by Ali Parker
“As if he cares what they think. You know the truth. Those of us who know you and him know the truth and that’s all that really matters.”
I sighed, nodding my head, my eyes still on the framed picture. “Do you think he’ll let me hang that picture in his place? I mean, he’s got all kinds of artwork and stuff. My dad’s picture, a picture I took with my cell phone, is probably not quite up to his level of art.”
She laughed. “I think it’s a really good picture and if you want it up, he is going to move mountains to make it happen. He wants to make you happy.”
I was already trying to think of where I would put the picture in his place. It was going to be strange to have to talk about placement of furniture and decorations with another person. I was used to doing what I wanted. We finished our pizza, pouring ourselves another glass of wine to fuel us for our packing spree.
“Do you think I should bother with my dishes and stuff?” I asked, staring at the open cupboards in the kitchen.
Deanna came up behind me. “I would say yes. I mean, you are moving in with him and you are sharing a life. If you don’t take some of your things, I know how you get. You’re going to feel like you are living with him, not you two are living together.”
She was right. “I’ll take some—not all.”
“I’m going to finish the living room.”
“I had almost nothing when I came here,” I said, proud of what I had manage to collect over the years. It was nothing fancy and most of it had been used, but it had been all mine. I had saved up for a few things, like my coffee maker and microwave, insisting I had new and a decent quality.
“You certainly have a lot more than nothing now,” she grumbled. “I wish I’d remembered that before I agreed to help you pack.”
I laughed. “You have been here a million times. You had to know what I had.”
“I did but trying to put it all into boxes is a totally different ballgame.”
“I am going to rent a storage unit,” I decided, looking around at the table and chairs that were not worth having moved to Mason’s.
She stopped what she was doing and came to stand in front of me. “Is that a good idea?”
I shrugged. “My old table is too small for Mason’s place. He already has a nice table and chairs, same with the couch,” I told her.
“If you get a storage unit, it is basically saying you’re saving the stuff for when you move out of his place. I thought the reason you didn’t want to keep your apartment was because you didn’t want to count on things ending. What you are doing is basically the same thing. You’re keeping your safety net in play,” she pointed out.
I winced, my eyes going to the furniture that I really didn’t want in Mason’s place. There was no need for it. I really did like his furnishings and it all matched so well, thanks to his expensive decorator.
“You’re right. I’ll call one of those services that will come pick it up and give it to a family in need. Do you think anyone will want my old stuff? It has certainly seen better days,” I said with a laugh.
“Of course they will. Hell, you bought it when it was on its last legs. Someone else will give it all a good home.”
I laughed again, knowing my worn out stuff wasn’t the prettiest. I’d had grand plans of refinishing the old table and the small end table next to the couch. That seemed like forever go. That was when the coffee shop was in its infancy and I’d had no idea how much energy it was going to take to run the thing. I sighed, looking around the small space. Every little thing in my tiny apartment reminded me of something.
“You have to come and visit me still,” I told her.
She put her head to the side. “You know I will.”
“I mean like this. I want to drink box wine and eat pizza and have our girls’ nights. I don’t want things to change between us.”
She smiled. “Things have already changed between us, but that is a good thing. It’s part of growing up. We’ll still see each other at work, and I know I’m getting you hooked on those spin classes. I will be there to bug you and Mason and intrude on your little love nest as often as I can.”
I giggled. “Well, when you put it like that, maybe I should rescind my invitation.”
“Too late,” she said with a playful grin.
Chapter 70
Mason
I should be helping Adelaide pack her things to get ready for the movers on Saturday, but I had another assignment. It was something I had to do, or Adelaide would kick my ass. She could be very insistent, and I knew she wasn’t likely to let it go. I pulled into the driveway of my mother’s home, the Bancroft mansion. It was strange to be visiting so soon. I had gone months without stepping foot in the place and now I felt like a regular visitor.
I had called her and told her I was on my way over when I was already on the road. I waited until the last minute because I wasn’t entirely sure I was going to actually go to the house. I had been tossing the idea around for hours. Adelaide had made it clear she wanted me to have a relationship with my mother. I understood her reasons. She had no family and thought I was wasting the one I did have. I wanted her to be welcomed into the family. I wanted her to know what it was like to have a big, loving family. I couldn’t say I knew exactly what that was like, but I had watched them with each other. Maybe Adelaide and I could be a part of that one day.
I parked the car and strolled up to the door. My mother opened it before I had a chance to knock. “Is everything okay?” she asked, studying my face, a worried look on her own.
“I’m fine.”
She sighed with relief. “Thank God. You scared me half to death. Come in, come in.” She gestured.
I followed her into the living room. She had a tea service already waiting. I wasn’t sure if that was for me or if she had been expecting someone else. I watched her sit down, studying her features and realized she was an attractive woman. Was she dating someone? The thought of her dating made me angry and sad. I quickly pushed away that line of thinking. That was a problem for another day and quite frankly, one of my brothers could deal with that situation. That was way out of my league.
“Thanks for seeing me on such short notice,” I mumbled, remembering my manners.
“Of course. What’s going on? Are you sure everything is okay?” she asked with concern.
“Everything is fine. In fact, everything is going very well for me. I came by because Adelaide insisted I talk with you,” I started.
Her face pinched as she sipped from her cup. “Really? Why doesn’t Adelaide speak to me herself?” she said in a cool tone.
“Because this isn’t Adelaide’s problem—it’s mine,” I said, not appreciating the way she automatically assumed the worst of her.
“Oh? You have a problem? What is it, dear? I’m sure I could help,” she asked, putting her cup down on the table.
I shook my head. “It’s not that kind of a problem, but you could help,” I said, struggling to find the words.
I hated talking about feelings and all that other bullshit, but Adelaide insisted I tell my mother how I felt. She was sure it would help mend the relationship and promote healing. I would have preferred to take two aspirin and call it good, but I would do whatever I needed to. I had changed as a person. I could feel the changes and I wasn’t afraid of them. Adelaide was changing me for the better and I wanted to keep going. I wanted to be a better man for her. I wanted to be the man she could count on for everything she needed. Part of the change and the growth was going to involve me giving my relationship with my mother one last shot.
“I don’t understand. What’s going on?” she asked.
“Adelaide is moving in and I am very serious about her. I know she isn’t the woman you would have chosen for me, but she is the woman I’ve chosen, and she is the woman I want to be with. You’ve spent a lot of time and energy complaining about my choices. I always feel like I have to try and explain myself to you. When I was younger, I was different than my brothers but ins
tead of letting me be different, you insisted I was wrong. You had this cookie cutter mold all of us were supposed to be cut from and I didn’t fit the mold. I didn’t feel like I had your unconditional love and I knew I damn well didn’t have your support. I need you to know I’m going to do what I feel is right and you can either like it and get on board or we’re not going to have a relationship,” I said, the words tumbling out.
It was a lot like a dam bursting. For years I had held everything back. I had pretended her constant scrutiny and disapproval didn’t bother me. It had. I wanted her to look at me and be proud I was her son. Instead, she looked at me with that look of defeat, like she gave up and moved me into the lose category.
“Mason, I’m sorry you feel that way, but it isn’t true,” she argued.
“It is true. Why do you think I spent so much time with Antoinette? She never gave me a hard time for being different than Grayson or Jack. She didn’t lecture me about putting on a good image for the others. She didn’t tell me I had to act or be someone I wasn’t. She accepted me for me and that’s what I need from you. I’m not saying you have to like it, but I’m saying you can choose to accept it or don’t. If you don’t like the way I dress, the way I wear my hair or who I choose to love, that’s your problem. I’m not going to change who I am to fit into your idea of who you think I should be and be miserable for the rest of my life,” I said firmly.
She looked crestfallen. Her hand covered her mouth. “I had no idea you felt like that,” she whispered.
I nodded. “I did. I didn’t want to purposely rebel, and I never tried to embarrass the family.” I thought about if for a second before quickly correcting myself. “I guess that’s not entirely true,” I amended with a grimace.
She laughed softly. “I didn’t know. I apologize if I made you feel like you weren’t a part of the family.”
“I’m here because I want you to know I am going to be with Adelaide. I know you don’t think she’s right for me and you don’t approve of her background, but that doesn’t matter to me. It never has. I want to be with her, and she makes me a better person. She makes me slow down and think a little more. She makes me want to be a better man. You should be happy, hell, be as grateful as I am that she will even speak to me. She makes me happy. She takes care of me and she keeps me in line. She’s everything you wanted for me in a woman, but she doesn’t come from one of the old-money families. Quite frankly, I’m glad she doesn’t. Those women are pretentious and drive me crazy with their neediness. Adelaide is self-sufficient. I have to practically beg her to let me help her do anything,” I said with a soft smile.
Even talking about Adelaide made me happy. I truly got the warm fuzzies. I had said what I had come to say. I knew my mother would be skeptical and that was her right, but I wasn’t going to change my mind. I watched my mother’s face soften, tears filling her eyes. I hadn’t meant to make her cry.
“I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry you felt alone for so long. I didn’t know how to reach you. I had six boys and all of you were alike in many ways and so different in others. What worked with one of you didn’t always work with the others. I figured out how to parent each of you in a way that worked, but with you, I couldn’t figure it out. I didn’t know how to show you how much I loved and cared for you. I used to spend hours talking to Antoinette, asking her how she had managed to get close to you when I couldn’t. I’m so sorry,” she said, choking up.
She reached for a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. I felt like shit for making her cry, but I knew it was part of the healing process. We had to get everything out in the open before we could move on. It was a lot like it had been with Adelaide. She had to say what she felt and together we moved forward.
“Adelaide is a good person, like really good. She’s too good for me, but she wants to be with me. She doesn’t have any living family. She hates that we are at odds. She is the one who keeps encouraging me to reach out to you and even my brothers,” I told her.
My mom smiled. “She sounds like a good lady.”
“She is. She absolutely is. She isn’t after me for my money. That’s insulting to her and me. That says to me you don’t think I have any value to anyone except for the money I bring to the table. Adelaide isn’t like that,” I insisted, not sure how else to make her understand.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been the one to be the bigger person. Adelaide sounds like a kind, considerate woman,” she replied.
“She is. I wish you would have been able to give her a chance before you judged her,” I said, the situation still pissing me off.
“I’m sorry I insulted her. I know I can come off arrogant and that wasn’t my intention. I’ve seen you with some of the other women you’ve brought home. Those women were most certainly after you for your money. I hated to think you could be used and hurt. No matter what you might think of me, I do love you, son. You are my child and I would do anything to keep you safe. I didn’t want you to be hurt. I could see how enamored you were with her and knew she had the ability to hurt you,” she explained.
I nodded my head. “You’re right about that. She is my everything and if I were to ever lose her, it would hurt. It would kill me, which is why I am going to do everything in my power to keep her happy. I’m going to keep working on myself and rising to her level.”
She smiled, shaking her head. “I have to say you’ve surprised me. I never thought you’d be so taken with a woman. I think I thought you would be a bachelor for the rest of your days.”
“I think I thought that as well—until I met her. I mean, I knew her and to be perfectly honest, we clashed like fire and ice, but then, everything changed. She is the one for me. I’m going to keep her around for a good, long while.”
“I’d like to get to know her. Do you think she’ll give me another chance?” she asked in a soft voice.
“Yes. She will give you a hundred chances because that’s the type of person she is. You’ll like her. I want her to be able to come to family dinners and be a part of the family. I don’t want her to feel like an outsider. I’ve spent most of my life feeling like that and I don’t want her to feel it,” I warned.
My mother held up her hand. “I promise, I will be better. I will set aside all my reservations and give her a chance to prove to me she is worthy of being with my son.”
“Mom,” I warned.
She burst into laughter. “I don’t care if she’s a princess from some wealthy country. I reserve the right to ensure my son is happy.”
“I am, Mom. I swear I am,” I told her.
Chapter 71
Adelaide
I was so hyper and anxious and completely freaked out about opening the shop for the first time since the renovations I could hardly think straight. We were doing a soft open to ease ourselves into the idea of serving coffee and alcohol. We were gearing up to open the doors at four o’clock, hoping to capitalize on the Friday night crowds. The people who’d been working their asses off all week and in need of some time with friends and a good beer or cider.
“Is everyone ready?” I asked, looking at the four people that were going to be working tonight. Two of them were new hires. It was going to be their first night on the job. I was hoping everything worked out well and I didn’t have to fire them immediately after hiring them.
“Ready!” was the resounding reply.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to find Mason standing beside me. Everything we had been working toward the last few weeks was in preparation for this moment. I was glad he was standing beside me.
“This is your show, you get to officially unlock the doors and turn on the open sign,” he said in a low voice.
I smiled up at him. “Together.”
“Together,” he confirmed.
We walked to the door. He unlocked it while I turned on the Welcome sign.
“Are you ready?” I asked him.
“I am,” he confirmed.
We walked outside to the outdoor seating area, waiting fo
r the first customers to walk through the door. I wasn’t sure if I had expected a mad rush or what, but I was suddenly very worried the shop wasn’t going to do as well as we’d been hoping.
“Where is everyone?” I murmured, more to myself than him.
“Relax. You’ve been open thirty seconds. It won’t be until after five when the business crowd begins to make their way in. It’s going to be great,” he assured me.
“Did I miss it?” Deanna said, walking up to where we stood.
“Miss what?” I asked.
“The grand opening! I rushed over here,” she said excitedly.
I laughed at her exuberance. “The doors are open, but you’ve missed nothing.”
“Good! I want to be here when the first customers come in. I’m going to go get my apron on. You two look very nice by the way,” she said, gesturing to Mason’s and my somewhat matching outfits.
We were both wearing black slacks and white shirts. Mine was a short-sleeve button-up while his was a white polo. It was only the third time I had seen him wear something besides a T-shirt and jeans. To say he cleaned up well was an understatement. He’d gotten dressed earlier in the day only to have me strip him down and show him just how hot I thought he looked in the get-up.
“Odd, someone else mentioned they liked my outfit,” Mason said with a teasing grin.
I felt myself blushing a little. Deanna laughed as she walked inside to get ready for the busy rush we were all banking on. I leaned into him, letting his strength and confidence infuse me. It wasn’t long before customers started to trickle in. It started with a couple here and there and by seven o’clock, the place was packed.
“Are you good?” I asked Mason, who was going in the opposite direction, carrying a few empty bottles.
He nodded. “I am. You?”
I laughed, pushing hair away from my face. “I don’t remember the last time I ever saw this many people in here.”
