Page 54 of I Heart Mason Cartwright
“You kidding?” I say. “It takes a lot to fuel this machine.” I lean back and stick my stomach out, gesturing to myself. This time she laughs. I like making her laugh. It makes me feel good.
We drive back to her place shortly after. The others aren’t back yet, so we head out to the beach with Princess Tinkerbell. She chases the ball for a while, but soon seems content to just dig in various places.
“Watch this,” Willow says. She piles a bunch of sand up and pats on the top, then says, “Oh, look, a sand castle.”
P-Tink’s ears perk up and she comes rushing over to where Willow sits, stopping right before she steamrolls the castle. She picks up her paw and taps it on the top just like Willow did. “Good job, P-Tink,” Willow coos. The dog yelps in response, then turns and sits on the castle, flattening the entire thing.
Willow laughs. P-Tink yelps some more and runs in circles in the sand.
“Will she do that with me?” I ask.
“Try it,” Willow says.
So, I do. P-Tink does not disappoint. Soon Willow and I are sitting next to one another rapidly piling sand together and laughing uncontrollably as the dog pats it then takes it down. Willow stops to catch her breath and lies back in the sand, covering her eyes with her forearm. I do the same, our shoulders and arms touching. I think about touching her hand with mine.
But I don’t because that would be inappropriate since I’m pretending to be ENGAGED TO HER SISTER.
What is wrong with me??
So, so much.
“Oh man, I haven’t laughed like that in a while,” she says.
“Me neither,” I agree.
“It’s funny.” Willow turns her head to look at me. “I only laugh like that anymore with Zach. I mean, I like to think I’m a pretty frickin’ happy person, but full-on belly laughs don’t happen all the time, you know?”
“I don’t think I’ve laughed like that with anyone,” I tell her honestly. “Not in a really long time.”
“Not even AshLynn?” Willow asks.
I turn my head to look at her, our noses inches apart. “No.”
She looks sad for a moment. Like she’s sad for me. It hits me, hard, I don’t want her to be sad. Ever.
I open my mouth to say something when I’m interrupted.
“What are y’all doing out here in the sand?” AshLynn calls from above us. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?” I didn’t even hear her approach, let alone call our names.
“AshLynn, you gotta see this,” Willow says bounding up. She sets up the sandcastle for P-Tink and we both giggle while the dog does her thing.
“Cute,” AshLynn says without much emotion. “The furniture should be here in a couple hours. Mommy and I stopped for lunch, but we brought back some burgers for you in case you’re hungry.” She turns and heads back to the house.
“We had—” I say at the same time Willow calls after her, “That’s so nice of you, thank you! I’ll be right in.”
“Are you going to eat a burger?” I ask, shocked.
“I’m sure going to try. We can’t have them know we went to lunch. AshLynn would get jealous and Cassandra would get the wrong idea.” She stands and brushes the sand of her clothes and legs.
“What’s the right idea?” I ask, despite myself.
“That we’re . . . friends?”
She ends on an up note, but I know she’s not actually asking a question. Even though I know it’s not smart, it makes me happy to know that she questions the nature of our relationship, because maybe I do just a little bit too.
