Let me in.
He nods his head then pulls me through the house and towards the noise at the back of the property. His family is sitting out on the terrace, which must wrap around the entire house. It’s tranquil, with lanterns scattered throughout the area and a fire that burns in a little chimney in the corner. Beyond that lies miles and miles of uninterrupted countryside.
“Mason, you’re here.”
I recognise the man immediately. He’s the man from the photo in Mason’s home office. His dad. He has aged some since it was taken, but the sharp line of his jaw and the deep dark brown of his eyes match his son’s.
“Dad,” Mason says, placing me to his front. I can’t help but feel like it’s a shield. “This is Nina, my girlfriend.”
It’s unexplainable, the feeling that flits through my chest. For a second it’s almost painful, jarring my entire body, but it spreads fast and ends in the tips of my fingers.
I crave it.
“Hello, Mr Lowell.” I reach out my hand to him, feeling unsure when he doesn’t take it immediately.
“Girlfriend? Right, sorry. Hello, Nina. Please, call me Anthony.” He looks to Mason in question, while taking my hand in a gentle shake. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to meet you.”
“You too, Mr Lowell.”
He nods his head, still looking at Mason, then his glassy eyes come back to me.
Mason puts his hand on my back and steers me forward. “I’m going to introduce Nina to the others.”
“Of course.” Anthony smiles, stealing a moment as he walks to the edge of the patio, looking out over the rolling hills and setting sun.
He seems frail. Much smaller than he looked in the photo. John always tells us that as you get older, the weight tends to be harder to shift. It’s an excuse for extra apple pie, I’m sure—but if it is true, then that’s not the case here, and as Anthony leans against the flower bed, grasping the granite planter to steady himself, I wonder just how bad his addiction is.
“Frey, Glen,” Mason greets the couple standing at the fire. “Nina, these are Elliot’s parents, Freya and Glen Montgomery.”
I shake both their hands as they smile warmly at me.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Nina. Elliot has told me so much about you. And your friends Megan and Lucy? I do hope I’m not making that up.” She leans into me as she laughs.
“No, that’s right.” I chuckle. “Elliot told you about us?” I frown, looking across the terrace at him. He is sitting in a big circular lounge chair, chatting to Charlie, who sits opposite him.
“Oh, he loves the ladies. You’ll have to get used to that and never tell the boy a secret.”
I smile, deciding I already like her. Frey Montgomery is exactly how I’d expect her to be. She oozes class, her ashy blonde hair cut into a long bob that perfectly suits her petite frame, and her clothes, all white linen.
Glen, Elliot’s dad, is tall, just like Elliot, but has dark brown hair speckled with grey around the sides.
“Yes, he does seem to be quite taken with the girls.” I smile, my mind wandering back to the first night we met.
“Where’s Scar?” Mason asks.
“Kitchen,” Freya replies. “She wouldn’t let me help her.”
“Why does that not surprise me? Come on, I want you to meet her.” Mason leads me back towards the door, but I stop when we pass the boys, needing a moment to breathe after already meeting half the people here in under a minute.
Charlie stands to hug me. “Nina, it’s good to see you.”
“I should apologise for yesterday,” I say, my mouth pulling down on one side as I wince.
He chuckles, taking a swig of his beer. “It’s fine. I was bored shitless anyway. You don’t need to apologise to me, that’s for sure.”
“Nor me,” Elliot pipes up, standing from the chair. “I’ve been waiting years to see this prick get put in his place.”
Mason shakes his head, placing a hand on my back. “On that note. See you later, assholes.”
