“This is me you’re talking to. We’ve been friends for a long time, Sera.” His lips form a tight line.
“Are we still friends?” My heart aches. I wish I could go back to the time before we dated, when we were friends. Life was so much simpler back then.
He leans back in the booth and shoves one hand in his hoodie pocket, the other resting along the back of the booth seat. “I still care about you as a friend, if that’s what you mean.” His fingers tap against the red leather backrest. “I care about Dad too.”
I nod. “Of course, he’s your dad.”
“Do you still care about him?” He chews on the inside of his mouth, studying me.
“I…” My throat prickles like a ball of tinsel is lodged there. “Mason, I…” Tears blur my vision, and it’s as if someone has hollowed out my chest and run away with my heart. The ball of tinsel clogs, making it difficult to breathe. I wipe my sweaty palms on my apron, needing to do something with my hands.
Mason leans over the table and passes me a napkin from the tray.
My hand trembles as I dab my eyes, not wanting to ruin my makeup. “Sorry. Crying’s all I seem to do lately.”
“You were saying about Dad?”
I scrunch the tissue in my fist and force myself to say the words out loud. Words I haven’t admitted to myself until now. “I love him.” I use the tissue to wipe my nose. “Mason, I’m sorry. I’ve tried not to. Tried to stay away, and I will. But I can’t help loving him. This was never about you. Please believe me.”
“Everything all right, Sera?” Logan, the manager asks, looking between me and Mason.
“I’m fine. Sorry, I’ll get back to work.”
“It’s okay. You take your time. As long as you’re all right.”
“Thanks.”
Mason pulls a small gift box from his pocket. “I got you a Christmas gift.”
I dab my eyes again and stare at the small box with a black bow on top.
“It’s not jewellery.” He quirks a grin. “Don’t get too excited. I just used one of Mom’s old earring boxes.” He slides it across the table. “Open it.”
I lift the lid, my fingers trembling. “A key?” I look between the small gold key and Mason.
He’s still smiling. “It’s a key to Dad’s house. Figured you’ll need your own key when you move back in.”
My mouth parts. “But I thought?—”
“I’m a selfish prick, yeah.” He shrugs his shoulders. “Maybe I am, but I figured Dad deserves to be happy just as much as you do.”
I blink down at the key, my vision blurring again. “Mason… are you sure?”
He nods once, his mouth twisting into a half smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah. He’s been a moody bastard since you left. Drake said even the crew’s sick of him. You’d be doing everyone a favour.”
A shaky laugh slips out of me. “That doesn’t sound very festive.”
“Trust me, I stayed over at his place last night, and it was awkward as fuck. I promised him I’d go for Christmas dinner because Mom’s going to visit Doug’s son and his family.” He chuckles. You know what he’s like. It’s a toss-up between having Christmas dinner with Sheldon and the brainiacs or eating in silence with Dad. You have to come and save me.”
I run my thumb over the key’s ridged edge. “And you’re okay with me and your dad?”
“I’m still figuring it out.” He exhales, shoulders sagging. “But I want to try.”
My throat burns again. “Thank you, Mason.”
He stands, tugging his hood up. “Don’t thank me yet. You still have to go see him. And I can’t promise dinner tomorrow won’t be awkward, but maybe one day we can all laugh about it.”
“You think he still wants me?” I clutch the key, heart hammering. “In that way, I mean?”
