“I am not making a job or taking a risk on my receptionist just because she happens to be shagging Mase,” Christian says with finality.
“Your choice, your funeral.” Dec essentially ends the conversation, so I take that as my cue to return to the rest of the family but on my way I notice Mason outside and need to be close to him, to feel his arms around me.
I make my way to the patio via the sunroom that gets worse every time I see it and finally arrive in front of Mase who is just ending his call.
With a throaty laugh he says, “Yeah, the place is covered in blankets, bibs, fluffy bunnies and hormones. Okay, see you Monday.”
He hangs up and smiles down at me in my position already wrapped around him, desperately in need of some comfort and succour.
“Sorry. I seem to keep abandoning you today, don’t I?” His arms curl around me, encompassing me securely.
“It’s okay, babe,” I whisper into his chest as I trace a line with my fingers just beneath the white t-shirt he’s wearing.
I am sure I hear him hiss as my skin touches his belly that is warm and hard against my cooler, softer fingertips.
“Are you okay?” he whispers back into the top of my head that his lips have dropped against.
“Mmm, I just wish we could be together forever.” Although I do, that’s not quite what I mean; I mean alone more than forever at the moment, to be without other people interrupting our time together or putting ideas in my head that this is temporary for Mason. That I am temporary because I don’t need any help in thinking I’m not worthy of what I dream of with him.
He reads me well at the best of times and today I am making it even easier for him as he pulls back to tilt my head, so I look up into his beautiful blue eyes that see straight through me.
“We can be, but I don’t think you’re okay. What has happened between me taking my call and now?”
I shrug, making him frown at me with concern etched on his face. “Nothing.”
“Why don’t I believe you?” he asks but doesn’t push it, he just pulls me back to him to hold me more tightly knowing that is exactly what I need right now.
Chapter 25
Mason
As I hold Olivia tightly, gently rocking her I know something has happened, but she is not ready to tell me yet, however one way or another I will find out why she is suddenly insecure and a little freaked out. She seems happier, well, calmer as we stand together.
“Uncle Mase!” comes the squeal from behind us as my twelve-year-old niece barrels towards me almost knocking Olivia over in the process
“Hey you.” I laugh as I keep one arm around my girlfriend while the other is embracing Mia.
“I nearly missed the whole baby shower because Leo got lost leaving the stables.” My niece pouts up at me and then seems to realise there is another woman in my arms. “Oh,” she says with an even bigger pout as she makes eye contact with Olivia.
“Mia, this is Olivia. Olivia, this is Bethy’s daughter Mia, and Leo who seems incapable of using his sat-nav is Mia’s stepdad.”
“Nice to meet you,” Olivia says with a large and friendly smile that is not reciprocated by my overprotective and jealous niece.
“Can we go inside?” Mia asks.
“You ready?” I turn to Olivia who nods her head and allows Mia to push her way in a little more closely to me.
This girl just keeps getting more and more perfect in my mind.
As the afternoon goes on, I am convinced that something has gone on that I am unaware of because Christian seems incapable of making eye contact with me, Olivia or Dec and my brother looks uncomfortable. Olivia seems to be at one with the world now that she is cradling a sleeping Jonah in her arms until Leo and Mia begin to argue about something I can’t quite figure.
“Will you two stop it,” my sister tells them both, annoying her husband who throws her a warning stare.
“Yes, Leo, stop it!” Mia says with some serious attitude that does nothing to temper Leo’s mood.
“You, young lady, are not as grown up or as clever as you think,” Leo warns my niece firmly, but she just mutters something that only he seems to hear. “Yeah, well let’s see if you still feel that way later.” Everyone seems a little uncomfortable, as though we are all invading a private moment, but Olivia looks almost traumatised by their exchange, as if she is truly afraid.
I place a supportive arm around her shoulders as she sits next to me, still cuddling my nephew who seems to be turning into Olivia more tightly with every breath he takes. I know that Mia can be a pain in the rear and regularly gives Leo a hard time, but he’s a good bloke and loves my sister and niece even when she is being a brat, like today.
