Page 126 of Thirst For Me
“Fuck, yes. Ido. I should’ve told you that if we’re together, I’ll never abandon you. I know that has to be a sore spot for you, because it is for me, too.”
“Oh my god. And I left while you were sleeping.” I drop my forehead to his chest. “How could I do that to you?”
He slips a finger under my chin and lifts my face to look into my eyes. His lips quirk with amusement. “I forgive you. But don’t do it again.”
“Okay.” My cheeks warm as I blush a little. “The brutal truth is ... I wasn’t really thinking about you when I did it. I was just protecting myself. Getting the hell out of there before I could get hurt. But it already hurt. Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
“Then come back with me.” He takes a deep breath, his chest rising and falling against me. “We could have a life there, together. I know we can, because I keep fantasizing about it. Picturing us together, in my family home, listening to music and making each other laugh.”
I blink away the pesky tears that keep quivering in my eyes. “What a beautiful picture.”
“It is. And I don’t expect you to just drop everything, give up your whole life for me. I understand you have a life here, in the city.” He looks out at the view. “I can’t compete with this, if this is what you want.” Then he looks deep into my eyes again. He cups my face in his hands. “But I can give you a place to call home. And a place to run your business.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve been talking to Layne about it. And there’s no reason we can’t find a permanent home for Cutie Fruitie in Orchard Cove.But best-case scenario ... I really think you can help me fix things with June. She likes you. And I understand now that she’ll never go into business with me the way things are. But she might with my grandpa, under the right circumstances.”
“Really?” A spark of hope and curiosity ignites in my chest.
“I think we can convince her to open a restaurant with us, because you were right. Layne thinks that June and our grandpa have more going on between them than either one of them wants to admit. And if anyone can convince those two cranky old cynics to take a chance, I think it’s two young fools in love.”
I blink at him, my heart thrumming. “In love?”
“Yeah,” he says softly. “In love.”
I’m kind of speechless.
Is it actually possible that he really feels about me the way I feel about him?
What does it feel like when your dreams come true?
I don’t know. I’ve never been here before.
Mason’s brow crinkles. “Are you okay?”
“I’m having a moment.”
He looks concerned.
“I’ll be okay. I think.”
“Look, I want to show you something.” He pulls a sheet of paper from his back pocket and unfolds it. “This is a plan my parents drew up for their proposed renovations of Pier Seven, back when they were in talks with June about buying it from her. I modified it, a few days ago, to include your smoothie bar.”
I stare at the technical drawing, absolutely stunned, but elated. I recognize the floor plan of Pier Seven. The main differences from the way it looks now are the little circles that indicate patio tables outside, on the water side, and the wordsCutie Fruitierunning along the second, smaller bar at the side of the main room.
“I thought it would be perfect on the south side,” he explains, “where everyone walks by to access the pier and the beach. We can put in a big window so you can offer walk-up service, and we’ll have stools along the bar inside, for your customers to sit.”
When I meet his eyes, the tears in mine are so thick I have to wipe them away to see. He still looks worried. “Are you upset?” He folds the paper and stuffs it back in his pocket. “If you don’t like it, we can do it another way. This is just an idea. To show you I’ve been thinking about this. And how much I want you to be a part of—”
“Mason,” I sob. “It’s perfect. This is the most beautiful, meaningful, thoughtful, fucking amazing thing anyone has ever done for me. Or proposed to do for me.”
His face softens. “Yeah.Shit.” He rubs the back of his head.“I didn’t really think this through, how I was going to do this. Not entirely. But really ...” He looks out at the view again, then back to me. “This is as good a place as any. A place that makes you happy. Your home.”
I don’t understand what he’s talking about—until he gets down on one knee.
Then I swear I almost pass right out.
I grab the railing with one hand. Bite my tongue and cover my mouth with my free hand as I blink back tears.
