Mason (Remington Ranch Book 1) (Contemporary Western Romance) (3 page)

She searched his face. He was straight up serious! She shook her head, panic setting in. “I have to go.” She stepped away from him. She needed to get back in the truck, back to the ranch and away from this man.

He caught her wrist. “Gina! We need to talk.”

She shook her head and pulled away from him. “There's nothing left to say, Mason.”

He stared after her as she hurried around and jumped in the truck. He was still standing there staring as she checked her rearview mirror once she'd pulled out into the traffic. The gorgeous cowboy standing in an empty parking space, hat pulled down over his eyes, pain written all over his face, was Mason.
Her
Mason. And she was driving as fast as she could away from him? Away from the only man she'd ever loved? What the hell was wrong with her? She started to shake as she joined the highway and headed south back down the valley. There was nothing wrong with her. She was being smart. He'd broken her heart, broken
her
, once before. If she stuck around even long enough to have a conversation with him, she knew she'd fall in love with him all over again. And he'd break her heart again. She didn't think she could survive that a second time. What was she even thinking like that for anyway? Mason was
not
the only man she'd ever loved. She was in love with Liam. They were going to get married—when they could work it into their schedule.

~ ~ ~

Mason climbed into his truck and sat back in his seat. He pulled his hat down over his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. Way to go, asshole! He'd hoped to see her. Had been trying to figure out how he could get her to talk to him. And what had he done? He'd grabbed her before she even realized who he was, had her up against her truck and kissed the sense out of her. He shifted in his seat as his hard-on pressed uncomfortably against his zipper. If they hadn't been out in the middle of Main Street, he’d have done a lot more, too. That thought made him tip his hat back and take a peek around wondering who might have seen them and how fast word of it would be spreading around town. He groaned. “What are you doing to me, Gina girl?”

Gina pulled up at the house and rested her head against the steering wheel. Well, she'd seen him. She'd spoken to him. Could that count as making their peace? Hell no! In the space of a couple of seconds, he'd robbed her of any peace she might have ever known. When she'd closed the truck door and heard someone behind her, she'd been about to apologize. Get out of the way for the driver of the vehicle parked next to her. And there he'd been. The sight of him had knocked all the air out of her. He seemed taller, certainly bigger. Ten years ago he'd been tall, muscular, but still a boy in many respects. Now, he was all man. His face was weathered, there were lines around his beautiful, blue eyes. In those few seconds, she'd been hyper aware of everything about him. The slight stubble on his face, the couple of grays in his sandy hair, the way his hat shaded his eyes—his eyes that held so much pain, so much need. She shook her head. Every little detail she'd seen had imprinted itself on her mind as his lips came down on hers. She should have been mad that he'd pushed her up against the truck. Instead, she was grateful. Her knees had been ready to give out, she wouldn't have stayed upright by herself. But it was all wrong. He was just a guy from the past. No matter how gorgeous a man he'd become. No matter that in those few seconds he'd brought back every feeling she'd ever had for him. He was her past. Liam was her present—and her future.

She jumped in her seat as her dad tapped on the window.

“Are you going to come in and make me that apple pie?”

She stared at him, hauling her mind back to the present.

“Well? Are you going to sit there all night or are you coming in and we'll see about some dinner?”

She nodded and grabbed the bags from the passenger seat.

He opened the door for her and smiled. “You run into anyone in town?”

Oh God! He knew! It would be too much to hope that no one had seen Mason pin her up against the truck and kiss her senseless. Word of it would be all over town by now, and had apparently already raced down the valley to her dad. She slid down and glared at him. “Did you tell him I was going to be at the pharmacy?”

Her dad laughed. “Tell who?”

Gina stomped into the kitchen and slammed the bags onto the table. “You may find it funny, Dad, but I don't. You can count that as me making my peace with him. I've seen him. That's it. It's done. Over. And I'll thank you not to mention his name to me ever again. Do you hear me?
Ever!
”

He was laughing harder now. “Gina girl, I have no idea what happened up in town, but from the state you’re in, I'm guessing you're talking about Mason. You can lie to yourself if you want to, but you can't lie to your old dad. You haven't even begun to make your peace with him, but if seeing him has gotten you this stirred up, then you can't deny that you need to.”

Gina scowled at him. “Dad, you don't know what happened. He...” She shrugged. “You know how much I loved him. I thought he was the one. I thought we were forever. But that was a long time ago. It turned out it didn't mean as much to him as it did to me. There's no need to go back over something that ended years ago. Please let it go?”

He put a hand on her shoulder. “I don't want to upset you, love. I only want you to be sure that it's as over as you say it is before you go doing something stupid.”

“Something stupid?” Gina didn't understand, then realization dawned and made her mad. “You think me marrying Liam is stupid? Well thanks a lot, Dad! You haven't even met him. You don't know the first thing about him. Why can't you give him a chance and just be happy for me?”

He shook his head sadly. “I haven't met him because he's never bothered to come with you. I don't know the first thing about him because you hardly ever talk about him, and, when you do, it's never anything good. I remember when we used to sit at this table and you would chatter at me for hours about Mason—what Mason said, what Mason did, what Mason thought.” He patted her shoulder. “It's hard not to notice the difference. That's all.”

Gina closed her eyes, remembering herself how different she had felt back then. How deeply in love she'd been. She opened them again and looked at her dad sadly. “It was different because I was a kid. I didn't know any better. It's not the same when you grow up. You have to wise up. And I have done that. That's all.”

“No. What you've done Gina is given up. I hope you do wise up before it's too late.”

~ ~ ~

Mason wandered from stall to stall checking on the mares. He'd come straight out here to the barn when he got back from town. He didn't want to go up to the house. Word of his encounter with Gina would no doubt have reached the ranch by now. He didn't want to face the questions. He stopped at Annie's stall and she came and blew gently against his shoulder. He rubbed her nose and rested his head on her.

“You still miss her, too, don't you?”

Annie pawed at the straw and leaned against him. The little sorrel mare had been Gina's. She was a part of so many of the memories they'd made. They'd spent so many weekends riding the ranch, checking fences, camping down by the lake. Annie and his own horse, Storm, had grazed quietly nearby so many nights while he'd made love to Gina on a blanket out under the stars. He tangled his fingers in Annie's mane, remembering the way he used to tangle them in Gina's hair. Dammit! He needed to know why she'd left like that. Why? After letting him believe that she would marry him, after telling him he was the only man she'd ever love, why had she shut him out? Why had she gone off to New York instead of coming home to start their life together? And why had she refused to talk to him all these years? Why? He'd been kidding himself that he'd accepted it. He never had. And now he had to acknowledge that he'd still been hoping. Hoping that someday, they would work it out. The realization that her dad was selling up and they'd be leaving for good had shaken him. He wasn't going to get many more chances.

“You can't hide forever, you know.”

He turned around at the sound of Chance's voice. “What makes you think I'm hiding?”

“The chatter up at the house. The fact that half the town saw you kissing Gina and the rest of the town is talking about it.”

Mason tipped his hat back and stared at his old friend. He didn't know what to say.

“So what are you going to do about it?”

He shrugged. “What can I do? She still won't talk to me. I still don't know why she shut me out. What
should
I do Chance?”

“I'm not exactly the best one to ask advice about women, but even I know that grabbing her on the street probably wasn't the wisest move.”

Mason blew out a sigh. “Yeah, thanks. I figured that much out already.”

“Do you need to do anything, Mase? I mean from what I hear, she's in town for a couple of weeks. Her dad is selling up. Once she takes him to New York, that'll be the end of it. She'll never come back here and you can finally get over it and move on.”

Mason shook his head. “I don't want there to be an end to it! The thought of her leaving and
never
coming back?” He slammed his hand against the wall making Annie shy away. He patted her neck and soothed her before turning back to Chance. “I haven't been able to get over her in ten years. It gets worse, not easier. If she really hates me, I need to know why. I need to know how what we had could ever turn to hate. I never did a thing to hurt her. I don't just get it. I can't let her leave for good without making her tell me what the fuck went wrong.”

Chance shrugged. “There's your answer then.”

Mason stared at him.

“Get her to tell you what the fuck went wrong! Get your ass over there and get some answers. Once you know her reasons, you can do something about it or finally let it go. Let
her
go.”

“I don't think I can ever let her go.”

“I know. So stop hiding and whining and do something. I was new around here in those days, but even I could see how good the two of you were together. If there's anything left between you, you need to do something about it now. Before it really is too late.”

Mason nodded. Chance was right.

Mason pursed his lips when they entered the kitchen and his brothers smirked at him. His dad raised his eyebrows but said nothing. His mom smiled at him, her eyes full of concern.

“I don't want to hear it,” he said as he took his place next to his dad.

“I'm glad you two are finally talking,” said Shane with a grin.

“Wasn't much talking going on from what I hear,” said Carter.

Beau gave him a knowing look.

“Leave it boys,” his dad silenced them all as he glared around the table. “Let's eat. We don't have to feed you anymore. I keep telling your mother we'd save a fortune if we let you fend for yourselves. But since she insists on having you for dinner let's keep it peaceful, can we?”

Mason was grateful. He didn't want to walk away from his mother's table, but he would have to if the guys were going to keep after him. Talk turned to the ranch and soon what had happened this afternoon with Gina was forgotten. Or at least he thought it was.

As he pushed his plate away, Shane turned to him. “Are you coming out?”

“What…now?”

“Yes now. There's a band tonight.”

“Nah. I think I'll pass.” He couldn't even think about going out picking up women with Shane tonight. Not after seeing Gina. Not knowing that she was here and that he needed to see her again. Needed to talk to her. Needed...so much more.

Shane grinned. “Don't argue. Just come out.”

As Mason started to protest, Beau shot him a meaningful look, which he didn't understand. “You know I don't agree with our littlest brother very often, but this time I say listen to him. Do as he says.”

Mason sighed. “All right. Whatever. But I'm bringing my own truck so I can leave when I'm ready.”

“I was about to suggest you do that,” said Shane.

Mason stood and started to clear the dishes. His mom came and took the plate from his hands. “You go. I can take care of these.”

“I'll give you a hand first. You shouldn't have to do them by yourself.”

She laughed and with an expert flick of her wrist caught his dad on the back of his head with the tea towel. “Your father will help me. You boys get out and have some fun.”

He smiled and piled out of the kitchen with his brothers and Chance. “So what's the deal?” he asked Shane. “You're not expecting me to be your wingman tonight, are you? Because I am so not up for that.”

Beau grinned at him. “No. Our little brother is being an interfering little shit, and for once I'm impressed with him.”

Shane grinned at Beau. “Why thank you, bro. I knew you'd learn to appreciate me someday.”

Beau laughed. “I wouldn't go that far.”

Mason exchanged a look with Carter. He didn't seem any wiser than Mason himself as to what they were talking about.

“Anyone want to give me a clue?”

“Oh. Yeah.” Shane grinned at him. “When I heard about you and Gina this afternoon, I thought you might need a little more time to talk to each other. I mean you two have a lot of years to make up for.”

Mason scowled at him. “So?”

“So,” said Beau. “He called old man Delaney and asked him over to Chico for a drink tonight.”

“You did what?”

Shane grinned. “Al and I are old buds. I thought he might like to get out for a drink. He won’t have many more chances to get over to Chico if he's going to be moving away. He was happy I invited him, too.”

Mason stared at him. “So you want me to come out for a drink with Al?”

Carter laughed. “Jesus, Mason! I thought I was supposed to be the dumb one. I think they're trying to get Al out of the house so you can go see Gina.”

“Oh.”

Chance put a hand on his shoulder. “You said you needed answers. Here's your opportunity to go get them.”

Shane grinned at him. “I'm trying to give you the chance to go get a whole lot more than answers, Mase. Don't screw it up!”

Mason stared around at them. This was all wrong. He was the one who looked out for the others. He helped them sort things out when they were messing up. Since when had the tables turned, making
him
the one who needed
their
help?

“Go do it,” said Beau. “Don't look at us like that, and don't overthink it. Just go do it.”

Mason nodded and went to his truck. They were right. He'd waited far too long to get answers from Gina. He didn't have long left. If he didn't do it soon, she'd be gone and he'd never get them. He tipped his hat at his brothers as he drove away.

~ ~ ~

“At least let me drop you off?” Gina still couldn't quite get over her surprise. After they'd finished dinner, her dad had announced that he was going out this evening—to Chico! She couldn't remember the last time he'd been out anywhere, let alone gone to see a band at the resort.

“Don't worry. If I have a few, I'll get one of my buddies to drop me home later.”

She stared at him. This was so unlike her dad. “And which
buddies
are you going with?”