Page 7 of Deep Love

Not at all like the relationship I’d had with Mason. He’d been a giver in every sense of the word. And judging by the scrumptious-smelling and beautiful food Mason cooked up in that kitchen, he gave people some delicious gifts to eat.

Finally, the last of the customers paid their bills and wandered out into the night, leaving only staff to clean up, prep for tomorrow, and close up. While I was filling the salt and pepper shakers at the diner’s small bar area, Jessica came out and slid a key on a keychain shaped like the state of Vermont across the wooden top.

“That’s for the apartment I told you about,” she said. “I’ve been renting it out, but it’s currently open, so it’s yours. I’ll mark it as taken online, and you can stay until you find something you like better.”

“I don’t have any money for a down payment or rent right now,” I admitted, glad it was only the two of us in earshot but wondering if Mason was still in the kitchen.

Jessica waved a hand. “Not a problem. You were a fabulous waitress tonight, so how about I deduct a little from your paycheck each week to put toward rent?”

“That would work out great,” I said. “You said Mason was the nicest person here, but he has some competition.”

“Actually, he’s rubbed off on me.” She chuckled as she screwed the tops onto the shakers I’d filled. “Hiring him was the best thing I’ve ever done here. He’s never late, he keeps a neat kitchen, the man can cook, and I’m pretty sure that ninety-percent of our female patrons come to get a peek at him.”

That made sense. Mason had always been easy on the eyes and from what I’d seen today, he’d only gotten better looking. I hadn’t been able to keep tabs on him or anyone else I’d known while in Seraphia. A common misconception after you died was that you spent eternity looking after your loved ones. Not so. Death severed those ties, and if you were lucky, you entered a state of nonstop bliss in the Chosen City.

If you weren’t lucky, you went to a place that served up terror and torture instead. Either way, your connection to those you knew in life was not maintained. You didn’t feel bad about it because you were either focused on the extreme peace and love and perfection of Seraphia or you were enduring too much pain and suffering to care about anything else.

And apparently, if you were kicked out of Seraphia and returned to the life you’d been living before your death, all your memories were restored. As I’d been waiting tables all night, little tidbits of my time with Mason had been flashing through my mind.

Like that night we spent on a sailboat on Lake Champlain, our fifth date but the first time we’d been intimate. I’d lost my virginity to Mason, and he’d somehow managed to be both gentle with me and rock my world at the same time.

Like that camping trip we’d gone on in Maine where we’d had an up close and personal encounter with a black bear and had lived to tell the story.

Like that fancy date we’d had in New York City where we’d met Austin Rayhill, our favorite action-adventure movie star. We’d gotten an autograph and a photo with Austin and his wife, Charlie, that we’d printed, framed, and hung in Mason’s little cabin on Rodgers Lake.

Like saying goodbye to Mason when he’d joined the Army and crying myself to sleep for nearly a month afterward.

Like Mason surprising me by having huge bunches of tulips delivered to the school I’d taught at every hour on the hour on my birthday because he couldn’t be with me in person.

Like the beautifully mundane evenings we’d shared in Moon Valley, planning our futures together.

Until I’d gotten into that car accident and been robbed of said future with the man I loved more than anyone in the world.

But I’m back now.

Had Solari made a miscalculation in where and when she’d sent me? Wasn’t getting booted from Seraphia and being sent back to Earth supposed to be a punishment?

For something I didn’t do.

Seeing Mason again, however, felt like the polar opposite of a punishment. It felt like a second chance.

“Is Mason with anyone?” I asked Jessica.

“Like married?” Jessica shook her head. “No. He hasn’t had a girlfriend since I’ve known him. I’ve tried to set him up with my younger sister, Emily, but he’s declined every time. I thought maybe he was into guys instead, but he didn’t want me to set him up with my gay cousin, Edward, either.” She shrugged then her eyes bugged. “OMG! Has he not dated anyone else because he was waiting for you to return?” She clasped her hands and brought them up to her chest. “That would be the absolutely sweetest thing and so like Mason actually.”

I stared at Jessica, her speculation cycling around in my brain. Was it possible that Mason hadn’t moved on? Had he chosen to be alone over being with someone who wasn’t me?

We had been pretty serious. Talked about marriage after Mason completed his first tour of duty with the Army. We’d never done more than talking about marriage though. I’d died while he was on the other side of the world.

Had he been grieving the loss of me all this time?

Part of me liked that he hadn’t found someone else, but another part—a bigger part—was heartbroken he’d been stagnant in his personal life.

“So?” Jessica’s voice brought me out of my musings. “Where you and Mason an item?”

“Uhh . . . yeah.” I saw no reason to lie to Jessica, especially since she had been so kind to me by hiring me on the spot and giving me a place to crash. “We were pretty close.”

“What happened to break you two up?” Jessica leaned forward on her elbows as if ready to gobble up a juicy secret.