They kissed, and kissed, and Mason put his arm round Julia’s shoulders, onto the settee back, so that she was encircled securely and comfortably. It suddenly felt so right, the way he was holding her, the way he was kissing her. He did not go any further, and Julia was very grateful, if a bit surprised, at his patience and gentleness.

Matt bubbled something, and Julia came to her senses.

“Oh,” she said softly. “I think I need to go home now. It’s getting late.”

“Shall I call you a cab?” Mason asked getting to his feet.

“No, thanks.”

They were standing there, looking at each other, longing to say something that was absolutely unspeakable.

Julia took a few steps towards the door and stopped again.

“So,” Mason said at last. “Will you stay?”

“I – I need to think, I guess. I just need a little time.”

“You can take all the time you need, Julia. I am extremely patient. Of course, that’s true only when I am sure the decision you’re going to make will be in my favor.”

“And if you can’t be so sure?”

“Then I do more scheming and plotting. Just to be on the safe side.”

He was so serious it was impossible not to smile at this.

“But don’t you push me,” Julia warned.

“I’d rather pull you, anyway.”

Julia laughed. He was impossible! She shook her finger at him, “Oh Mason!”

Matt called.

“I’d better go now,” Julia said.

“Please call me when you get home, I get a little worried,” Mason said.

Tentatively, he leant down and kissed her cheek.

Matt started crying.

“Good night, Mason,” Julia said and went out.

*
For her it was another sleepless night. Julia needed many reasons, not just one, to justify or reconsider a decision already made, and she could have made a lengthy list of such reasons now; only in the long run it all came down to one thing: she did not want to leave.

Mason could hurt her, she was aware of that, and she was too dependent on a partner. But was that worse than living on, with the knowledge you could have risked and actually won and still preferred not to try, even?

Julia knew everything about Mason Capwell, or so it seemed to her. She knew his family and was friends with many of his dearest and nearest. She knew Mason’s domineering father and the issues there seemed to always come up between the two. She knew that Mason’s mother had left him when he was five, and that she had committed suicide not too long before. She knew how Mason had met Mary and how he had lost her. Julia did not think mason knew of her one hundredth of what she knew of him, actually. Of course he was self-centered and all; but he was also sensitive and kind, and caring, and striving to be a better man – which differed him from so many others. Mason could fall, but he would be up and struggling again; and he knew that could happen to other people too, and be forgiving. And – Julia just knew instinctively there was so much love in him.

She had never met anyone as special in her whole life. Julia longed to try and give his bleeding heart some peace. And she longed to be held and comforted by him, too.

Virtually, she ‘took out’ the gifts she’d got from him today. The words she’d keep and treasure. Mason said he was emotionally involved, didn’t he? He said he wanted her. He said he could not imagine his life without her – well, not exactly so, but something to this effect.

By morning the decision was taken.

*
The next day at work was usual enough. Mason had been to court and god knows where else all morning, but in the afternoon he dropped in, and he seemed immensely pleased to see the books restored to their places.

“Julia.”

“Hi Mason.”

His contented and smug mien was funny to watch.

“Got me where you wanted me, eh?” Julia asked sarcastically.

“Not quite,” he said. “Not yet.”

The overtones in his voice and that twinkle in his eyes made Julia blush.

“Mason!!” she cried.

“I love the fact that despite all I can still elicit this uniquely Wainwright reaction,” and he tried to mimic her, “Mason!!”

She laughed. Mason thrust his hands into his pockets.

“So… What would you say,” he said thoughtfully, “if I asked you out for a date?”

“I’d ask if you were kidding.”

“If I said I was deadly serious?”

“I’d ask what’s so deadly about it?”

“Ok, I’ll pick you up at eight tonight, then.”

Mason walked out, and Julia brought her hands to her burning cheeks. She could not help giggling like a teenager.

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