Fallen Fourth Down (Fallen Crest #4)(40)

I nodded and held back. Mason waited until they were out of earshot. Nate looked ready to fight, but he didn’t. Growling, he opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and closed it once more. Lifting a fisted hand, he pressed it against his cheek, softly, before shaking his head. He turned to Mason. “I’m sorry. Fuck. Logan’s right. I’m sorry, Mase.”

“Yeah.” His hand came to rest on my back again. “We can talk later.”

It was time to go, and it was time for my own fireworks show. Walking in front of Mason, I glanced up over my shoulder at him. He met my look, but didn’t say anything. Neither did I, but I was going to. I wasn’t the only one with a secret.





CHAPTER THIRTEEN



“Sam, stop.”

I was headed to the parking lot, but Mason tapped my arm and gestured to the coat room. It was abandoned and after I passed him, going in first, he shut the door behind us. He didn’t say anything for a while.

I shook my head. I didn’t know what I felt. I wasn’t the jealous type, but he hadn’t told me about Marissa. He should’ve, and when he continued to frown at me, I figured he knew that as well.

A headache was forming, so I lifted a hand to rub my forehead. “Are you going to talk?”

“I have no idea what to say.”

“Point taken.” I started past him again, but he caught my arm and swung me back around.

“Sam, wait.” He touched the other side of my hip, gently, and continued to hold me in front of him. His eyes rolled upwards and I wanted to snort. He was looking for what to say. He said, “I should’ve told you.”

I pulled away, but only moved back a step. “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry.”

Folding my arms over my chest, I waited. “Yeah?”

He looked in pain. His eyebrows furrowed together and his mouth strained to one side. A hand lifted to scratch his chin. For once, Mason wasn’t in control. He seemed at a loss for words. He lifted his hands in a helpless motion. “I have no idea what to say. Shit. I’m a horrible boyfriend.”

The tension began to lift inside me. He was being genuine.

He added, “She emailed me last spring and told me she got in. I meant to tell you, but I forgot. It was during the whole Kate ordeal. I was more worried about you, and it slipped my mind. I’m sorry. I should’ve remembered and I should’ve told you.”

“You knew she was here before today?” He hadn’t looked surprised to see her when she walked in.

His eyes closed, his nose wrinkled, and he cursed. “Yes. I did.”

I lifted an eyebrow, waiting.

“It’s weird. This whole thing is just weird. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“How many times have you seen her?”

“A few,” he admitted.

“A few?”

“Yeah.” He grimaced. “The first time was outside the stadium. I was going home after practice, and she was in the parking lot. It was…odd. I honestly don’t know what to say. She used to like me—”

“She still does.”

He nodded, running a hand over his face. “—and I was going to deal with it. Right then and there. I really was, but she beat me to it. She told me she used to like me, but she doesn’t anymore. I apologized for not helping her when we were sophomores, when the girls were picking on her, and she took off.”

This was so confusing. Something wasn’t right and I opened my mouth to tell him.

He beat me to it. Mason lifted a hand, halting my words. “There’s no friendship with Marissa. Honest to god. There’s not. I meant to tell her that, but she ran off. I don’t know if she could sense what I was going to tell her and didn’t want to hear it or what. I have no idea.” Okay. I started to say something again, but Mason touched my arm. “Hold on. Let me tell you all of it.”

There was more?

His eyes narrowed, watching me warily as he said, “She’s in one of my classes.”

What?!

“I’ve never once talked to her in there. She sits with her friends. I sit with mine. There’s been no interaction at all. Then,” he hesitated, raking his gaze over my face, “Friday night, the guys and I went to a birthday thing for Matteo. Nate and his fraternity came in. Marissa was with Nate. She was his date.”

“And she came with him today.”

“Yeah.”

I shook my head. “What the hell is going on with Nate? Why didn’t you tell me any of this? I should’ve known.” My finger jabbed at his chest, poking him. “You should’ve told me.”

“I know.” He caught my finger and held it there, pressing my whole hand against him. I felt his heart racing. “I’m so goddamn sorry. I really am. I should’ve told you the first night. I meant to. I’ve just been,” he shook his head, “things are different. I’m scrambling. I don’t have you and Logan. This year is just…”

“…different.” I sighed. Things were changing. I went to him and slid my arms around him, pressing against his chest. He was stiff at first, then relaxed as his arms wrapped around me in return. He tightened his hold, and it wasn’t just me hugging him for comfort. He was hugging me back. The knots were back in me, stretching wider and wider inside me, but I didn’t think they would go away for a long time. We were in a different chapter of our lives.