“Uh, you brought up my previous running prowess several times. In the hospital. While you were sobbing in my library. While you were sobbing in—”
“Right.Right.Those times.”
“I realized that it weighed on you. Maybe…” He looks off toward the reservoir. “Maybe you thought it was a failure of yours that I couldn’t run anymore, but it wasn’t. I just fell out of a building, is all. I’m sure you can relate.”
“You just…you lost so much. And I couldn’t get any of it back for you.”
“Well, you did.” He gestures at the track. “You did this. You were the one who kept me alive to be able to do this.”
“Then it was all worth it.”
He wipes at his own eyes with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. “I need you to know, though, that…I would pick you over this any time, Gabriel. It was worth it to me to lose running if I could keep us together. You’ve always been worth it. There’s nothing you could do to make me think you’re worth any less. Nothing.”
“I got engaged to a murderer last night.”
Mason blinks, frozen, then realizes what I’m talking about and doubles over, laughing. “Elise is not a murderer.”
“Let her think she’s dangerous, okay? It’s a sex thing.”
“Jesus, Gabriel.” He straightens up, gasping for breath. “Congratulations, man.”
Mason lifts his hand, and I almost high-five him again like a fool. He yanks his hand back at the last second and slings his arm around my shoulders instead. I pat his back. I should have known. Leave it to Mason to do the impossible.
“Congratulations to you, too. Thanks for making me come over here. It really was worth it.”
We leave the park and cross the street together. “Are you going to tell everybody you’re engaged at brunch?”
“Nate and Lydia already know. Apparently I screamed like a girl when Elise said yes.”
“Sounds about right.” He chuckles at his own joke.
I dig my elbow into Mason’s ribs. “Pretend to be surprised when I make the big announcement.”
He does a fake surprised face that’s so unconvincing that it gives me a laughing fit, whichhurts, my God, but it feels so goddamn good to laugh.
Mason grins. “Charlotte’s going to be thrilled. I think she’s hoping to make Elise’s wedding dress.”
“Jacob’sgoing to be thrilled. The man loves weddings. I’m sure he and Catherine will make a splash at the reception.”
He pauses at the entrance to his building. “Andyou’rethrilled.”
“Are you asking me?”
“No. I can see it.” Mason nods to himself. “It looks good on you.”
I strike a ridiculous pose. “Everything looks good on me.”
He gives me a broken-ribs-acceptable hug, and we go our separate ways. I choose the outdoor route to the parking garage.
“Hey, Gabriel,” Mason shouts.
I turn around, shading my eyes with my hand. “Yeah?”
“I love you, bro.”
A guy on the street gives us a weird look.
“Love you too, Mase.”