by Parker, Ali
“You didn’t say how you felt about me,” he whispered.
I felt remiss, horrible for not telling him how I felt. I had been so caught up in how his words made me feel, I forgot he would likely be looking to hear it said back.
“Mason, I started falling in love with you on that dance floor and I haven’t looked back,” I told him honestly.
He closed his eyes for a second before looking at me once again. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay. Everything is okay. Nothing can hurt me. I have you,” he said, his tone gruff.
I slowly nodded. “Yes, you do.”
He stepped closer, his mouth latching over mine in a tender kiss that quickly turned into the heated passion I was used to experiencing with him. I let myself go, falling into him and letting him have all of me. I didn’t want to hold anything back.
Chapter 51
Adelaide
I carefully navigated the sheets of plastic, the buckets of paint, tools and other equipment that was spread from one end of the coffee shop to the other. I had to put blinders on, or I would go crazy staring at the mess. The renovations we were doing at the coffee shop had created quite the disaster area. Mason had been reminding me over and over that I had to stay focused on the big picture. He was confident, but I was still a little on the fence about all the changes being made to my little shop.
“Here you go,” I said, sliding the bottle of water over to Mason and sitting down at the small table where he had just taken a seat.
The table was pushed into a corner as far from the mess as possible. Mason had his iPad out and was reviewing the images the renovation team was following. The idea to renovate, update and completely give the coffee shop a makeover was all Mason. It was his investment money paying for the work.
“I think it’s on the right track,” he murmured, still looking at the tablet.
I noticed spots of light blue paint in his hair. I assumed I had them as well. We had been working all day, painting the bar to match the walls.
“You think?” I said with a grimace, my eyes darting around the area that was no longer recognizable.
His eyes looked up to meet mine. “I know it looks scary now, but look at that paint color. It’s bright and really makes the place feel bigger and more open.”
“It does. I love it, but I’m still trying to get my head around it all. I’ve wanted to change things here and there over the last year, but to actually do it is a little intimidating. What if I turn off some customers who aren’t thrilled with the open concept and the lack of intimacy?” I murmured.
“This is the time to make those changes. I think with a facelift and a little rebranding, you can turn the shop into the one you’ve been talking about. Your father would be very proud to see it,” he said, giving me the reassurance I needed. “I’m proud to be a part of this and I thank you for putting your trust in me.”
I looked at the gaping hole where the wall had once been. “I do trust you.”
“Then relax, baby. It’s going to be spectacular!” he said, being overly enthusiastic as a bit of a joke.
“A bigger shop means more rent,” I mumbled, expressing the same fear I had already brought up in the past.
“A bigger shop means more room for more customers which means more people. The extra room is going to be a huge help and the rent for that small space is cheap. You’ll easily make up for it with the sales you’ll bring in. People are going to come in and appreciate being able to sit away from other customers that might already be in the place. They can spread out and feel like they have some privacy,” he reasoned.
I smiled, knowing he was right. It was the idea of change. I loved all the changes that were coming, I was just a little nervous about it. Having him there with me every day, talking me off the ledge when I started to panic, was a huge help. It was also a way for us to spend time together. We were helping out by doing some of the work ourselves. It was fun and it gave us a reason to hang out all day.
I watched him as he worked on the tablet, reading and typing. He was such a good man. I hated that his family couldn’t see that about him. It had been three weeks since the dinner at his mother’s house. He hadn’t talked to any of them. I couldn’t help but feel it was a little my fault. He’d been sticking up for me. He hadn’t said anything more about the situation, but I had a feeling it did bother him to be ostracized from his family. He would never admit it though.
“I do love the color,” I commented, staring at the pale baby blue that covered one wall.
It would not have ever occurred to me to paint a coffee shop pastel anything, but Mason and the design expert he had consulted insisted it would be fresh and inviting while brightening up the place. He was so cute picking out colors and showing that softer side that rarely came out.
“It is very nice and a little beachy,” he said with a small laugh.
“It is definitely unlike any coffee shop I’ve ever been in. I wonder why most coffee shops are dark?” I wondered aloud.
Mason shrugged. “I don’t know. One guy probably did it and was successful and then everyone else followed suit.”
I laughed, thinking of how easy it was to start a trend. “My coffee shop is going to break the mold. I hope it doesn’t scare people away.”
“It won’t. It’s different and unique and it will set your shop apart from the rest—that’s the goal,” he reminded me.
I nodded my head. “It’s a little scary to break the mold.”
“I’m right here with you. Sink or swim, I’m by your side. It’s going to be great,” he assured me.
I smiled at him, wondering how I had never seen the man for who he really was before. We’d been enjoying each other for two months and it had been some of the happiest days of my life. I would have never imagined I could be this happy, especially with Mason Bancroft, a man I’d considered to be my arch nemesis for years. He’d always been so closed off and surly. I had been leery of him, wondering if he was secretly dangerous. Dalton had assured me he was a nice guy under the leather and long hair, but I had never believed him. I did now.
“Thank you again for all that you’ve done,” I told him. “I would have never been able to pull this off without you.”
“Baby, this is business,” he replied.
I burst into a fit of giggles. “Considering the precursor to that sentence was baby, I think it’s a lot more than just business. You have to promise me you will treat me like any other person whose business you invest money into.”
“You know what I mean. I want to help, and I can, and it is going great. This is business and I like working with my hands. I like making something great. You had a good thing going, but I hope together we can make it amazing,” he said enthusiastically.
“With you on board, it will be,” I said, finishing off the bottle of water and getting to my feet. It was time to clean up a bit. I stretched, my back a little sore after all the heavy lifting the last couple days. Mason and I had been helping out with some of the renovations, moving furniture around doing some minor painting along the new counter.
“I’m in this for the long haul. I know it is going to be a marathon and I’m up for it,” he promised.
“Me too—I hope,” I quickly added, thinking about the possibility of everything blowing up in my face.
“It’s going to be fine. If we struggle, we’ll try something else. You know money isn’t going to be a problem. I want this to be successful. I know how much it means to you,” he said.
“Thank you, truly, I can’t thank you enough,” I said, bending over to grab one of the paint brushes. I felt the strained muscles and winced. “My back is killing me. I can’t wait to get home and put my feet up.”
He got up from the table and moved behind me, his big hands gently massaging my shoulders. “We have to meet Dalton and Deanna at Winnie’s, remember?”
I groaned. “I forgot.”
“You’ll be able to relax and get comfortable. The drink
s will help relax you. It isn’t like you have to get up early tomorrow. We’ll be lucky if the contractors are here before nine.”
He wrapped his arms around me, planting a kiss on my forehead before moving away to clean up around the shop. We moved the painting supplies into one corner and picked up the scattered empty water bottles and pop cans. They weren’t exactly the tidiest crew, but they were nice, and they were doing a spectacular job.
I watched him move around the area, bending over and tidying up. I was so physically attracted to him, it surprised me. I had never experienced such an intense pull to another person. We shared a fiery chemistry that was explosive.
“I’m going to grab my purse,” I told him, pulling my eyes away from him.
He turned to look over his shoulder at me. Our connection was so strong we could almost read each other’s minds. “I think I’ll be going with you,” he replied in a husky voice.
I nodded, walking away from the windows and heading into the office area for a little privacy. We were insatiable. He grabbed me the second we were out of view of the main windows, pushing me against the wall. His mouth slammed over mine, our tongues dueling. I sighed against him, feeling like I had come home after weeks away. It had only been about eight hours since we’d been together, but I wanted him again. My body craved his.
“I want you,” I moaned.
“We have to get ready to go,” he breathed, his hands running down my sides and pulling my hips against him.
“We have some time,” I argued.
“Enough time to do this and get dressed for drinks?” he whispered, his mouth dropping to my neck.
“We can be a little late,” I said, reaching to grab between his legs, knowing I could convince him if I could just get my hands on him—literally.
He groaned, his kiss intensifying. I had him. I knew he was sold on my idea of a quickie before we met up with our friends. I was falling hard. I kept telling myself to pull back and slow down, but I couldn’t. I would wake up in the morning, my commitment to take a little step back renewed only to get about an hour into the day and miss him like crazy.
“I’ll be fast,” he promised, his hands reaching for the button on my old jeans.
“Hurry,” I gasped, suddenly feeling frantic myself.
He jerked my jeans open, sliding his hand down the front of my pants. I leaned against the wall, letting him do what he did best.
“Oh shit,” he groaned.
“What?” I moaned, wondering why he’d stopped.
“Someone is out front,” he whispered.
“What?” I gasped, quickly buttoning up my jeans.
He adjusted himself, smoothing his hair back before moving up front to check things out. I rearranged my shirt before following him back out to the dining area. I had been so anxious to get him in the back, I had forgotten to lock the door.
“Hey, what’s going on?” I heard Mason say.
I rounded the corner and saw Deanna and Dalton standing there. “What are you guys doing?” I asked, surprised to see them.
“We thought we’d come by and check out the progress. Plus, I figured you could both use a drink,” Deanna said, holding up a six-pack.
I was thrilled to see them, even if I was going to have to wait until later to get my man home alone. “Thank you. You have no idea how much we needed this,” I said, eagerly accepting one of the cold beers.
“It looks so big in here,” Deanna said, looking around.
“It is. That extra space is going to be a huge addition,” I told her, moving to lock the door.
We moved another table over and all sat down to enjoy the drinks they had been kind enough to bring. I was very appreciative to have such good friends.
Chapter 52
Mason
I took a long draw from the cold beer. It felt good sliding down my throat. I wasn’t used to such long hours of manual labor. It felt good, but it was definitely an adjustment. I looked over at Adelaide and smiled at the paint splatters on her face and in her hair. I had a feeling she didn’t know it was there. If she had known, she probably wouldn’t be sitting so casually drinking a beer with friends.
“Thanks again for this, guys. We’re both pretty wiped out,” I told them.
“We were anxious to see the place. You two have damn near fallen off the face of the planet. We wanted to make sure you weren’t hiding at your place and giving us some excuse,” Dalton teased.
I scoffed. “Trust me, that sounds like a much better option.”
Adelaide slapped my thigh. “This was your bright idea.”
“I love the patio seating,” Deanna exclaimed.
Adelaide looked out the window, staring at the four tables we had positioned outside and smiled. “Mason pushed hard for that. It wasn’t easy to get it passed with the city.”
“It helps to know people,” I said, shrugging a shoulder.
Adelaide scoffed. “I know plenty of people, but they don’t have a direct line to the mayor.”
I grinned, shrugging a shoulder. “There are a few perks to having a last name that opens doors.”
“Opens? You kick them down,” Dalton stated.
“It’s for a good cause. This is going to be a wild success and I am excited to be a part of it,” I said, reaching out to grab Adelaide’s hand.
“Thank you.”
“I think you should make this one of those cocktail slash coffee bars,” Deanna suggested.
Adelaide grimaced. “I don’t know. I’d have to apply for a liquor license. We’d have to hire servers and stay open past six. That’s a lot of work.”
“It would be the first of its kind in this area,” I said, the idea sounding very good.
“You would be unique,” Deanna said.
I looked to Adelaide, judging her response to the suggestion. I thought it was something doable. “I’m intrigued.”
Adelaide looked at me, our eyes communicating without words. “I don’t know.”
“We’ll talk it over,” I told her.
“Imagine being able to sit out on that patio and unwind after a long day with drinks and friends,” Deanna said somewhat wistfully.
“Like we are now?” Dalton said dryly.
“But we’re inside. It’s a beautiful evening. We could go out there and really experience what it would be like,” Deanna said with a laugh.
“It would be a lot of work to get off the ground,” Adelaide said hesitantly.
“I can make a few calls,” I said nonchalantly.
They all burst into laughter. “I really need to get my hands on your phone list,” Dalton said.
My mind was already moving, thinking about the details of turning the shop into a coffee and a cocktail bar. We could keep it simple, I reasoned. We would need to talk about hiring staff, extending business hours and making the transition from coffee to cocktails after five or six. It was going to require more equipment as well. I wasn’t worried about the cost, but I knew it would be a major concern for Adelaide.
“You could be the next big thing in the neighborhood. All you have to do is create a buzz and everyone will be flocking through the doors to be a part of the latest trend,” Deanna said, her eyes excited.
Adelaide smiled, drinking her beer. “It does sound very exciting. Can you even imagine?” she said almost wistfully.
It was that look on her face that sealed the deal for me. I could definitely imagine making her very happy. I could imagine her feeling proud of what she had built in her father’s name. I wanted to see her stand in front of her shop, hell, maybe a chain of shops, and have that same look of accomplishment on her face.
“We could have a grand opening,” Deanna suggested, leaning forward as she got very serious.
Adelaide turned to look at me, her eyes full of hope. “That would be one way to get the word out.”
“I think it’s a great idea. We can give away free coffee or a bagel with a purchase of a coffee,” I said, tossing out some ideas.
Her e
yes were filled with excitement. “People that come in for a coffee will get a coupon for a free drink at the cocktail bar!”
“Yes!” Adelaide exclaimed before bursting into a rambling conversation with Deanna.
Dalton and I sat back, drinking our beers and doing our best to pay attention to what they were saying. They were each talking so fast and only saying half-words and sentences before the other jumped in and claimed to know exactly what the other was saying. It was a bit like listening to a foreign language. I understood bits and pieces, but the rest was lost on me.
“How’s your mom?” Dalton asked casually.
It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over our heads. Adelaide stopped talking and turned to look at me, waiting for my answer. I finished off the beer and reached for another, opening it and taking a drink before looking at Dalton again. All of them were waiting for me to speak. The mention of my family brought up a weird tension in the room. I didn’t like it.
“I don’t know,” I finally answered.
Dalton’s eyebrows shot up. “You don’t know? What the hell does that mean?”
“It means, I haven’t spoken to her since we left dinner a few weeks ago,” I replied.
Deanna and Adelaide were both quiet as they watched and listened. I was sure Adelaide would have filled Deanna in on what happened. They were best friends and I knew they shared everything, probably even talked about me and our sex life. I didn’t mind. Deanna was a good friend and I trusted her.
“Wow. I get you not talking to your brothers, but your mom?” Dalton pressed.
I scoffed, taking another long drink of the beer. “It was my mom who was acting ridiculous. She was the one who had the stick in her ass. Grayson wasn’t even as bad as she was.”
“Mason.” Adelaide said my name in a low voice.
I shrugged a shoulder. “You know it’s true. She was out of line. No one stopped her. She had no business talking or acting like that.”
