“It’s too much too soon; give me time. I need to do this my way.” I should have done this at the start, made it clear.
I told him I didn’t want to be bought, and I know I made that clear, but I should have told him that I needed to move slower. I’ve done more with Mase than I have with any man ever.
“I know I love you, that part I am certain of.”
“Why do I feel like there’s a but?” He glares.
“I don’t know if I trust you anymore. I feel like we lost it before we even had it.”
He closes his eyes, but it’s not in sadness. He’s annoyed that I feel that way. “You know you can trust me.”
“No, I don’t. You haven’t given me any reason to. The studio, Cara, they’re not small things. It’s life-changing for me; this is my life!”
“I know that.”
“You don’t.” I pause, fighting against my head, which tells me to hotfoot it out of here, but my heart screams at me to stay, begging me to feed it with the love it craves. The type of love that makes it beat stronger. The type of love only he can give me. “But we can work on it,” I force out.
“Yeah?” He questions, taking my face in his hands again.
I have to move forward. I can’t run away every time I hit a bump in the road. I have to face it. Overcome it.
“Yeah,” I tell him.
“I thought I’d blown it. The studio. I know I fucked up, Nina.”
“We have a long way to go, Mason.”
We are far from perfect, and wedohave a long way to go. But today I make a new promise because Iwantto stay.
Mase
“Didn’t she tell you specifically last month not to buy her shit?” Elliot asks with a smug smile on his face.
“Oh, they never really mean it. This is perfect,” George tells me, coming to sit on the edge of my desk.
“If I make it about Lucy, get you to plan it.” I look to Elliot, willing him to get on board.
“Fuck off, Lowell, I have enough to deal with.”
“Like what?” I frown, calling him out on his bullshit.
“You think they can all just take time off and go on holiday?” Lance asks. “You’re fucking gaga over her, mate.”
“You pricks going to come or not? Let me deal with the girls.”
They all eye each other before looking back at me. “Yeah, I’m in,” Charlie says. “I need the break.”
I nod, agreeing with him. He seems to be doing alright, but I know this past month has stirred up a lot of shit he had buried. I can imagine getting out of the office is exactly what he needs.
“Count me in.” Elliot grins.
“Fuck it.” Lance relents, shrugging.
I look up and over my shoulder. “Sorry, George mate, you’ll have to man the office this time.”
“I’m in charge,” he says with a smile.
“If you think you can handle it? I will have someone come up from downstairs to check in and call to make sure things are going okay.”
