I don't like you, Mason Mount

Chapter 7

"Excuse me, can you help me with... Daniela?"

"Mason?" I say, the books on my arms almost falling to the floor. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I work here. I thought I had told you about it."

"Yes, you did. But you didn't say where exactly."

"Oh, so my sister didn't tell you about it when she also told you about our holidays?"

"I'm sorry about that."

"Whatever" I say. After confessing all my feelings for Mason and crying my eyes out, Monica also confessed that she had told him about Portugal and the restaurant, that she had convinced him to take his family there. Us bumping into each other, hadn't been a coincidence. She had planned it all, and look how it ended.

"I promise this has been just a coincidence. I was doing a Nike event at their shop, and my agent told me there was a bookshop close by."

"So that's why all those teenage girls were queueing when I arrived earlier. They were there for you."

"Yeah" he smiles, that dimple of his showing and making me feel something on my stomach. Something I hadn't felt for the past six months. But no. That's not it. I'm over him and this is just that I am hungry. I didn't eat much for breakfast, and that's what I'm feeling. Nothing else. "So, can you help me find some books or not?"

"I guess I can" I sigh, putting the ones I was holding back where they belong. "What do you need?"

"Something for my nephew and my nieces. They are all coming over for Christmas."

"How old were they? I know you told me but I can't remember."

"Six, five and four."

"What do they like?"

"The three of them are obsessed with dinosaurs for some reason. Anything Disney too. And they love painting, they could be entertained with that for hours."

"Ok, follow me."

"How long have you been working here?" Mason asks while we move through the shop.

"A couple of years."

"And do you like it?"

"I do, yes. I've always loved books, and for years I said I wanted to open my own bookshop with maybe a coffee shop and some cats."

"You never mentioned it when we talked. Only that you loved cats" he chuckles.

"I am a cat lady, yes. Is there a problem with that?" I say, giving him a book.

"No, not all. It actually fits you. Liking cats, I mean. You are like them."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... They look all soft on the outside but can bite, and you are the opposite. You look like you can bite, but are a softie on the inside. And then you also have some issues trusting people when you first meet them, but if someone manages to get through all that and earn your trust, you happen to be the loveliest person. There will be moments when you will pull out your claws to defend yourself because that's just who you are, but when you love someone, you do it unconditionally."

"That's... That's..." That's true. That's me. He's gotten it right. How can he know me so well?

"Lost your words? Maybe because I'm right?" he asks with a cheeky smile.

"No, I have not lost them. And no, you aren't right."

"The colour of your face says otherwise."

"Do you want me to call one of my coworkers to help you with this? I think there is a girl who happens to like you, God knows why."

"There is no need, I'll behave."

"You better" I say, putting two more books on his arms.

"More?" he asks.

"Oh, c'mon Mount. They are for your family and you have the money to pay for them. Better waste it on this that on whatever you are wearing right now."

"Oh, I had missed hearing you say that you hate my clothes" he laughs.

"Your girlfriend doesn't do it?"

"She doesn't" he says, his smile disappearing from his face.

"Well, it was expected. She's dating you, you have to be blind to do it."

"Yeah" he murmurs.

"Everything ok?"

"Yes, don't worry. More books?"

"More books" I say, moving to another bookcase, but still thinking about how his face changed when I mentioned his girlfriend.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"They are gonna love them. Thank you very much, Daniela."

"Just doing my job" I say while I finish wrapping the last book.

"How is your family doing? I haven't asked."

"Good, good. Same as always. Though I think Lola has a new crush."

"She doesn't like me anymore?"

"She still does, but I think she currently likes your bff a lot more. And I don't blame her, he's hot."

"My bff? Do you mean Dec?"

"Yep."

"Oh, wow. The betrayal. From both of you."

"Sorry" I shrug. "But can I... Can I ask you a favour?"

"Wait, wait, wait. You... Are asking me... A favour? It's a Christmas miracle!" he laughs.

"Shut up, Mount. It's for Lola, not me."

"Ok, I'm listening."

"I've been looking for tickets for your Boxing Day game everywhere because it is against West Ham, but they are expensive as hell. Could you..."

"Get you some?" he asks with a stupid grin.

"Yes."

"I can. But on one condition."

"What" I say, rolling my eyes.

"You have to come to the game. Maybe wear my shirt if you still have it."

"I still have it."

"You do?"

"Yeah. It's somewhere at the back of my wardrobe, but I still have it."

"Great. Then you have to come to the game and wear it."

"Is it necessary?"

"It is. Do we have a deal?" he says, offering me his hand.

"I guess we do" I say, shaking it and feeling goosebumps all over my arm. But I'm getting goosebumps because I'm cold. Someone opened the door, and this reaction is because the cold came in. Nothing else.

"I'll text you when I get them."

"You still have my number?" I ask. "I thought that after what happened at the restaurant..."

"I tried do delete it more than once, but... I don't know" he shrugs. "I just couldn't do it. What about you?"

"Uh?"

"Do you still have my number."

"I do" I confess. I've also tried to delete it a few times, but I haven't been able to. There was something stopping me.

"Mason, it's time to go" a man says behind him.

"Yes, yes. Thank you very much for your help, I'll keep you updated about the tickets."

"Thank you" I say.

"Merry Christmas, Daniela."

"Merry Christmas, Mason."