Broken Bridges (Bridges Brothers Book 2)

by Lia Fairchild

  “That can only work for so long. I’m not a big conversationalist. And let’s be honest, I don’t have much to share.” I don’t know why I’m making excuses, why I’ve lost my confidence all of a sudden. Maybe because this is about Mason, not me. Normally, I wouldn’t care what people think of me.

  Mason walks us off to the side and turns me to face him. “That’s not true.” His eyes peer into mine. “Ari, I know I’m always telling you how beautiful you are, but I hope you know that I see so much more.” He touches my face and it makes the corners of my mouth turn up for just a second. “You’re bright and funny and…full of life. But I have no expectations about tonight, and I hope I didn’t put any pressure on you.”

  I feel terrible he thinks this is his doing. “No, you didn’t, Mason. It’s just me.”

  “Then, we’re good. Just relax and enjoy the food. And if you feel uncomfortable talking to anyone, just compliment the place and the food. That’s easy, right?”

  “I guess.” I turn my attention over his shoulder, everyone talking, smiling, eating and looking completely comfortable. I appreciate Mason’s attempt, but his words don’t settle me. My breathing grows shallow, as though I sense something is wrong. I scan the room until my eyes land on the makeshift bar in the corner. I lead us in that direction, hoping he gets the hint.

  “Good idea.”

  They’re only serving beer and Sake but I don’t want to draw attention to myself so I opt for Sake. The server gives us a quick education on the choices and we settle on a sparkling Junmai, which could be comparable to champagne.

  Drinks in hand, I’m feeling a bit calmer as I sip the cloudy, fermented drink and we stroll past the tables of food.

  “Do you want to eat first?”

  “Let’s wait a bit.” I hold up my drink and plaster on a smile.

  “There’s Mr. Hirota. I’d like you to meet him.”

  I follow Mason’s gaze and furrow my brows. “Where?”

  He nods to a cluster of people by the door—two young women, an elderly lady, and two attractive men who look like fashion models.

  One of the men notices Mason and flashes a bright smile. “Mason, bro, you made it!” He strides over, looking like a young Keanu Reeves.

  The two men shake hands before turning to me. “Ken Hirota, this is Ari Mendez. Ari, this is Ken.”

  I nod, attempting to hide my shock. Not that I had something specific pictured—except maybe that he was older—but definitely not this. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Hirota.”

  He laughs. “Call me Ken. Mr. Hirota is my grandpa.” He takes my hand like he’s going to shake it but instead, places his other one on top and gives me a small bow. “And the pleasure is all mine.”

  I’m not sure what to do so I smile and follow Mason’s advice. “This place is beautiful. I wish you well.”

  “Thank you. It wouldn’t have been possible without this man here and his incredible team.” He places a hand on Mason’s shoulder and I beam with pride. “Now I’ve got to get back to check on my grandmother.” He head-gestures to the group he came from and then gives me a head tilt. “Nana loves her some Sake. You know what I mean?” Ken winks and then turns back to Mason. “Let’s talk later. I’ll finally introduce you to my cousin, and he can tell you about his plans for next year.”

  “That’d be great.”

  “You two get some food. The Salmon Carpaccio seems to be a hit and is almost gone.” He points to a table to his left.

  “Sounds good,” Mason says and pats him on the back.

  “Thank you,” I say, still dumbfounded by the owner, so young, already successful, and so different from what I thought he’d be.

  Mason and I wander over to the tables and grab plates. “Wow, he’s…not what I expected.”

  “Yeah, I probably should have warned you. He’s a great guy, though, right?”

  “Definitely interesting.” I grab a couple different handrolls that look new to me and then point to the dish in front of me that looks like a fillet over rice. “What are those?”

  “You’re the one who works in an Asian restaurant.”

  “I haven’t been there that long, and when I ate there before, it was mostly the same two dishes every time.”

  “Some kind of fish.”

  “Duh.”

  A woman with shiny black hair and a friendly smile steps in front of us on the other side of the table. “Unagi Don.”

  I lift my brows, waiting.

  “Eel. Very good. Sweet.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Mason says, selecting one.

  We finish making our selections, filling our plates, and look for an empty place we can sit. “Hey, there’s your dad.”

  He waves us over and I feel comforted by his presence as soon as we sit.

  “So nice to see you here tonight, Ari. I was actually hoping you’d be here.”

  “You were?”

  “Yeah, we were all talking about how much we enjoyed meeting you but wondered why Mason hasn’t brought you back.”

  I shrug and look to Mason. Except for Logan, his family doesn’t know any of my history or even how I came to be staying at his house. I’m sure they have lots of questions, and I’m just glad they haven’t pushed.

  “Been a little busy, Dad. And in case you forgot, our property closed this week.”

  “I know, son. But you both have to eat, don’t you? Come by for dinner next week?” He’s looking right at me now so I have to say something.

  “That sounds really nice, Ed. Thanks.” I can always come up with an excuse if Mason doesn’t want me there. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t brought me back. The idea zaps my optimism and I try to change gears to distract us all. “Do you like this type of food?”

  “It’s not my thing, but I’ll try anything once.”

  I spend the next fifteen minutes listening to Mason and his dad talk about their plans for the property they purchased. I love how much respect they have for each other, and it makes me think of my mother. Not just for obvious reasons. She once told me to watch how a man treats his parents. That should tell you a lot about how he’ll treat others and especially you. I smile at the thought.

  Ed wipes his mouth and stands, a subtle bulge around his middle stretching the material of his shirt. “Well, I made my appearance. You can handle it from here, right, son?”

  “Sure. Let’s touch base this weekend.”

  “Gotcha. Ari, I hope to see you soon.” The light in his expression feels genuine, and I don’t understand why except maybe that Mason hasn’t brought many women home. I only hope I don’t disappoint him.

  “Me too.”

  “Dad, wait.” Mason stands and glances around the room. “Can you stay a bit longer? I’d like you to be there when I talk to Ken’s cousin.

  Ed looks at his watch and sighs. “Let’s make this quick. My feet are all cramped up in these shoes.”

  “Ari, will you be okay for a few minutes?”

  “Sure. I was just going to run to the ladies’ room anyway.”

  He squeezes my hand and shows me a thank you smile before walking off. I decide to sit there a few minutes and watch them. Something about the way Mason talks to other people interests me. His confidence is both attractive and endearing. And he’s friendly but different than how he talks to me and that makes me feel good. I can’t tear my gaze from him, watching every gesture, the way his lips move, the way he slips one hand in his pocket. Everything about him feels familiar and comforting, like we’ve been together forever. Forever. I’ve never thought about being with someone long-term before. Not even Alex. But somehow, my heart flutters at the thought of being with Mason…forever.

  Then, my hearts and flowers daydream comes to a screeching halt when Megan crosses my line of sight. She touches Mason on the shoulder, and all the men’s eyes turn her way. I know he doesn’t have feelings for her, but I cringe at her nearness and that he doesn’t seem to be put off by her. It’s just business, I remind myself. He has to be polite in fron
t of Ken.

  I can’t watch any longer so I get up and look for the ladies’ room. There’s a comfy red lounger inside and I take a seat to stall. I pretend to be on my phone when another woman enters to apply new lipstick. I decide to do the same. After feeling there’s nothing more I can do in here, I decide to head back out.

  The first face I see just outside the hallway is Ed. We both come to an abrupt halt and exchange smiles.

  “Little boys’ room this way? Gotta make a stop before heading out.”

  “It is.” I toss a thumb over my shoulder and laugh. “Nice furniture in there too. Well, at least in mine.”

  “Looks like we all had the same idea,” Megan says, stepping up to us.

  Ed glances over to her, an awkward reaction covering his face, and then it quickly melds into a forced smile. “Have you two ladies met?”

  “Oh, we go way back,” Megan says and steps in closer.

  I guess we’re going to have our own little confab because I see no way to escape this quickly. “Yes, we’ve met.”

  “Oh?”

  “Don’t be so modest, Ari.” Megan turns to Ed and places a hand on his arm. “Ari, saved me from a very unpleasant situation—”

  “That’s one way to put it. Megan was in the process of getting car-jacked and screaming her little head off.” I grin and widen my eyes.

  “Are you gals shitting me?”

  “I wish we were, Ed. Ari was quite the aggressor when she took on this…this horrible excuse for a human being. He got what he deserved, but seeing her in action…” She looks at me and makes a silent wow with her mouth. “I’d hate to be on the receiving end of that. She’s got quite a temper.”

  “Good thing for you, right?” I say, trying to keep my blood from going beyond a simmer.

  Ed seems confused by this whole encounter, but his reply surprises me. “Brave girl, Ari. Most people these days either look the other way or get their damn cell phones out. Good for you.”

  “Thank you, Ed.”

  His eyes are on me but I can sense Megan seething that her attempt to embarrass me didn’t work. “You’re right, Ed. I’m sure that’s why your gallant son took her in. The homeless can be unpredictable but we felt we owed our gratitude to her.”

  “Homeless?” Ed says.

  My heart drops into my stomach and I don’t know whether I’m going to deck her or run away in tears. I’m frozen in place while my fight or flight battles it out. I open my mouth but the pity in Ed’s eyes stops my words.

  “Oh, you didn’t know? Yeah, Ari was taking up residence in the very house on Glenwood you were renovating. Boyfriend troubles or something, right Ari?”

  Ed and Megan are staring at me, and I dart my eyes to the groups around me to see where Mason is.

  When a hand lands on my shoulder, I’m surprised to look up and see Ken Hirota. “I’m sorry to be eavesdropping but I was coming to talk to you, Ari, about your art. Mason was just telling me you’ve got quite the talent. I’d definitely be interested in seeing some.”

  I barely register his words as I try to calm the complete mortification coming over me. My cheeks are flamed and I feel wetness at the creases of my arms. I don’t know how much he heard but why don’t we just gather the whole fucking party around here and lay it all out about the pathetic little charity case. I’m about to bolt when Ken speaks again.

  “You know,” Ken continues, “there was once a young entrepreneur who spent part of his youth sleeping on couches while he worked to make his dreams come true and eventually became a great success.”

  “You?” Megan asks.

  “Actually, no. It was Steve Jobs.” He grins.

  Ed laughs first and I chuckle more from surprise than anything. But I smile with appreciation when he says. “Now, do you mind if I drag this gorgeous artist away to talk?”

  Megan doesn’t say a word, while Ed nods and gives me a sympathetic smile as Ken leads me away.

  We stop near the door and I turn to Ken, fighting to keep the tears from flooding. “Thank you. It was very kind of you.”

  “Besides the fact I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true, I don’t like the way Megan operates. Between you and me, I almost didn’t sign the contract. It was Mason that sealed the deal. I’m glad he broke ties with her.”

  “I appreciate you telling me that and I apologize for causing a problem at your opening.” I eye the door. “I need to step outside for some air.”

  “I hope we’ll get a chance to talk later.”

  “Sure,” I lie just before I step out. I have no intention of returning.

  Chapter 21

  Mason

  My brain tells every part of my body to slow down—calm down—as I walk casually out the door to look for Ari. She stands in the middle of the parking lot, looking down and her phone. I jog over and call out to her. She only spares me a glance before turning her attention back to her phone.

  “Ari, what are you doing out here?”

  “Waiting for my ride.”

  “You called for a service?” I run a hand through my hair and glance back to the door where a couple I don’t know is leaving the restaurant. “Why?”

  “I wanted to get the hell out of there.” She turns to me with what I assume is anger in her eyes. But clearly, it’s laced with pain.

  “My dad told me what happened. Ari, I’m sorry. I should have been there.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Her voice is quiet and not in a good way. This is not the strong-willed Ari and it breaks my heart. “It was bound to happen.”

  “No. It was nobody’s business and I hate Megan for doing that to you.”

  “Just go back in. I’ll meet you at your place.”

  Your place. My chest tightens. She stopped calling it that weeks ago. “I’ll take you home. Let me get my coat and tell Ken I’m leaving.”

  “No! I want to be alone.”

  “Are you mad at me?” I pause and wait. Her hesitation confirms it. “Should I not have left you alone?”

  No answer.

  “I understand you’re upset and I’m sorry, but this isn’t my fault.”

  She turns and glares at me, but I can also see her eyes are glassy. “So, it’s my fault?”

  “That’s not what I meant. I just don’t understand why you’re shutting me out.”

  “Because I’m fucking embarrassed, okay? And I’m tired of always feeling like someone’s problem to deal with.” Before I could protest, she adds, “And I don’t want to talk about this.”

  I go to touch her arm and she pulls it away. “I’m just trying to help.”

  “Yeah, you’re good at that.”

  “That’s not fair. I care about you. Probably more than you know.” I try again and take her hand, move closer to her and wait for her focus to come to me. But when those big dark eyes home in on mine, expectantly, I panic and my heart stutters as I try to grasp onto the mix of emotions pouring through me. “Ari, please… I…” My aching heart wants to speak but my cautious brain won’t let it. “I—”

  A car pulls in front of us and Ari’s mouth gapes as if she knows what I was about to say but didn’t. She slips her hand from mine, looking defeated until she stands up straighter, putting up the brave front. “Finish your night, Mason. I’ll see you later.” She gets in the back and goes to shut the door.

  “Wait.”

  She pauses.

  “Please wait up for me. I’ll be right behind you.”

  She shuts the door without another word and I’m left standing there, watching the car disappear into the night as a sense of foreboding comes over me. We’ve been doing this dance of one step forward, two steps back and I don’t know how to break the pattern. Ari is drifting and I need to figure out how to stop it.

  ***

  Ari’s door was closed when I finally arrived home last night. I didn’t rush back, thinking time for her to cool down and think things through was better than pressuring her. When I peeked in, she was in bed asleep. Or at least preten
ding to be. Yeah, it was bad timing almost busting out the L-word, and I probably realized that fact mid-sentence, which is why I couldn’t get it out.

  Now as I stare at her closed door, I’m not sure what to say to her. I only know what I feel. I’ve been falling for Ari since the moment our eyes locked in that backyard. I just didn’t know it because I’ve never been in love before. The more time I spend with her, the more I hate being apart. But if she doesn’t feel the same way, then none of it matters. Which means at some point, I need to man up and see where she’s at…or let her go.

  I tap quietly on the door in case she’s not awake yet. The second time, I make my presence known because I simply can’t wait any longer. I have to know. When she still doesn’t answer, I turn the knob and push the door open. Ari’s bed is made and a note rests on her pillow. I know before I read it only bad news could be scrawled across that paper. I take it and sit on the bed.

  Just need some time. Please don’t worry about me. You know I can take care of myself. I’ll be in touch. Ari.

  “Son of a bitch,” I say under my breath. I’m not mad at her. Just frustrated. Not to mention worried about her, no matter what she says or thinks.

  I glance over my shoulder and see a mess of newspapers and paint supplies on the floor by the window. Ari always says natural light is the best. I’d never have allowed my brothers to leave crap like that in my house but seeing this gives me hope. A part of her is still here. I walk over and kneel down to see what she was working on. Several pieces of sketch paper are scattered around with various drawings of sunsets over the ocean, mountains, flowers, but only one image has a person in it, showing their back because they are facing the ocean, watching the sun set. A man, that looks a hell of a lot like me. A large piece of driftwood sits in the middle of the newspaper with the beginnings of the ocean painted on it. I had no idea she was doing this in here, but it makes my need to find her feel more urgent.

  I have a feeling she won’t answer a call or text and I might be making it worse by not giving her space, but I need her to know some things so I take out my phone to text her.