Pretend

Page 32

Mason didn’t look at Gavin and see a man who lacked confidence. It wasn’t that, but he never held himself quite as tall, never spoke with as much authority as he did when he spoke about music.
Mason envied him for that—that he had one thing that he loved so much. Mason enjoyed his bar. He enjoyed working for something, but he’d never loved anything the way Gavin so clearly loved music.
He enjoyed sharing that with him, wanted to see Gavin in his element.
Mason showered while Gavin packed up a few things for their day. Then Gavin got ready, and less than forty-five minutes later they were on their way to Boulder.
The ride was different than the first one they’d taken, the conversation comfortable the way it was when you really start to know someone. They fought over what to listen to in the car, and Gavin told Mason he had shit taste, when really Mason couldn’t care less what they listened to. He just liked to get Gavin riled up.
Music already filled the air when they got to the concert.
“I got it,” Gavin told him when they made it to the entrance. He took out his wallet and bought two tickets.
Mason waited until the tickets were purchased before he spoke. “I didn’t pay for you when we went skydiving.”
“So?”
“See, now I feel like an asshole.” Mason nudged him with his arm as they walked inside.
“Don’t. I did it because I want to. Plus, that was before.”
Mason quirked a brow at him. “Before what?” He knew exactly what Gavin meant.
“Before I was fucking you.”
Mason glanced over at Gavin and nudged him again. He crossed his arms but wouldn’t look at Mason. It didn’t surprise him, really. It was a nice gesture, but wasn’t really needed. “Just because we’re fucking doesn’t mean you have to buy my concert ticket.”
“Is it a problem that I wanted to?” This time Gavin did look his way.
It had been different with Isaac. Despite the fact that they’d been together for so long, they didn’t really do things like that. Sure, if the family went out to dinner he or Isaac might pay, but Mason could tell it was different for Gavin. It was new and somehow felt like more.
He thought for a minute as they made their way through the sea of people. The closer they got the louder they had to speak. “Nah, not a problem. I think I might like that you want to date me. Next time, it’s my treat.”
Gavin pushed a hand through his hair and gave Mason a small nod. “Yeah, okay. I can handle that.”
Funny, after all the shit that went down with him recently, the last thing Mason figured he would do was get involved with someone. It had been a little over three months since he and Isaac had permanently broken up. They’d cooled off when Mason moved to Blackcreek, which had made his lie about a break-up making him buy his bar easier. But since he told him they were over for good, just a quarter of a year.
This was easy, though. For some reason spending time with Gavin was easy. Mason could use a little of that.
“We should do this every week. Something fun…different.”
“Yeah,” Gavin replied. “I’d like that.”
***
“Listen to that.” Gavin grabbed Mason’s arm and pulled him close. He lowered his mouth to Mason’s ear as he spoke. “Do you hear that? Listen to the way the guitar and the piano sound together. It’s almost like they’re sparring, yet working together at the same time. Do you hear how one will ease off when the other goes for it, and vice versa?”
Gavin loved that, loved everything about music and how it made him feel alive. For most of his life, it had been the only thing to make him feel that way.
“I hear it,” Mason replied, close to his ear. But he didn’t hear it the same way Gavin did. If he had, there would have been more life in his voice.
“Close your eyes,” Gavin told him.
“What?”
“Close your fucking eyes. Come on, before it’s over.”
Mason frowned but did as he was told. Gavin ran completely off of instinct here, not sure why he needed so badly for Mason to hear what he did. He slid behind him, wrapping his arms around Mason. “Try and tune out everyone else and just listen.”
“Gav—”
“Shh. Listen.” Gavin drummed his thumbs on Mason’s chest, trying to match the beat of the music, tapping harder when the music went louder, and letting off when it went softer.
Before he realized it, his eyes were closed, too. He kept ahold of Mason from behind, and listened along with him. “Piano,” he whispered close to Mason’s ear. Gavin let the music filter through him, hoped he could make it filter through Mason as well. “Guitar,” he added when the guitar took the lead. He loved bands that played with a piano. It added such an incredible dimension to the music.