Resolution (Mason Family 5)

It’s from the day at Judy’s. I’m bent over and laughing. I think I’m about to walk toward Wade and stop the impromptu photo session.

Little did I know that day what he would grow to mean to me. I’m not even sure how to define that now. I just know, more with each passing day, that my life is different with him in it.

It’s fuller. More fun. Better.

So much better.

“Dara? Where are you?” he yells from somewhere in the house.

“I’m coming!”

I grab his glasses and start back down the hallway.

“You will be when you get your ass in here,” he shouts back.

My laughter trails me as I race up the steps … to my man.

THIRTY-FOUR

DARA

“You are having lunch with me tomorrow,” I say through the phone. “I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Rusti sighs. “I want to. I just need to check on Zack—”

“No!” I flip on my turn signal and pilot my car down into a cozy neighborhood filled with ridiculous houses. “Come on, Russell. I haven’t even seen you for a week.”

“I know.”

Her voice sounds defeated … which is exactly why she’s having lunch with me tomorrow whether she likes it or not.

“Zack will survive without you for a couple of hours,” I say. “It’ll be good for him. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, you know.”

The line quiets as she either gets distracted or mulls over my words.

“I need to see my best friend,” I say. “Just because we both have … well, I don’t know if what Wade and I have is a relationship or not—”

“Clearly, it is.”

A wave of gooeyness washes through my body.

Is it clear?

To me, it’s not.

I hope for that kind of situation in a very muted, extremely hesitant kind of hope there is. He’s wonderful, and our lives keep entwining in the most natural of ways. Our steps have fallen in sync with talk of work, sharing meals—he even laughs at the silly GIFs I send him now.

Most of the time.

Slowly, I’m overriding my natural instinct to keep a buffer between us. But a habit of almost three decades, something you learned by osmosis as a child, is hard to battle. I’m fighting it, though, because Wade deserves a chance to stand on his own.

And I know deep down that I deserve a chance to be loved by someone too.

Not that Wade loves me. This is a process for him too. But he’s trying to work through it. He’s opening up slowly. There’s still some resistance there—a bit of pulling back and needing his space. I need that too, so it works.

It’s … us right now. Who knows what we’ll look like in a year? Or five?

A shiver runs down my spine at the thought of potentially still being with Wade five years from now.

“I don’t know if we’re clearly in a relationship,” I say, grinning, “but you wouldn’t know because you’re never around. And I’m putting my best friend foot down to that bullshit right now.”

“Okay. You’re right.”

I gasp. “Are you saying you’re wrong?”

“No. I’m saying you’re right.” She laughs. “I do miss you, Dara.”

“And I miss you and … hell, I even miss Cleo.”

Her laughter grows, and the sound of it warms my heart. Damn, I’ve missed her.

“All right. Cleo and I will be over tomorrow for … Let’s get bagel sandwiches on Court Street and then watch Yellowstone.”

“Haven’t seen it. Sounds fun.”

“Perfect. See you then. And … thanks, Dara. I needed this call.”

“I know. I needed it too.” I cringe as I pull into a car-filled driveway. “Hey, Russ?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t have to bring Cleo.”

“Oh, no. She’s coming. She heard the invitation, and she’ll be heartbroken if Auntie Dara cancels on her now.”

I roll my eyes and park behind a Lexus. “Fine.”

“Are you there?” she asks as I put my car in park.

“Yup.”

“Okay. Go have fun with the Mason family. I’m going to pick up some dry-cleaning for Zack and then figure out dinner.”

I pop my lips together in a loud kissing sound. “Bye, Rusti.”

“Bye.”

Wow.

I should’ve expected something this extraordinary after the wedding festivities, but somehow it escaped me how wealthy these people are.

Four garage bays are facing me. Cars worth six digits are parked in front of every one. The driveway extends along the far side and through an open gate. Cars seem to be parked back there too.

“And I thought this was just a baby photo shoot,” I say, trying to quell the pounding of my heart.

The front door opens, and Wade steps onto the porch. His eyes find mine immediately. They’re kissed with a softness like he has a secret I’m not privy to … and I love it. I love that this is where we are in things.

He lifts a glass to his lips and takes a long, leisurely swig. Dressed in a pair of dark denim and a deep gray sweater, he looks relaxed and comfortable.