Page 90 of I Heart Mason Cartwright
Mason
I planto surprise my mom at the bookstore today. I’m ninety-nine percent sure she’s working. I haven’t seen her in person in about six months, since I’ve been in Santa Barbara, though we talked on the phone often. She knew it was an escape for me, I knew it was an escape for me, but we both ignored the obvious and pretended it was a regular work trip. Now I’m hoping we can continue pretending there wasn’t a reason for said escape.
I nod a hello to the guy running the coffee cart in front of the store. I doubt he’s the guy Mom has been dating because he looks about thirty years too young for her. Shit, he’d better not be the guy, he’s younger than I am. I find my mom in the back of the store logging in new arrivals before they are shelved.
I sneak up behind her and cover her eyes.
“Guess who?”
“Mason, is that you?” She turns and gives me a hug. “I’m so happy to see you! How was Santa Barbara? When did you get back?”
“Me too, Mom. Santa Barbara was great, I actually just got back this morning and I came to see you first. Wanted to see if you’d like to grab lunch or coffee or something?
“That sounds lovely. I would love lunch. There’s a sushi place down the way I’ve been dying to try.”
“I was hoping for something a little more substantial.”
“More than rice and fish?”
“I haven’t eaten since yesterday. What do you say we compromise and do fish-n-chips?”
“Whatever you would like.” She dusts her hands on her jeans and fluffs her hair.
“Hey, Mom, that guy out there at the cart, he’s not the one you’re seeing, right?”
“I don’t think so. Abe has the day off today. Why?”
“No reason. Just like to see who my mom is spending time with.”
