Written in the Stars

by LuAnn McLane

  After only a couple of hours into the night, the gift shop shelves were sold out and just about every woman in the room wore one of the witches’ hats. About one million selfies were taken of witches riding the broomsticks parked outside. There was no doubt that the theme captured the festive feel that Grace was aiming for—­and there was no doubt that without it, not nearly as many women would be in attendance.

  Grace knew her stuff.

  Mason almost pinned Grace down while she chatted with Trish Marino for the newspaper article, but just as he approached, Grace excused herself and headed outside. Trish grabbed him and asked a slew of questions. He hoped he sounded somewhat intelligent, because his mind sure was elsewhere. He was eager to get outside and resume his search for his elusive girlfriend, and when he found her, he planned to pull her into his arms and tell her what a fool he’d been.

  Mason weaved his way through the crowd. Once again, Grace seemed to disappear, and of course the whole witch’s hat thing made it difficult for him to locate her. Every couple of steps someone stopped him and raved over the ales, the food, and the fun atmosphere. Nice, thank you very much, but he was on a mission.

  Ah, Mason finally spotted Grace by the bonfire listening to Shane McCray play an acoustic set, much to the delight of the crowd. Laura Lee, his wife of just a few months, watched with adoring eyes, and Mason had to smile in spite of himself. He stood there for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts, knowing Gracie would stay put at least until the end of the song.

  “What’s that frown all about, Mason? Tonight is your big night.”

  Mason turned from looking across the lawn at Gracie and spotted Jimmy Topmiller at his side. Mason lifted one shoulder, but when he heard Gracie’s laughter, he turned his head in her direction.

  “You need some help with the right bait?” Jimmy asked with a little nudge of his elbow into Mason’s ribs.

  “I’m not fishin’ at the moment, Jimmy.”

  “Oh, son, you’re fishin’, just not catchin’.”

  “I’m not sure I follow.”

  “I haven’t seen you and Grace together all night long.” Jimmy rocked back on his boots and grinned. “It’s been my experience that when you want a woman to take notice, all you gotta do is make her jealous,” Jimmy said, capturing Mason’s full attention. “So toss some bait into the water and reel Grace Gordon in.”

  “Are you kiddin’? I’m already in the damned doghouse. Somehow, I don’t think that angle will fly,” Mason said. “But I’m listening, because at this point I’m desperate. So shoot.”

  Jimmy jammed his thumb over his shoulder. “Just march over to those witch wannabes close to where Grace is standing and let the flirting begin.”

  “Ah, flirting with other women doesn’t seem like a good tactic,” Mason said, but at this point he really was willing to try anything. Anything at all. “Shameless” started playing in his head. One thing he knew for sure. He didn’t want to lose Grace before getting the chance to have her in his life. The emptiness he felt after she walked out of the brewery wasn’t something he thought he could stand, and it scared the shit out of him.

  “They will flirt their cute asses off with you. When women drink, they flirt. It just happens like magic. And let me tell you, that craft beer of yours will do the trick. About this time of night, the beer goggles go on. Hell, they’d even flirt with Bubba Brown. A pretty boy like you is a shoo-­in.”

  Mason had to chuckle. “You tell it like it is, Jimmy.”

  “Yep, I’ve always been a straight shooter. Now, head over there and let them do the work for you. And you can be completely innocent. Oh, and flash that smile you like to keep in reserve.”

  “Seriously?” Mason looked at Jimmy, who seemed pretty confident. “So you think this will work?”

  “Like a charm.”

  “If it doesn’t, I’m gonna hunt you down like a dog.”

  Jimmy laughed. “Well, let me know how it turns out for you. I’m gonna go help Becca babysit little Lily.”

  Mason was taken off guard. “Really, Jimmy? You and Becca seein’ each other seriously?”

  Jimmy scuffed the toe of his boot across the grass. “Casual. We get a kick out of getting on each other’s nerves,” Jimmy answered, but Mason got the distinct impression his feelings went deeper than he was willing to admit. Jimmy clamped his hand on Mason’s shoulder and gave him a little shove. “Come on, a supermodel and an old fisherman like me?”

  “Old fisherman? You mean world-­class pro angler? You were my idol and Danny says you still have the golden touch.”

  “Would ya quit makin’ me feel so damned old?”

  “You’re seeing a supermodel. ’Nuf said.”

  “Naw.” Jimmy shrugged. “As I said, we like to bust each other’s chops. Besides, won’t Grace, Sophia, and Becca be leaving Cricket Creek at some point anyway?” While Jimmy’s tone remained casual, his gaze sharpened, making Mason wonder if Jimmy had the same fear that he did.

  “Well, unless we give ’em a reason to stay, like Danny keeps preaching to me.”

  “Smart guy, your brother.”

  “That’s what he keeps telling me. But maybe easier said than done.”

  Jimmy shrugged again. “Best get on over there before Shane is done singing and the group of witches heads back inside for more Black Magic. And they’ve already had quite a few, judging by how loud they’re getting.”

  Mason swallowed hard. “Okay, here goes nothin’.” He walked over to the group of women and gave them what he hoped was a winning smile. “Evenin’, ladies. I’m Mason Mayfield, brewmaster. Hope you’re enjoying Broomstick Brewery.”

  “Such a clever idea!” said a wavy-­haired redhead as she pulled him to the side. “And I just love the names of the ales. I’m Mary, and you could be my master anytime you like,” she said in what sounded like maybe a New York accent.

  Mason decided to ignore the suggestive part of her comment. “Why, thank you. Looks like you’re having a sample of Black Magic, the chocolate porter. What do you think?”

  Mary took another step closer and tilted her head up. “Oh, it’s to die for. Chocolate and beer together? I daresay that I’m in heaven.” She batted her eyes at him.

  “You don’t sound like you’re from Cricket Creek, Mary,” he said, trying to be polite. Was Gracie watching? How did he look without being obvious?

  “I’m originally from New York.” She waved a hand. “Up from Florida for a visit with friends.”

  “Ah, well, welcome to Broomstick Brewery, Mary. And who are your friends?” he asked, and noticed that they didn’t seem too happy about not being part of the conversation.

  “My friends?”

  “Over there.”

  “Oh, them.” Mary seemed reluctant to share him, but waved a hand in their general direction and they immediately came over. “Patsy, Deb, Cathy, Jen, Patricia, and Teresa. There, now you know. Who needs them when you have me?” Mary grabbed Mason’s arm and steered him away, but Jen stepped forward and nudged Mary out of the way. Mary shot her a glare, and Mason suddenly felt as if he were on The Bachelor and a catfight was about to begin.

  “I’m Jen,” she said, leaning forward to show off her low-­cut blouse. Mason blinked, trying to keep his eyes on her face. He suddenly had a feeling this was going way wrong. Another witch stepped forward. Dear God...

  “I’m Patricia,” she said with a flip of her hair, but she was immediately shoved away by a blonde with attitude.

  “I’m Deb. What do you say we go for a little walk?” She shot Patricia a look and got a don’t-­try-­it arch of an eyebrow in return. Mary looked ready to start something, but when she made a move toward him, another woman asserted herself.

  “Cathy,” said another blonde, and stuck out her hand. “Don’t mind them. They’re a bit out of control tonight.” She pointed to the sky. “Full moon gets t
he witches a little bit riled up, right, Teresa?”

  Teresa nodded. “I’m afraid so. But thank you for naming the brewery for us.”

  “I...uh...” Mason blinked at them. Were they trying to say that they really were witches or just joking? He decided to go with joking.

  “Hey,” the one named Mary said, and raised her glass. “I’m empty. Mason, my handsome master, will you buy me another?”

  “Brewmaster,” he corrected.

  Cathy laughed at her friends, but Teresa appeared a bit disgusted and stomped away, mumbling something under her breath. Jen stepped closer, and when it looked as if Mary was going to give her a good shove, Mason decided it was time to take his leave. So much for Jimmy’s grand plan. These women were crazy.

  “Well, ladies, thanks again for coming to the party. Our ales will be on tap at several restaurants around town and at Walking on Sunshine Bistro soon.”

  “Oh, I know,” Jen said. “I already liked your Facebook page. I’ll be back on a regular basis for sure,” she said with a suggestive smile.

  Mason nodded and took a step backward, but he suddenly noticed that they had circled around him and he was trapped. “I, uh, think I hear my mother callin’,” he said, and jabbed his thumb over his shoulder.

  “Mason!”

  Escape! Thank God. “Mom!” Mason smiled at his mother, never so glad to see someone in his life.

  “I’ve been trying to track you down all night long!”

  “Well, now is a good time. I was...trapped.”

  “I could see that. And Grace was shooting daggers their way.”

  Mason’s mood lightened. “Really?” He grinned.

  Miranda frowned. “Wait—­was that your intention?”

  Mason took his mother’s hand. “Come take a walk with me.”

  A couple of minutes later, they were down by the riverside, where it was quiet enough to talk without anyone hearing what he had to say to his mother.

  “So, what’s up, Mason? You and Grace having problems?” She squeezed his hand and then turned to look at him.

  Mason picked up a rock and tossed into the water. “I gave her a rough time earlier about the whole witches theme.”

  “Well, judging from tonight’s crowd, the brewery is going to be a huge success. I mean, I know it’s just a party, but of course I listened to what people were saying, and they loved the different ales, Mason. Who knew when you started home brewing that it would turn into this?” She waved a hand in the direction of the brewery. She gave him a smile that trembled at the corners. “I know that you went through a tough time when you left the tour and came back home to help out at the marina.”

  “I was glad that I did.”

  “You gave up your dream.”

  Mason wrapped his arm around his mother’s shoulders and gave her a hug. “I’ll admit that when I failed at a comeback, I was feeling pretty low for a while. And as much as Lauren was wrong for what she did, I was damned hard to live with after that.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Mom, I like living back here in Cricket Creek at the marina. The tour is a grind. I missed everyone, and if I hadn’t come back when I was needed here, I would never have forgiven myself. And I love the art of brewing beer.”

  “And you would never have met Grace.”

  “Mom, Gracie will eventually go back to London...or somewhere. She said that she can’t stay tied down and needs challenges. She made that clear from the beginning.”

  “And that didn’t stop you from falling in love with her.”

  “You can tell?”

  “Absolutely. Ah, Mason, you were always so quiet and serious, but I can read your emotions in your eyes, and I do believe you adore her. Am I right?”

  “I sure as hell fought it, but you’re right on the money. I’ve fallen for her. But that doesn’t mean it can work out. I just have to soak up the time I have with her before she goes on her way. No matter what happens between us, I’m still glad that I met her. Grace opened my eyes to the fact that I do want someone in my life.”

  Miranda shook her head. “See, your eyes just went all stormy. I can tell even in the moonlight. Not someone. You want Grace.”

  Mason reached down and picked up another rock. “I know that, Mom.” He skipped the rock across the water, and then turned back to his mother again. “You’re gonna think this is kinda odd, but remember when Aunt Martha died and we had to take care of her pet parakeet?”

  “Yes.”

  “I always felt sorry for that danged bird being stuck in a cage.”

  “Oh, Mason, I know where you’re going with this.”

  “Mama, the last thing I want to do is hold Gracie back.”

  She smiled. “You always call me Mama when you’re emotional.”

  “We all do. I miss you so much when you’re in Florida.”

  “Oh, Mason. I love the change of seasons, but your daddy can’t handle the cold weather any longer. He thrives in the warm climate, and—” When she put a hand to her mouth, Mason hugged her. “I do it for him. Y’all are all grown up and thriving. I want to be in Cricket Creek all year long, but I want your daddy on this green earth as long as I can have him. Ah, and Lily makes it even harder. But I won’t ever tell your daddy that. He thinks I wouldn’t come back for a winter for all the tea in China.”

  “Because you love him.”

  “Of course. But in the end, it’s my choice. And it’s Grace’s choice whether to stay here or not. Give her the choice, Mason, and don’t chase her away because you think you’re doing the noble thing.”

  “Yeah, but that worries me more than if she goes.” He felt emotion hit him like a tidal wave. “What if she stays and she’s miserable? Just because you love somebody doesn’t mean that you’re the right match for them. I couldn’t wander all over the planet with her, no matter how much I love her. I’d be a basket case.”

  “Mason, God love you, you’re such a worrywart.” She chuckled. “You used to follow Mattie around after she learned to walk, worried to death that she’d fall and hurt herself.”

  “Um, that’s because she did. Over and over. It’s a wonder she ever grew skin back on her knees.”

  “And if anybody dared pick on Danny, there would be hell to pay.”

  “He’s my baby brother and always found himself looking for a fight. Blowing his danged mouth off. And a daredevil! If I told you half the stuff that boy did...”

  Miranda put her hand on his arm. “You always carried the weight of the world on those shoulders. Now, mind you, they are wide and strong, but you got that doggone worry gene from your daddy. I love the marina, but if we’d lost it, life would have gone on for me. Losing him?” Her smile trembled. “Now, that’s a different story.” She gave him a gentle smile. “Stop your worrying. It only gives you indigestion and doesn’t change a thing.”

  Mason groaned. “Yeah, I should have stock in Tums. But how do I keep from worrying?” He looked up at the sky dotted with stars and sighed. “Now I’m worrying that I worry too much.”

  Miranda laughed. “Oh, we all have our stuff. But don’t feel guilty about the past, and don’t fret about the future. You can’t undo what’s already over, and you can’t predict what’s going to happen, Mason. Just live the best life you can each day. The rest will take care of itself.”

  Mason gave her a hug. “How did you get so smart?”

  “Living and learning. Now, you’d best get back up there and find Grace.”

  “She’s not made it easy,” Mason grumbled.

  “But she’s expecting you to come after her.”

  Mason raised his hands to the sky. “Women! Why are y’all so hard to understand?”

  “Makes life interesting. Now, go!”

  “Why does everybody keep saying that to me? You’re the third person tonight.”

  �
��Because you’re lollygagging around, Mason. Somebody else might be making a move as we speak.”

  Now, that motivated him. “Thanks for your help, Mom.”

  “Hey, I want more grandbabies. What can I say? And you and Grace would make some pretty ones,” she joked, but then she gave Mason a kiss on the cheek. “And more than anything else in the world, I want my children to be happy.” She patted her chest and then pointed up to the brewery.

  “I know...go!” Mason took long strides up the slight hill and looked around. Shane had finished singing, and the crowd was starting to thin down. If he had to guess, the kegs were most likely dry. Still, Grace must be inside, he thought, and entered the back door. When he didn’t see her, he walked over to the bar. “Danny, have you seen Grace?”

  “She was cleaning up, but she was dead on her feet, so I sent her home.”

  “I thought the point was for me to find her. Why did you send her home?”

  Danny paused from wiping down the bar. “Are you seriously that stupid?”

  “We’ve got this, Mason,” Sophia said. She made shooing motions with her hands.

  “I can’t let you—”

  “Just go!” Danny said.

  “Wait!” Sophia shouted and held up her finger. “I’ll be right back,” she said, and a moment later she brought out a bottle of Black Magic and a plastic bag. “I noticed that Grace didn’t get much to eat, and I know from experience that Grace and low blood sugar isn’t something to play around with, if you value your life. And as you know, this is her favorite ale. She pretty much stuck to water tonight, wanting to have her wits about her as she mingled. She will be ever so grateful for this care package.”

  “Sophia, you’re an angel.” Mason leaned over and kissed her cheek. He looked over at Danny, Colby, and Avery. “And I can’t thank you enough for all of the help tonight.”