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Chapter 74: Mason
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HeartLess Chapter 75: Poppy
Book Two: ShamelessThe knock on the apartment door sends my belly into freefall. I flatten my palm against my lower abdomen, hoping that will settle everything that riots dangerously within. It's as if there's a horde of angry butterflies attempting to wing their way to life inside me.It's ridiculous how nervous I am about this date. It's not like I haven't been on dozens of them throughout the years. But for some reason, going out with Mason feels like a big deal. I have the sneaking suspicion it's because I like him.Really like him.Once I reach the tiny entryway, I inhale one last deep breath before grabbing the handle and yanking the door open. I find Mason standing on the other side of the threshold in the hallway. He's wearing a navy polo and dark wash jeans. Normally, in class, he wears T-shirts. Once, at the garage, I found him bare chested. I'd be lying through my teeth if I didn't admit that I prefer him without a shirt, but he looks seriously handsome dressed li
HeartLess Chapter 76: Mason
Book Two: ShamelessIf I'd been secretly holding out hope that dinner would be a complete bust, that turns out not to be the case. For the most part, there weren't any awkward lulls in conversation. We flowed easily from one topic to another. I hadn't realized that Poppy lost her mother when she was so young. Maybe the circumstances are different, but the loss of any parent is something you don't just get over or move on from.It's a painful ache that lives in your heart forever.What is it about this girl that puts me instantly at ease? As much as I want to deny the truth, I can't.I like her.A lot.It occurs to me as we head back to town that I'm nowhere near ready for this night to be over. I don't want to say goodbye and drive back to the loneliness of my place. That's all it takes to make a split-second decision and turn the truck onto a dark country road. She glances at me but doesn't ask where we're going or what I'm doing. We don't know each other well, and she certai
HeartLess Chapter 77: Poppy
Book Two: ShamelessI glance at the text from Dad before pushing into the locker room and winding my way through the space. My footsteps echo off the cinderblock walls as I head to the back where the offices are located. Practice doesn't start for another hour, so the place is more like a ghost town than football central with guys in various states of undress.When I reach the open door, I poke my head into the small room crammed with old tapes, playbooks, photographs, and trophies, only to find it empty. Dad said he'd be here, watching game film. With a frown, I glance at my watch. I have ten minutes before I need to hustle to my next class.Just as I'm about to fire off a text, a deep voice says, "Sneaking into the guys' locker room again, huh?"Startled, I swing around, and find Mason. As soon as our gazes collide, his lips quirk at the corners.My hand flies to my chest as my heart thunders a painful beat. "You scared the crap out of me!"A chuckle escapes from him as he flas
HeartLess Chapter 78: Poppy
Book Two: ShamelessWith an extra fifteen minutes before the start of class, I decide to stop by the coffee house on campus and pick up an iced latte. I need something to get my blood pumping, and with any luck, this will do the trick.If not, I'm in for a long morning.As I open the door, I realize quite a few people had the same idea. I step into the queue and wait patiently for my turn.Thankfully, the baristas are used to the heavy student traffic and keep the line moving at a steady clip. As another person steps up to the counter and places their order, a voice from behind says, "Hey, Poppy."My heart stutters as I glance over my shoulder and find Levi. We haven't spoken since he walked in on Mason and me kissing in the locker room. I caught sight of him in class a couple days later. Instead of parking himself next to me like usual, he sat with a couple of friends. When he refused to meet my gaze, I'd assumed he was angry."Hi." My fingers flutter nervously before tucking
HeartLess Chapter 79: Mason
Book Two: ShamelessFrom the corner of my eye, I watch Poppy as she lounges on the counter in the garage as I work under the hood of a Ford Mustang GT. The carburetor has been running a little rough, and I'm hoping that if I give it a good cleaning, it'll take care of the problem. If not, the old one will need to be replaced.Instead of concentrating on the car, I glance at the girl who forced her way into my life. I can't go more than a few minutes without her normally smiling face popping into my head.She's been unusually quiet since walking through the door almost an hour ago.Now that I think about it, she's been preoccupied for the past couple of days. I'm not sure what it means.Maybe nothing.Maybe something.It's the maybe something that concerns me.Even though alt rock plays in the background, her silence feels deafening. I've tried several times to start up a conversation.Each one has stalled.Normally, the girl is a veritable chatterbox. Talking about her day before
HeartLess Chapter 80: Poppy
Book Two: Shameless"Give me your honest opinion." Anne holds up a pale pink blouse at the boutique we've spent the last twenty minutes browsing in. "What do you think of this?"She sent a text the other day, asking if I'd like to do a little shopping and then grab lunch. Since my classes are all scheduled in the morning, I agreed. She's a district attorney for the county, and every so often, she likes to play hooky.Anne came into my life when I was ten years old and still mourning the loss of my mother. She was married and lost her husband to colon cancer a year before Mom died. They met in a support group and struck up a friendship before it eventually turned into something more. I'm glad Dad is married again, and that Anne is the woman in his life. I wouldn't want him to be alone.And neither would Mom."It's really cute." I consider the silky top for a few seconds. "It'll look nice paired with your light gray suit."She flashes a smile before sending me a wink. "My thought
HeartLess Chapter 81: Mason
Book Two: Shameless"The team's really shaping up," Coach says, standing next to me on the sidelines with a clipboard in hand. "Moving Erickson to the O line was the right decision."I nod in agreement. "He's comfortable there and will make more of an impact.""Yup." He yanks off his ballcap before wiping the sweat from his brow. "It's hot as Hades out here."I glance at the cloudless sky. He's not joking. Even though it's the middle of September, temperatures are still hovering in the eighties. On the turf, it feels even hotter. Some of these boys aren't from the South. They're not used to this kind of heat and humidity."I have to say that you joining the program midway through the summer has gone smoother than expected.""It's been a great experience so far," I tell him."How are your classes? I know you were worried about them giving you trouble. Is that still a concern?""Nope, they're going well." Which is a surprise. I fully expected to crash and burn. "There was a bit
HeartLess Chapter 82: Poppy
Book Two: Shameless"Your dad is planning to fire up the grill when he gets home," Anne calls out from the kitchen where she's preparing a few salads to go along with dinner."That sounds good," I answer back from the living room where I've been camped out for the past couple of hours doing homework. Even though I have my own place, I've been spending more time here lately. I like being around Anne and Dad. And having the pool in the backyard is certainly no hardship. Sometimes, it's just nice to stop by, eat a homecooked meal, study for a bit, and then lay out by the water.I promised myself that I'd study for another hour and enjoy their backyard oasis before heading to my place for the night.When the doorbell rings, Anne says, "Would you mind answering that?""Sure." I jump off the couch and pad to the door before yanking the handle.My eyes widen when I find Mason standing on the porch with his hands stuffed inside the pockets of his khaki shorts. "Hi.""Hey." His solemn gaz
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