Author: Cheryl McIntyre

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Tonight is my first date with Hope. I’m excited as hell to take her out as my girlfriend. I originally didn’t plan anything other than picking her up at six, but Mom was so horrified by this that I spent all last night detailing our date. As soon as I got home from school today, I started cooking. Everything I made has a fruit or vegetable in it. I packed it all up, picnic style and loaded it in the trunk. Hope is either going to love or hate it. I’m not even going to lie, I’m nervous as shit. As lame as it sounds, I tried on four different outfits before settling on a white button up with dark jeans. I roll the sleeves to my elbows and attempt to do something with my hair for once. I want her to know she means enough for me to make an effort.

Mom switched her shift so I didn’t have to worry about Kellin and I have full use of the car. I think she’s more eager about this date than I am. Well, maybe not more, but definitely as much as me. And I know she’s dying to meet Hope, but that will have to wait. Maybe this weekend I’ll invite Hope over for lunch. Mom will appreciate that. Is it too soon for them to meet? Shit. I don’t have a clue. I’ve never made it this far into a relationship before.

Ten minutes on my hair and it still falls into my eyes. I give up and go out to the living room for Mom to gush.

“I’m heading out,” I announce and lean over the couch to kiss her cheek. “Hope has a midnight curfew, so I’ll be home a little after.”

“All right. Have fun. And be careful. And responsible.” Mom smacks a kiss on my forehead and combs her fingers through my hair.

“I will. I promise.” I hold up three fingers, scout’s honor and she rolls her eyes.

“You were never in Boy Scouts,” she says. “They probably would’ve kicked you out.” She laughs at her joke and clears her throat. “Do you have your phone?”

“Yes.”

“Is it charged?”

“Yes, Mom. And the charger’s in the car just in case.” I open the door and almost make it outside.

“Mace?”

I sigh and turn around. “Yeah?” God, please don’t let her ask me if I have condoms. It’s not like she doesn’t know I have an active sex life, but I still don’t want to talk about it with her. Especially when it comes to Hope.

“You look handsome,” Mom says with a proud smile.

I grin and step back into the room to give her one more kiss. “Thanks. Love you.”

“Love you too. Be safe. And you know what I mean,” she calls as I shut the door behind me. I was so close. She just had to get that in there. Tonight is not about sex. Not that I don’t want to make love to Hope again, because it’s all I think about, but tonight is about spending time with her away from school and her house. However, I pull my wallet out at the car and verify that I do have protection, just in case. I shake my head. I am not getting with Hope in the back of my mom’s car. Though that image is now in my head.

I rub my face and take a deep breath. And then another. I start to put the key in the ignition and notice my hands are shaking. At this point I’m not sure if it’s my nerves or anticipation. Maybe a little of both. Or a lot of both. I get the next six hours with Hope. Alone.

Chapter 30

Hope

“He’s early,” I exclaim. Annie pushes me back down on the computer chair and continues to curl my hair. She’s been working on it for the past forty minutes and I have to admit it looks pretty good. I decided I’ve spent too much time hiding. I want to look nice for Mason. For our first date.

“Oh, my God. Look at you smiling,” Annie says. She grins as she runs her fingers through my hair, loosening the curls. “Mason Patel is your bitch Kryptonite.”

I don’t even respond. Because she’s right. Mason makes me happy.

Annie folds a tissue in front of my face expectantly. “Blot.”

Guy peeks his head in the door as I press my lips around the tissue. His eyebrows jump up and he smirks. “Your date is here.”

“I know. He’s early. Go entertain him for me. I just have to change and I’ll be down.”

Guy nods. “You look nice,” he says, his hand circling around his face. “Different, but good.”

“Thanks.”

“Nice? She looks amazing,” Annie says insulted. She hands me the sundress that’s hung in my closet, untouched, since Jenny bought it for me last year. I never even thought about wearing it until today. First of all, it’s white and I’m not really the white dress type, but it’s also shorter than any dress I’ve ever been willing to wear. Plus, it’s a dress and I just don’t do dresses unless it’s a special occasion. I decided tonight is special.

Annie shoos Guy and closes the door. I go to our bathroom to change, not wanting her to see my scars. I really don’t want to go there tonight. As soon as I open the door, she squeals and shoves her hot pink flats at me. “Wear these. You look so pretty. Mason’s not going to recognize you.”

I take a look at myself in the full length mirror. My stomach flutters. The pink shoes match the pink in my hair almost perfectly. I thought the white would wash me out since I’m already so pale, but with my dark hair, it actually contrasts nicely. The dark eyeliner makes my eyes look bluer and the thin straps show off my shoulders and collar bones. Areas I know Mason likes for some reason. I tug the bottom of the dress afraid when I walk my scars will be visible.

I sigh. He already knows about them. He’s touched them. Kissed them. I feel the heat move up my neck and over my face with the memory. I take a deep breath and turn away from the mirror.

“Get down there,” Annie urges. “I can’t wait for him to see you.”

She heads down before me, nearly running so she doesn’t miss Mason’s reaction, which is exactly the one she was hoping for. He stops, midsentence, as I round the corner. Eyes go wide as they slowly study me, head to toe and back up again. My heart beats quickly, waiting for him to say something.

Standing from the couch, Mason clears his throat. He doesn’t look away from me as he says, “I’ll see you later, Guy.”

Guy chuckles. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He frowns as I laugh. “No, seriously, there isn’t much I wouldn’t do. Shit. Don’t do anything I would do, either.” He takes two steps after us, running his hands through his hair. “You aren’t going to a movie, are you?”

I bite my lip and glance up at Mason. He’s still staring at me. He takes my hand and shakes his head. “Nah. No movie.”

“Okay. Good,” Guy sighs. “She has to be home by twelve.”

Mason pauses, finally looking at him. “I know. I’ll have her home on time.” He smiles at Guy’s disheveled appearance. “I’ll take care of her. I promise.”

“Bye, Dad,” I tease as I kiss Guy’s cheek.

“Ha. Ha. Ha. You’re so funny, Hope.” Guy crosses his arms, but kisses the top of my head. “Have fun,” he says.

As soon as we hit the bridge, I realize where Mason’s taking me. I smile at him and he squeezes my hand. “The Pond?”

“The Pond,” he agrees. “I like it there.”

“I do too.” A shiver runs through me as the memory of our first time there replays in my mind. I glance up at the dark clouds and wonder how long we’ll have before the rain hits. Maybe it’ll pass us by.

Pulling to a stop, Mason turns to me. “I don’t really know what to say about this.” He gestures at me before brushing his fingers over my hair. He regards me nervously and my stomach tightens. “I want to tell you you look beautiful, but I know you don’t like that.” He dips his chin toward his chest and presses his lips together. “Is it all right if I say that I couldn’t breathe for a minute when I saw you? Or that it took every last ounce of self restraint to not start making out with you in front of Guy and Annie? Because the only thing that held me back was the idea you wouldn’t like that very much.”

I grin at him and make a show of looking around. “They aren’t here now.”

Mason leans into me, trailing kisses from my ear to my jaw. When he moves to my chin I drop my head so he meets my lips instead. I open my mouth against his, parting his lips in the process. He murmurs something indecipherable and sinks into the kiss. I twist my fingers into his hair and he groans, pulling away slowly.

He licks his lips, one corner pulling up, showing off the dimple that I will never get enough of. “I’m all for staying in the car kissing you, but I packed you a picnic. Are you hungry?”

Oh, yeah, but not for food. “Starving,” I whisper.

Mason stares at me so intensely my pulse picks up. I watch his throat as he swallows and a little high pitched noise bubbles in my own throat. My chest is moving quickly as my breathing accelerates. The desire building in this car is overwhelming.

We move at the same time, crushing into each other. Mason’s hands cup my face as he kisses me hard. I scramble closer until I’m in his lap, the steering wheel against my back. He slides his fingers down my neck, my chest, my stomach. Glides them under my dress. Over my thighs, around my hips. He grips my back and pants against me.

“I cooked for you,” he says in between kisses. His voice is thick, causing goose bumps to raise the hair on my arms.

“You cooked?”

He nods, his lips moving against my neck. “Ravioli.” He flicks his tongue over my pulse. “Bread.” He nips gently at my shoulder. “Chocolate.” He skims his nose over my collar bone.

“Chocolate?” I breathe.

“Mm-hm.” His warm tongue slides into the indent below my throat and I tremble. “I could feed you and then I could kiss you. I wouldn’t mind doing both at the same time. I want to taste chocolate from your lips.”

Oh. Hot. Damn. Yes, please. I nod as his mouth devours mine.

“Best date ever,” he utters. I laugh and climb off his lap. “Wait here while I set everything up.”

I watch Mason as he spreads a dark blue blanket out on the grass and then empties the contents from a large box. He lights candles, placing them along one side of the blanket and I smile. He’s trying so hard. I can’t believe he cooked. I didn’t even know he could. After he’s satisfied with everything, he turns back to the car, opening the door for me.

“This is awesome, Mason. I love it.”

He arches a brow and sighs. “Don’t commit to that just yet,” he replies. He guides me to sit and opens a container. “Mushroom ravioli with homemade tomato sauce.”

I try not to recoil from the evil container, but seriously, mushrooms. I cringe and Mason laughs that full body laugh. “I told you I was going to introduce you to veggies.”

“Mushrooms are fungus,” I squeak. “Not food. We can readdress this when I have an infection. And even then, I think I’d rather die.”

He laughs again as he wraps his fingers around a fork. “Just take one bite,” he says softly. “If you hate it I’ll take you to get a cheeseburger.”

I watch him poke at a ravioli and shiver. “Promise?”

“Promise.” He brings the fork to my mouth and I hesitate for only a second. I don’t want to hurt his feelings. I pull up my big girl panties, close my eyes, and take the bite.

I open one eye and peek at his uneasy expression as I chew. Then I open the other eye. “Mmm. Oh, my Buddha, this is really good.”

Grinning, Mason leans in for a kiss, licking sauce from my bottom lip. “Delicious,” he mumbles. He hands me the fork and I dig in. He’s cute, funny, and he can cook. I think I’ll keep him.

“You said something about bread…?”

He nods, opening another container. “Zucchini bread. Also homemade.” He rips a chunk off the small loaf and offers it to me, laughing at the irate look I give him.