Perfect Song (Mason Creek Book 2) by Lauren Runow (christmas read aloud .txt) 📕

I open them and take a deep inhale. “I’ve been okay. Keeping busy has definitely helped. And I can’t thank you enough for putting me up in the hotel. I think that’s what’s helping me the most.”

“I’m so glad to hear that.” She grins, and I know it’s one of sympathy more than happiness. “Now, about that hotel …”

“Yeah?” I can sense she’s beating around the bush about something.

“We just feel there is too much to do, and we want you to stay here until the event. Is that possible? We can pay to have anything you left back in Montana overnighted. And I already have approval for you to stay at the hotel until the event is over.”

I bite the inside of my lip while I think. She’s right. I still have so much to do, but I need to get back to Mason Creek to talk to Tucker in person.

Knowing that they are budgeting my hotel stay for the next week is huge though. I owe this company so much for being willing to work with me through everything, and I know if I say no, I might not get those same luxuries in the future. I was already making a plan to pitch to them about me working remotely as a permanent thing. If I turn them down now, I might as well kiss those thoughts good-bye.

I nod. “I can do that. I really appreciate you guys helping me, so I can stay here.”

“Believe me, not as much as we appreciate you right now.” She stands to leave but stops at my door. “And your friend? Will he be staying or going back?”

My heart sinks, and I try my hardest to hide it. “He already left. This morning actually.”

“Oh. Well, okay then. I hope he had a good time while he was here.”

“Yeah, he did.”

I go back to typing away on my keyboard, and thankfully, she turns to leave. Once she’s fully gone, I let the tears flow freely.

The next few days are a blur of business and wild emotions. Every time I stop, I feel like I can’t breathe, so I just don’t stop.

I’ve called Tucker a few times, and he’s never answered, which broke my heart at first but just pisses me off now. You can’t go from loving someone to completely ignoring them.

I text him, saying they want me to stay, and he doesn’t respond. I text him, saying I hope he’s feeling okay, and nothing. When I text him, saying I miss him, he doesn’t even open the message because every time I check it, it still says Delivered and not Read.

I used to love that he kept that feature active on his phone, showing me if and when his text messages were read, but now, it’s this little thorn in my side, only making me worry more if he’s okay. My mind has gone wild with possible things that could have happened while he was all alone on his houseboat, and maybe that’s why he hasn’t opened the message.

As nighttime rolls around, I’ve finally had enough, and I pick up the phone to call Laken.

“Hey, Just. How’s the planning going?” she answers.

“There’s a lot still to do, and it’s going to be amazing. But, hey, sorry to call you like this. Have you seen Tucker?”

“Um, yeah, I actually saw him at Wren’s today. Why? Everything okay?”

I let out a sigh of relief that he is indeed alive, but then I get angry that he’s just not opening my message.

Laken doesn’t know what’s going on with him, and I know for sure he doesn’t want her to know, so I tread lightly.

“I don’t know. When he left here, it wasn’t on the best of terms, and now, he’s not answering my calls.”

“No shit? What happened?”

I let out a breath, trying to word this properly without giving away anything. “He just feels like my life is here and he’s not really a part of it.”

“And what do you think? Is your life there? I thought this was supposed to be a quick trip, and that’s why Tucker went with you. Yet you’re still there, and he’s here. Do you think you’ll come back, or are you back to city-life livin’?”

“I’m only staying because of the event. I was fully prepared to ask my boss to extend my working remotely and try to make it a permanent thing. But now …”

“Now, you’re not so sure,” she finishes my sentence. “Look, I don’t know the guy very well, but I do know he’s been single for a long time. It’s not easy for a guy to go from that to being serious with somebody. I wouldn’t make any rash decisions yet. You guys are still new, and relationships take time.”

I sigh, nodding my head even though she can’t see me. “You’re right.”

“Just hang in there, okay? You guys will talk eventually, and then you can make up your mind.”

“I will. Thanks.”

“Hey, anytime.”

We hang up, and I take one last shot at texting Tucker.

Please, will you talk to me? Nothing needs to happen right away, but you at least owe me a conversation.

I stare at my phone, waiting for the bubbles to appear. When the tiny words under the message switch to say Read, my heart sinks.

I can only imagine him lying in his bed with his arm behind his head, staring at his phone. I wonder what he’s thinking. If he wants to respond or if he just cleared the message and put the phone down next to him without giving it a second thought.

To my surprise, he does neither, and instead, my phone rings with his handsome face on my screen.

“Hi,” I say, fighting back tears.

“You’re right. I’m sorry for just leaving you hanging.”

I can hear the pain in his voice, and even though it hurts me to the core, it gives me hope.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m all right.”

“No more sickness?”

“Nah. Just