Mason (Remington Ranch Book 1) (Contemporary Western Romance) Read Free Page A

ago.”
    “Gina, I'm not stupid, and neither are you. So I wish you'd stop acting as if you are when it comes to him. I don't know what the hell went wrong between the two of you, but I do know you need to make your peace with each other. I can't mention him to you without you losing it. I can't mention you to him without him walking away. If you're going to marry this Liam character, you need to let your heart say goodbye to Mason first. It wouldn't be fair to anyone if you don't.”
    Gina realized she was scrubbing frantically at an already clean pan. She rubbed her sleeve over her eyes before turning around. “I said goodbye to Mason ten years ago, Dad.”
    He shook his head as he finished his muffin. Picking up his coffee he stood up and stared at her. “We both know that's not true. You never said goodbye to him, you just didn't come back. It broke his heart. It broke my heart. And for all you refuse to talk about it, I think it broke yours, too. If we have to sell up and leave here, if you really want to marry this Liam, I'll go along with it. I'll go along with whatever you say needs to happen. But I have one condition. Before I will move off this land, you have to make your peace with Mason.”
    She stared at him. “I told you, Dad. There's no... there's nothing...”
    He gave her a grim smile. “And I told you, Gina. I'm not stupid.” He stopped in the doorway and turned back. “I'll be down the bottom forty.”
    “But what about the realtors?”
    “What about 'em? Nothing to do with me.” He slammed the door on his way out.
    Gina plonked herself down at the table and absently picked at one of the muffins. Liam would lecture her if he saw her with it. She popped a piece in her mouth—he wasn't here. This was all just one big mess. If she didn't have enough on her plate trying to sort out her dad and the ranch, she now knew she'd have to come face to face with Mason before she left. Her dad called her a stubborn little mare? He was a stubborn old mule! And she knew he'd dig his heels in over her making her peace— as he called it—with Mason. Perhaps it was a good thing. She'd blown it up in her mind all these years. Mason had probably never given her another thought—at least not after his ego had recovered from the number she'd done on him by telling him it was over, by not coming back. She shrugged, what else could she have done after she'd discovered how little she meant to him? After she'd heard him tell Guy Preston, of all people, how he really felt?
    She started as her dad popped his head back around the door. “I meant to tell you. The pharmacy called. My script is ready. I told ‘em you'd pick it up for me before they close.”
    Gina raised her eyebrows at him. “You want me to go up to town? What about the realtors?”
    “You'll still have time after you're done. They're open until six these days.” He smiled. “You could catch up with some of your old friends while you're up there.”
    Gina blew out a frustrated sigh at him. “I don't want to catch up with anyone, Dad.”
    He shrugged and closed the door again.
    He wanted to make her see people, wanted her to engage with life here again. What did he think, that she'd change her mind? That she'd somehow realize that she wanted to come back and live here? And that she'd be able to make it happen even if she did? She didn't want to see anyone. Would rather no one even knew she was here. She hated making her dad leave, but since she had no other choice, she wanted to do it as quickly as possible and get them both out of here without revisiting the past.
    ~ ~ ~
    Mason pulled into a spot right outside the hardware store. He pulled his hat down over his eyes and climbed out of the truck. He hated coming to town. Everyone always wanted to know your business—and to tell you everyone else's. He wasn't interested. Didn't need to know who was divorcing, who was dating, or who was filing for bankruptcy. He sure as hell didn't want anyone knowing