by Ali Parker
“Why?”
“Because she told me I was moving too fast and she wasn’t ready to move in. She needed some time to think about it. She already told me yes and then she changed her mind!” I growled, pissed at the situation.
He winced, shaking his head. “I’m sorry.”
“You and me both.”
“Mason, did you stop to think that maybe she just needed a little time?” he asked.
I shrugged a shoulder. “I didn’t, but you aren’t the first one to tell me that.”
He chuckled. “I’m not surprised.”
“That I fucked up the one good thing I had?” I snapped.
“No, that you steamrolled right over the poor woman.”
He was pissing me off. The last thing I needed was a lecture from him. I had already figured out I messed up. I didn’t need to be reminded. I got it. I’d pushed hard and pushed her right out the door.
“I know. I don’t need you to tell me that.”
He held up a hand. “That’s not what I meant. I only mean you are a guy that goes all in. You don’t do anything half-assed. You’ve always been in the fast lane, not slowing down to smell the roses or anything like that. You go and go and go. I’ve always admired your energy, your drive to get what you want. Very few people can keep up with you.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“She said she needed some time. To me, that’s her saying she needs time to process. Very few people would be willing to move in with someone after dating for a couple of months. It’s fast. You have to acknowledge that.”
I thought about it. “Yes. I move fast because I don’t like wasting time. I know what I want.”
He laughed again. “I have no doubt in my mind that she wants you as well, but she might need some time to get her head around it. You’re a lot to handle,” he joked.
“So?”
“This girl, she seems to be good for you. I think you’re right in trying to get her to move in with you, because she’s good for you. She’s smart, driven and very easy on the eyes. Lord knows you aren’t going to find anyone else like her. I understand your need to lock her down,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m not trying to lock her down,” I argued.
“Aren’t you? I would if I were you. You’ve fallen hard for this woman. It happens to the best of us. We meet a woman and we know she’s the one. It’s hard not to obsess and use everything we have to get them to stay with us. I know it seems hard, but take a step back, let her breathe and she’ll come to you. Wouldn’t you prefer she was the one to come to you, rather than you chasing her all over the place?” he asked.
“You sound like Dalton,” I grumbled.
“Then Dalton must be a pretty smart guy,” he said with a grin.
“I hear what you’re saying and I’m going to try and pull back. It’s just, well, I’m worried if I give her too much space, she’s going to realize she didn’t really want to be with me in the first place,” I confessed. “She could have any man she wanted.”
He laughed, nodding his head as if he completely understood. “I get it. You don’t have to tell me how hard it is. I had to walk away from Nat for a year. It sucked. It damn near killed me, but ultimately, it was what we needed to figure out we really wanted to be together. It made us stronger than ever.”
I shook my head. “I’m not waiting a fucking year.”
“I’m not suggesting you do. I’m only saying a few days, maybe a couple of months of seeing each other regularly will help build a good foundation for your relationship to grow. Don’t be in such a hurry,” he advised.
“I guess I don’t have patience. I see something I want, and I get it.”
“I know and I have no doubt in my mind you will get this as well. I saw the way she looked at you. She wants you. I got the feeling she’s a little more reserved than you are. It could be the opposite thing that is pulling you two together. She balances you out, forces you to slow down and think things through more than you usually do.”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it. I get it. I’m stepping back and slowing down,” I muttered.
“Good. How’s the investment thing going? We didn’t get a chance to talk much about it before shit hit the fan at dinner,” he said.
“It’s going well. We’re set to open soon. It’s going to be amazing. I’m excited for her,” I said, unable to stop the smile from spreading over my face.
“You’ll have to let me know when it opens. I’d like to check it out,” he said.
“I will. I convinced her to serve beer and cider after three,” I said, testing out the idea on him.
His eyes widened. “Wow. That’s smart. That is an excellent way to maximize sales by using the same space. Very creative.”
“It was mostly Deanna’s idea, but I think it’s going to be huge. It will be the only one of its kind in the area.”
“I’m happy for you. It sounds like things are going pretty well for you.”
“I hope so. Hey, don’t tell Mom or James about this little hiccup with Adelaide. I don’t want her to know she was right, and I don’t want anyone else to know I fucked up, just like they thought I would,” I grumbled.
“You didn’t fuck up. Look at how much shit Grayson and I went through to get our women. We all have had our ups and downs. You’re not doing anything new. We seem to do things the hard way,” he said with a laugh.
“All the same, I don’t want Mom to know she was right. She told me to slow down and I got pissed at her. I hate when she knows better.”
“Don’t we all. It’s cool. Your secret is safe with me,” he promised.
“Thanks. Don’t tell Grayson either. I don’t want him to lord it over me,” I added.
He rolled his eyes. “As if Grayson has any room to talk. He’s damn lucky Hannah is a sweet woman. Anyone else would have kicked his ass to the curb.”
I nodded in agreement, thinking back to the fiasco that had finally ended up well for Grayson, but it had nearly destroyed him. I wasn’t ever going to be that extreme. I walked him to the door, feeling a little better after our talk. Jack and I weren’t all that close, but I was glad to have him around.
“I’ll see you later. Text me the address of that coffee shop. I would like to check it out. I think Nat would love to see Adelaide again as well.”
“I will. Thanks for coming by,” I said before closing the door behind him.
I moved back to the living room. I had been ready to go to the shop, to try and talk to Adelaide, even though I was trying to give her space. Jack had given me the pep talk I needed to stay away from her. It was hard, but I could do it.
Chapter 65
Adelaide
I stepped back, checking out the artwork I had hung on the wall. I was keeping it casual and breezy with no real theme. The shop looked amazing and I felt very lucky to be getting to do the finishing touches by myself. I would have felt luckier had it been me and Mason doing the finishing touches, but that wasn’t to be. My crazy side had shown up and ruined that plan.
I moved around the shop, straightening things before moving to hang up one of the shelves I was going to put some eclectic knick-knacks on. It was an old barnwood shelf that I had fallen in love with at the antique store Mason and I visited last week. We had picked up a few things to add a little flavor to the décor, wanting something unique that would serve as a talking point. I wanted people to think of Sinclair’s as the coffee shop that was bright, friendly and offered something a little different—just like my dad had been.
My mind had been unable to block out Mason and what had happened between us. Even after the grueling workout, I was still stuck thinking about him and feeling some horrible regret. I knew I wanted to be with him. That was the only thing I knew for certain. I was blaming my sudden case of the jitters on the renovation and being closed for so long. I hated that I wasn’t bringing in an income and I wasn’t able to pay my staff. We were all in a holding pattern and it was making me anxious.
T
he stress of the renovation and the idea of moving out of my own place had pushed me to my breaking point. Everything felt out of sorts. I didn’t feel grounded. I felt like the world was spinning out of control and I couldn’t find anything to hold on to. Mason had been that one thing, but last night, I had pushed him away. I had pushed away the one thing I wanted most.
I bent over to pick up the heavy wooden shelf, lifting it up and hanging it on the nails I had put in the wall. It was a little heavier than I had anticipated and my back muscles protested as I moved. I needed a hot bath, lots of bubbles and lots of wine, maybe cold beer. I would never be able to drink cold beer without thinking about Mason. I had a feeling there would be a lot of things that would remind me of him. It was a cruel trick. After my father died, there had been so many little things that made me think of him too.
There were certain smells that brought his memory to the forefront. I knew it would be like that with Mason as well. Beer, motorcycles, sandalwood were just a few of the things that made me think of him. I smiled, remembering how it had been that first night we’d danced together. I pulled my phone from my back pocket and searched my music files, finding the single I had purchased a few days after our first time together.
I pushed the play button and closed my eyes, letting myself drift back in time. I could almost feel his lips against mine. I could smell the exhaust from the fumes of the cars and the taxi we had taken back to my place where we stood on the sidewalk and kissed for the first time.
“Why are you so stubborn?” I whispered.
I could do it. I could live with him and things would be okay. I just had to push aside my fear of failing at what I knew would be the most important relationship of my life. I knew he was my one. He was the guy for me. He was strong, stubborn, completely out of my league, and absolutely perfect for me.
I unpacked a box of cups, arranging them under the counter, out of sight of the customers. It was part of the new look I was going for. Everything was clean and clutter-free. We’d made a bold move to remove the tip jar as well. When customers walked in, they would see the various machines, the small register system and little else. I walked into the back and brought up another box. Obviously, I could leave the unpacking and stocking to the employees, but I needed to keep busy. I needed to try and keep my mind off Mason and the shitstorm I had created. My back hurt like hell, my feet were throbbing, and my legs were already feeling the effects of the strenuous workout I had put myself through earlier that morning.
That might not have been my smartest move. Tomorrow I was going to be really hurting. It was probably best I took care of as much of the small duties as I could while I could still move. I kept myself busy, rearranging the stockroom, inventorying the supplies we had on hand and making notes of things we still needed to get before our opening day.
It seemed like the list of items was endless. Running a bigger operation meant more things to do and more stock on hand. Mason had insisted on a new inventory program. I’d been reluctant at first, but as usual, he’d been right. He claimed he didn’t have any clue about how to run a business, but it seemed to be coming pretty easily to him.
Yet another reason to be pissed at myself for screwing everything up. I groaned, thinking about how we were going to work together. He claimed to be a silent partner, but it had been very obvious the last couple weeks he was anything but silent. He was hands-on.
“Dammit, Adelaide. That was a stupid comparison,” I grumbled to myself.
I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t leave things the way they were between me and Mason. I had to try and talk to him and make him understand what I had said so poorly last night. I had to make him understand he’d done nothing wrong and it was all on me. I panicked. I should have been an adult and told him about my worries before I ever let it get as far as I had. I didn’t blame him for being angry with me.
With my mind made up, I put everything away and grabbed my purse off the counter. I was going to splurge on a cab ride. I didn’t want to wait for the subway. I wanted to get to him. Now was a time I really wished I had a car. I felt a sense of urgency to get to him and hoped it wasn’t too late. I walked outside, my hand up before I even made it to the edge of the sidewalk. Thankfully, a cab pulled up to the curb less than a minute later.
I settled in for the ride, trying to think of what I would say to him. How would I make him understand? I owed him an apology. That much I knew for sure. I would apologize first and then tell him how much I wanted to live with him. I wanted to be with him and would do anything to get back into his good graces. He’d been so pissed last night. In my mind, I saw him staring out the window, not even looking at me. What if he did the same thing tonight? Mason was the kind of guy who took no shit from anyone. It was that attitude that worried me. He wasn’t exactly known for being an easygoing guy. I’d seen how he reacted to his family for what seemed like a relatively minor offense to me. What I had done was truly far worse.
My stomach was in knots when the car pulled up to a stop in front of his building. I couldn’t move to get out. I sat there, staring up at the building and wondering if I was wasting my time. What if he slammed the door in my face? I didn’t know if I could handle him rejecting me. That would hurt too much.
“Ma’am, is this the right address?” the cabbie asked.
I nodded. “Um, yes, sorry,” I murmured, reaching into my purse and pulling out my cash.
I quickly paid him and got out, but still couldn’t bring myself to go inside. I wasn’t even sure he was home. He could have left town. I should call him, I thought to myself, holding my phone in my hand. I should have brought something. I glanced down the block, not seeing any bodegas where I could grab a six-pack to use as a peace offering.
“You really didn’t think this through,” I muttered.
It was too late now. I was here. It was time to get it over with. He either accepted my apology and we figured out the next step, or he shut me down and told me to lose his number. I couldn’t even begin to guess which way he was leaning. Mason was kind of a wildcard. He did the unexpected. That’s what made him so damn appealing to me.
If I didn’t make a move to go up to his apartment, I was going to chicken out and go home, where I would drown myself in a bottle of wine. Then I’d wake up hating myself in the morning and spend another day like I had today. I stepped forward, walking through the lobby of his building like I owned the place and headed for the elevator. I was actually a little worried he would have given my name to security to be thrown out on sight.
When the elevator started to move up, the nerves only increased. The elevator lurched to a stop and slid open. I made no move to get off. When the doors started to slide closed, I jumped out and made my way down the hall, dragging my feet and praying he was home. Praying he would let me in and praying he would hear me out.
I stopped in front of his door, staring at it. “Hi, Mason,” I whispered in a breezy voice testing out the way it sounded to my ears.
That wasn’t right. I didn’t want to sound breezy. “Hey, can we talk?” I whispered, my tone serious.
No. That wasn’t the right thing to say. “Hi, I’m sorry. Will you please hear me out?” I tried out the phrase.
That sounded better. I wanted to sound apologetic, yet firm and serious. It was the best I had. It would have to do.
Chapter 66
Mason
It wasn’t doing me any good to sit in my apartment. Nothing was going to get resolved. I wasn’t going to feel any better if I sat around and stewed on the problem. What had happened between Adelaide and me was a problem. The adult way to handle it was to talk about it. Dalton and Jack had told me to back off, but it wasn’t in my nature. I couldn’t just leave things the way they were. I would give her space after we established that was all she was asking for. I needed to understand exactly what it was she wanted. If she came right out and said she didn’t want to see me, then I would walk away.
I had heard the emotion in her voice and wasn�
�t convinced that was the case. She had walked out because I’d turned my back on her—literally. I had shut down and she had left. It was an argument. The adult thing to do was to talk about it and figure out whether it was worth trying to fix things between us.
“Fuck it,” I said walking to the kitchen to grab my phone, keys and wallet.
I was going to go by the shop and see if she was there. If she wasn’t, I would go to her apartment. I wasn’t going to let the situation fester any longer. I walked to the door and yanked it open, determined to fix things.
“Oh,” I said, shock stealing away any other words I might have said.
Adelaide looked at me, her dark brown eyes full of surprise. “Oh!” she repeated.
“You’re here,” I said, feeling like a dumbass.
Of course she was there.
“I am. Were you on your way out?” she asked somewhat hesitantly.
I shook my head before I realized that made me look like a liar. It was very obvious I was headed out. “Yes. To see you.”
“Oh.”
“Do you want to come in?” I asked her.
“Yes, please. I was hoping we could talk?” she asked, a soft, sad smile playing on her lips.
I moved out of the way, letting her walk in. I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that she was there. I wanted to believe she was there to tell me she was sorry, and she wanted to take back everything. I knew that wasn’t possible, but I hoped like hell it wasn’t the alternative. I didn’t want her to tell me to my face she was through with me and no longer wanted to see me.
“Can I get you a drink? Wine, beer?” I asked nervously.
“Beer would be great,” she replied.
I went to the fridge, grabbed two and joined her in the living room. I wasn’t sure how this was supposed to work. Did I sit close to her like I usually did, or did I sit in the chair? Was I still her boyfriend or had we broken up? I was really inexperienced in the relationship department.
