Chapter 4
Mason
It’s been years since I’ve been back home.
Since the day Sydney broke my heart and I left for boot camp.
When I got the call about Mom and Dad, I immediately came here to the lodge to handle their final affairs.
I had no intention of ever going back to Hibiscus Harbor, but we seem to have a mini reunion going on in the lobby today.
“Okay, ladies, you’re all set. Dinner will be at six in the dining hall,” I tell them as I load all their luggage into their suites.
“It’s free, right?” Florence asks.
I smile and nod, “It’s included in your stay, yes. Everything is, including ski lift tickets.”
“I’m already too close to the Grim Reaper as it is, you’re not getting me on those toothpicks you call skis, but I’ll sit and watch the hunky ski instructors if you’ve got any.” Gladys says as she wiggles her eyebrows.
“Sorry, Gladys. The ski instructor is off for the holiday because of the wedding.”
She snaps her finger, “Crap. I was hoping for a hot cocoa and some eye candy. I guess you’ll have to do.”
I smile and bow, “I’m at your disposal.”
Closing the door behind me with the group of feisty ladies all settled in their suites, I go looking for Emily.
Instead, I find Sydney sitting in front of the fireplace with a mug of something steaming in one hand and her tablet in the other, but she’s not paying any attention to either. She’s staring off into space.
Seeing her with my staff, the bride and groom, and Emily earlier today as they decided on the placement of the altar, more decorations, and all the other things that go along with setting up a wedding, I noticed her confidence in her work and herself.
She’s good at what she does and her love for her job clearly shows.
When we were dating, she always loved to throw a party or host a picnic. Sydney’s personality is gregarious and comforting. She can talk to anyone about anything. Always could. It’s one of the many things I love about her.
Loved about her. One of the many things I loved about her.
“Everything okay with your drink?” I interrupt her daydream.
She looks at me and stares without answering me for a moment and then looks down at her mug as if she’s just now noticing it in her hands. “Yes. It’s fine. Thank you.”
I nod with a quick smile and turn to leave.
“What happened with your parents, Mason?” She asks and I stop in my tracks.
“Car accident.” I answer quickly with my back to her. This isn’t a topic I want to talk about. It’s been years since the accident, but it still hurts.
“When?”
I look over my shoulder, “Five years ago.”
She looks crestfallen and shakes her head. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
Again, I give her a quick nod and a smile. “Thanks.” I take another step to leave.
“How did you end up here in the middle of Colorado?” Apparently, we’re doing this now. Well, no time like the present.
I turn around and take a few steps closer to where she’s sitting.
She’s put her tablet down and is just holding her mug.
“After I left for boot camp, Mom and Dad sold their house back home and bought this place as a retirement plan. When they died, they left it to me and Emily. Since there was nothing left for me back at home, I decided to stay here and run this place.”
She nods, pursing her lips. “Wow. Okay, I deserve that, I suppose.”
I take a deep breath because I instantly feel bad for saying that. “No, no you don’t. I’m sorry. Ignore me. I’m just getting bitter in my old age.”
“Ha! Old age. We’re the same age, so are you calling me old?” She teases me and I think I’m off the hook.
“I may be old, but I know better than to call any woman old unless I have a death wish.” I smile and it’s the first time I feel relaxed since she showed up yesterday. “You still look eighteen years old, Sydney. Beautiful as always.”
She blushes at my compliment and then raises her mug. “Can I look at least twenty-one? Got a hot toddy over here. Don’t want to get in trouble with management.”
I sit down on the other end of the couch. “I’ve got it on good authority that management doesn’t check ID.” She laughs and it’s still the best sound in the world. So many memories come rushing back.
It’s really quiet between us and I’ve got to tell her before I lose my chance. “You broke my heart, Sydney.”
She nods as she stares down into her mug. “I know. I broke my own heart, too.”
“Why did you do that? We had everything going for us. We had forever just waiting for us and you tore that all down in a moment. Why?” I never saw it coming when she showed up at my front door and told me we were through. Never saw it coming.
I see her swallow hard. “I was so fucking scared of losing you.”
“So you left me instead? That makes no sense, Sydney.”
She looks at me and I can see her eyes starting to water. “Do you remember River Ashford from high school?”
I had heard what happened to River in Afghanistan five years ago. He and his team had no chance of survival when an IED exploded under his caravan. “I know what happened to River.”
“Well, then you get why I felt like I had to leave. I couldn’t live in a constant state of wondering if you were alive or dead, dreading a visit from two military men to tell me they’re sorry on behalf of a grateful nation, not to mention that you were going to spend most of your life on the other side of the world.
I couldn’t process how that would work for the both of us at such a young age.
” She turns and narrows her eyes at me, “And you never said a word to me. Not a fucking word about signing up for the Marines. You just went and did it without saying a word.”
“Sydney, I had to go.”
“No, Mason, you didn’t have to go… you wanted to go. There’s a difference.”
“No. I had to go. My entire family for as far back as time has been in the military in one way or another. I had to go. It was in my blood. It is in my blood.” I shake my head. How the hell can I make her understand?
“Then why didn’t you stay in the military? Why are you here running this place?”
I take a deep breath and look down at my hands. “Because if something did happen to me, then Emily would have no one,” I say quietly.
“Shit,” she whispers under her breath. “Is that why you came back? Because of your parents?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
She sighs, running her hands through her long brown hair.
“I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry for leaving you, for not calling you the moment I realized I had made a monumental mistake, for not being here for you and Emily…
I’m just so sorry, Mason, but I’m also so fucking mad at you for not talking to me; for making a life-altering decision without including me when we were always talking about forever.
I’m not the only one at fault here, Mason.
” Sydney places her mug on the coffee table, gets up, and leaves the room and I watch her go. Again.
“Mason, we’ve got a problem,” Emily says from behind me. “What are you doing in here all alone?”
I shake my head as I stare down the hallway where Sydney just went. “No reason. What’s up?” I stand up, grab Sydney’s mug, and notice the lipstick on the rim and laugh to myself. I’d recognize that color anywhere.
“The weather channel is calling for a big storm coming off Blanca Peak between tonight and tomorrow. They’re calling for up to five feet of snow in a few hours.
We need to get ready.” Emily says and I can hear the panic in her voice.
Our parents were out getting supplies during a storm when the accident happened.
“No worries. We’ll be fine.” I reassure her as I pull her into my arms for a hug. “You know I love you, right?”
“I do, and I love you, but I’m not really sure why you’re hugging me. Are you dying or something?”
I laugh, “Nope. Just wanted to make sure you knew that. I’m not sure I tell you enough.”
“Okay, she drawls out. “Well then, you love me, and I love you, so, can we get ready for this storm now? We’ve got a lodge full of guests, a Christmas wedding to put on, and a storm threatening. Enough of this mushy crap.”
“You got it. Let’s go.” I follow Emily out of the common area and place Sydney’s mug on the check in desk.