Cash In Now Honey

The next week was weird with Mason. I’m pretty sure we both knew the inevitable was coming and it happened on Thursday. My doorbell rang while I was making dinner for Kevin so I went and answered it. I was surprised to see Mason. He followed me into the kitchen, where he began to the talk.

“I’m really sorry about last Friday Carson,” he said to me.

“Shit happens when you’re drunk Mase,” I told him.

“I know but I knew what I was saying and on your birthday, which makes it that much worse,” he
said.

“Mason, I’m pretty sure I know what you’re going to say,” I said to him, looking up from the food I was making.

“I’m so sorry Carson. I really wanted this to work,” he said.

“It’s honestly alright Mason. It was fun while it lasted and this is one time when I truly mean it when I say that I hope we can still be friends,” I told him.

“Of course we can,” he said as he stood and came around the counter. I sat the spoon I had in my hand on the counter and wrapped my arms around Mason’s waist as he wrapped his around my neck. He kissed the side of my head before mumbling into my hair an ‘I love you’.

“I love you too Mase,” I told him. “This break up was a lot better than Scotty and I’s. Can I do something just one last time?” Mason laughed and pulled back from me.

“What would that be?” he asked. I leaned forward on my toes and kissed him. Mason followed and leaned forward, allowing me to stand flat footed. I put my hand against his cheek and pulled back, tugging at his lower lip just a little bit.

“Mm, I’m gonna miss that,” he commented, looking down at me.

“I don’t think I ever told you but you’re an amazing kisser Mason Aguirre,” I told him. He chuckled and gave me one last small kiss.

“I’m gonna go,” he said.

“Okay. I’ll talk to you later Mase,” I said as I leaned against the counter, looking up at him. He walked out of the kitchen and I dished the smashed potato salad into a tupperware container I could leave at Kevin’s.

“Later Olson,” Mason yelled before shutting the front door. I put the turkey and bacon club sandwiches on a plate and put everything in a basket and and carried it over to Kevin’s. Kevin smiled at me and gave me a hug when I came in.

“You got enough for one more again?” he asked. I nodded. Jack appeared and smiled at me, giving me a one armed hug and a small kiss on top of the head. Brotherly, that's what it was like.

“Yay, Kiwi made us food,” he said. Kevin got iced tea from his fridge and poured it into glasses.

“This looks awesome,” Jack said.

“What tonight?” Kevin asked.

“Turkey and bacon club sandwiches, smashed potato salad and raspberry cheesecake parfaits,” I told him.

“You’re going to make me fat,” he whined, making Jack and I laugh.

“I don’t think that is possible for any of you,” I said. We all sat at Kevin’s small kitchen table and began to eat.

“So I saw Mason’s car over at your place earlier,” Kevin commented. I nodded. “You guys good?”

“We broke up,” I told him. Jack choked on his iced tea and Kevin looked shocked.

“Don’t just break that to someone with a liquid in their mouth,” Jack said. I smirked and took a bite of my salad. “What happened?”

“You remember that Mason told me that he still liked his ex at my birthday party?” They both nodded and I continued. “Well he also went off on how Luke was in love with me or something and how I should date him because he was so much better for me than Mason is.” I caught the look Kevin and Jack gave each other when I said this and was instantly more confused. “I don’t know. Anyways, all of that combined together, we both knew it was done, it was just a matter of when it would happen.”

“Are you two not talking?” Kevin asked.

“Oh no. I can guarantee Mason and I are going to be friends still,” I told them. The rest of the night was chill and I went to work the following day. Through out the next week, the word spread throughout the crew that Mason and I had broken up and some how it had gotten around to Jake Blauvelt because he called me. I laughed a little about how concerned everyone was. The month slipped away, fading into the first week of May. I went to work and helped with a few surfing workshops that Billabong put on for elementary and middle school kids. The first Friday of May, my boss, Jeff, pulled me into his office.

“Carson, I’m sending you to Vermont to go check out a kid for the wake amateur team then I’m giving you the rest of the month off. I got a call from Jack Mitrani, asking me about it. He said that he, his brother, and Kevin Pearce wanted to take you on a trip or something and I told him it was fine,” Jeff told me. I didn’t really think about the last part, I was just stuck on Vermont. I hadn’t been back since I moved. “You alright?”

“Yeah. When do I leave?” I asked him.

“Tomorrow. Jack said he had tickets lined up and everything. Here’s the packet on Ryan, the kid you’re scouting,” Jeff said, handing me a manilla envelope. “Have a good time while you’re off. You work really hard, you need it.”

“Thanks,” I said. With this, I got up and left. I called Jack and asked him what was up with calling my boss and he explained everything to me. I was actually kind of excited about the trip but a bit nervous about going back to Vermont. I was afraid of how it would hit me once we were there. I packed that night and woke up the next morning stressed beyond belief. I had been tired and super drained lately. I had some family stuff that was really bothering me and I knew I had kind of taken it out on the guys, just being bitchy which I hated. I was hoping this trip would help me out of my funk. I got ready and put all of my bags by the front door and went around my house, making sure everything was turned off. I was an anxious mess. I opened the gate that separated my yard and KP’s and went over to his back patio. I reached up on the ledge of the roof and felt around for the pack of cigarettes that were up there. I knew Mason hid them up there and I knew any of the guys would hate seeing me smoke but I needed one. I hated them but at the moment, I didn’t know how else to deal. I perched on KP’s table and lit it up. I only got maybe two drags before it was plucked from my fingers. I turned my head to the side and saw Luke standing there, looking extremely tired. He snubbed it out on ground and chucked it into the trash can.

“Don’t smoke. It’s stupid,” he said to me.

“Why are you here? I thought Kevin and I were meeting you and Jack in Mammoth later,” I said to him.

“We decided to come down here instead,” he said to me shortly, sounding super pissed off.

“What’s your problem?” I asked him.

“At the moment, you. You woke me up because I could smell the smoke and you don’t even smoke. I’m not sure why you are but I’m guessing you’re pissed about something and I honestly don’t care,” Luke said to me. “Don’t smoke. It’s fucking stupid and bad for you and stupid.”

“Whatever,” I mumbled as I climbed off the table.

“Don’t whatever me,” Luke said.

“Seriously, I didn’t do shit. I didn’t know you were inside. I’m sorry,” I said to him as I headed for the side yard. Luke grabbed my wrist and turned me back around to look at him.

“Look, I have no idea what’s been going on with you lately but fix it. I don’t like this Carson. She’s
kind of a bitch and I don’t think anyone likes it. Scotty is the only one who has possibly ever dealt with it and he’s not here so get over it and get back to the Carson we all know and love,” Luke practically yelled at me.

“I’m so sorry my issues that you know nothing about are a burden to you. You know, I understand that I have not under any circumstances been in a good mood lately but I’m dealing with a lot of shit that no one knows about and you being a dick and completely unsupportive isn’t helping any,” I said to him. “I get that you owe me absolutely nothing but I thought you were my friend Luke and friends support each other even when shit sucks. At least, that’s what you guys always tell me.” I yanked my arm out of his grip and spun to go back to my house. An hour later, I reluctantly went next door and walked in the front door. Jack and Kevin greeted me but Luke didn’t. I knew I had to fix our fight but I also knew I’d have to tell him everything so I was scared.

“Hey Jack, how long until we leave for the airport?” I asked since he’d text me, telling me plans and flights had changed.

“Probably about a hour,” he told me. I nodded and went over to Luke. I grabbed his hand, pulled him up off the couch, and out the back door, which I shut behind him.

“Sit, please,” I said to him. Luke went and sat in one of the hammock chairs and I sat in the one beside him. “I want to fix this. I normally don’t deal with fights but I don’t want this to just build up and build up until we aren’t friends at all.” Luke nodded and waited for me to continue talking.

“I would really appreciate it if everything I tell you stays between us. Kevin knows about some of it but not all of it,” I told Luke. He once again nodded and I began.

“So at my brother Austin’s engagement party a while back, like before I met you guys, my brother Justin and I were looking for the guest bathroom and stumbled in on my brother and his fiance’s bedroom instead. We found his fiance and my brother’s best friend in a more than compromising situation. Super cliche, I realize but that’s my family for you. We haven’t told my brother about it because we don’t know how and we know that he’ll just say that we’re wrong. We’ve been through all of this before with my dad. My mom and dad’s relationship was nothing but business. When my mom was still around, there was no emotional or physical connection between my parents. With the wedding coming up in like a month and a half, I’m just really starting to freak out and it’s getting to me and eating away at my normally good mood.”

“It’s just hard to deal with my family. There’s a huge divide. It’s like my three oldest brothers and my dad and then me, my grandma, and my brother Justin,” I told Luke. “I’m going to be super stressed until the wedding’s done with and I don’t even want to go because he’s not a brother, he’s an acquaintance to me. I get kind of jealous of you and Jack’s relationship because you guys are super close and I don’t want to be jealous but I guess I am and it’s starting to take a toll on me.”

“Carson, come here,” Luke said. I stood and he pulled me into a hug and we just hugged it out for a while. For some reason, I couldn’t help but think about how well we fit together, that it was completely comfortable and comforting to hug Luke. “You shouldn’t be jealous because you’re super important to Jack and I, well all of us if we’re talking about it. I’m happy you were able to trust me and tell to me about it and I’m sorry about earlier. I was just upset and tired and want you to be happy, carefree Carson again.”

“And I’ll get there but I’m just worried about everything,” I said into his shoulder. The french doors opened and Jack and Kevin appeared.

“Oh, group hug,” Jack announced before rushing over and standing behind me, squishing me between him and Luke. Kevin joined in and they made me laugh. We had just landed in Vermont and were stepping out of the airport. I guess Jack had lined up a car already.

“Okay, I’m moving back here. I forgot how amazing it is,” I said as I looked around. Kevin chuckled but Luke and Jack were confused.

“She’s originally from the East Coast. How else would she have met Scotty?” Kevin commented.

“When did you move?” Luke asked me.

“Right after I turned fourteen. My dad got a huge promotion and decided to rip my family apart even more and move us to LA. I hated LA, still do actually. We had a house in Mammoth Lakes so I moved up there when I turned sixteen with my brother Justin since he was nineteen at the time. That’s why I hate my dad so much,” I told him. The guys all kind of got the hint to not ask about my dad so Luke moved on.

“What part of Vermont are you from then?” Luke asked me.

“West Brattleborro,” I told him

“Woah, deep south,” Kevin commented with a chuckle.

“Yeah,” I replied. “So, where are we headed?”

“We’re going to go stay at our parents’ place for the next couple days since it’s closer to Lake Bomoseen by like ten minutes. After you get done with all of your stuff for Billabong, we’re going to head to Norwich and stay with Pearce’s,” Luke told me. “Jack and I might go back home for a few days after. You’re welcome to come if you want.”

“Alright,” I replied as I slipped on my sunglasses.

“My mom is really excited to meet you Carson. She’s excited to see me because I haven’t been home since I moved back to Cali but she really wants to meet you. I’ve told her quite a bit about you and she wants to see who my neighbor is,” Kevin told me.

“Kevin, isn’t your dad like some well-known glass blower or something?” I asked him.

“Yeah, something like that,” he said. Luke smirked but I didn’t have the chance to ask because Jack pulled up in a brand new Chevy Traverse. He got out and popped the hatch so we could all put out stuff in the trunk.

“Geeze. Fancy ride,” I commented as I placed my suitcase in the trunk.

“Squid, our sister, and I all pitched in and bought it for Mom’s birthday so she lets us borrow it when we’re home,” Jack told me as he handed me my backpack that had been sitting on the ground. I climbed in behind the driver’s seat and Kevin slid in on the other side of me while Luke climbed into the passenger seat. I looked out the windows and windshield as we drove down the road.

“So, Carson. When was the last time you were back?” Jack asked me.

“The day I left,” I told him, kind of sad. I had loved Vermont. The only good thing that had come from me moving to California is learning to surf and me and Scotty getting together after dancing around it for so long.

“Why haven’t you come back to visit or anything?” he asked as he stopped at a crossroad. I didn’t reply, just quickly wiped away the stupid tears that had tumbled out.

“Jack,” Kevin said, making the indication to stop with the questions. Luke glanced back at me and I saw something in his eyes. It wasn’t pity but sympathy for me but either way it made me want to hug him. Kevin patted my leg as he began speak to Luke about something. I couldn’t fucking stop the tears and it was pissing me off.

“Jack, can you pull over?” I asked. He pulled over to the side of the road and I climbed out and quickly walked behind the car about thirty feet. I placed my sunglasses on the top of my head and wiped at the endless tears, trying to get them to stop. I kicked at the dirt on the shoulder of the road, pissed at myself for doing this. It was kind of embarrassing, crying in front of the three of them. I hated crying in the first place but then add in Kevin, Jack, and Luke and it just made it twenty times worse. I heard a car door shut and slid my glasses back down onto my face. I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders and was pulled into Luke’s chest. I wrapped my arms around him and tried to hold in the tears.

“I’m sorry Carson. Jack didn’t know talking about it bothered you. None of us did,” he said to me.

“Either did I,” I told him as he hugged me.

“You gonna be alright?” he asked me.

“Yeah, just embarrassed,” I told him.

“About what?”

“That I just cried in front of you guys. I hate crying, hell Scotty’s only seen me cry I think twice. I didn’t even cry when I hurt my ankle,” I said to him.

“Don’t be embarrassed. Shit like this happens,” he said. “Come on. Mom just called asking about dinner. We get to go to out to a restaurant, which is super amazing.” We walked back to the car and I climbed in and buckled back up as Jack began down the road.

“You alright?” Kevin asked me. I nodded and smiled at him and Luke, who had turned to look at me, before looking back out the window.

“You know Carson, I think you’ll like my brother Adam quite a bit,” Kevin said as we pulled onto a dirt road twenty minutes later.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“He’s like us,” Luke replied with his goofy ass smile that always made me smile, no matter what.