Chapter 35

“Friend of yours?” Jack asked, his tone too full of amusement to not be smug.

“I do not believe so,” Mason said, extending his hand towards the excited girl with what had to be a look of complete confusion on his face.

“Oh my God, Mason,” she chirped. She bounced in that little way that suggested she was far too young for the beer in her hand, or that she’d had far too many of them to remember her age. “I’m so glad you came!”

With the hand not currently clasped by the girl’s palm, Mason began to tug nervously on the end of his tie. Why had he worn a tie? Who wore a tie to these things? His eyes once again roamed the room. Yeah. He should take off the tie.

“I’m sorry,” Jack said for him. “Forgive us but I think Mason needs a refresher on just how it is that one of the two of you is on a first name’s basis and yet the other is not.”

“It’s me!” she said giddily and patted her chest for emphasis. “Emily! Remember?”