Page 14 of Take Me
“Thanks.”He stuffs one in his mouth, chewing as he plucks one more glass of kombucha from the taster tray.“Last one, I swear.If you try this and hate it, I will never again make you drink kombucha.”
I snort as he sets it in front of me.“Like you couldmake medo anything.”I really don’t want the kombucha, but trying it seems like a kindness.If I tell him it tastes like pond mud or dog food, he’ll laugh and we’ll shake off the funk of our breakups.
“What flavor is this one?”I pick it up and swirl it around.
“Salal berry, I think.”He squints at the glass.“She probably won’t mass produce that one, since the color’s so weird.”
The deep-purple hue is nearly black.I sniff, and the smell reminds me of the patches of wild salal berries Mason and I used to pick in the summer.His mother made jam, and we’d eat it by spoonfuls in the treehouse in his grandparents’ yard.This was around the same time Mason’s mom went off the deep end.
“What else is in here?”I swirl the glass, trying to place the unfamiliar scent.“Something besides salal berries.”
“Oregon grape.”Mason quirks one brow.“Since when do you have a super palate?”
Ignoring him, I take a sip.“Holy shit.”
He sighs.“Let me guess—it tastes like armpit?Mud puddle?Jockstrap?”
“Dude.”Bethany Lopez steps up behind him, crossing her arms.“Are you seriously dissing my kombucha to paying customers?”
Laughing, I take another sip.“I actually love it.”I give Bethany an apologetic smile.“I’ll admit some of the others weren’t my cup of tea, but Mason convinced me I’d fall in love eventually.”
“I call that one my Oregon Coast specialty.”Bethany smiles.“It’s the combination of the tartness of Oregon grape and the sweetness of wild salal berries—the flavors wouldn’t work on their own.”
“It’s fantastic.”I down the rest of it and set the bar on the glass.“Do you sell growlers to go?I’d love to take some home to my dad.”
“Absolutely.”Bethany beams.“You ready for your check?”
Mason pops my last cheese stick in his mouth and nods.“Yes, please.”
“Together, I assume?”Bethany glances between us.“I heard about you two.Congratulations.It’s about damn time.”
Mason’s mouth falls open.“What the?—”
“Two checks,” I say, putting a hand on his arm.“We prefer to keep our finances separate.”
“Gotcha.I’ll be right back.”
I wait until she’s out of earshot to stop touching Mason.“Who is she friends with from the group at Lucy’s house today?”
“Beats me.”Mason gets out his wallet.“Maybe it’s not the worst thing, huh?”
“You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet.”I chug the last of my Coke and grab cash from my purse.“But you’re right—having everyone gossip about our hot, torrid love affair instead of our breakups is a nice fringe benefit of your ridiculous story.”
“Ridiculous, huh?”Mason lays some cash on the bar, enough to cover Harper and her crew as well as whatever he ordered.“Now who’s the sweet talker?”
Ignoring the question, I focus on logistics.“How do you want to work Sam and Maxine’s wedding this weekend?”
“Might as well carpool.”He scratches his chest through his Big One’s T-shirt.“Guess we could save a few bucks and cancel one of our room reservations.”
“Fine by me.”My room’s a double, and it’s not like Mason and I haven’t shared a room with two beds.“I’m at the Dewdrop Motel.”
“I scored a cabin at Sunridge Vineyards.That’s way closer to the wedding venue.”
“We’ll keep yours,” I decide, grabbing my phone to cancel my own reservation.“Tell me how much and I’ll Venmo my half.”
“Don’t worry about it.”Consulting the tab, he slides off his stool.“It’s the least I can do for setting this whole thing in motion.”
“I’m paying my share.”Maybe this won’t be so bad.“Let me know if you want to keep up the ruse for the other two weddings.”
