How We Deal With Gravity(24)
“Anyways. This isn’t about me messing up my tour. I wanted to get up here tonight to see if I could remember why I ever made this my dream in the fist place. I was so focused on success, I forgot about the ride. And I missed some pretty great things along the way.”
My breath held, I fight against my instinct to run—just to hear Mason out, to see what he says next. I’m terrified, because my heart is begging him to make this about me. But I know that, if anything, it’s about how badly he feels. It’s pity—for making me cry years ago, and for every other painful bit of my past that Claire gave away. My legs are aching to retreat, and I’m pushing my weight to the balls of my feet, readying myself to get back to work, when Mason absolutely floors me.
“If I could do it again…” he pauses, his eyes unmistakably on me now. “I would definitely kiss the girl in the closet.”
Oh. My. God.
Chapter 7: And Then There Were Four
Mason
That wasn’t planned. I mean I did want to say something that would let Avery know how sorry I am. But that last part? That came from somewhere else entirely. What’s weird is that I don’t regret it. Hell, I felt unbelievable the second the words left my mouth. Maybe it’s just the chase…but I sorta don’t think that’s it.
I saw something in Avery’s eyes. I’m not going to say it was forgiveness; I’m not na?ve to believe I’ve even come close to earning that yet. But I think there is definitely a part of her that wants to forgive me.
She was gone by the time I wrapped up my set. Gone! I had the usual crowd waiting around to talk to me, buy me drinks, and all that shit. All I wanted to do was talk to Avery though; ask her what she thought. I saw Claire talking to her briefly, and then I watched Claire leave with Max. I was pretty excited that he stuck around too. But Avery was the one I really wanted to talk to. And she was already asleep—or hiding—in her room by the time I made it home.
The house was empty this morning. Ray always works long hours on the weekends. He goes in early to set up for Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday crowds are usually pretty full, too. Sunday is always country night.
I notice Avery’s car in the parking lot when I pull in to Dusty’s. She must have gotten up early to get out of the house before I woke up. I wonder how she talked Max into getting up early too?
They’re all sitting at the bar together when I walk in. Ray’s the first to notice me, and he slides a stool out next to him, waving me over.
“Mason, come on over. We’re having pancakes for breakfast. Made them myself on the grill,” he says, giving me a wink.
I climb onto my seat, and give Avery a sideways glance, but she’s looking only at the plate in front of her, nowhere else. Max is busy working with his fork to get his pancake into his mouth. His is cut into perfect squares, and his plate seems free of syrup.
“Hey,” Ray whispers to me, urging me to lean in. “Just so you know, these are gluten-free, and they pretty much taste like crap, so be generous with the syrup, okay?”
I nod once, and grab the syrup, making a layer of sweet, sugary goo on the plate before I add my pancake. I catch Avery’s reaction when she snickers at me, and I use it as an opening.
“What? You never syrup the bottom?” I say, cutting a huge bite, and stuffing it in my cheek. Ray was right—these are bland as hell. I reach for the syrup and add more to my plate.
“No, I’m pretty sure that’s unique to only you,” Avery says, laughing lightly. She seems nervous, and damn if it isn’t the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
“So, you took off last night. I didn’t get to ask you, what’d you think?” I really want to have this conversation with Avery alone, but I don’t get a sense that she’s going to let that happen anytime soon, so I dive right in.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. Max was up late and Claire took him home. I kind of wanted to get home, too—you know, so I could be with him,” she says, and I’m sitting at the edge of my stool, just waiting for her to say something about my song, my choice of song. And that damn bomb I dropped in front of everyone.
“Sure, I understand,” I say, smiling with my eyes wide. Still waiting. She senses my prodding, and I feel like a jerk that I have to beg her to tell me I was good.
“You were great, by the way. I knew you would be. See? I told you,” she says, picking up her plate and walking it to the kitchen. That’s it? I was great, she was right? No reaction to the fact that I pretty much publicly asked her to let me kiss her?
“She’s right, Mason. You were you last night. That’s the Mason I remember playing here, the kid I rolled out there for the world to see,” Ray says, standing behind me and giving my shoulder a squeeze. “Whataya say? You wanna try that again, say next weekend?”
“Uh, hell yeah!” I respond. I’d do it every night if Ray would let me. But I know he has a pretty long waiting list. The fact that I get the prime spot whenever I want says something about how the man feels about me, and I’m honored.
It’s just me and Max, and our pancakes now, so I take this opportunity to see what Max thinks.
“I’m glad you were here last night Max. What did you think?” I ask, hoping that this progress he and I have made keeps moving in this direction. I’m still surprised when he puts his fork down and acknowledges me.