“What can I get you to drink?” she asked, shooting us a warm smile. I admired how fresh she looked, makeup and all. I’m sure I looked like death warmed over.

“Two cokes,” Mason said, grabbing a menu. “That should help with what ails you.” He shot me a look.

I nodded and grabbed my own menu, not sure that food was the best idea for me at the moment.

“Just some french fries and the Coke,” I told her.

“I think Renee is weirded out by you,” Mason pointed out after Renee left to fill our order.

“Why would you think that?” I challenged, thinking the same thing myself.

“I know girls. And I can tell when they are weirded out by other girls,” he said. “They get especially weird after they’ve had sex with someone.”

I laughed out loud at Mason’s theory on women.

“That’s funny because I’ve slept with you for years and it hasn’t affected me at all.” I grinned, amused by him even in my sickness.

“Believe me, I know it hasn’t.” Everything fell silent. Mason was obviously bothered. He jumped out of his side of the booth and climbed in across from me.

“Mason, what are you doing?” I asked. He took my hand, but I pulled away, looking around to see who might be watching.

“We never finished our conversation back at the hotel. I think you wanted to know if I care about you. I don’t think you believe that I do,” he said. He grabbed my hand again. His stare was intense. My eyes drifted from Mason’s hard stare to the grip he had on my hands and then to the people in the diner.

“Kendall, I tell you all the time I care about you. You’re more important to me than anyone else. What happened the other night with Renee would never compare to you. And I was stupid to even do it…high or not. And that’s the God’s honest truth.”

I swallowed. I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t realize I had such feelings for Mason until now, but I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. Mason was my best friend and I realized he’s all I wanted. I knew I wanted him to be a part of me, more than I knew how. And, I wanted him to pick me.

“And you don’t even need to say anything. I’m screwed up. I don’t know how any of this works any better than you do. But I do believe you’re worth every second it would take to figure it out,” Mason said. The look on his face pulled at my heartstrings.

Renee returned with our food, the tray resting against her hip.

“French fries, two Cokes. Mason did you figure out what you wanted to eat yet?” she asked, eying us. I pulled my hand free from his.

“Cheeseburger and fries,” he said, looking at Renee.

He leaned back in the booth. I studied him as he sat there. There was one things I knew about Mason for certain. He was as honest as the day was long. He didn’t care if it hurt your feelings. If he had something to say, he was going to say it. I was sure he’d never lied to me…ever.

“So, hey,” Renee said, turning back around to face us. “What are you two doing later? There’s a lot more fun to be had before you leave beautiful Virginia.”

Mason looked at me for a signal of what I might want to do. I thought it strange she was so easy to forgive him after nearly tossing Shifty over the balcony.

“I don’t know. I’m not feeling that good,” I said. It was the truth. I felt like I’d been dragged for miles and hit by death himself.

“What about you, Mason?” she asked.

“If Kendall is feeling better in a few hours and wants to come, we’ll give you a call or something,” he said, shooting me a look.

Renee nodded and hurried off.

Mason grinned, stealing one of my fries.

“I wonder how much longer we’ll be here. Every day we sit puts me closer to my grave,” he said with a laugh.

“Keep your mouth shut if you have nothing good to say, Mason. I don’t think it’s funny at all,” I warned him, sinking lower in my seat.

“It’s funny. We’re sitting ducks. Sometimes I wonder if we’ll even make it out alive. You can’t say you haven’t thought the same thing. I know I’d fight tooth and nail before I sat the rest of my life in a cell. They might as well kill me. Jail is no life at all,” he said.

He hadn’t gotten the hint that I didn’t want to talk doom and gloom. It was misery and it made me feel even worse. It promised only despair with no chance of achieving our dreams.

I covered my mouth, afraid I was going to be sick, and ran to the bathroom, nearly knocking down an elderly couple in line to pay for their meal.

I pushed open the first stall door and dropped to my knees losing what little I had in my stomach.

“Are you okay in here?” Renee called out from the other side of the stall. I grabbed some toilet paper and wiped my mouth.

“Yeah, I’m all right. Just an upset stomach,” I said, coming out of the stall.

“So what’s the deal with you and Mason if you don’t mind me prying?” she asked. Her smile faded a bit as we stood there staring in the mirror.

“I’ve known Mason for too many years to count. He’s always been a part of my life,” I said short and to the point.

“He loves you. It’s written all over him,” she said, giving my arm a squeeze. “And you’re lucky, he’s a cute guy. His eyes are incredible, amongst other things,” she said, giggling at the last part.

I understood all too well what she was referring to.

We made our way back out to the diner. Mason watched me climb back into the booth. I wondered if Renee could be right. Maybe Mason did love me.

We ate our food quickly. Mason convinced me to go for a walk to steer clear of Payton. We walked back the way we came, trying to figure out where to go.

“How about we walk by the water?” he asked, taking my hand in his as we slowly made our way.

“That sounds good,” I said, trying to not become unnerved by his harmless touch. Something in me had changed, and it was becoming more difficult to be myself around him.

“I’m sorry I upset you. I never know when to shut my mouth,” he said.

“Yeah…it gets to be too much after a while,” I said.

He squeezed my hand a little tighter. We came to a stop by the water, watching and hearing the waves crash onto the shore below. It felt so peaceful in that moment.

“What do you think Payton is thinking right now?” I asked. The boat in the distance looked so small.

“I have no idea. It’s not the first time she tried busting me in the face.”

“It’s the first time you reacted though,” I reminded him.

The wind grew stronger, whipping my hair away from my face.

“My dad is the one button you can’t push. She could have said anything else to me, but not that. I’m nothing like that man. I don’t want to ever be like him. He’s the reason my mom is as messed up as she is.”

I could tell the angst had returned at the mention of his dad.

“You’re nothing like him,” I said. “You’re actually sort of amazing.”

Mason laughed. He pushed me playfully. I rolled my eyes at his reaction to my compliment. Once again he was being his usual self.

“Why don’t we just say it already?” He smirked. “I mean… come on, now.”

I eyed him carefully, not knowing how to react to that. “What is it you think we want to say?”

“That we love each other. I kicked myself every time I stopped myself from telling you. I know you love me, too, and that’s all that matters,” he said, pulling me in close.

His arm tightened around me as we stood and stared at the water in a shared silence.

I wanted to say the same thing to him, but I wasn’t sure I knew how.

Mason dug around in his pocket and pulled out a crumbled piece of paper.

“I was going to say screw it, but maybe it’s something we could benefit from,” he said, waving the address Payton had given him in front of my face.

I took the paper from him, reading Payton’s elegant writing. I wondered just where 77 Elm Rue was located. I had seen enough of Payton’s friends to know it probably wasn’t anyplace nice.