Page 74 of The Ghost of You

I don’t know what it is about her. Maybe it’s her smile, those freckles, her laugh. We connect in a way that I have never connected with anyone.

And maybe that is why I keep pushing her away.

I feared the way she made me feel. Vulnerable. Because she pulled at the pieces of my soul without either of us realizing it.

I need to do whatever I can now to make her see I am the man for her. Not my idiot brother who doesn’t share the connection we do.

I take Brutus on a walk, trying to pass the time as best I can. He survives a two-mile walk. When we get home Anna’s lights are still out. I hope Mason brings her home rather than taking her to his.

I grab a beer and sit on my porch in the dark and wait for him to show up.

I know it’s ridiculous, but I hold on to hope that he brings her home. Knowing Anna, I don’t think she would sleep with him right away. But they do spend a lot of time together. Maybe she is more into him than I realize.

I finish my beer and grab another. When it’s halfway gone, I see headlights on the street. Then I notice it’s Mason’s Bronco.

He pulls up outside her house. I try to make out what is happening through the windshield but it’s too dark to see.

Anna gets out of her car and walks to her front door.

Asshole could have at least walked her to the door.

She waves at him from her porch before heading inside and turning off the porch light.

Mason waits a few seconds before pulling away but he doesn’t drive off. He pulls into my driveway.

He gets out of the car and finds me on the porch. I stare at him but don’t say a word. He knew how I felt about Anna, still feel about her and it was a low blow to ask her out.

“You are a creepy bastard, you know that?” he says to me as he leans against the rail Anna and I built.

“How was your date?” I cut to the chase.

“Awkward.”

That perks my ears up.

“She is a good friend but not really my type.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

He shrugs. “I like her man. I like her a lot. But she isn’t my type. Hell, I don’t even know what my type is. But I could tell from that date we are better off as friends.”

I stare at him as I twist the beer bottle back and forth between my hands.

“Fuck dude. You are an idiot.” He stands up from the railing at starts pacing. “That girl wants you more than anything. I can tell by how she talks about you, looks at you. And you are a fucking idiot if you don’t do anything about it. Hell, I only asked her out because I thought it would wake your ass up. I heard what happened at Thanksgiving. I was at the end of the hall. It was fucked up, man. You two are perfect for each other and I was hoping that by trying to cut my way in it would wake your ass up.”

“You used her?” I shout as I stand up from my chair.

Mason throws his hands up to hold me off. “No man. I did want to go on a date with her. But from when I first asked her it was clear she only had eyes for you.”

“This is fucked up, man.”

He shakes his head at me. “Maybe you should go change this whole situation.”

“By doing what?”

“Go over there,” he yells, pointing at her house.

I follow his gaze and take a deep breath. Maybe he is right. I should just go over there.

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