing Logan a water bottle.
“Mason. I didn’t think you’d be here tonight.”
“Why not?”
“She thought you’d be moping,” Logan says.
I roll my eyes and steal her cup of beer and take my own sip. “I haven’t been moping.”
“Logan said you were.”
I smack my brother in the head. “Really?”
“Hey. I’m injured. Don’t hurt me.”
“Your head is fine.”
I can’t believe my brother sold me out.
“I feel bad though. I feel like this is all my fault.”
I’ve been replaying every moment of what happened with Ivy and me in my head. If it wasn’t Gemma, it would’ve been something else.
I wrap an arm around Gemma’s shoulders, giving her a quick hug. No need to get overly sappy backstage at a music fest. “It wasn’t. She was always going to find a reason to leave.”
As much as I wish it weren’t true, it is.
“Maybe she’ll come back.” Something washes over Gemma’s face. I can’t pinpoint it, but it was there.
“Do you know something?”
The look I give Gemma is one that used to get her to tell me anything. It’s my best big brother look.
“What would I know? I’ve been in LA with Blake.”
“I thought you got back a few days ago?” I ask her.
“We extended our trip. Blake is still out there, so I wanted to stay with him a few extra days.”
“Damn. I’m losing my touch.”
“Sorry, Mason. You lost it a long time ago,” Logan says from where he’s sitting.
“Ouch.”
“Just telling the truth.”
“Jesus. You two drive me crazy somedays.”
“You love us,” Gemma says, poking me in the side.
“I don’t know why.”
Except I do. They’re the reason I don’t want to leave. Why I’m not packing up my life and moving to Seattle.
My life is here in Dixon. It wouldn’t be fair to take Willow away from so many people who love her. Me too. I know it’s a small town where most people wouldn’t stop on their way through.
But I love it. The people. My family. The ranch.
