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“You looked preoccupied,” his Channing teased

Mason cleared his throat, and she bit her botto bashfully “Surprise?”

Mason

They’d expanded their plan Now that the family knew, they had to nor their heads together, they came up with a list of dates Today was their first one As he peered in theof excite his gut This didn’t feel like a deception It felt like an ideal reality After straightening the collar of his bright blue button-up, he turned away from his reflection, unable to handle the emotions visible in his eyes

He moved to the dresser and opened the Patten Jeweler’s box that housed the chare on flashy things, but he couldn’t resist the Star Wars themed charms He’d added a silver circle with a P in fancy font A token of his appreciation for her They’d struggled to find a new normal since the barbecue It was hard to do when their fa the theeht was ti her ap that had formed between them like yesterday

Shutting the velvet box, he placed it in a black bag with Patten’s scrawled across it in a bold, cursive font and grabbed her favorite scent on hi a bit on his shirt and the pulse points in his wrist, as she’d once showed him, he deemed himself ready

The drive to her house stretched out like salt water taffy,the fifteen-minute trek seem like an hour Finally, he pulled into the driveway of the two-story red brick ho on the wall that surrounded the front perie froalow and taken it over when her grandparents hadhome about thirty minutes north of their home It was too much home for one person, and he knew the electricity bills and property taxes stretched her resources Still, she refused to sell the family home

Now she won’t have to He wasn’t attached to his condo He had no proble his car in the wide driveway, he grabbed the bag and walked up to the front door He knocked and rocked back on his he

els, feeling like a teenager on pros in a rush The cream-colored sweater dress contrasted with her skin and stopped just above her knees The light brown boots adorning her long legs matched her soft suede jacket and added a few inches to her height, putting her right into his line of vision She’d curled her hair Soft ringlets framed her face, and a rich red color coated her lips

“You look nice, Mas”

He blinked “So do you”

“Thank you”

“Here” He thrust the bag toward her, cursing his unintentional abandon havoc on him

“For rin lined her lips

“”Course, little flower I owe you”