First Choice Second Chance Read online

  "Mason." He could hear the breathlessness in her voice. It did something to him. He forgot about the pitying looks people had been sending him, forgot all about her father standing right behind her as he approached.

  "Lila." He reached out for her hand.

  Mason barely heard her father's growl from behind Lila. He did hear her mother's murmured words, though. "Luca, leave them be." They sounded so much like his father's the other day. Only with more warning instead of resignation behind them.

  He didn't acknowledge either of them. "You sounded beautiful. You've always sounded beautiful." He didn't know where the words came from. For the last couple days, he'd been telling himself it would be best to stay away from her. Why was he doing this?

  "I wasn't sure you'd come. But, I saw you watching me."

  That should have embarrassed him, but the way she said it, a shy hint to her voice, made that impossible. "I couldn't stop watching you. I didn't want to."

  Luca growled again then Lila's mother pulled him away. "Lila, it's time to go," Luca said, but his wife shushed him and continued to pull him to the car.

  "We'll wait for you," her mother said.

  They didn't take their eyes from each other during the exchange between her parents. The smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Your dad still doesn't like me."

  A smile flickered over her lips too. "It's okay. I do."

  "Would you want to go out sometime? I know you'll be going back, but do you want…" He trailed off, not exactly sure where he was going with it.

  "I'm here for the summer, Mason. I'd love to go out sometime. I know my father stopped us last time. Like I told you the other night, I'm eighteen now. He can't tell me where I can go or who I can see. I want to see you."

  The words lifted a weight from his heart. "I should have my chores finished by eight at night. If you want to catch a movie or something, I could pick you up by eight-thirty tomorrow night."

  "That sounds perfect, Mason. I'll be ready."

  His father leaned against the car, obviously waiting on him even though his eyes rested on Luca Corelli, whose gaze currently locked on Mason. "I better go. Otherwise our fathers may get into it."

  She hid a laugh behind her hand. "Probably a good idea. I'll see you tomorrow night, Mason." She lifted onto her toes and brushed her lips across his cheek. Then, she nearly floated across the parking lot. She paused by her father, and said something to him. It seemed to soften his face before she slipped into the backseat of their car. Mason still stood there when they pulled out of the parking lot. Then, he forced his feet to move forward.

  #

  Mason stepped out of the barn and took a deep breath. His chores were all done. The only thing he had to worry about now was getting ready to pick Lila up. He turned and started for the house. As much as he wanted to hurry, he kept his steps slow. It wouldn't do any good to run to the house. His parents would only ask questions and hold him up longer.

  They knew he had this date tonight. He wasn't sure they knew how important it was to him, though. They might question why he was in such a hurry, what they were doing, but not what they were thinking. His parents trusted him, even if it was to make mistakes.

  He didn't even know what they were thinking, where this would go. He was eager to spend some time with her, like they used to. If it went farther, well, that would be up to her.

  His mother dished dinner out for herself and his father when he stepped into the kitchen. "Are you going to eat before you go?" she asked him. "I'm sure Lila's already eaten."

  He shook his head. "I need to get cleaned up. Going to take a shower. I'll see if I have time." The truth was he wasn't sure if he could eat anything. His stomach was so twisted up with nerves, he wasn't sure any food would stay down.

  Still, he hurried through the shower. Not so much because he was eager to sit down to dinner with his family, but because he couldn't wait to be with Lila again. With his hair clean, and all the dirt and sweat washed from his body, he stepped out of the shower not even ten minutes later. With a towel wrapped around his waist, he looked in the steamed over mirror. He could barely see his reflection until he wiped away some of the steam with his hand. Then, he ran that hand over his chin. The scratchiness there probably couldn't be called more than stubble. He still considered shaving it off. He couldn't grow more than peach fuzz on his chin so far. He wasn't sure how Lila would like it better, just enough to chafe her skin, or clean shaven.

  He let out a sigh and grabbed his razor. He had time, and he wanted to look his best tonight. Once his chin was clear of the fuzz, he went to his bedroom and pulled out the clothes he'd already decided to wear. It wasn't like him to care about any of this stuff. Something about Lila made it different. He didn't mind it. He glanced back to the clock. He only had ten minutes to pick Lila up on time. It wouldn't take long to drive out to her house. They'd had one of Luca's sisters watching over it when they were gone. That way it would still be there for them when they came back to town. Even though this was the first time they had.

  He took his towel back over to the bathroom, knowing his mother would kick his butt if it didn't make it there or into the hamper. He made his way out to the entryway of their house, passing through the kitchen as he did. His parents had finished up dinner, and his mother was putting the dishes in the sink. "Some left if you changed your mind about eating before you go," she said without turning around.

  "No time," he said, pausing in the doorway while he debated between his serviceable sneakers or the boots he wore when he dressed up, mostly for church.

  "Boots," his mother said, coming up behind him. "You're not going out with the boys. You're taking Lila out on your first date. Definitely wear your boots."

  "You'd think you actually sat up there in my head." He murmured the words, but there was a smile on his face.

  "I don't need to be in your head to know what you're thinking. Go have fun with Lila tonight. You-" She stopped and shook her head. "Just go have fun." Her voice sounded light, but Mason heard the catch in it. He turned to look at her, but she was already turning away.

  He grabbed the boots and slipped them on before snatching his keys from the hook beside the door. He stepped out of the house and saw his father still standing on the porch. "Something the matter, Dad?"

  Scott shook his head but stepped away from the porch railing without looking at him. "Nothing. Have fun tonight, but remember I'll need you up to do chores in the morning."

  "We're going to a movie, Dad. It's not like we'll be out partying or anything. We might get something to eat after, but then I'll be taking her home."

  Scott nodded. "All right. Have a good time then."

  The words sounded light, like his mother's had. When his father turned toward him, Mason could see the shadows in his eyes. He wanted to ask him what was wrong, but doubted his father would say anyway. He'd always been like that. He shrugged it off. If it was anything big, his mother would get it out of him.

  He climbed into the truck and pulled away from the house, quickly forgetting about the strange behavior of his parents. Instead his thoughts went to Lila. He could picture her in his head. The way she'd looked when she told him they were moving to Nashville. The way she'd looked the other night at the party. How she'd looked in church yesterday morning. None of it helped his nerves, so he turned the radio up until he stopped outside the house. He knew better than to think he could wait for her out here. Her father would never allow that.

  He shut off the truck and walked up to the front door and raised his hand to knock. The door swung open before he could bring it down. Lila grabbed his arm and stepped onto the porch before he could react. "Come on," she said, closing the door behind her. "Let's go before Daddy can interrogate you."

  They had reached the steps when the door opened again, and a deep voice said, "Mr. Akeley, can I speak with you for a moment?"

  It sent him back to tenth-grade math and sent a shiver down his spine. He turned slowly and worked up his most insolent smile. "Mr. Corelli."

  "I don't like you."

  "Dad." Lila groaned the single word.

  "It is true." His accent became thicker when upset or worked up. He turned back to Mason without another word to his daughter. "You bring my girl back before midnight. She is Cinderella. Remember that."

  Mason had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. "Yes, sir. Of course." Then, he turned back to Lila. "Come on, Princess. Your carriage awaits."

  As soon as they were in the truck, neither could hold back the laughter. "Sorry," Lila finally said. "You know how he is."

  "Yes, I do" He turned the key and pushed the gearshift into drive. "We'd better go before we miss our movie."

  #

  Lila slipped her hand over Mason's arm and leaned in a little closer to him in their seats. Her father had tried talking her out of going with Mason tonight, tried reminding her she was only here for the summer, told her once more he wasn't good enough for her, and he could ruin everything for her.

  She had tried to block those words out all night. She liked being with Mason. It was one night, even if she wanted it to be more. Maybe it could be. They were here for the summer. They could figure out what happened after that. Her father shouldn't worry so much about the future.

  She refused to tonight.

  She didn't really care about the movie they were watching in the theater the next town over from theirs. It was the closest to them, but still small. There hadn't been a whole lot to choose from. Four screens, and two played a new romantic comedy. She wasn't going to subject Mason to that. On one of the other screens, it was a horror flick. She wasn't going to put herself through that. So they settled on an action film. She wasn't even sure who the actors were in it. She hadn't been to the theater since she left for Nashville. She didn't know who any of the new actors to drool over were.

  That nearly depressed her. She knew what most of the people probably thought of her. She was famous now, so she must be out partying, having quite the social life. There were parties, but she rarely wanted to be there. The truth was, her father still kept her sheltered. She spent the days she didn't have a show or wasn't recording an album, doing her lessons on the bus. She didn't have any friends down there or anywhere she toured. That was one thing she missed about living up here, the connections you could make with other people who weren't there for what was in it for them, but a genuine interest in her.

  Not that she'd admit that right now. She didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her. She'd made her decision after all. Sometimes she felt sorry for herself, though. Sometimes she wished she could go back and turn down the offer of a recording contract, which would have been a stupid move. They didn't offer those to everybody. Still, at times, she wanted to be a normal teenager. She would take one of those moments now. No matter what her father thought.

  She leaned her head closer to his. "Do you know what's going on here?"

  He turned his head toward her, but before he could answer, she closed her mouth over his. This is what she wanted. She didn't have to sneak around for this. She'd been thinking about kissing Mason again since she was sixteen. Even dreamed about him sometimes. Even when she'd been fooling around with her drummer, she thought about Mason. How could her dad want to keep her away from this feeling?

  "What was that about?" Mason asked when he pulled away from her.

  She laid her head on his shoulder. "I wanted to be normal for a night," she whispered, keeping her eyes focused on the screen in front of her. His arm brushed down hers, but she wasn't sure he'd actually heard her or understood what she meant. It didn't matter. They had the summer. That was all they needed.

  #

  Mason dipped his last fry into the puddle of ranch on his plate. The movie had been lame, but he didn't care. It had felt good to have Lila beside him. To feel her tentative touch on the back of his hand. To feel the brush of her breath against his neck when she'd lean over to whisper something in his ear. The movie had been the last thing on his mind for the last two hours. They hadn't even stayed for the end of it.

  He needed to get her home but didn't want to let go of her. Her father would kill him if he didn't get her back on time. The old man would be waiting up. "We should go. I wouldn't want to get you home late."

  The corners of her mouth turned down. "I wish Daddy wouldn't be so overprotective. I want to spend more time with you."

  "We can go out again sometime," he said before even thinking through the words. "We can go out to dinner or for a drive. Whatever you'd like. I can even try to get chores done earlier, so we can have more time."

  Her smile was sweet. "I'd like that."

  He took his wallet and left money to cover their bill, tucking a few extra dollars under the corner of the sugar packet holder for the waitress's tip. Then, he held out his hand to Lila. "Before your coach turns back into a pumpkin, Princess."

  Lila smiled and shook her head but didn't say anything. Instead she slipped her hand into his and walked with him to the door. They were both silent on the ride back to town. Mason stopped his truck outside her house, but neither of them moved. He hadn't thought he could be more nervous than when he had picked her up. Here he was, his palms sweating again, as his heart hammered away in his chest. He didn't know what to do. Kiss her on the cheek or get out and go around to open her door. That's what he should do. But what he wanted was to slide his lips over hers. To get his hands on her body, under the tight skirt she wore, under her shirt. It made him hard thinking about it.

  Before he could move, she unclipped her seatbelt and leaned over the empty center seat. Her lips slid over his, and he twisted in the seat until he could depress the release for his own seatbelt. Then, his hands were on her. Over her clothes, instead of under. Still, she gasped when his hands slid over her breasts. He could feel her nipples harden even through the layers of clothing. He slid his tongue along the crease of her mouth then inside as soon as she opened for him. Her tongue danced with his, and her hands slid up his back, over his shoulders, and into the short curls at the back of his neck. He'd been thinking he needed to get his hair cut. Now, with her hands in it, that was the last thing he wanted to do.

  Mason broke away from her mouth and streaked his mouth down to her throat, nipping at the corner of her jaw as he went. She bucked against him when his mouth attached to the length of her throat. He ran his tongue along the skin there, and she shuddered under him. Images of her naked under him assaulted him. He wished he could make them come true right now. His hand had slid under her shirt when a sharp knock on his window broke them apart.

  "Daddy," Lila squealed, tugging on her shirt to make sure it was still in place.

  Mason threw himself back against his seat, swearing under his breath. At a second knock on the window, he pushed the button to roll it down. "Sir, I had her home at midnight, like you asked."

  Luca Corelli's face didn't soften as he tapped the face of his watch. "It's twelve o' five. She's not in the house. You're a pumpkin, Boy."

  Mason closed his eyes as he fought back a laugh. Luca obviously hadn't read fairy tales to Lila when she was a little girl. "I think you have the story a little mixed up," he finally said. "It wasn't the prince who turned into a pumpkin. It was the coach."

  "You are no prince, Mr. Akeley, only a small town farm boy. No good for my princess. Come on, Lila."

  "Daddy, I'm an adult. You can't even give me a curfew. Leave Mason alone. I'm as much to blame here."

  "No, you're not." Now Mason did see his face soften, around his eyes. "You're living under my roof. My rules still stand. Come inside."

  She didn't get out of the truck right away. Instead, she leaned over the seat, pressing close to Mason again. Like her father wasn't standing right outside the truck. She brushed her lips over his, teasing him with a kiss. She squeezed his leg and said, "I had a good time tonight. We'll do it again."

  He wanted to reach out to her but kept his hands on the steering wheel since Luca's gaze still pinned him. He nodded and offered her a smile. He stayed there watching as they walked back to the house. From the motion of her hands, and the glimpses of her face when she turned her head toward her father, Mason could tell she was giving him a piece of her mind. It wouldn't be pretty. He couldn't help but smile as put the truck in gear and pulled away from the curb. No one could say Lila Corelli was easy to hold down. Not even her own father.

  Chapter 6

  Now

  Lila lifted her guitar out of the case. There were people who checked over every piece of the equipment before the show. She still made sure to do a double check of her own before she stepped out on the stage. It would be fine, but with everything else that had happened this year, things the audience probably whispered about even now, the last thing she needed was an equipment failure in the middle of the song. If they weren't talking about the rumors from Nashville, they probably speculated about her and Mason. She couldn't afford to let those thoughts in, either. Not right now.

  Aware of her mother's attention on her, she made sure the guitar was in tune then set it back in the case. It still surprised her when the older woman spoke.

  "Did you tell him you weren't going back after this?"

  How could her mother be so aware of her thoughts? "It wouldn't matter, Mom. He made that clear. I can't really blame him, can I? I broke his heart. Shattered it into pieces, then stomped all over them. I'd hate me, too."

  "He doesn't hate you." Her father's voice rumbled from the doorway. "That boy could never hate you."

  She turned and looked at her father, tears brimming in her eyes. "That's not what you said seven years ago, Dad. You said we couldn't be together. We were too different. He'd hate me if he went with me. I'd hate him if I stayed. Love wasn't enough."

  He looked away, but something flashed through his eyes first. "An old man can admit he was wrong, can't he? I never should have interfered. We wouldn't be here now, would we?"