by Ali Parker
“Has she reached out to you?” Deanna asked gently.
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“She called the other day,” Adelaide reminded me.
I rolled my eyes. “She knew damn well I wasn’t going to answer my phone at seven in the morning. It was her way of saying she called. She didn’t actually want to talk to me or apologize. It’s part of the long-term plan. She’ll go to Grayson or Jack, hell, maybe even James, give them some long story about her calling me and me not returning her calls,” I muttered.
“She’s your mother. Despite everything the two of you have been through, I know you care about her,” Dalton reminded me.
“I do care about her but that doesn’t mean I’m going to sit around and let her insult me or Adelaide,” I shot back.
“Maybe she needs to apologize. Maybe she realized she overstepped and wants to explain,” Deanna offered.
“Then she can leave a voicemail. I’m not ready to talk to her yet. It’s the same old shit served in a new way. I’m tired of it,” I said, my irritability showing through.
Adelaide grabbed my hand. “You can talk to her when you’re ready.”
“Thank you. Now, can we enjoy our beers and the work being done here? I don’t want to think about my family or stress about who’s going to call who first,” I growled.
“Got it. That works for me,” Deanna said, shooting her brother a dirty look.
Dalton held up his hands. “I was only asking a question.”
“And it’s been answered,” I said firmly.
“Not really, but I’ll let it go for now. I’m your friend and I’m the guy who has to tell you things you don’t want to hear. It’s my cross to bear,” he said, only slightly teasing.
“I’m here to have a good time with friends, not worry about what people who don’t really care about what I do think about me. They’re going to think what they want. There is little I can do to change that and quite frankly, I don’t give two fucks what they do think. They can like it or not like it. It isn’t my problem,” I said, drinking from the bottle.
“Exactly,” Adelaide agreed.
Dalton made a motion of zipping his lips together. “The subject is closed—for now.”
“Any word on the guy that hit you?” Deanna asked, changing the subject again.
I shook my head. “Nope. I know he pled not guilty and they are waiting for a trial or something. My insurance is going after his insurance. I’m not suing, which everyone keeps asking.”
“I hope the guy gets put away for a long time. It wasn’t just you he hurt. Imagine if someone had been walking across the street or if there had been kids in the car he hit. He risked lives that day,” Deanna said.
“I know. I agree. It’s up to the courts,” I replied.
It was another subject I didn’t care to talk about. I didn’t like dwelling on negative things. It was in the past. I had survived and I wanted to move on. The few scars mottling my forearm were the only reminder I needed.
“You going to get another bike?” Dalton asked.
I shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know. I have my Harley and I might just stick with that.”
That part of my life didn’t seem quite so important now that I had Adelaide. I didn’t feel the need for the speed of the bike. I didn’t have the urge to jump on the thing and ride fast and far away from the city. I hated to admit it, but I felt settled almost. It wasn’t something I had ever thought I wanted. I didn’t think I possessed the gene that had me settling into a comfortable home with a woman and sharing my life with anyone. It didn’t even scare me, which was probably the most alarming part of the equation. I wanted to be with Adelaide. I was only pissed at myself for not seeing what was right in front of me the whole time. I could have been living a fulfilled, happy life with a woman who made me feel complete all these years. Instead, I’d been running from something and never taking the chance to slow down and look around.
“You okay over there?” Dalton asked.
I blinked, looking at him. “What?”
“You have a weird look on your face, like you are somewhere else,” he said, studying me a little too closely.
I shrugged a shoulder. “I’m good; lost in thought, no big deal.”
He stared at me another few seconds before nodding his head. “Okay.”
I went back to drinking my beer, knowing we only had to walk a few blocks to Adelaide’s place. I was beat and the beer tasted good after a long day at the shop. The whole working thing was actually rewarding. I was going to think about doing it more often, I thought with a small smile on my face. If my friends knew what I was thinking, they would probably beat the hell out of me. They’d worked their asses off ,and I skated by doing nothing real. It was time to step up.
Chapter 53
Adelaide
It was mid-morning and with nothing to do at the shop, I decided to head to one of Deanna’s spin classes. Mason had gone down to City Hall to try and use his name to get the permits moving along. I was anxious and excited and crazy nervous about all the changes happening at the shop. I knew it was a good thing and I was so grateful to Mason for all he was doing, but I was scared to death of a failure. I couldn’t fail. Now, it wasn’t only my dad’s legacy on the line; it was Mason’s money and respect.
He had told me time and again he couldn’t blame me if he lost money because he was the one pushing so hard to make the big changes. On the flip side of that argument, I could give him all the credit if things ended up going very well. He would prove he had that business acumen that seemed to run in the family. I was happy to see him happy and decided I could always start over down the road if the shop failed to thrive. It was not the end of the world. At least, that’s what I told myself.
Deanna’s classes were always fun and a hell of a workout. By the time I dismounted the bike, I was drenched in sweat. I was growing more used to the grueling workouts and appreciated how I felt afterwards. But I wasn’t quite ready to admit it to Deanna yet.
I grabbed my towel, wiping my face and neck. My breathing was finally slowing, allowing me to take in full breaths for the first time in about twenty minutes. I had no idea how long it would be before I built up the same stamina Deanna and some of her regulars possessed. I moved to the back of the room, drinking my water and waiting for Deanna to say goodbye to the others.
“Hey, you kicked ass today,” she said with a grin as she made her way over to where I was holding up the wall.
“I feel like I did. My legs are still vibrating,” I groaned.
“I noticed you didn’t slow down on the hills this time. You were attacking them like you had a bear chasing you,” she teased.
“Deanna-looking bear,” I laughed.
“Where’s Mason?” she asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know, probably bashing heads together until he gets what he wants.”
She burst into laughter. “I do kinda miss that surly side in him. I haven’t been scowled at in weeks.”
“He still gets surly—trust me,” I told her.
“That’s part of who he is,” she pointed out.
“I know and I don’t mind it, not really,” I said with a sigh.
“Let’s go get a smoothie and you can tell me why you’re here,” she said, knowing me too well.
“I’m here because I wanted the workout,” I lied.
“Bullshit. Come on. I know your worry face when I see it and you’re never willing come here unless you are pissed, sad or got something to work out,” she said, walking out of the room.
She was right. Of course she was right. I followed her to the smoothie bar that was much busier than it was in the early mornings when I usually showed up for class. I ordered strawberry and mango, moving to a table. Deanna sat down across from me, her lips on the straw as she sucked the smoothie in.
“These always taste so much better after a workout,” I said, appreciating the cool, refreshing drink as it washed down my throat.
�
�Your body needs it,” she replied, continuing to drink her smoothie.
I looked away, not wanting to look her in the eyes because I knew she would want to talk. I wasn’t sure how to articulate what I was feeling. I didn’t know if I had a right to what I felt.
“What’s going on?” she asked. “Are you stressed about the coffee shop? If so, I think you are worrying over nothing. I think it is going to be a huge success and if you do the cocktail thing, it is really going to be a hit. Did you get the liquor license?”
I shook my head. “No, that’s not it.”
She frowned. “Mason? Are the two of you having problems? I’m sure everything will work out. You are both very strong-willed people and are bound to have disagreements. That’s where the making up comes into play,” she said, waggling her eyebrows.
“No, no, nothing like that. It’s his family. I really feel like this is my fault. He’s not talking to them because he didn’t like what they said about me. I could have handled it. They aren’t anything to me, but they are his family. I can’t imagine just tossing away a family.”
“He’s always had a very contentious relationship with them. It isn’t because of you. They’ve been at odds since I’ve known him,” she assured me.
I sighed, drinking my smoothie. “I don’t know. I think after the accident he was ready to try and have a relationship with them. He seemed like he wanted to. We went there and he seemed in a good mood. I was getting along great with Nat and Jack. I actually really liked them both. Hannah was sweet and their little baby, oh so cute.” I smiled at the memory.
“It’s messy with them. That isn’t on you. Mason does this. He takes a few steps forward toward a relationship with them and then he pulls back. He always has an excuse, but I think it’s more that he’s scared. He’s afraid to get in close and then get hurt by something they say or do. Mason will never admit it, but deep down, he’s vulnerable. He loves them and wants to be a part of the inner circle, but he’s wired differently. He doesn’t think like they do, and I don’t think he ever will. He’s a lone wolf by choice, but he’s human. He has that inner need to belong,” she said softly.
“I want him to have everything,” I whispered.
She slowly nodded her head. “You care about him. You want him to be happy and loved.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
She blew out a breath. “I suppose you can fix it by talking to Mama Bancroft.”
My eyes widened. “No! I can’t do that.”
She burst into laughter. “You know he isn’t going to talk to her. If you want to fix things, you’re going to have to make the first move.”
“He would kill me if I meddled in his life. He would not appreciate me trying to smooth things over. You know he likes to do things his way,” I muttered.
She burst into laughter. “It is going to drive you crazy until you do something. You hate conflict. You are the type of person who likes people to be happy. I know you are head over heels for him and you want the best for him.”
“Yes, I do. I don’t think it’s okay to not talk to your family. He doesn’t understand how precious they are.”
“He lost his dad not all that long ago,” she quietly reminded me.
“I know. Why doesn’t that hit home for him? I can’t imagine having that many brothers and a loving mom and not talking to them. I would kill for one more minute with my dad. I would kill to have known my mom and have her fuss over me and grill my boyfriends. I understand why they don’t think I’m good enough for him. I’m probably not, but I would never use him or take advantage of him,” I told her.
It was what had been weighing on my mind for weeks. I hated that he had a family and didn’t fully understand how lucky he was. I knew his mom was hard on him, but I believed it came from a place of love. She cared about him and wanted the best for him, and it was hard not to respect that.
“Maybe you can talk to Kathy. I think if she got the chance to know you, she might be more willing to accept that you are what makes Mason happy. Right now, she doesn’t know you. She’s got six boys that have probably attracted a lot of ladies over the years. Ladies that did not have good intentions. They were probably only after the money. You’ve met the brothers. They are all gorgeous, sexy as hell and had healthy sex drives, I imagine. She probably had to beat the gold diggers off with a bat,” she said with a laugh.
I grimaced. She had a good point. Kathy Bancroft was a formidable woman. She had to be to raise those kids. They would have driven a weaker woman to tears a long time ago. If I could try and explain I had no desire to use Mason for money maybe she would be okay with us seeing each other. Maybe she would welcome him and me back into the fold. Then I only had to convince Mason it was a good idea to go back.
“It sounds so easy. I mean, why didn’t I think of that?” I grumbled.
“You’ll figure something out. You and Mason are destined to be together. I know you and you won’t be satisfied until you’ve made it work with him and his family. That’s why you’re so good for him,” she said with a smile.
I groaned. “I have no idea how to talk to the woman. She looks sweet and innocent, but she’s kind of got this mama bear thing going on that scares me.”
“I suggest you keep bringing your ass to spin class.”
I was confused. “What? Why?”
“So, you can run like hell when she comes after you with a bat,” she grinned.
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks. So helpful.” I finished my smoothie. “I should probably get going.”
“I’ll stop by later and see if you need any help. I don’t paint but I can move things,” she offered.
“Thanks. I have no idea what we are supposed to be doing,” I grumbled.
“It’s going to be amazing. Trust your gut. Trust Mason,” she advised.
I closed my eyes. “I know. I do. It’s going to be great.”
“It is going to be great. The situation with Mason and his mom will be resolved. Your life is on an upward trajectory. Sit back and relax and enjoy what you have. It’s all going to be okay,” she assured me.
I nodded, trying to convince myself she was right. I had to enjoy the good times because there was always plenty of bad. You needed the good to get through the bad. I had to take advantage of all the good.
“I’ll see you later,” I said and got up.
I walked out of the gym thinking about Mason. I wasn’t even sure how to get to Kathy Bancroft. If I asked Mason for the number, he’d talk me out of trying to contact her. He’d insist it was not my problem and tell me to back away from it. Then we’d be stuck right back at square one. I could try to get it from Natasha. I smiled as an idea formed. I’d ask Mason for Nat’s number. Mason would get it from Jack. That would get them talking and ultimately, I’d get Nat’s number and she would give me Kathy’s number.
“It could work,” I whispered to myself, walking down the street toward the subway.
Now, I just had to work up the courage to actually call the woman. That was going to be the hard part.
Chapter 54
Mason
The elevator doors slid open. I waited for Adelaide to step out in front of me. We were each carrying a bag of groceries, ready to make a nice dinner at my place. I couldn’t help but check out her fine ass in the shorts she was wearing. We’d spent the day at the coffee shop, going over plans, ordering new equipment and cleaning up.
“Baby, those shorts are about the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” I told her.
She giggled softly, turning around to look at me over her shoulder. “They are my oldest, rattiest cut-offs. That’s what does it for you?”
“Anything you wear does it for me. Strike that, anything you don’t wear does it for me,” I told her.
She laughed, waiting for me to unlock the door. We walked in and moved to the kitchen. I was about to get myself a nice handful of her beautiful body when my phone started squawking. I swore my mother had some kind of a sixth sense and knew when I was about
to get nasty with my woman.
“You better answer. It’s been a month. You need to talk to her,” Adelaide said in a solemn voice.
I hesitated, not interested in getting into that business. Not then. I wanted to have a nice, quiet evening with Adelaide. I was going to make grilled chicken breasts with her help. We were going to kick back and relax, maybe watch something on TV and not think about the coffee shop or anything else.
“I’ll call her later,” I said.
“Mason, please talk to her,” Adelaide asked.
I groaned, putting down the bag of groceries and going to grab my phone. By the time I reached for it, it was too late. The voicemail icon popped up a few seconds later.
“Oops,” I mumbled.
Adelaide scowled at me. “Mason, see what she needed.”
“I’m sure it was the same thing it always is. She is giving me one of her fake apologies and trying to make me feel bad. It isn’t going to work.”
She gave me a look. I groaned, grabbing the damn phone and putting it on speaker to listen to the voicemail. Adelaide turned and pretended to be occupied in the kitchen. She was unpacking the groceries, but I could see she was doing it slow and being careful not to make a sound.
“Hi Mason. I was wondering if you could make some time for us to talk. Just the two of us. I’m available anytime. Please do call me back. I hope you’re doing well,” she said before the message ended.
I hit the button to end the call before turning to see Adelaide watching me. I didn’t know what she expected from me. I wasn’t going to grovel at my mother’s feet and beg for forgiveness. She’d been the one to drive the latest wedge between us. It had been her rude, uncaring behavior that had driven me away. She had to own that.
“Don’t say it,” I growled.
Adelaide let out an exaggerated sigh. “I won’t.”
“Good,” I mumbled, reaching for the bottle of wine she had picked out and pouring her a glass before pouring myself a shot of Jack. I’d mix it with Coke later but just then, I needed it straight.
