Free Letters to the Baumgarters by Selena Kitt Page A

was quiet for a moment, and then his arms tightened around me and he
said, “I lost you. That’s what happened.”
    I could barely breathe.
    “You weren’t the only one hurting you know,” he reminded me, his voice
low. “But you leaving… that was a wake-up call for me. At first, I tried to
just keep doing what I’d always done. What my parents wanted me to do.” He
sounded angry, bitter. I winced. “But I couldn’t. You took my whole world with
you, and I had to get it back. At least, I had to try.”
    “How did you know I’d take you back?”
    “I didn’t.” He chuckled. “I’m as surprised as you are that I’m here in
your bed, you know.”
    “Are you?”
    “I fully expected you to slam the door in my face.”
    I laughed. “And you came anyway?”
    “Yes.” His arms tightened around me.
    I was thinking about Nico. Mason felt so good, familiar—comfortable.
Being in his arms was like coming home. But what was I going to do? I couldn’t
just drop everything because Mason had come for me. Besides, the problems we’d
always dealt with would resurface, I was sure of it. Why wouldn’t they?
    Unless Mason really had changed…
    I sighed. “I just don’t know how this is going to work.”
    “Let’s just see where things go, okay?” His fingertips brushed over my
arm and shoulder, making me shiver. “I’ll be here. We can talk. Take it one day
at a time. See what happens.”
    I shrugged, doubtful still. “If you say so.”
    “I also wanted to ask you a favor…”
    “Uh-oh.” I rolled my eyes. “Here we go.”
    “Doubting Thomas.” He laughed. “Actually, I’d like to offer you a job.”
    “A… job?”
    “I need an interpreter,” he explained. “I’m going to hire one anyway, but
I thought you might like the extra cash.”
    I half-sat, blinking at him. “Is this a bribe?”
    “No strings attached, I promise.” He crossed his heart. “Would you be
willing to work with me?”
    “I don’t know.” I frowned.
    “Work on us?”
    “Oh, Mason…” I snuggled up again, closing my eyes, wishing I could believe.
    “Let’s sleep on it.” He kissed my forehead and that’s just what we did.
    * * * *
    “Phone.” Mason nudged me but I was only half-awake. I buried my head
under my pillow and snuggled more deeply under the covers. “Dani, phone.”
    It was only when he reached for it that I reacted, practically leaping
over him to grab it. I fell onto the floor, still naked, shivering in the
transition from warm covers to cold air.
    “Hello?” I gasped, already dragging the phone on its long cord toward the
bathroom.
    “Morning, bella.” The sound of Nico’s voice made me flush and I closed
the door behind me.
    “Hi.” I whispered.
    “Did I wake you? It’s almost noon.”
    “Is it?” I blinked at the sunlight streaming through my bathroom window.
I’d been up far too late, and had been woken up, several times, in the middle
of the night. Of course, I couldn’t exactly tell him what I’d been doing, now
could I?
    “Are you sick?”
    “No, I’m fine,” I protested.
    “You sound hoarse.”
    Of course I did. I was whispering. “I should go.”
    “But I want to talk to you.”
    Mason knocked on the door. “Dani?”
    Oh crap.
    “Later,” I whispered, closing my eyes and praying for a miracle. “Meet me
at the Mood Café in an hour.”
    I hung up the phone just as Mason knocked again, louder this time. “Dani,
are you okay?”
    “Fine!” I called brightly, standing and opening the door.
    “Who was that?”
    “I had a study group at noon,” I lied. “They were wondering where I was.”
    “Why did you take the phone into the bathroom.”
    “I had to pee.” I lied. “You know me, as soon as I get up, I have to go.”
In fact, I had to go now. “Listen, I have to hop in the shower and get ready to
go. Will you be okay here for a few hours?”
    He shrugged. “I’ll just go get myself some lunch.”
    “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
    “I’ve got my