The Price of Mason (Forbidden Men 10)

Julian: But what about all that hard work you put into learning how to dance to that song for her?

Nia: It’s okay. Really. I mean, I kind of feel silly now for putting so much importance on something that ended up being not a big deal, but I’m glad things worked out this way even more.

Julian: It wasn’t silly at all. You worked your ass off.

Nia: I know, but hey, it wasn’t a complete waste of time. It brought me to you, it helped you make the team, and now we’re both okayish dancers. I mean, at least we don’t suck anymore.

Julian: Does this mean I have to stop calling you my suck buddy?

Nia: Oh, God. YES! I wish you would forget that term for like ever.

Julian: Not a chance. I love that term.

Nia: But it’s AWFUL!

Julian: Is not. Hey, do me a favor, will you?

Nia: Anything.

Julian: Open your front door so at least SOMEONE can dance with you on this special occasion you've been preparing for all summer long.

A few seconds later, the door to Nia’s apartment flew open and she shrieked out her surprise when she saw me standing there, cell phone in hand.

“Oh my God. Julian! What’re you doing?”

Pocketing my phone, I grinned at her. “I hopped in my car and started over as soon as I heard you didn’t get to dance with your mom.”

Tears filled her eyes and a huge smile overtook her face. “But I told you it was okay. I didn’t need to—”

“Shh.” Stepping into her apartment, I drew my arms around her and kissed her long and gently. When I pulled back, her eyelashes fluttered open. “Sometime during this last month, that dance stopped being about you and your mom, and it became ours. So I’m actually kind of excited that she doesn’t get to have it with you, because I’ve been jealous all day that someone else was taking my dance partner away from me.”

Shaking with laughter and tears and smiles, Nia just shook her head and grabbed me in for a hard hug. “Well, we can’t have that.”

“Good,” I said drawing back, so I could pull my cell phone from my pocket and bring up the song that went with the dance we’d been practicing. “In that case…” As the first strains began, I held out my hand to her. “May I have this dance?”

* * *

The End

Part Three

Once Upon a Canoe Trip

For Lindsay B.

Who decided to email me

one day in twenty-one-three.

Thank you eternally

for the friendship and tea.

1

JB

I don’t know why I always ended up agreeing to camp overnight with my family following a day of canoeing with them. Even if I weren’t ready to escape their annoying drunk asses after being stuck on a river with them for ten hours straight, I was usually so dehydrated, sunburned, exhausted, and hungover to properly socialize that I crashed by seven or eight o’clock that night, anyway.