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to spend the night with my
grandparents a lot. He would spend hours playing dolls with me.”
Melancholy seeped into my soul as I remembered how much fun I’d had
with him. “One time, we had a tea party. I made this terrible
concoction of milk, grape soda, and pickle juice. I don’t know how
many little pink cupfuls he drank, but he managed to do it with a
smile on his face, promising me the whole time that I made better
tea than Mamaw.”
    One side of Mason’s mouth twitched up in a
grin. “You’re lucky to have memories like that.”
    “ Yeah, I am. He passed away
a few months ago, so those memories are even more precious now.” I
took a bite of my sandwich as I thought about how much I missed
him.
    Mason laid his hand on my shoulder. “I’m
sorry.”
    “ I appreciate that.” Before
I lost control of my emotions, I turned the conversation back to
him. “Do you have siblings?”
    “ I have a sister named
Haley. She’s four years younger than me.”
    “ What about
parents?”
    “ My dad died when my mother
was pregnant with Haley. Some kind of freak accident while cutting
down a tree. My mom’s around.”
    “ Your mom and your sister
live in Creekview?”
    “ My mom travels around
some, but she does have an apartment about an hour from here. My
sister’s away at college.”
    “ A college girl,
huh?”
    “ Yeah, it’s a great
opportunity for her.”
    “ What’s she majoring
in?”
    “ Nursing.”
    “ Good choice. Nurses are in
high demand.”
    “ What did you major in?” he
asked, holding his sandwich in one hand.
    “ Business.”
    After we finished eating, Mason put our
dishes in the sink, and I followed him into the kitchen and loaded
them in the dishwasher.
    Mason leaned against the counter, his arms
crossed over his chest. “You want to walk the perimeter of the
complex? I can show you where the pool is. There’s also a
playground if you get the urge to ride a merry-go-round or
seesaw.”
    “ Sure. I’ve been hunting a
good merry-go-round since I hit town.”
    “ Then I’ll grab my shoes
and a shirt.” He pushed off the counter and disappeared down the
hall. I waited a moment, trying to avoid being too close to his
half-naked body, and then I went to retrieve my shoes.
    We met back in the living room, and I
followed him out of the apartment and down a flight of stairs. It
was a short walk to the sidewalk that meandered around the
manicured complex. Up until now, I hadn’t explored, and I was
delighted when we walked through a mini garden. A stained wooden
bench was centered on pavers, blooming knockout roses in a deep
pink surrounding it. A row of multicolored flowers bloomed at the
edge of the concrete: pink geraniums, purple petunias, and an
assortment of impatiens.
    “ This is beautiful,” I said
as we passed through.
    “ Yeah, they do a good job
with the landscaping.” Mason continued walking, and as we curved
around the clubhouse, the pool came into view. Even though the
water looked inviting, I imagined it was still cold at this time of
year, and there wasn’t a soul in sight.
    “ It’s already open,” he
said as he unlatched the gate and held it for me while I entered
the pool area.
    I sauntered to the edge of the pool, staring
into the lucid water. Mason approached from behind me, grabbed both
my arms, and faked throwing me in. When he pulled me back, I
stumbled against him, my back pressed against his chest. He held my
arms firmly, attempting to steady me, and my heart raced.
    “ Whoa!” He chuckled. “I
wasn’t really going to do it.” His hands were warm against my skin
as his long fingers encircled my biceps. I liked his touch more
than I wanted to admit. My mouth went dry, and I swallowed, trying
to compose myself.
    I hadn’t known Mason long, but I was quite
sure he was popular with the ladies. I got it. He was handsome with
a perfectly chiseled face, dimples to make a girl’s heart melt, and
a hot body. He exuded charm and personality. I couldn’t say