“Fine would be putting it mildly. I’m ecstatic. Delighted. Overjoyed.”
“Okay, okay, I think I get the point. It’s only for a night.”
“Whoa, stop, no. If Mason offered, you should take him up on it for longer than that.”
“I’m just fine by myself.”
“Stella.”
“Willa.”
She sighed and I responded with a grunt.
“You need to stay at least for two nights, or I won’t be able to sleep,” Willa said, using her best mom voice. “You don’t want to be the reason for dark circles under my eyes, do you?”
I looked out the back window at the beautiful purple flowers and sighed. “I guess I can stay for two nights. But no more. I’m fine on my own.”
“Fine. But only if you’ll let my aunt Rayna check in on you every day for a week once you’re back at the apartment.”
“What about Nora? She needs me to babysit.”
Willa cursed and then covered the phone. I heard muffled voices before she came back. “I’ll figure something out.”
I trusted her and knew she’d find a solution. Didn’t mean I didn’t still feel shitty for not being there for my friend. “All right. But let me know if you can’t find anyone to help. I’m more than capable of taking care of the kids.”
“I will. Gotta run, we have a dinner reservation. Love you. Try not to scare me like that again. No more accidents.”
I opened my mouth, ready to tell her that it was nothing when she kept talking.
“Shut up and don’t even try to tell me this has nothing to do with your mom. I’ve met the woman. She’s a control freak on steroids. And I need to know you’re safe, or I’ll come back to make sure myself.”
“I already said I’d stay with Mason. Stop worrying.”
“Good. Now tell me you love me and promise to call soon.”
“I love you and will call you soon.”
“Love you too, Estrella.”
We hung up and I slumped down on the kitchen island, wondering how in the span of two days my life had managed to unravel.
My phone pinged with an incoming messaged, and I opened it to find a selfie from Willa. The bottom half of her face was cut off and all I could see of Jameson was his left ear and a bit of hair. The background was blurry, but I thought I could make out theLeaning Tower of Pisa.
The photo was so typically Willa that I missed her even more. Never could take a photo that was in focus.
“This is your room,” Mason said and walked to the last door on the right. He walked a few steps inside and turned back. “The bed is made and towels are in the bathroom.”
It was still early, but I was exhausted and just wanted the day to end. When Mason came back in, he had ordered pizza and we ate it on the couch while watching TV. I had no idea what we watched. My mind was full of toned arms, soft words, and gentle touches. Because I was living in an alternate universe where Mason was easygoing and cared about my well-being.
He almost made me forgot what a jackoff he typically was. This new version of him was hard to resist. He was attentive and nice. He joked around. He didn’t insult me. Not once.
“Do you need me to get you anything else? I think there is ice cream in the freezer,” he asked when I was finished with dinner.
I blinked a few times to make sure I was still awake. “Are you offering to get me ice cream?” I asked.
“That’s the natural conclusion to someone asking if you want ice cream.”
He didn’t even look annoyed. And the way he said it wasn’t sarcastic. Not even a little bit.
