My door opened, and Mason stood there.
My heart leaped against my chest.
With the fading light of the valley behind him and the new light shining against his side, I swear I fell in love with him just a little bit more than I already was. This wasn’t the usual Mason standing in front of me. This wasn’t the man who gazed at me so fiercely when we made love, or stood confidently, knowing whoever came at us, he could protect us. This wasn’t the brother who raised Logan, or even the one who cussed out their father for not being a real dad. This Mason seemed gentle and maybe a little uncertain even.
He held out his hand for me, and as I placed mine in his, this sweet Mason dipped his head. He was feeling unsure about something. When I stepped out, he held me a moment there. His lips grazed my forehead, so softly and gently.
I looked up, feeling my heart climb its way to my throat. “What’s going on?”
His fingers laced with mine. “Come on.”
He led me behind the Escalade and down a small path that headed off from the main driving lane. We didn’t go far, just through a clump of trees to a clearing next to the edge of the cliff. The sun still hadn’t completely disappeared, and we had a perfect view of the forest, the rest of the sunset, and over Fallen Crest. It was beautiful, and so was what he’d done.
Mason jars were everywhere, with tea lights inside and a large comforter spread among them.
“Mason, what’s going on?”
His hand loosened, but two of his fingers remained holding mine, and he led me to the comforter. I stood there as he looked at me, his eyes suddenly forlorn.
“Mason?” I couldn’t talk anymore.
My other hand started to tremble so I tucked it behind my back. I willed the one he was holding to be still. Be calm.
“I didn’t start thinking about marriage until this summer.”
Oh…
“The whole thing’s kind of a sham,” he continued. “I used to think that way, but it hit me when my dad was marrying Analise, at the wedding ceremony: I want to marry you, Sam. I wasn’t planning on asking. I assumed we would talk about it at some point, but it hasn’t come up, and when I was standing there and your mom was coming down the aisle, I got mad at first. It wasn’t supposed to be her in that dress. It was supposed to be you.”
My…
He knelt down, holding my hand. He looked up as the sun finally disappeared over the horizon. It was just Mason, me, and a bunch of tea lights that cast a romantic glow over this spot for us.
“Samantha—”
…God!
I knew what he was going to do. I just didn’t know what my response would be. I started to reach for him. “I—”
His phone rang. But he only reached inside his pocket and shut it off. The silence was so damned loud afterward. This was on me. I knew what was coming.
My mom cheated. His dad cheated. I knew David didn’t. I hoped Malinda never did. And other parent figures raced through my mind. Mason was waiting for me, but Garrett flashed in my head. He was a cheater. He’d cheated with my mom. I didn’t know about Sharon, if she’d ever cheated on him, but…
I couldn’t think.
A feeling of doom settled deep in my chest. It was the same sensation as when I knew I was going to backstab Becky.
I was the bad guy here.
I had become the villain somehow.
“Mason.” I stopped, wetting my lips. What was I going to do?
His phone rang again.
He cursed and shut it off a second time.
Mine started ringing right after that.
Our eyes caught and held, and I frowned.
“Fucking hell.” He stood back up, reaching for my phone. Seeing who it was, he pushed the button to answer. “This better be a damned emergency.” He was silent, then fell absolutely still. “Are you sure?” he asked. Fear, stark fear, showed in his eyes a moment before he blanketed it. His jaw clenched. “Okay. Thanks for letting me know.” He ended the call, handing the phone back to me.
I took it, not thinking as I put it into my pocket. I felt tension growing in my chest. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
His voice was so faint. “That was Logan. He talked to Taylor’s dad when he got home.” His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and he half-turned away.
I reached for him, grabbing hold of his hand before those last two fingers slipped away. I pulled him back. “Hey. What happened?”
“Quinn sent that video to Cain University’s coaching staff.”
Fighting wasn’t tolerated. At all. It was their policy.
My stomach grew uneasy. I knew what that meant.
Mason finished, “I’ve been suspended pending a personal investigation.”
“Mason, it’ll be fine.”
“No.” He sat down on the comforter, resting his hands over his knees. He watched as I sat next to him. “The fighting’s on my record. They’ll get ahold of the case we have against Caldron. Then they’ll start looking into the past. I was fucked before I even started.”
“Mason.” I reached for his hand. I needed to say more, but that seemed to be all I could get out. I didn’t want to hear what he was going to say next…
“The NFL has a strict policy on scandals, and this whole shitstorm over the summer? They’ll see it as one giant scandal. It’s over for the NFL.”
“Mason.” I closed my eyes, just holding onto his hand.
Then the question came. I wasn’t expecting it, though I should’ve been.
His voice sounded raw.
“Sam, will you marry me?”