“I’ll remember that,” I say.
He pats me on the shoulder and then disappears down the hallway.
I glance at my watch. Tension pulls across the back of my neck. I wish he hadn’t brought it up here. At least he did apologize, even though I didn’t feel like I needed one.
My stomach screams for food since I skipped lunch. I look at the suite door and contemplate going in, but the idea of dealing with everyone nixes that idea quickly.
Just as I start to stand, Larissa and Hollis walk in. Riss pulls me into a big hug and kisses my cheek.
“Have you seen the baby?” she asks.
“No. I’m just about to leave,” I say.
Hollis nods a greeting.
“How are you, Hollis?” I ask.
“Good, man. Good. How about you?”
Larissa pushes the suite door open tentatively and bounds through once her gaze settles on the baby. Hollis stays behind, shaking his head.
“Grab a seat,” I say, motioning toward one of the many available chairs lining the room.
He sits with a huff. “Been a long day.”
Why do these people think I want to talk?
But out of all the people in the universe to talk to, Hollis is the least irritating right now.
I fall back in my chair. “I feel that.”
He runs a hand through his floppy hair. “Sometimes I feel like my life is changing so fast that I can’t keep up with it.”
“Riss?”
He shrugs. “She goes a hundred miles an hour whichever direction she’s going. I have to sprint to catch up.”
This reminds me of earlier today and speeding down the exit ramp. I try not to smile.
“And then this whole family of yours …” He blows out a breath. “It’s a little intense going from no family to all of you.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, well, it’s a little intense being born into this family too.”
He grins. “I heard I’m going to be a godfather.”
“Really? That’s awesome.”
“It is. I think.” He scratches his jaw. “I know Coy, and I have gotten close with our music stuff, but I never dreamed that he’d ask me to be the godparent to his kid.”
“He likes you,” I say. “You’re a good man. I’m sure he feels honored that you accepted.”
Hollis’s hand falls slowly to his lap. “Thanks, Wade. That means a lot.”
“Sure.”
We sit with a clumsiness between us. I don’t know how to make it less awkward. Typically, I’d just excuse myself and leave, but I don’t want to do that to Hollis. Because apparently I fucking care.
I need sleep.
“I thought Coy would pick you,” he says, a laugh in his voice.
“Me?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you?”
“I thought I was the last person Coy would choose.”
I shift in my seat, wondering how well Hollis actually knows us after all. Coy is the wild one, the party boy—or he was. I’ve always been the studious, intellectual of the Mason men. No way in the world would Coy have picked me, and that’s fine by me. Just a problem I don’t have to deal with.
“Really?” Hollis looks surprised. “Coy talks about you like you’re some kind of genius saint who can fix and do anything. Why would he not pick you?”
Wow.
“I am a genius, and I can fix and do just about anything,” I deadpan. “But I suspected it would be Boone—no offense.”
“Of course not.”
The air around us grows heavy, and I can’t ignore the topic that I’d like nothing more than to avoid. I don’t know what to say to Hollis about Harlee. How do you succinctly share with someone that you’re sorry they just got the worst news of their life? Hell, Hollis might even want to have it brought up.
But when I look up and see him sitting there with his head down, I know what I have to do. Shit.
“I, um, just wanted to say that I heard about your sister. I’m sorry, Hollis.”
His head lifts. “Me too. I know it’s not my fault—”
“Of course, it isn’t. How could it be?”
He lifts his head and frowns. “You’d be surprised at what you can talk yourself into if you’re not careful.”
“I’m sure she wouldn’t want you to blame yourself.”
“Sadly, I didn’t know Harlee long enough in her life to know what she’d want, and that fucking sucks.”
My stomach clenches. I can’t believe I’m doing this—again. Today. But here I sit, and I don’t know what else to do.
“If Harlee was anything like you, she would be pressing on and figuring shit out,” I tell him. “You’ve done that your whole life, and look at you now.”
A slow smile slips across his face.
“She’d be happy you’re doing so well,” I say. “And I know this because I have brothers and I can imagine what I’d think if, say, Boone went missing as a child.”
Hollis chuckles. “Do I hear a little missed opportunity there?”
I shrug, making his chuckle turn into a laugh.
Spotting an opening, I get to my feet and yawn. “I’m going to head out. I had a long night and an even longer day.”
Hollis stands, extending a hand. “Thanks, Wade.”
We shake, his grip firm.
“Don’t thank me,” I say. “Just don’t knock out Boone when he gives you shit about the godfather thing when you walk in there.” I start to walk away but say over my shoulder, “But, if you do hit him, knock him out cold. You’re in a hospital. They can resuscitate him.”
Hollis’s laughter follows me out the door.
I make my way to the elevator and push the button to go down. I shove my hand in my pocket while I wait.
Something in the bottom of my pocket is crunchy, and I pull it out. And laugh.
In my hand is a wrapper from Dara’s car. I found it stuck in my folder as I was walking to my office. I took it out and shoved it in my pocket until I could find a trash can. I must’ve forgotten about it.
I start to throw it into a trash receptacle by the elevators but stop before I let it go. The small piece of plastic is blue and has a white design on it. It reminds me of the water and the sky and the color of Dara’s Mustang.
I stick it back in my pocket, shake my head, and step into the elevator to go home.
FOURTEEN
DARA
“All right. One more,” I say, adjusting the lens. “Don’t look at me. Don’t even smile intentionally. Just look at each other and … be.”
Bronwyn and Eric turn toward each other. Within seconds, it’s photo magic.
She looks at him like they share a secret. Snap!
He reaches down and brushes a strand of hair off her face. Snap!
She tilts her chin, her eyes shining, and … Snap! Snap! Snap!
“That was awesome, you guys,” I say, taking a quick glance at the raw images on the back of my camera. “These are going to be great.”
“This was so much fun,” Bronwyn says. “I was so nervous.”
“There’s nothing to be nervous about. We’re just capturing your love. Nothing to do except let me into your lives for a few minutes.”
She looks up at Eric and beams.
“You’ll email us when the images are ready?” Eric asks.
I nod. “Give me a few weeks. I’ll work as fast as I can, but I’m a little behind on edits.”