I’m speechless at his words. My mind attempts to reconcile the man I knew three years ago who would go to church only when it was convenient for him. While Mason and I have not had a faith conversation of our own, I do know that he is a believer now. That’s one thing Mom has made clear to me every time I’ve talked to her about this job I’m doing with Mason.He’s changed. He’s different. He follows the Lord.
And by the sincerity of his statement and the joy radiating in his eyes…
Mom was right.
Oh, Lord…
My heart explodes without my consent, and just like that, I know I’m a complete goner for this man in front of me. A man who will truly know how to love me because he has experienced the true source of love…
Mason steps in my direction; his hand flexes at his side as if he is going to reach for me, but he doesn’t.
And once again, I’m immensely disappointed.
So I reach for him and all laughter ceases.
I want this man more than I have ever desired anything in my life…
Can I truly have him? Can he be mine?
My hand cups his cheek, then my fingers slide into his thick, chocolate hair. “Mason…”
His name is a whispered plea on my lips.
Mason, please don’t hurt me.
Mason, please don’t break my heart.
Mason, please don’t run away.
Mason, please love me the way I love you…
His large hand covers mine, and he places his other on the small of my back, tugging me close so that I’m forced to tilt my head to meet his warm, smoldering eyes.
Yes, smoldering. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have Mason look at me like this.
It’s burning me alive. Like I’m standing a little too close to the sun.
“Mason…” His name escapes my lips once more.
He pulls me flush against him and into a tight hug. My hands drop around his neck as if it’s the most natural action in the world.
Mason’s lips linger near my ear, his breath tickling my skin. “Karoline, I know you are scared. You have every right to doubt me. But please, you have to see how special and important you are to me. You have to know I came back for you. These past three years of my life have been great but something was missing. You. You are the missing piece in my life. Every song I wrote while away from you contains traces of us.”
His words are like lightning strikes to my once-stopped heart. He is resurrecting every feeling and dream I had buried six feet under because I believed it was a lost cause. People make mistakes, even big ones. But that doesn’t mean we stay there. Mason has proven he has changed. His reputation is clean. He doesn’t drink anymore. He’s doing what I wanted him to do years ago, which is to actively pursue me. He is sorry. And I…
I believe him.
Pulling away and meeting his hungry eyes, I stand on my tiptoes and tilt my head as his lips twitch into a smile. He closes his eyes…
“Okay, everyone. Let’s try to shoot from this angle now.” The director’s voice cuts through the moment, and I shake my head and open my eyes. Mason mimics my expression—bright eyes, ahint of sadness that the moment is gone by the slight frown he wears, but there’s something else there…
His frown turns into a smirk as his gaze burns on my lips. “One second, Camera Man.”
My eyebrows knit and I tilt my head to the side. “Mason, you have to let me go so we can finish this commercial.”
He laughs, a miraculous sound as if he just discovered a treasure chest or something. Mason whispers as his head lowers towards mine. “Nah. I’m not letting you go. In fact, I’m going to kiss you, Vroom.”
And like in the movies, the world in fact fades away as I give in to what I’ve always known to be true, even if the clueless man in front of me was late to the game. Mason and I were meant to be.
