“When do y’all leave?” Emily continued to move through what Mason dubbed the “torture routine.”
Mason glared at Emily but managed to say, “Tomorrow.”
“Mason here tried to get out of all his classes tomorrow, but Mrs. Lawson vetoed that. She did approve an early dismissal, so we’re hitting the road after lunch.”
“Trying to throw your rabid fans off the scent?”
Mason flushed bright pink at her question.
The press left Mason Lawson alone. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have a devoted, some would call it obsessive, following of teenage girls who made it their mission to track Mason everywhere he went. It was an overly excited group of teenage girls that led to his shoulder injury.
Liam knew the torture routine well by now, and he grabbed a small green exercise band from the table. “That would be a bonus, but it’s mostly so we can get there and set up before dark.” He handed her the band with a wink.
Emily took it with a nod of thanks, their private choreography having settled into a comfortable pattern at this point. Her expression altered, and Liam braced for what was coming. He knew that look. It was her “I’m up to something” look.
“I don’t know.” Emily nudged Mason until he looked at her, then wrinkled up her face and shook her head. “Mason, weren’t you here when Liam told us he could put a tent together blindfolded?”
Mason’s expression cleared of pain, and he nodded with overdone solemnity. “You know, Emily, I do believe I heard those very words come out of his mouth.”
“Must not be true.” Emily’s eyes were wide, and she shook her head sadly as she dropped her voice to a stage whisper. “Go easy on him this weekend, Mase. This may be why he’s held off on taking you. He claimed it was because your shoulder needed to heal. But the truth is going to be revealed. I’m going to need a full report from you on Monday, so maybe you should take notes.”
Mason sucked in a deep breath as Emily twisted him up like a pretzel, but he managed to gasp out, “I’ll do that.”
“If I were you,” Emily continued in her stage whisper, “I’d make myself scarce during the tent setup. That way he won’t be embarrassed.”
“Oh no.” Liam gave them both a wide and completely fake smile. “I think Mason needs to be there every step of the way. So he can document this and report back to you later.”
Emily released Mason and gave him a small shrug. “I tried.”
Mason grinned, actually grinned, back at her. “It was a great effort. I appreciate it.”
The session continued for another twenty minutes, and now that the worst of the treatment was over, Mason gabbed about hiking, fishing, and the potential for animal sightings. He was particularly hoping for a bear.
“Liam, please tell me you’re not going anywhere near bears. Or mountain lions.” Emily didn’t sound like she was joking.
“Yes, ma’am.”
That earned him a spectacular eye roll, complete with a head shake and hands raised in a “What am I going to do with him?” gesture. Mason rolled his eyes at Liam and muttered, “Man, you keep poking the Tiny Tyrant with that ma’am stuff. When she finally snaps and attacks you with a massage gun, I’m taking her side.”
Emily wasn’t large, but she also wasn’t tiny. After one particularly tough therapy session, Mason had referred to her as the Tiny Tyrant and the nickname stuck, although now it was said with what Liam knew was genuine affection, not belligerent exasperation.
“I wouldn’t bother with the massage gun.” Emily positioned the gun on Mason’s shoulder and moved it in tight circles. “I’d grab some of the massage balls out of my bag and take him down.”
Mason snorted. “You think that would work?”
Emily’s expression grew smug. “It worked for David against Goliath. And I have excellent aim. My brother almost went pro in baseball, and I learned to pitch right along with him.”
“No way.”
“I assure you, it is the truth.”
Now it was Liam’s turn to share an exaggerated eye roll with Mason.
“Right.” Liam reached for Emily’s arm and squeezed her bicep. “You know how to pitch?”
Her back went straight, and her voice was frosty when she said, “Are you doubting my skills?”
Mason laughed, and Emily winked at him.
