Where We Left Off by J. Alex Blane Read Free Book Online

ordinary.  Every week in the office was the same as the one before.  Mason normally stayed behind on Fridays to make sure things were closed out properly, with contracts and whatever else had to be set up to ensure that he wouldn’t have to come into the office on the weekend.  After having worked nearly two weeks straight finalizing deals for new development along the riverfront, he needed a break from his computer, the office, and his thoughts.  He sent everyone who was still there home a little early, and followed behind them not too long afterward.  He figured by the time he could get home which was only twenty minutes from his office he’d shower, throw on something a little more comfortable, and head out to one of the local nightclubs still early enough to just sit back and watch.  That was one thing he liked to do differently.  While most of the guys who went to the clubs showed up later after the place had nearly filled, he like to see what was coming in early before the massive crowd altered his perception.  In theory, he liked to make sure what he took home would look just as good in the morning.
    Mason lived in a small city on the outskirts of Wilmington, called Greenville. In so many ways the city felt like it had its own culture and ways of doing things.  Shopping centers were small but had the essence of old times past, which made it very welcoming, and the neighborhoods were absolutely beautiful.  A lot of the homes were two-story colonials with a traditional charm that made the neighborhood stand out all the more.  His home, however, was a carriage-style house just at the bottom of a cul-de-sac in a community called Stonewald one of the most desired communities in Greenville.  The house was beautiful; it had four bedrooms, a two-car garage, finished basement, and hardwood floors throughout the entire house.  He moved there a few years ago, after selling his condo.  It was a big move, one that traditionally wouldn’t have been done without a family in mind, but it was just him; just Mason.   Just me, he thought to himself. 
    He drove home unconsciously bridging the thoughts of just him to Jackson getting married, and even the conversation they’d had earlier.  One day you’re going to have to slow down, he remembered Jackson saying, laughing to himself.  Coupled with the fact that he couldn’t get Sydney out of his mind for most of the morning, he did wonder for a brief moment if Jacks was right. 
    Passing by a number of homes before his own, the sun had already set and the streetlights that led him into his development were already lit.  He pulled into his driveway early than usual.  With no need to rush into the house he just sat in his car and watched.  He left the car running, hearing only the sound of the air blowing from his air conditioner.  He turned off the ignition and just sat in his car for a few moments, looking at his neighbors and the interactions they had with each other.  His neighbors weren’t bad at all.  A lot of them spoke to him in passing, usually in the mornings heading out to work or on the weekends if they happened to see each other leaving the house.  Jim, his neighbor two houses down, was married, with a little girl that had to be around three or four years old.  Every day, rain or shine, his wife met him at the door before he got out of the car, smiling as if all day long she’d been waiting for that one single moment just to see him.  Most days Mason watched them while he was getting out of his car and laughed, thinking it reminded him of something he’d see on Leave It To Beaver. No life could be that perfect, he thought although today he was giving it far more thought than he usually would have.  When he walked through the front door it was just him; there was no one to ask, ‘how was your day,’ or greet him with a kiss, or even something as uncomplicated as a smile.   Maybe slowing down isn’t a terrible idea, he thought. 
    “Wait….