Audrey: Not yet.I told her I didn’t want the team distracted while they’re dealing with all the Marshall Devlin stuff, and she agreed.
Mason: But you don’t mind distracting me
Audrey: That’s why I’m trying to make sure I’m not taking you away from anything important!
Mason: I was just kidding.It’s not a problem at all.
Audrey: Promise?
Mason: Promise.
Audrey: Okay, I’m going to bed.If I can manage to fall asleep.
Mason: Sleep well.I’ve got this.
Wednesday Morning Text
Audrey: Help!
Mason
When Audrey’s text came, only a few minutes after he’d gotten into the office, Mason didn’t bother to check the camera feed.He just went running.
Down the stairs—he wasn’t waiting for the elevator—and out onto the street.The brisk air nipped at his cheeks and hands as he dodged the people out on the street, ignoring the looks he was getting.His adrenaline was pumping, his heart racing, and the last time he’d felt like this… well, he’d been overseas, not in Pittsburgh.
He wasn’t under attack now, but that one cry for help from her, and he felt like he might as well be.
When he came bursting through the front door, he knew immediately what the problem was.
Several customers were in the corner, mouths hanging open.One of them had their phone up and was recording everything.Audrey was behind the counter, just behind Ashley, her face pale against the black-and-white striped scarf she was using as a headband.She was wringing her hands, like she didn’t know what to do.
Which was understandable, because Ashley’s stepdaughter, who was also her stepmother, was standing in front of the counter, screeching at the top of her lungs, and Ashley was yelling back at her just as loudly.It was difficult to make out what either of them was saying, but he could very clearly hear Rebecca call Audrey and Ashley “Bitches.”
Mason stepped up behind the raven-haired virago and put his hand on her shoulder.They’d met before, often enough that he felt comfortable touching her to get her attention.
She turned, flushed, furious, and blinked after a moment in recognition.Her face went very pale, then flushed hot red again.
“Rebecca,” he said formally, keeping his tone even, despite the desire to shake her for putting that expression of forlorn horror on Audrey’s face.“What brings you to Cupcakes and Crumbs this morning?”
What he wasnotexpecting was for Rebecca’s eyes to fill with sudden tears and for her to throw herself at his chest.
“Wiley is divorcing me!”The wail was heartfelt enough that he felt bad for her, despite the circumstances and despite the fact that she shouldn’t be surprised.Wiley was Ashley’s father, and he’d cheated on Ashley’s mother with Rebecca.Their wedding had been the day after the divorce was finalized.
A stand-up guy he was not.
Mason had always pegged Rebecca as spoiled, mostly by her mother, and completely self-centered.He would not have expected an outburst of real emotion over losing her husband, especially this particular husband.
He patted her shoulder, trying not to be too obvious about his desire to peel her off of him.
“Um… I’m sorry to hear that?”
Ashley rolled her eyes, arms crossed in front of her chest.
“I don’t know what she expected.I could have told her my dad was going to cheat on her, eventually.The relationship is ending exactly how it started.”
Rebecca whirled, and Mason managed to get a grip on her to keep her from lunging toward the counter.
“You’re a homewrecker!”
