by Sonya Weiss
And he knew why. Olivia. She was in the center of his heart. Probably had been since high school, only he hadn’t recognized it for what it was, hadn’t wanted to give in to it.
He was in love with Olivia.
The realization drove him to his knees. What had he done?
He’d taken and he’d destroyed. He’d won his revenge and yet, he’d lost. He didn’t want to face the thought that it might be possible that he’d driven her away for good. That she didn’t—and couldn’t—love him in return.
How could he have been so blinded by revenge that he hadn’t seen the beauty of Olivia?
Rising to his feet, he climbed back into the rental car and drove to the same hotel he’d stayed at when he’d first shown up at Olivia’s shop months ago.
Mason paced the hotel room. The space was as cold and empty as his home since Olivia left. How could he fix what he’d done? Was it too late?
Mason cursed so loudly his dog raised her head and shot him a quizzical look. Two weeks had crawled by since Olivia had walked out of his life. Yesterday, he’d received a check in the mail from her reimbursing him for what he’d paid for her father’s care. She didn’t want a dime of his money. She was intelligent. Beautiful. Kind. Honest. He’d seen example after example of her strength of character during their time together. There was no way she could have known the truth about that night. His disbelief about the baby wasn’t about her at all. It was rooted in his own flaws. He had to make it right, had to win her back. He couldn’t imagine life without her.
Maybe it wasn’t too late to make things right with her. He loved her, and he needed her in his life. If she refused him, he’d do everything in his power to make sure she never wanted for anything.
“Come on, girl,” he ordered Red and the two headed for the car. He’d talk to Olivia face-to-face. She might not forgive him so easily, but maybe his apology would be a start.
The distance to her shop only took a few minutes. When Beth saw him and Red outside the door, she waved them both in.
“Well, if it isn’t the boyfriend of the year.”
Mason winced. “I deserve that.”
“You deserve a lot more than that.” Beth glared at him.
“I’m here to apologize to Olivia.”
“Oh? You’ve got that much time?”
Mason ignored the snide remark. “Is she here?”
“No. She’s in New York.”
Mason frowned at that. “What’s she doing in New York?”
“She’s scheduled to appear on Good Morning America tomorrow.”
“Something to do with her designs?”
Beth hesitated for a minute, obviously reluctant to tell him anything, then nodded.
“I love her, Beth. All I want is a chance to tell her that.”
Perking up, Beth smiled. “Oh. In that case, let me bring you up to speed on what’s gone on in Olivia’s life. Over the last few weeks, it really hit the fan here. Olivia told her father she’s pregnant and that it was your child. Needless to say, he didn’t roll out a welcome mat at the news. She told him he owed you an apology and that he should tell the world what he’d done to you to clear your name here. Again, no welcome mat at that. She fought for you.”
Mason held up a hand to cut off the flow of words. “And I’m here to fight for her.”
“Then go get her!” Beth came around the counter and hugged him. “Good luck.”
…
Olivia’s stomach protested. She leaned her head back against the bathroom wall and scrunched her knees up. “I don’t blame you, baby. I’m not much of a morning person myself. I mean I am, but not before-the-sun-comes-up early.” She yawned and eased up slowly, waiting to see if the nausea had passed. Not completely, but she’d survive. Who knew being pregnant could be so draining?
She winced as she went over the vile word her father had said when she’d told him she was pregnant with Mason’s child. How could he have done what he did to Mason and still refuse to own it? Then to turn around and act so hateful about her baby? She’d be damned if she’d let her son or daughter around that unless he cleaned up his act. His refusal to face what he’d done to Mason and his friends was something Olivia couldn’t sweep under the rug.
Still moving carefully, she pulled a comfortable pair of black slacks from her suitcase with a black silk shirt with tiny white flowers. Once the car arrived to take her to the studio, she’d have her makeup and hair done there, so she could skip that part of getting ready.
After the appearance was done on the show, she’d fly back to Texas. Her to-do list since learning about the baby kept on growing. Though the baby’s arrival was still months away, Olivia wanted to go ahead and get a crib and have a nursery set up.
She thought of Mason and her heart ached. Too bad he wouldn’t be a part of the preparation. He wouldn’t even know what he’d missed out on. Maybe someday he’d learn to trust enough to know that she’d never trick him. She hoped for his sake and for their child’s sake he learned to let go of his deep mistrust of everyone, but she didn’t blame him for the way he felt. He’d had years stolen from him. Since arriving back in Texas, she’d started visiting the cemetery and leaving flowers by Adam’s headstone. It made her sad to think of the life cut so short, and it grieved her that Mason carried that heartache.
…
Mason felt as jittery as if he’d grabbed a live wire. He’d arrived at the Good Morning America studio before Olivia’s appearance and waited for her to get finished with hair and makeup.
When he saw her, everything in his life snapped into focus. She was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside, and if she’d give him a chance, he’d give her a beautiful life or die trying. “Olivia.”
Her smile faded when she recognized him, and her expression became guarded. “Mason, what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to tell you how a man can turn into an animal.”
“What?” She shook her head and looked perplexed.
“I’ve been a jackass.”
She crossed her arms. “I agree, you have. I understand now what the past cost you. I know that you were only trying to protect me and in return, you were wronged.” Her gaze was soft. “You played the part of a hero that night and saved me, and I do thank you for that. But the drive for revenge has colored your perception of people. You thought the worst of me and you hurt me.”
With so much at stake, the pressure inside his chest was more intense than the time he’d closed the biggest business deal he’d ever made. “I would lay the world at your feet if I thought that would matter to you.”
“It doesn’t.”
“I know. Look.” He pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. “This is a rough draft, but this is the land that the facility was on. I know that you didn’t understand why I needed to destroy the building, but I had to. I couldn’t let Adam down. I thought that everything would be better once the building was gone. That the hole inside me would close up.” He blinked. “But it didn’t.” When she didn’t say anything, he kept talking. “I made a phone call to get everything started. We can build something…a center in your mother’s name for at-risk teenagers. It’ll be something good out of something bad.”
“That’s a nice gesture, Mason, but I told you. I don’t want anything from you.”
“You don’t want anything?” He lost his grip on the paper and it fluttered to the floor. “All that I have to offer you then is my heart.”
Her mouth gaped and she stared at him.
“It’s funny. Or sad. Hell, I don’t know. I can walk out this door and buy any damned thing I want, but I find that I don’t want anything money can buy. All I want is the woman standing in front of me. And if you give me a chance, you could learn to love me. I swear to you that I’ll be worthy of you.”
When she didn’t say anything, Mason had to battle the fear that because of his foolishness, he was too late. “I’m asking…no”—he dropped to one knee—“begging you to forgive me. I know
you didn’t try to trick me with the baby. The announcement threw me for a loop and the jackass in me kicked in. I love you, Olivia. Please say something before I have a damn heart attack.”
She laughed and then she cried, sobbing as tears streaked down her face. “Oh, Mason. How could you not know that I love you, too?”
His upside-down world turned right side up and flooded with hope. Mason stood and gathered her in his arms, crushing his lips down onto hers, kissing her with all the loneliness he’d experienced since she left. When he lifted his head, he used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. “I was hoping you cared even a tiny bit. This is more than I’d dared hope for.” Thrusting his hand into his pocket, he pulled out a jeweler’s box. He opened it and held it out to her. “I picked this up hoping I’d get the chance to give it to you. Marry me, sweet Olivia.”
“Like my heart has any choice.” Olivia admired the ring as he slipped it onto her finger. She flung her arms around him and kissed him. “Of course I’ll marry you. I can’t wait to get back to Chicago to bake more cookies.”
He laughed at that and then sobered. “I know that you confronted your father and that you told him he needed to publicly apologize. But I want you to let that go. I don’t need his apology.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Why not?”
“Because I’d rather we focus on us and”—he put his hand on her abdomen—“our family. Our future.”
“Our future. I like the sound of that.”
“So do I. You do the show and I’ll be waiting for you right here.” He traced the side of her face. “I think I’ve always been waiting for you and just didn’t know it.”
She kissed him. “I’ll be back.”
Epilogue
Olivia woke to absolute silence and sat straight up in the bed. Five-month-old Emma Faith was not in the habit of sleeping in. Glancing at the alarm clock and seeing the time was seven, she leaped from the bed, but almost as immediately as her worry started, it stopped. Mason’s side of the bed was empty. That meant he was with their daughter.
Smiling, Olivia watched the scene from the doorway of the nursery. Mason rocked back and forth in the chair while a contented Emma blinked up at him.
“And Daddy will kick anyone’s ass who tries to hurt you,” Mason said with a soft promise.
Olivia shook her head and entered the room. The sound of her movement caused him to look up at her, and a smile creased his lips. “Look, Emma. It’s the other woman who’s the center of Daddy’s world.”
She bypassed the latest stack of unopened toys Mason had purchased for Emma and stood beside his chair. “You spoil her, you know.”
“Guilty as charged, and I don’t feel a damn bit bad about it, either. Did you see that? Emma smiled.” When the baby yawned, Mason said. “Look at that cute yawn.”
“What time did she wake?”
“It was four, I think.”
Olivia stroked the top of her daughter’s soft hair. “You fed and changed her. She’s a happy camper who’s probably ready for a nap.”
Mason reluctantly rose to put his daughter back into her crib. “You sleep, Princess.” He picked up the baby monitor and wagged it back and forth. “Daddy’s right here.”
Emma lowered her eyes a few times and then fell asleep. Olivia put a finger to her lips in a shush motion and together they quietly left the baby’s room.
“You really do need to stop spoiling her, Mason,” Olivia said as they headed into the kitchen to get breakfast. “She doesn’t need all those things, and she’ll outgrow half of them before she can even play with them.”
“Then we’ll donate them to charity, Olivia, but I can’t stop doing for her any more than I can you. There’s so much I want to do for the both of you. So much I want to give you.”
Putting her hands on his face, she said, “You already have, Mason, but…” Olivia paused and pursed her lips. “There is one thing that I really, really want and we don’t have it.”
“I’ll get it. What is it?”
“I think I’d like to bake some chocolate chip cookies.”
Laughing, Mason lifted her into his arms. “Those have become my favorite damn sweets. I think about you every time I see them in the lounge at the office. Or I see them in a bakery window.”
Looping her arm around his neck as he carried her back to their bedroom, Olivia said, “You’re going the wrong direction. The kitchen is that way.”
“I know that. I’m going to do a little preheating first.”
“Did I ever tell you that you’re an incredible man, Mason Parker?”
He lowered her onto the bed. “I’m just a man who loves a woman.”
“Then show me,” Olivia whispered against his lips.
Mason did exactly that.
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Acknowledgments
Every manuscript that’s written goes through a team of people who help to turn it into a book. Alycia Tornetta, thank you! Your expertise and wisdom are always greatly appreciated. Erin Crum, thank you for the copyedits. Alethea Spiridon Hopson, thank you for the opportunity to write for the Men of the Zodiac series and for the hard work you put into it.
About the Author
Sonya Weiss loves writing all things romance whether it’s writing contemporary adult or teen fiction and still hasn’t lost the wonder that she gets to do what she loves. She enjoys reading, movies, chocolate, and laughter and credits her daughters as being the sweetest blessings in her life.
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