Chapter 12 - Mason
I believe it. Us. This. Building something real instead of just surviving.
I've never said anything like that to a woman before.
Never wanted to. But with Lily, it feels right.
Feels necessary. Like if I don't claim her now, tell her exactly what I want, she might slip away thinking this was just a one-time thing.
We head back to Wade's cottage, my hand finding her back as we walk. She's still wearing my flannel, her legs bare underneath, and every man with eyes would know exactly what we just did. Good. Let them fucking know she's mine.
The afternoon sun is brutal, but I barely notice. All I can focus on is Lily beside me, the way she walks a little differently now—looser, more relaxed. Thoroughly fucked. My cum still dripping out of her and into her underwear.
My phone buzzes as we approach Wade's cottage. Tucker.
**Tucker:** Both girls passed out hard. Don't rush back. Take your time with Sarah.
I show the text to Lily, and relief floods her face.
"She's okay," she breathes. "I knew Tucker would take care of her, but—"
"But you're her mom and you worry." I unlock Wade's door. "That's normal. Good, even. Shows you give a shit."
She disappears into the bedroom while I wait in the living room, trying not to think about what we just did in my shower. Trying not to get hard again remembering how she looked on her knees, how she sounded when she came, how tight her pussy felt wrapped around my cock.
Fuck. I'm getting hard anyway.
Lily emerges wearing actual clothes this time: a different pair of jeans that hug her curves, a green top that makes her eyes pop, her damp hair pulled back in a ponytail. She's gorgeous. Nervous. Her hands twist together as she looks at me.
"How do I look?" she asks. "Professional enough? Sarah's going to judge me the second I walk in, and I need this job, Mason. I can't fuck this up."
I cross to her and take her face in my hands. "You look perfect. And Sarah's going to love you because you're honest, hardworking, and desperate enough to take the job seriously. That's what she cares about. Not what you're wearing."
"You sure?"
"Positive." I kiss her forehead. "But if it makes you feel better, we can swing by the general store and grab you something more 'professional.'"
She shakes her head. "No. You're right. If Sarah's as good as everyone says, she'll see past the clothes to the person underneath."
"That's my girl." The words slip out before I can stop them, but I don't take them back. She is my girl now. Mine to protect, mine to care for, mine to fuck whenever we both need it.
We head to my truck and drive into town. Blackwater Falls looks different in daylight. Less depressing, more tired. Like a town that's seen better days but refuses to die completely.
The saloon sits on Main Street, its weathered sign creaking in the wind. Blackwater Falls Saloon in faded letters, a neon Coors Light sign in the window. The parking lot is empty except for an old pickup I recognize as Sarah's.
"She's here," I say, cutting the engine. "Ready?"
Lily takes a deep breath. "Ready."
I'm about to open my door when she grabs my arm.
"Mason." Her green eyes are serious. "Thank you. For all of this. For believing in me when you have no reason to."
"I have plenty of reasons." I lean over and kiss her. When I pull back, her cheeks are flushed. "Now let's get you that job."
The saloon looks different empty. The dark wood and scarred tables that seem charming at night just look worn in the daylight streaming through the windows. But it's clean, and the smell of bleach and lemon cleaner overpowers the usual stale beer scent.
Sarah's behind the bar, doing inventory. She looks up when we enter, her sharp eyes taking in everything. Lily's nervous expression, my protective stance, the way we're standing close enough that my hand brushes hers.
"Mason Reid." Sarah's voice is dry, amused. "Didn't expect to see you before sundown. You usually avoid this place during daylight hours."
"Had a good reason to come by." I gesture to Lily. "This is Lily. She's looking for work."
Sarah's gaze shifts to Lily, assessing. I can practically see her cataloging details. The cheap clothes, the nervous energy, the way Lily's trying to stand taller than her five-foot-nothing height allows.
"Lily," Sarah repeats. "You're the one staying at Promise Ranch? Word travels fast in small towns."
"Yes, ma'am." Lily's voice is steady despite her nerves. "Mason was kind enough to offer me a place to stay while I get on my feet."
"Kind, was he?" Sarah's lips twitch. "Mason Reid doing something kind. That's new."
"Fuck off, Sarah," I mutter, but there's no heat in it.
"Language." But Sarah's smiling now. She turns back to Lily. "So, you're looking for bartending work? You have experience?"
"Some." Lily lifts her chin. "I've worked in restaurants, fast food, retail. Anywhere that would hire me. I'm a fast learner, and I don't complain about long hours or difficult customers."
"What about the daycare situation? That's probably why you're here instead of somewhere bigger."
"I have a two-year-old daughter." Lily doesn't flinch from the admission. "I heard you offer nighttime daycare for employees. That's perfect for me. I can work nights while she sleeps, and I'm home during the day when she's awake."
Sarah nods slowly. "The daycare's run by my niece Amy. She's got early childhood education training, runs a clean operation. Your daughter would be safe there."
"That's all I need to hear." Lily's shoulders relax slightly.
"What about you?" Sarah looks at me. "You vouching for her?"
This is it. The moment where my word either helps Lily or hurts her. Sarah trusts me, trusts all of us from the ranch, but she's also smart enough to know when someone's being played.
"Yeah," I say firmly. "I'm vouching for her. She's good people, Sarah. Hard worker. Honest. She needs this opportunity, and you need the help. Seems like a perfect match."
"I'll give you a trial run," Sarah says. "Friday and Saturday nights to start. You show up on time, you work hard, you treat my customers right, and the job's yours permanently. Pay is minimum wage plus tips, and tips here are decent on weekends. Daycare is free for employees. You interested?"
"Yes." Lily's response is immediate. "Absolutely yes. Thank you, Sarah. You won't regret this."
"I better not." But Sarah's expression is warm. "Come back Friday at 6 PM. We open at 7, but I like my new people here early to learn the ropes. Bring your daughter around 5:30 so Amy can meet her, get her settled in the daycare before your shift starts."
"I'll be here." Lily's practically vibrating with relief and excitement. "Thank you. Really. Thank you so much."
Sarah waves her off. "Don't thank me yet. Wait until you've survived your first Saturday night rush. That's when the real work starts." She looks at me. "You taking care of her?"
"Yeah." I don't elaborate, don't explain what "taking care of her" means. But Sarah's knowing look suggests she understands anyway.
"Good." Sarah picks up her clipboard again. "She could use someone in her corner. And you could use someone who makes you smile for once instead of brooding in that cottage like you're auditioning for a damn western film."
"I don't brood," I protest.
"You absolutely brood," Lily says, grinning. "It's very dramatic."
Sarah laughs, and I realize Lily's already won her over. Not with desperation or begging, but with humor and honesty. With being herself.
"I like her," Sarah tells me. "Don't fuck this up, Mason."
"Wasn't planning on it."
We leave the saloon, and the second we're in the truck, Lily lets out a sound that's half-laugh, half-sob.
"I got it," she says, her eyes bright with tears. "I actually got the job. A real job with real pay and daycare for Rosie. Mason, I—" She breaks off, unable to finish.
I pull her across the bench seat and into my arms, holding her while she cries. Not sad tears this time. Relief. Joy. The weight of months of struggle finally lifting.
"You did it," I murmur into her hair. "You got yourself that job. Sarah hired you because you impressed her, not because of anything I said."
"But you vouched for me." She pulls back to look at me, her face wet. "Your word helped. Don't downplay that."
"Fine. My word helped." I wipe her tears with my thumbs. "But you still have to show up and do the work. That's all on you."
"I can do that." Her smile is brilliant despite the tears. "I can absolutely do that."
I kiss her then, tasting salt and relief and hope. When we break apart, she's still smiling.
"So, what now?" she asks. "Do we go back to the ranch? Pick up Rosie?"
I glance at the clock on the dashboard. It's barely past three. Tucker said not to rush back, that both girls are sleeping soundly. We have time. Time to celebrate. Time to just be together without responsibilities or pressure.
"Now," I say slowly, "we could go back. Or we could take advantage of having a few more hours alone."
Her eyes heat. "What did you have in mind?"
"There's a spot about twenty minutes from here." I start the truck. "Up in the hills. Beautiful view, completely private. Used to go there when I needed to think, back when everything felt like too much."
"You want to show me your thinking spot?" She sounds pleased, touched by the offer.
"Yeah." I reach over and take her hand. "Want to share it with you. Show you something that matters to me."
"Then let's go." She squeezes my fingers. "Show me."
I drive out of town and up into the hills, taking the winding road that most tourists miss. The landscape opens up as we climb: vast stretches of Montana wilderness, mountains in the distance, sky so blue it almost hurts to look at.
Lily's quiet beside me, taking it all in. Her hand stays in mine the whole drive.
When we reach the spot I'm thinking of, I pull off onto a dirt road that leads to a clearing. From here, you can see for miles. The ranch in the distance, the town spread out below, the mountains rising up like ancient guardians.
"Mason." Lily's voice is awed. "This is beautiful."
"Yeah." But I'm not looking at the view. I'm looking at her: the wonder on her face, the way her eyes reflect the sky, the softness in her expression that wasn't there yesterday. "It is."
She turns to me and smiles. "Thank you for bringing me here. For sharing this with me."
"Thank you for saying yes." I pull her close. "To the date. To us. To taking a chance on something that probably seems crazy."
"It is crazy." But she's still smiling. "But the good kind of crazy. The kind that might actually work."
"It will work." I'm certain of it in a way I've never been certain of anything. "Because we're going to make it work."
She kisses me then, soft and sweet and full of promise. And sitting in my truck overlooking the valley, holding this woman who stumbled into my life less than twenty-four hours ago, I know with absolute certainty that everything's about to change.
For the better.
Finally, for the fucking better.