Page 24 of Finding Us
Connor: You know, your monk attire.
Mason: Remind me again why we’re friends?
Connor: Because I’m awesome … and don’t forget devilishly handsome.
Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I shake my head as I pack a few more things into the box sitting on the table, tape it up, and add it to the ever-growing pile stacked by the wall. I’ll remember to thank the girls for taking so long to get ready when I get there. One, because I know it will piss Connor off, and two, because in the past four hours I made a huge dent in my packing.
I head to the laundry to grab a clean shirt and a pair of jeans out of the basket before taking the stairs two at a time. I run the iron over my clothes before laying them out on the bed. My business shirts and suits that I wear to work get dry-cleaned, but the rest of mine and Blake’s clothes are washed and ironed by me.
My mum used do all those things for me when I was younger, but when I started living with Betty that all changed.“I’m giving you a roof over your head and three meals a day, but I’m not your keeper … if you want to live here, you’ll need to pull your weight,”was one of the first things she said to me. It was a small price to pay to be off the streets. It opened my eyes to all things I’d taken for granted when I was a kid. I felt guilty for never acknowledging all the things my mother did for me growing up … I guess, like my dad, I took advantage of her too. She was a good mum, and I hate that I never got the chance to tell her that she was appreciated … by me at least.
It is close to eleven by the time I arrive at the Ivy, and after doing a quick scan of the pool bar, I pull out my phone to text Connor, only to find I already have a message from him. It was sent twenty minutes ago.
Connor: I’m thinking of bailing. Jacinta’s friend had a group of guys join us in the cabana she hired for tonight. I’m going to end up punching one of these fuckers if I hang around here too long.
Mason: I just arrived. Are you still here?
When I don’t get an immediate reply, I decide to get a drink. I’m here now, I might as well hang around for a bit.
I’m standing in line with my hands shoved in my pockets, minding my own business, when someone bumps into me from behind, causing me to lose my balance and take a step forward, nudging the person in front of me.
“Watch it,” the guy says, giving me a dirty look over his shoulder.
“Sorry.”
“So you should be,” he snaps, which pisses me off. But I ignore his comment because I’m not looking for trouble, I just want a drink. I’m too old for this shit.
I look behind me, ready to berate the person that caused this, only to be met by two large blue eyes … eyes that have taunted me on more than one occasion over the past week.
“Red?”
When those baby blues narrow into slits, my frown is immediately replaced with a smile.
“Wolf,” she growls.
My eyes scan over her face.Fuck, she’s even more stunning than I remember. The first time we met she was fresh faced, but tonight she’s wearing make-up, and I can’t decide which version of her I like best. She’s a natural beauty, and doesn’t need that gunk on her face … it does make her look a lot older though, and the dark shadow around her eyes really makes the blue pop. I also got a hint of blonde hair last time, since the majority of it was tucked into her red hood. Now it’s on show in its full glory, and I’m already itching to run my fingers through it. An image of me tugging on those long strands flashes through my mind and my cock twitches.
“You obviously make it a habit of bumping into people,” I state.
“It wasn’t my fault.”
“Oh, so we’re going with that again, are we?”
When I hear a throat clear behind her, my gaze flicks in that direction and my eyes lock with a brunette. She’s a stunner too, but I’m not interested in her; I’m far too captivated with the blonde beauty standing before me.
“Do you two know each other?” she asks as her eyes move between me and Red.
“Unfortunately,” Red snaps before turning on her heels and storming away. My attention immediately gravitates in her direction, and again, the view from behind is just as spectacular as I remember; even more so in the tiny, white, body-hugging dress she’s wearing.Fuck me.She may be short, but in that dress her legs look like they go on for days.
“How do you know my friend?” the brunette asks, placing her hands on her hips.
“We go way back,” I tell her, dragging my attention away from Red moments before she disappears around the corner.
“Way back? Did you know her before she moved to Melbourne?”
“When did she move to Melbourne?” I ask.
“Seven years ago.”
