Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 106797 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106797 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
We passed by Dale and my mom on our way to the spot the group had agreed to meet at. They were judging the cornbread competition, against my mother’s will, I’m sure. She hated eating any kind of carb — she preferred to drink them. Willow and I wished them luck and then continued on through the fair, sneaking swigs of the flask she’d packed as we walked.
I really did love the vibe of the fair, and with each passing step, I started to relax a little. It might have been the alcohol, or it might have been the bright lights, loud, tacky music, and array of aromas wafting in around us. Aside from the few children crying, everyone was in good spirits at the fair — it was hard not to be. And though my stomach was still in knots over all the confusing thoughts whirling around in my head, I did my best to push them all down and focus on having fun.
When we met up with the group by the Himalaya, Mason and Shay were already with them. Shay rolled her eyes when she saw me, tossing her long brown hair over her shoulder before whispering something in the ear of a girl I didn’t recognize. She had platinum blonde hair and long tan legs like Shay’s. They really did look like walking Barbie dolls.
Dustin gave me a hug when he saw me and I squeezed him back, thankful to still have him in my life regardless of what was going on with me and Mason. “Heard you were training at the club,” he said as he pulled back. “That’s awesome.”
Shay scoffed. “Waste of money, if you ask me. No amount of workouts can make up for eating your weight in fried food and Twinkies.”
My cheeks flushed and I felt a pain stab at the back of my stomach as Shay and her friend giggled. I looked to Mason, waiting for him to put her in her place, but it was Dustin who shook his head.
“Stop it, Shay. It’s not funny.”
She shrugged, eyes on her nails like she was filing them with straight laser beams. She was still smiling. “Maybe not to you.”
I silently thanked Dustin with a soft smile and he just nodded, frowning in Shay’s direction.
Willow missed the interaction, she had run off to the restroom nearby, but when she returned, she could sense the tension. Mason seemed a little uncomfortable, but still held his arm tight around Shay as Willow eyed them both before turning to me. “What happened?”
I sighed, not wanting to ruin our night within the first five minutes. “Nothing. Let’s go ride something.”
“Something or someone?” She waggled her brows and I smacked her arm playfully before we made our way with the rest of the group to a spinning, flipping, high-speed ride that I was absolutely positive couldn’t be safe. Willow handed me the flask to finish off when we took our place in line, the purple glitter sticking to my hands a bit as I stole the last drag. I tucked it in my purse just as Mason sidled up beside me.
“Hey,” he said softly, his brown eyes warm in the fair lighting. He looked like he’d been drinking, and without Shay on his arm, he almost looked like the old Mason. Brown hair mussed and wispy in the wind from the ride, same familiar grin on his face.
It made my stomach ache.
“Hi.” I returned his smile, but I wasn’t sure what to feel. He was nice at the club yesterday, but then he just let Shay say what she did without so much as a disapproving glance. I couldn’t figure him out.
“You look really pretty tonight. Is that a new dress?”
I tried to fight it but my cheeks burned and I nodded. It was a new dress — a knee-length, cream dress with a pink rose pattern splashed across it. Willow and I had gone shopping at the mall earlier that day and she had practically flipped when she saw the way it accented my cleavage and made my waist appear smaller than it really was. My heart hurt when I realized Mason was the only one in my life who would notice something like a new dress. No one else paid that much attention to me.
“Well, I like it.” He grinned wider, tucking his hands in his front pockets. “So, you’re training with Rhodes?”
I chewed my lip, debating an answer. I didn’t want him finding out about my training and now that he knew, I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to tell him about it. Did he already think I was doing this for him?
I didn’t have the opportunity to reply. Shay slid up beside Mason and wrapped her arms around his middle, nudging her way in until his arm was around her shoulder, her sharp hazel eyes on me like I was a bug that needed to be killed.