liked me.
But Mason? He didn't like me. Oh sure, he said he liked me, but his words and actions were so opposite, I was having a hard time believing any of the nicer things he'd said.
But boy-oh-boy, did I remember the bad stuff. That was burned into my brain like a flaming Christmas tree.
I shoved the phone back into my purse and marched toward the nearest department store. I was halfway there when my cell phone rang. With a sigh, I pulled it out and glanced at the display.
It was Mason. Of course.
When I answered with a curt hello, he said, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Shopping. That is what people do at the mall, isn't it?"
"Not if they know what's good for them."
My fingers clenched around the phone. Speaking of things not good for me. In a stiff voice, I informed him, "If you're talking about the snow, I know it came ahead of schedule. And I know it must be bad, because the mall's closing early."
"Not early enough," he grumbled.
I made a sound of frustration. "Just why do you care, anyway?"
"Is that a serious question?"
"Yes. It is, in fact." Speaking slowly, pronouncing every single word, I said, "Why. Do. You. Care?"
"I care because of Willow," he said. "Now are you leaving or not?"
His words stung, although for the life of me, I couldn’t imagine why. I mean, I already knew I was expendable. And besides, hadn't I already decided that I hated him?
I replied, "Of course, I'm leaving. Didn't you hear the part where I said the mall's closing?"
In a tight voice, he said, "When?"
"Five minutes. There, you happy?"
"I'll be happy when I see you pulling in the driveway."
With a bark of laughter, I replied, "Hah! You? Happy? I'd drive through a dozen blizzards to see that."
"Meaning?"
"Oh, stop," I said. "You know what I mean. You're so damned determined to be miserable."
"So you're cussing now?"
"Hell yeah, I'm cussing. And there's a lot more where that came from."
"Oh yeah? Hit me."
With a stiff smile, I said, "Do you mean that literally? Because I'm pretty sure they sell boxing gloves."
"If you mean the mall on Wheeler, they don't."
"What?"
"The sporting goods store moved last month."
"Oh, for God's sake," I said. "Now you're joking with me?"
"It's no joke," he said. "They moved to Woodside."
By now, I felt like screaming. "Alright, you really want me to let you have it?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Alright." I lowered my voice to a raw hiss. "You're being a total snork-weasel. Me? I like roses and balloons – yellow, by the way. And cookies. But what do you like? You like being miserable. But has anyone ever told you that misery is contagious? Well, I'm here to tell you, Mason Blastoviak, that you're not making me miserable. Not anymore. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a stupid present to buy."
And with that, I ended the call and marched straight into the nearest department store. I stalked directly to the menswear department, where I found a sales associate – some guy in his twenties – standing behind the main counter.
When he saw me coming, he gave me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but we're closing."
As If I didn't know. "When?"
He glanced at his watch. "Two minutes."
"Terrific," I said. "I know exactly what I want." I yanked Mason's envelope from my purse and retrieved one of those hundred-dollar bills. I slapped it onto the counter and said, "Give me the ugliest tie you've got."
The guy frowned. "You serious?"
"Dead serious," I said. "If there's an ugly tie contest, I want this tie to win – first and second place."
The guy gave a slow nod. "You know what?"
"What?"
He grinned. "I know just the thing."
Chapter 50
Cami
Soon, I was striding toward the mall's main entrance with Mason's new necktie stuffed deep into the pocket of my winter coat.
The clerk had offered free gift-wrapping, but I hadn't had the heart to take him up on it, not with the mall closing early and everyone so anxious to leave.
So instead, I'd asked him to simply stuff my purchase into a small plastic shopping bag and call it good.
If the tie got wrinkled, all the better.
By now, the mall was practically empty, which was pretty surreal, considering how crowded it had been when I'd first arrived with Arden and Willow.
My steps faltered. Willow.
Oh, my God. I stopped in the middle of the main thoroughfare and squeezed my eyes shut in dawning mortification.
That's why Mason had contacted me. It had to be.
He was notoriously protective when it came