Cash In Now Honey

I wasn’t really sure what to wear but I figured I’d figure it out once I had showered. I called Scotty quickly and hoped he’d answer.

“Yo, what up?” he said into the phone.

“Where is he taking me?” I said to Scotty. I heard rustling sound on the other end then Mason.

“Nice try Carson,” he said. “I’ll see you in forty five minutes.” He hung up and I shrugged
with a sigh.

“Worth a try,” I said to myself. My puppy, Barrett, looked up from where he was laying on the corner of my bed and watched me as I stood. I went to my closet and looked through my clothes. Why did I care? I never cared this much with Scotty but something about this seemed different. My phone beeped and I picked it up. A message from Scotty. Jeans, it read. I nodded and went to my closet. I didn’t want to dress up too much but I wanted to look cute and impress Mason a little bit. I pulled out my tightest pair of dark wash skinny jeans. My phone rang and I picked it up.

“I gotta do this quick or Mase will catch on. Okay, something kind of girly but not super. Mason likes casual girls but wear heels because they make your ass look super amazing,” Scotty said.

“Lago, I know you’re talking to Carson. Get off the phone,” I heard Mason yell through the door as he pounded on it.

“Good luck,” Scotty said before he hung up. My phone buzzed with a text. If you have it still, wear that red shirt that only has one strap with the ruffly thing over your boobs. It’s hot, Mase will love it. I laughed but pulled it from my closet anyways. I pulled it on but saw that there was a hole in it and took it off. I pulled out a flowy Billabong tank top instead and pulled on a pair of grey ankle boots. I pulled a beanie from my dresser and went into the bathroom. I put on a minimal amount of makeup, just some brown eyeliner and some chap stick, and pulled my hair from the braids I had put them in this morning. I put molding paste into my hands and tousled my hair into pretty beach waves before putting on the cable knit beanie that match my shoes. I spritzed myself with my favorite perfume and grabbed my phone and debit card before heading downstairs. I put my keys, phone, and card in my purse that I rarely used and was going to go into the kitchen but the doorbell rang. I took the three steps and pulled open the door. Mason looked amazing in blue long sleeved button up plaid shirt that was left unbuttoned a little to expose a white Burton t-shirt. He had on jeans and a nice pair of sneakers and a beanie. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be seeing a lot of him without some sort of hat on. He smiled at me and I returned the gesture.

“Come in. I’ll be just a second,” I said to him. Barrett was waiting patiently in the kitchen for me to feed him. I put food in his bowl and he looked up at me. “Stay.” And he did as I walked out of the kitchen and into the foyer. I pulled on my coat and smiled at Mason.

“You ready?” he asked. I nodded and he opened the door. I stepped outside and waited for him so I could lock the door. He led me over to his car and opened the passenger door for me. I climbed in and he went around the front of the car and climbed in, backing out of the driveway. He smiled over at me as he shifted into Drive and began down the low maintenance road that led to the main road.

“What are you doing here in Mammoth Lakes?” Mason asked me.

“I live here for a few weeks during the winter,” I replied. He nodded and began with the
questions.

“Do you have a job?”

“Yep,” I replied. He looked at me expectantly. “I test out new snowboards for a company based in Washington. I also do announcing at local snow events.”

“I thought your voice was kind of familiar the first time I met you,” he said.

“Yeah, that’s probably why. What about you Mason,” I said to him.

“Hey, I wasn’t finished yet,” he said to me with a grin. “How old are you?”

“I’m nineteen. I turn twenty in about four months,” I told him.

“Ah, you’d fit in well with Squid. He never has anyone his age to chill with,” he told me. I was confused. “Luke Mitrani.”

“Ah. Yeah, Scotty has told me a lot about him and his brother Jack. I already knew Keir but he never really said much about you or Danny,” I told him.

“Yeah, it doesn’t surprise me. Though I am surprised he never introduced you to us,” Mason said.

“We kept our relationship really private. I had seen you before though. I went to a lot of the state side events that Scotty was in,” I told him.

“Hmm, I’m really mad at him for never introducing us,” Mason said. He pulled up in front of John’s Pizza Works and I smiled.

“I love this place,” I said to him. Mason smiled.

“Good. I was hoping you would,” he said. He got out and came and opened my door, extending his hand to help me out of the car. I took and got out, stepping aside as Mason went to shut the door. I thought he’d let go of my hand but he just readjusted his hand so he could lace his fingers into mine. I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile as we walked into the pizza place. It was packed and we waited for a table for twenty minutes. Mason asked me an endless amount of questions but I happily answered all of them. We ordered, ate, and left within three hours. He asked if I wanted to walk around for a little while and I nodded. It was lightly snowing as we walked down the streets of Mammoth Lake, looking in the store fronts and at the people milling around. I spotted Ben & Jerry’s and pulled on Mason’s hand.

“Where are we going?” he asked as he quickened his pace a little to keep up. I pulled him across the street and into Ben & Jerry’s.

“My treat,” I said to him as we waited.

“No,” he said stubbornly.

“Why? You paid for dinner,” I said to him.

“So. I’m the one who asked you out so I pay,” he told me.

“Fine,” I mumbled as I crossed my arms over my chest. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him.

“Pouting doesn’t work. You’re still cute,” he said by my ear. I blushed and went up to the counter.

“Hey Carson,” the kid behind the counter greeted.

“Hey Jimmy,” I said with a smile. He nodded at Mason before looking back at me.

“The usual?” he asked.

“Nah, I think I’m gonna try the new flavor Late Night Snack,” I told him.

“Cup or cone?”

“Cone of course,” I replied. I looked up at Mason and he looked at me.

“I don’t know what I want,” he said to me.

“What kind do you like?” I asked him.

“I normally get Phish Food because it’s my favorite,” he told me.

“Mine too,” I commented.

“Yeah, I figured if you were getting something different, maybe I would too,” he replied.
“Any suggestions?”

“Um, Bonnaroo Buzz is really good, so is Chunky Monkey and Clusterfluff,” I told him. I was really enjoying the fact that Mason seemed extremely comfortable standing in Ben & Jerry’s with his arm wrapped around me tightly while he decided what to order. As if it were second nature to him.

“I think I’ll get Clusterfluff,” he told Jimmy.

“Cup or cone?”

“Cone,” Mason replied.

“Alright, your total is $9.42,” Jimmy said. Mason gave him a twenty and took his change,
shoving it in his coat pocket.

“That’ll be a surprise the next time you wear that coat and pull out a ten dollar bill,” I said
to him as we moved to the other end of the counter to get our ice cream.

“That was exactly what I was thinking,” Mason said to me with a smile. I took my cone, as
did he, and we went outside. I was left handed so Mason took my right hand in his left as we
walked down the sidewalk, eating our ice cream.

“I’m guessing you go to Ben & Jerry’s a lot since that kid knew your name,” Mason commented before he bit into his cone.

“Yeah, like every few days when I’m here. I love ice cream,” I said, the last part through a laugh when I looked over at Mason. He had ice cream on the end of his nose that I think he was oblivious to. I stepped in front of him and wiped it off, licking it off my finger with a smile. “Mmm, that’s good.”

“Do you want a bite?” he asked. I nodded and he offered it to me. I took a bite and god
was it amazing. I offered him mine and he nodded as he ate it.

“Was that a potato chip?” he asked.

“Yep,” I replied. “Chocolate covered.” He laughed as he polished off the rest of his ice cream. I savored mine and Mason went over to a bench in front of the one the really fancy stores that was closed for the night. He sat but I hesitated.

“What?” he asked.

“It’ll be cold. Once my butt’s cold, I’m fucked,” I told him. He laughed and pulled me to him. He placed me on his left knee and took a bite out of my cone at the same time I did. Our noses brushed and I looked at him with a smile. I decided to take the lead on this one and leaned forward and kissed him. He was surprised, I think, but kissed me back. I pulled back and went back to eating my ice cream.

“Who knew that making you fall on your ass on purpose would evolve into a really good night?” Mason said.

“I think you did, or at least you were hoping,” I said to him. He grinned and rested his chin on my shoulder. “I think this is the most comfortable first date I’ve ever had.”

“When would you like to have your most comfortable second date?” Mason asked.

“Wow, you’re ballsy. You think that just because I kissed you I want to go on another date,” I said to him with a smirk.

“When?” he asked again.

“Um, how about Friday? Are you free?” I asked him.

“I should be,” he said.

“Okay, I get to plan this one,” I told him.

“Alright but I’ll pay,” he said.

“Who said anything about actually going out?” I asked him. He grinned and I took the last
bite of my cone and offered it to him. He took it and kissed my cheek after he finished.

“I should be getting you home,” he said to me.

“Why?” I asked.

“It’s almost midnight,” he said.

“Really?” I asked in surprise.

“Yeah,” he said. I stood, as did Mason, and he took my hand. He led me back to his car and drove me home. He walked me to the front door and smiled down at me.

“I had a really good time Carson,” he said to me.

“Me too but next time you want to ask me something, just ask me. Don’t make me fall,” I said to him. Mason chuckled and nodded before wrapping his arms around me and kissing me.

“Night Mason,” I said as I pulled away and opened my door that I had already unlocked.

“Night Carson,” he replied with a smiled before he went back to his car. I watched him back out of the driveway before shutting and locking the door. I went up to my room and got ready for bed. I was really not looking forward to telling Mason that I lived in Carlsbad. I had a feeling that was going to be a hard conversation to have.