“Don’t you ‘hi Pop’ me, Ellie June!” he hollered.
Uh-oh, he was middle naming me. This couldn’t be good. My eyes shot to Mason, who looked at me with amusement. Clearly, he could hear my dad loud and clear.
“Did you care to share that you’re dating Mason Jackson?” he shouted. “And that your name is all over the news!”
I grimaced. He was really upset. And very loud.
“Sorry, Dad, it all happened kind of fast. We’ve only known each other a short time. I didn’t want to worry you,” I explained, looking away from Mason’s intense gaze.
“Your mother and I are concerned,” he ranted. “Professional athletes don’t necessarily have the best reputations, and your name and pictures of you all over isn’t good either.”
I glanced back to Mason, and was shocked to find his hand held out, asking for the phone. I wrinkled my brow at him looking at him like he was crazy. But he simply continued to hold his hand out, giving me a pointed look.
“Um, Dad, he actually wants to talk to you,” I stammered, beyond nervous at the prospect of him speaking with my very hotheaded father. Before I could say anything else, Mason put the phone to his ear.
“Mr. Mitchell, Mason Jackson, sir,” he introduced, sounding completely confident as he winked at me. “I wanted to assure you that I have nothing but the best intentions with your daughter. I understand the risks of having her in the spotlight, and I’ve already taken measures to protect her. I take her safety very seriously, sir,” he confirmed, and I just knew he was winning my father over. But when his eyes shot over to mine with heat flaming in them, I knew my traitorous father had mentioned Brian.
“No, we haven’t discussed that yet, but we will. I’ll take care of it,” he said firmly. “Yes, sir.” He nodded as I lost the context of what they were saying through the one-way conversation. My dad talked for a little while longer while Mason nodded along. “Yes, sir, and I look forward to meeting you. I’ll hand you back to Ellie. Alright, okay. Thanks.” He handed the phone back to me.
“Hi, Dad,” I greeted.
“Well, I have to say I feel a lot better, honey.” My dad sighed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you hadn’t mentioned Brian, but really, sweetheart, he needs to know about that right away, with the press now having your name,” he scolded.
“I know,” I said quietly.
“It sounds like he’s quite taken with you. Smart fella,” he added warmly.
“Well, the feeling is mutual,” I replied, meeting Mason’s eyes and feeling my knees go weak at the expression I saw there. “I’ll call you this weekend, okay, Dad?”
“Okay, honey, love you.”
“Love you too. Send my love to Mom.”
“Will do.”
I hung up and searched for what to say for a minute. “Sorry.” I grimaced slightly as I plated the tacos. “They’re a little overprotective.”
“You seem to bring that out in people,” he rumbled warmly.
I sat next to him, and we dug into our tacos. I was starving, having not eaten since lunch. I knew the question about Brian hung in the air, but after the day I’d had, I just didn’t feel ready to get into it. Not tonight.
“I know we need to talk about a few things,” I hedged. “But just not tonight, okay?” I asked quietly.
“Fine, not tonight,” he agreed after a moment of hesitation, “but Ellie, it should be soon. I just promised your father I’d protect you, not something I take lightly, and I can’t do that properly if I don’t know the details.”
“I know,” I murmured.
He reached over, stroking my hair back from my face. “Whatever it is, Ellie, it won’t change a thing,” he swore.
I nodded despite not fully believing that.
“So, what’s on for the weekend?” he wanted to know, thankfully moving us to lighter topics… or so I thought.
I shrugged. “Not sure.”
“What would you think about letting me take you away for the weekend? And before you argue with me about it being too soon,” he added with a knowing look, “let me just say that the press got ahead of me more than I’d like. I really want some time just us, without you feeling the pressure from the outside world.”
I raised a brow. “More time to convince me not to run screaming for the hills?”
“Exactly,” he replied, unfazed. “I have a place in the mountains. I think you’d like it, and I’ve been meaning to get out of town. We can take Kodi. If you don’t want to go, that’s something else, but I don’t particularly give a shit about moving too fast. I’m going with what feels right, and this does.” He leaned in to nuzzle my neck. “You do.”
If he was crazy, that made two of us, because I felt the same way. “Okay,” I agreed before I could think better of it.
He grinned, those gorgeous dimples of his flashing. “Good. Only downside is, that means I need to take off. I have some planning to do.” He stood up, clearing his plate before bracing himself on the other side of the bar to regard me. “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious.”
“You’re welcome,” I replied easily.
“Before I leave, I want you to promise me something,” he continued, and I was surprised by the severity of his tone. “Use the security system, baby. I know you think it’s overkill, but I don’t agree. Promise me.”
“Okay,” I promised, meaning it. It did make me feel better and clearly put him at ease as well.
He nodded, appeased, before heading my way, guiding my thighs apart so he could step in between my legs. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow once you get home from work. I gotta leave now or I won’t be able to,” he rasped, bending to kiss me firmly.
“Okay,” I agreed breathlessly.
Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.
Chapter 5
ELLIE
“Jesus, Ellie, let me help you,” Mason swore the next evening as he shoved off from where he’d been leaning against his Rover in front of my loft.
“I’ve got it,” I protested as I balanced my bag, a bag for Kodi, his dog bed, and Kodi himself.
Mason strode toward me, taking Kodi’s leash and his bed. “I should have come up,” he grumbled.
I looked up at him, laughing. “Mason, I can carry a few bags.”
“Well,” he leaned in to kiss me, “you shouldn’t have to. You ready?”
I nodded as he opened the hatch for Kodi to jump in and we deposited the rest of my stuff in the back.
“So, where are we going exactly?” I asked as we pulled away from the curb.
“The house is just outside a small town named Dillon. Have you heard of it?” He glanced over at me briefly before his eyes returned to the road.
“I’ve heard it’s beautiful, but I’ve never been,” I replied, excited to see the mountain town I’d heard was quaint and serene.
“It is,” he confirmed, “and the locals keep to themselves, which obviously works for me,” he explained just as his phone rang, the name Emmie flashing on his dashboard.