When We Go Back Again (Mason Brothers Book #1)

Chapter 21

EDEN

I love being able to let go and be free. It isn’t something I was able to do for all those years living in California. Even when I was at college, my dad was constantly checking up on me or sending people to do so. Sure I did my fair share of partying, but never just completely let go. Caleb would never let me go out for a night on the town. The rare times that we did go out, he limited the number of drinks I could have, and his idea of going out dancing was slow dancing somewhere.

That is one of the things that being back at Glenwood Springs has given me. The chance to make plans and do things. I have been able to pick up activities that were just for me, things I could do with my growing group of friends. Whether it is yoga in the park, a run down the back roads, or a night of drinking and dancing at the Mason Jar with friends, I felt young again. My parents have Joseph, so I know he’s safe. I don’t need to worry every single moment of the day.

I was dancing on the floor with Mel when she leaned in to talk to me over the crowd noise, “Thank you for coming out with me. I needed a break this weekend. I know you didn’t want to at first.”.

“I’m happy I came out too. It is just hard being a mom, you know? I don’t want to always leave him with mom and Carl.”

“Mom said that you were pretty much the only one taking care of him for a while now. Must be nice to have your mom around to help now.”

“Oh, you have no idea. And my mom loves taking care of him. She feels like she has to make up for lost years.”

“Is she still working at the library?”

“Yep! She could retire if she wanted, but she only works part-time now so she said that keeps her young.”

Mel laughs, “I think my mom is the same way. Even after selling the bar to these bozos, she can’t stay away. My dad is all, “PEACE” and my mom is all, “Do you need me to work a shift tonight?”

“Do you think she’ll ever back off and enjoy retirement?” I ask.

“I’m hoping once I’m done with school she’ll feel better about there being a female touch around here.”

“So your plan after college is to come back here for real then?”

“Oh yeah. Get my bachelor’s, get my master’s, and come back and run the bar with the guys. Maybe expand it, that building to the left has been empty for years, it would be perfect.”

“I could see it! Does Adam know all of your plans?” I didn’t get too much time to talk to Adam while we were eating dinner tonight, but from everything they’ve said things seemed serious between the two.

“Yep, he’s totally on board. He moved around a lot as a kid so he doesn’t really have a home base.”

“Nice, he’s a good guy. I mean, he keeps looking over here at us…” I glance over her shoulder and sure enough, he’s watching carefully from the booth we snagged earlier.

Mel takes a look too and then shakes her head, “That’s because he knows I’m going to have way past a few too many tonight. He’s going to drop the two of you off and then I’ll find some abandoned road somewhere so I can thank him properly before we go back to my parents.”

I laugh and cover my ears, “I’ll pretend like you didn’t say anything.”

Mel waves me off, “Of course, those damn brothers of mine probably want to think I’m still a virgin. Which is quite hypocritical seeing as though I’m pretty sure we all know what Fletch and you were doing when you “went to get ready” to come out tonight.”