“For my Instagram.” He spoke as he typed. “Perfect day in Central Park with the girl I love.” The media was about to blow up. This would serve as their official announcement to the public about their relationship. He climbed on the horse and circled his arms around her.
“I didn’t know this was a two-person horse,” she said, with playful sarcasm.
“It is now.” He wrapped her tightly in his embrace, resting his chin on her shoulder, and she turned her face to the side so they could share a kiss. He snapped another photo and posted that on Instagram as well.
The ride started moving and Tessa let out an excited scream, then covered her mouth, embarrassed that she squealed. The woman with the three children was watching them with a gooey smile on her face, probably remembering when she was younger and shared a similar connection with her husband.
Mason laughed at Tessa’s exuberance and snapped another selfie, then examined the photo. They looked so good together and so happy. They could have been enjoying moments like this all along. They could have been together for so many years by now. “Why did you wait so long to tell me how you felt?”
“Timing.” She said it as if the answer was perfectly clear. “If I would have told you before I was 18, you wouldn’t have taken me seriously.”
“So why didn’t you tell me when you turned 18? I was 25. We could have had four years together.”
She leaned the back of her head into his chest. “Don’t you listen to anything I say? Our lives needed to follow a specific order. We needed to follow our destiny. Our destiny was Prodigy. Now, it’s our time.”
He watched her long dark hair float in the swift breeze as the carousel horse moved up and down. Her reasoning was precise and clear cut. It made sense. The age difference was too big back then. Their time was now. He had almost a decade over this amazing girl, yet she had more know-how and logic than anyone he knew.
The movement of the horse slowed and the revolutions of the carousel tapered, which made them both sigh with remorse that the ride was over. Mason climbed off first, then lifted Tessa’s weightless frame from the horse and set her down on the floor of the carousel. “See, I’m being more romantic already.”
They shared a short joyful laugh before she leaned up and kissed his lips.
“You two are such a sweet couple,” the woman with the three children commented as she passed. “I’ve never seen two people more in love. It really warms my heart.”
Mason pulled Tessa to his chest and kissed her temple and they shared a hug as they both smiled at the woman.
On the walk back to Mason’s apartment, Tessa held his hand and swung his arm playfully. “Thank you, Mase. That was sweet. And fun. But I still want to go for a run when I get back to my place.”
“We could jog in the park, if you want.”
She gave him a skeptical look. “Since when do you jog?”
He didn’t. Ever. But he would for Tessa, although she’d probably leave him in the dust. All of his time in Central Park was spent walking or playing on the swings when he was a kid.
“Running on the concrete isn’t good for the joints,” Tessa continued. “I usually run on the sand. Plus, it’s a lot cooler at the beach. The park is beautiful, though. I never really spent much time in Central Park, which sounds crazy. I’m a Long Island girl. I like that you’re showing me things you love about the City.”
Tessa was rambling, which was the norm for her. But Mason had stopped listening 30 seconds ago. Not because he wasn’t interested. Because he was concentrating on two figures standing in front of his apartment building half a block ahead. That was definitely his dad, and the woman with her back to him looked exactly like Kendall.
Mason never slowed his pace as he approached, nor said anything to Tessa about his dad talking to Kendall. He was scrutinizing their body language. Gone was his father’s carefree stance and permanent smile. Concern covered his dad’s face while he stood rigid, almost annoyed. Mason couldn’t see Kendall’s expression, only that her hand kept going to the back of her neck and smoothing the hairs that were pulled into a tight ponytail. She nodded a few times, then walked down the street in the opposite direction, clearly done with the conversation, and hailed a passing taxicab. Mason’s dad stared at the ground for a few seconds, then leaned against the building and scrubbed his hand over his face.
“Your dad’s here,” Tessa said, when she noticed him. “He looks upset.”
“Yeah. I see him.” He pointed down the street. “He was talking to Kendall. She jumped into that taxi.”
“Oh.” Concern echoed in Tessa’s voice. “Do you know what that was about?”
Mason knew. Just like Tessa knew. But he wanted to hear it from his dad. The crease in his brow disappeared and a smile breached his cheeks as he greeted his father with a one-shoulder hug. “Hey, Dad. What’s up?”
“Mase. I was just about to leave.” His dad’s face lit up with the usual energy, seemingly forgetting the conversation that had him scowling only moments ago.
“Come upstairs.” Mason walked into the building and waved for his dad to follow him. He planned on waiting until they were in his apartment, for privacy, before he asked about what was going on out front, but it was eating away at him and he had to know. “I saw you with Kendall,” he said, as soon as they stopped at the elevator. “What were you talking to her about?”
His dad’s eyes dulled and the curled corners of his lips straightened. The elevator dinged, and he waited for the doors to open. They all stepped inside, but Mason’s dad didn’t answer until the doors sealed them in privacy. “Let’s talk in your apartment. We don’t need people to hear our business.”
Tessa looked between them, apprehension causing her to bite her lip. She took Mason’s hand and squeezed it, and he gave her a reassuring smile to let her know that he was OK. But, was he? Everyone seemed to have an opinion when it came to Kendall, and he was about to hear his father’s. Sadly, he already knew he wasn’t going to like what his dad had to say.
Once inside the apartment, his dad let out a long sigh. “Man, I wish I didn’t have such a bad feeling about this.”
“About what?” Mason demanded.
“About Kendall. I have to admit, I didn’t recognize her. She was standing right next to me talking to the concierge and I didn’t know it was her until I heard her mention your name. She looks totally different. Classy. And she doesn’t sound like she’s from Brooklyn anymore.” A smile broke through his dad’s face, and he looked like the man Mason loved and counted on his entire life, not the one with the pained expression on his face from a moment ago. But it didn’t last long before the accusations and suspicions clouded his father’s eyes again. “Her transformation didn’t give me reassurance, Mase. It did the opposite.”
“What did you say to her?”
“I told her we needed to talk outside. I wasn’t going to broadcast your business in the lobby. I asked her what her intentions were. I asked her if she needed money or if she wanted something else.”
Mason’s brow furrowed. That was rude, and he’d never heard his father be rude to anyone before.
“She laughed and told me she had everything she wanted. Anything money could buy. Except you.”
“But you don’t believe her.”
“I’d like to, buddy. I really would. But I just don’t trust her. Not yet. Maybe in time, but I know her too well.”
“I thought you didn’t know her at all? You always said it was just a fling. A little more than a one-night stand. Now, all of a sudden, you know everything about her?”
“Mason!” Tessa stared at him, eyes wide and mouth agape, clearly disapproving of the sarcastic tone he took with his father.
He’d never had harsh words with his dad before, nor had they ever argued. They weren’t exactly arguing now, but he felt like he needed to choose sides between his dad and his birth mother. He would never go against his dad, but he also felt as if he needed to defend Kendall. No one was behind her. She n
eeded an ally. And he was it.
“I told her to tread lightly,” his dad said, ignoring Mason’s sarcastic remark. “I told her she broke your heart once and that she better not do it again. I told her she better not get close to you and then disappear again.”
Mason folded his arms across his chest, appalled at his dad’s accusations. “You had no right.”
“I had every right. You’re my son.” Mason’s dad pushed his fingers through his hair with frustration. “Man, it feels like yesterday. You probably don’t remember. You were young. But I do. I’ll never forget it, either. You used to wake up in the middle of the night crying, looking for her. It gutted me. And your mom. We saw the way you hurt. No kid should go through that. It wasn’t fair. And it sucked. You didn’t deserve that. I don’t care how many years have gone by. It still pisses me off that she did that to you.” He raised his brows and shook his head. “I won’t forgive her for it.”
Mason remembered. Not the specific instances, but the feeling of abandonment that had terrified him at times. He remembered that, when he’d woken up in the middle of the night, it had taken a few seconds to remember that Kendall wasn’t there. He recalled feeling disoriented in his new room and wondering where he was. Then it would rush back to him all at once. She’d left. He didn’t know where she was or when she was coming back. If she was coming back. He remembered being scared and the desolation that had consumed him. He also remembered the warmth and love that had engulfed him when his parents, and sometimes Aunt Mary, would console him. They would rub his back and sit with him in bed until he fell back to sleep.
“You can be mad at me all you want, Mase.” His dad put his hand on Mason’s shoulder. “I love you, buddy. And I don’t want to see you get hurt. That’s all. I hope I’m wrong. I really do.”
The memory should have made him bitter. It should have instilled distrust, but it didn’t. It reinforced the belief that Kendall had changed. “I am mad, Dad. Mad that no one wants to give her a chance. I get that you care about me and don’t want me to get hurt. But I’m an adult. I’m almost 30 years old. I can handle Kendall.”
His dad nodded. “You’re right. I know you’re an adult. But I don’t care. You’re my kid. And you’ll still be my kid in ten, twenty, thirty years from now. And I’ll still step in and protect you if I see something that doesn’t look on the up and up. So will your mother. And so will the entire Immortal Angel family. You know what Angel always says, right?” His dad glanced at Tessa, but she didn’t respond. “Family first.”
“Kendall is family. She’s my family.”
“Blood doesn’t make you family, Mason. That’s a title you gotta earn.” His dad sighed. “That’s all I got. I’ve had my say. Just be careful. Take it slow.” His dad gave him a hug and a pat on the back, which Mason returned half-heartedly.
After his dad left, Mason stared at the closed door wondering if his dad came here to tell Mason how he felt, or if Kendall’s presence overshadowed a casual visit. When he turned around, Tessa was staring at him. Her hard gaze indicated she needed to say something, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear it. “Not you, too, Tess.”
“I honestly don’t know what to believe at this point. I’d like to believe she’s genuine. I think I did, until recently. After what your dad just said, I’m starting to have my doubts. You have to take into consideration what everyone is telling us.”
“Us?”
She let out a breath and her mouth bowed downward. “I found out some things about her from my mother and Damien.”
“Why are you asking them about her?” A knot formed in his stomach, as he realized everyone, including Tessa – who was the kindest person he knew – was ready to question Kendall’s motives and prove she was only here to stir up trouble.
“I’m not trying to stick my nose in your business or come between you and your birth mother. I gave her the benefit of the doubt, but . . .” She paused, hesitant about continuing. “Do you really think it was a coincidence that I ran into her on the beach directly in front of my apartment? What about those uncomfortable hugs she gives me? Why was she so obsessed at watching those videos of Prodigy? She acted weird after she realized they were in the basement studio at my parents’ home. Why is she always asking me a million questions?”
He stared at her with confusion. “What are you talking about? Do you hear yourself? There’s nothing wrong with any of that. What are the chances of running into an old friend crossing the street? So what if she’s affectionate and wants to get to know you? And, yeah, maybe she did want to watch a lot of those videos, but I didn’t notice her acting weird. I thought she was taking an interest. We weren’t watching the same songs performed over and over. It was a variety of our music.”
Tessa bit her lip and her brows pinched together. “I know it sounds exaggerated now that I said it out loud. But I questioned those things at the time, and I just brushed off the bad feeling they gave me. Maybe I shouldn’t have.” She let out a pained sigh. “I hope you don’t think that I’m trying to be harsh and judgmental. That’s not me. I’m just feeling a little uneasy about everything.”
Weariness filled him with exhaustion. Never had he felt such anxiety or angst. His life had always been sunny. Nothing ever bothered him. His life wasn’t complicated. Things rolled off his back with ease. Now his neck was knotted and his usual light banter was replaced by combative dialogue with the people he loved most. He tried to rub the tension from his forehead, but it wouldn’t dissipate. “Of course I know you’re not harsh and judgmental, Tess. You’re the sweetest person I know.”
She rubbed his arm and laced her fingers behind his neck. Genuinely concerned, she peered into his eyes. “You’re not yourself. You haven’t been smiling as much. Usually, when you and your dad are together, I’m blinded by your dazzling smiles. Two people never looked more cheerful. The two of you always got along so well. But, recently, your relationship looks strained. There’s tension between the two of you. Between you and your Aunt Kira, too. I saw how annoyed you were when she was talking to you that day. And it’s because of Kendall. You should be happy that your birth mother is back in your life. Instead, you’re frowning, and arguing with your dad.”
“We’re not arguing,” he answered, defensively. Admittedly, there was tension but only because his dad, and everyone else, didn’t believe that Kendall couldn’t change or that she didn’t have any ulterior motives. “I know you mean well, but I’m not interested in hearing what your mom or Damien has to say. They’re biased. They already don’t like Kendall. It’s a known fact that no one has ever tried to hide. I don’t want to hear their side of it.”
“Why not? You heard her side. Don’t you think she’s jaded too?”
“Yeah. But she’s not dwelling on the past. Not the way everyone else is.” He was so tired of hearing about things that had happened twenty-five years ago. Two decades had gone by. Enough already! “I appreciate your concern Tessa, but let it go. Please.”
“But you didn’t hear some—”
“I told you, I don’t want to know what they said.” He huffed out an exhausted breath, ready to be done with having this conversation – with everyone. “I know how it sounds. I hear what everyone is saying. They all have the same opinion of her. They don’t like her. I don’t care what she did. I’m trying to form a relationship with my birth mother. I’m tired of everyone butting in.”
Tessa’s brows shot up, and Mason could tell she was miffed. “We’re just looking out for you. My mother said that Kendall was obsessed with her. That she wanted to—”
“I don’t want to hear it.” He didn’t care that he cut her off. When were people going to understand that he didn’t want their opinions? “How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t care what anyone has to say?”
Tessa moved one fist to her hip. “Anyone? Or my mother?”
His frustration grew, causing a few heated breaths to leave his lungs and redden his cheeks. “I don’t know what to believe at thi
s point, so I don’t believe anyone.”
“How can you doubt what my mother has to say? She’s known you and loved you since you were a little boy. Since before me and Lucas were born. You don’t know Kendall. She’s never done anything for you. She left you when you were three.” Tessa recoiled at the cold statement and her hand flew to her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”
It was a knife in his chest, one he’d been trying to dislodge his entire life, but he never thought Tessa would push it in a little deeper. “Yes you did. Everyone loves to throw it in my face that Kendall abandoned me. That she didn’t want me.”
“Mason . . .” She placed a hand on his arm to comfort the hurt in his heart, but he pulled away.
“I’m tired of everyone telling me that my birth mother isn’t worth it. That she’s no good and not to be trusted. I know I’ve never talked about her. I stopped asking about her when I was six. But it doesn’t mean I stopped thinking about her. She gave birth to me. She may not have been a mother to me, but she is still my mother.”
Tessa’s mouth hung open in shock. “She’s your birth mother. All that means is she gave birth to you. There’s a big difference.”
He knew she was right, but he didn’t have the strength to argue anymore. He hated conflict, and there had been more unease in the last few weeks than he’d had in his entire life. “I’m just so tired of this. I know my dad was just here saying how much he distrusts Kendall, but he’s not the one who has a problem with her. It seems like it’s your mom that has the problem with her.”
Tessa jerked her head back, stung by his statement and defensive of her family. “Maybe there’s a good reason. My mother said—”
“I’m done talking about this. I’m almost 30 years old. I don’t need my girlfriend or my dad or my girlfriend’s mom warning me about my birth mother. I’m giving Kendall the benefit of the doubt, and if I get burned, so be it. If you don’t want to be friends with her, fine. I don’t care. Just stop telling me to watch out for her.”
MASON WILDER: Radical Rock Stars Next Generation Duet Book 2 Page 21