Waves - Book #2 [completed]

46 ~ Quatervois Part ONE

Quatervois
noun
A crossroads; a critical decision or turning point in someone's life

Urgently, I'm being pulled out of my sleep by Mason's phone going off.

I'm on my stomach with my arm hanging off the edge of the bed and Mason's large body laying halfway on top of me, his knee wedged between mine from behind and a heavy arm slung over and curled around my stomach. His face is buried between my shoulder blades.

Groaning and blinking at the intrusion of early morning light, I stretch and tug on his arm. "Mason."

He doesn't stir even though, somehow, the ringing just became louder.

"Mason," I try again, this time pushing up on all fours and shaking his arm. "Wake up."

A deep, baritone rumble builds deep in his lungs and echoes through the room when he finally moves his hands to pull the blanket further up and over his eyes.

I try to catch a glimpse of the unrelenting caller while climbing out of bed. By now I know Mason isn't a morning person, but not only does this call seem important when it's still ringing, I spy the time too. And it's already past the time for me to get ready and head to the beach.

That's all we needed.

"Shit," I cuss and grab the phone from the desk across the room. The phone finally stops ringing when I set it down on the nightstand. "Mason, your brother called. Like three times already."

"Okay," he grumbles. Taking the sheet with him, he rolls over and folds himself into a burrito.

"And I'm late," I add, yanking off my pajama top. "I had to leave like five minutes ago."

That does it. Mason sits up, tangled in the white bedding and with rumpled hair. "What?"

I rip open the zipper of my bag and pull out my bathing suit and rash guard that doubles as the jersey I will be wearing. My bottoms drop to the floor and I step into my midnight blue bathing suit before pulling on the tight neoprene material.

"Mh, those are some cheeky bottoms," Mason murmurs, scratching the back of his head and smirking like the cat that's got the milk.

I narrow my eyes, glaring at him over my shoulder.

Somehow his grin becomes even bigger. "I'm not jealous. You just look unbelievably hot and badass. Can't wait to cheer you on."

I'm smiling as I grab my hairbrush and rush to the bathroom when his phone starts ringing again. The tiles and the door muffle the sound of the ringtone and Mason's voice when he finally picks up. I make quick work of pulling my hair into a high ponytail and securing it with two more elastics.

Rushing out to grab all my things, I stop in my tracks when I see Mason holding his phone so tight his knuckles appear white. The pallor in his face tells me something terrible must've happened.