While he stood dumbfounded, taking in the gravity of what Hattie had just said, she was already at the inn’s door, tugging it open.
Mason chased after her, and when she slipped on snow-covered stairs, he almost caught her, but hadn’t been quite fast enough to break her fall. The way she landed on her right arm didn’t look good. In his line of business, he’d seen a lot of men get hurt, and to him, this looked potentially serious. “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” she insisted, brushing off his attempts to help. “Please, leave me alone.”
He at least opened the sedan’s back door for her. When she’d climbed in, he closed the door and walked around to the other side.
With no desire to air their dirty laundry in front of a captive audience, he waited until after they’d checked in for their flight to pick up where they’d last left off.
“So, about last night...” he said in a quiet corner of the airport terminal. “Are you honestly blaming me for something I said in a dream? Hell—” he raked his fingers through his hair “—I don’t even remember what it was about.”
“Must’ve been good. After a lot of groaning, you said her name, then called her ‘baby.’”
“You’re being crazy,” he had no problem telling her. “I can see you being upset we didn’t use a condom or that I hogged the blanket, but this?” He laughed. “You, of all people, should know how much pain your sister brought me. You, on the other hand, have always been the one who made me smile.”
Whether she liked it or not, he leaned in to kiss her, and damn if her whole body didn’t seem to exhale in relief.
“Hattie, I’m sorry if I accidentally hurt you. But the God’s honest truth is that—for me, anyway—last night was amazing, but that’s where it has to end. You and I both know sheer logistics make it impossible for anything life-altering to happen.”
She nodded. No matter how much his speech hurt, his words made sense. “Thank you for the apology. And I totally get what you’re saying. Our already-gossipy town would have a field day should they ever have an official report of us being together.” She forced a breath, then swallowed the knot in her throat. “Not gonna lie, hearing you call out my sister’s name shattered my heart in about a zillion tiny pieces, but what I was too punch-drunk on fun sex to realize was that, like you said, last night can never be more than that—fun. Pleasure shared between two consenting adults at a blizzard party.”
Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees. “Want a coffee?”
She shook her head.
Due to so many flights having been canceled the previous afternoon, the airport was buzzing that morning. After Mason stood in an endless line for standard black coffee, it was time to board their flight.
Once again, Hattie’s complexion paled as she reached her seat, but this time she had no interest in holding his hand. Which just so happened was fine by him.
The sooner he got away from her and back to Virginia Beach, the better off he’d be.
* * *
THE FLIGHT LASTED thirty-five minutes, and it took another fifteen of his father’s agonizingly slow driving for Mason and Hattie to reach Melissa and Alec’s house, where Fern sat with the girls. An added hour of polite small talk just about did him in.
On a trek outside for more firewood, his father asked, “What’s with the chill between you and Hattie?”
“Long story.”
“Good or bad?”
Mason laughed. “Little of both.”
His dad grunted. “What time you want me to fetch you for the airport in the morning?”
“Six, please.”
“You got it.” His dad’s rare hug couldn’t have come at a better time. Mason didn’t feel right about going, but he sure as hell knew it would be a huge mistake staying.
By the time Mason and Hattie had the house to themselves, he couldn’t tell if she was still upset with him or something else was wrong. Her color was seriously off, and she’d winced when picking up or even holding either baby.
“You all right?” he finally asked when they both happened to be in the kitchen.
“I’m fine. But as soon as I wash these bottles, can we talk?”
“Here, let me help.” Alongside her at the sink, he took one look at her swollen right hand and turned off the faucet. “Are you kidding me?” She tried turning from him, but he’d already reached for her left arm. “You’re seriously hurt, aren’t you?”
“It’ll be fine. I want to apologize for this morning. Last night was so... And I just...”
“I get it. Apology accepted. Right now, since your arm looks too swollen for me to even roll up your sleeve, I’m taking your sweater off, okay?”
She nodded.
Last night he’d unzipped her sweater for purely selfish reasons, but he now found himself in a wholly altruistic position, tensing when Hattie winced with pain. Her arm had turned a dozen shades of purple and that told him it had to be broken. “Jeez, woman, were you ever planning to do something about this?”
“I figured after a couple days it’ll feel better.”
“Uh-huh.” He tossed her sweater on the counter, wishing he had her top off under more fun circumstances. He ushered her to the sofa. “Wait here while I grab you a T-shirt. Then we’re running to the clinic.”
“That’s not necessary. Besides, after being crazy this morning, I want to do something nice for you. Maybe wash your clothes?”
From the stairs, he said, “How about once we get home you take a nice nap? Then we’ll call it even.”
* * *
“COULD YOU HAVE misread the X-ray?” An hour later, Hattie sat on an exam table at Conifer Clinic. Mason had stayed in the waiting room with the twins, and from the muted cries, she guessed he wasn’t having fun, either.
Dr. Murdock laughed. Five years earlier, the town had paid her med-school loans in exchange for her services. Turned out she was a great fit. “Sorry, hon, but I’m afraid you’re looking at a minimum of six weeks in a cast. The good news is that we just got in a really great pink.”
Hattie groaned. “Not only am I not really a girlie girl, but I don’t have time for being even temporarily down one arm.”
“Well, I can’t help you find more time, but I do have lots of colors. Red? Orange? Black? Christmas is just around the corner. How about green?”
“Guess that’ll work.”
Thirty minutes later, sporting her two-ton green arm and a prescription for pain meds, Hattie found Mason in the crowded waiting room, jiggling a baby on each of his knees.
He looked up only to catch sight of her and frowned. “Told you so.”
She stuck out her tongue.
He winked. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
“Hush. I’m in pain and just realized no meds for me.”
After settling the girls in their carriers, he joined her at the checkout desk.
In the sunny parking lot, amid mounds of melting snow, he asked, “Why can’t you have medicine?”
“Do you think it’d be a good idea to be loopy while single-handedly caring for two infants?”
“Hadn’t thought of that.”
He set the carriers alongside the SUV while opening Hattie’s door. “Hop in. I’ll load everyone else.”
“Thanks.” Because he wouldn’t be around much longer to help care for the girls, Hattie closed her eyes, soaking in the warm sun while he tackled the chore of fastening them into their safety seats.
Everything would be all right. As long as she stayed positive and worked hard, she was fully capable of raising the twins, healing her family and running the bar. The cast wouldn’t even slow her down. Piece of cake.
They were midway back to the house when Mason asked, “What would you think about me extending my leave?”
“What? Why?” Her heart skipped a beat at the mere prospect of him sticking around. Trouble was, the more she was with him, the more she realized he needed to go—not just for his job, but her peace of mind. The doctor had reminded her the holidays had nearly arrived. Hattie had to somehow get her family back to normal and she sure couldn’t accomplish that when Mason’s mere presence made her feel anything but!
“You obviously need help. Since there’s no way my mind will even be on my work if I’m worried about you, I figure why not see about extending my leave? Great idea, right?” He aimed his killer, white-toothed grin in her direction.
With the memory of what he could do with that mouth all too fresh in her mind, she tried covering her face with her hands, but instead, conked her nose with her cast. Could this day get any worse? Whether Mason left in the morning or after New Year’s made no difference. Sooner or later he would go. And even though she had no business wanting him to stay forever, she did. Feared she always would.
An even bigger worry was the one Mason’s own subconscious had proved real. The fact that in his sleep he’d cried out for Melissa told Hattie that no matter how hot their night had been, in his mind, she’d always finish a distant second to the way he’d once felt about her sister.
And she deserved better than being a guy’s second choice. If she couldn’t be Mason’s top pick, then she’d prefer not having him at all.
She pasted a smile on her face and said, “You’re sweet to think of me, but the girls and I will be fine. It’s probably for the best that you go.”
Chapter Twelve
Mason wasn’t sure what to think of Hattie’s negative reaction to his suggestion that he stay. She obviously needed the help, so what was her problem? “If this is about last night...”
“No, not at all,” she assured him. “I just think it’s best to get on with the inevitable. Last night was...well...”
Freaking incredible. “I get it. Yeah, you’re probably right.” If she’d been hoping for a different reaction, her expression gave nothing away. Had she truly been that unaffected by what they’d shared? “I’ll leave as planned.”
“Good.”
Her attitude was really pissing him off. How could she be so cavalier? Or was it an act? If so, why did she feel compelled to lie to him, of all people? They’d known each other forever. If there was anyone she could be her true self with, he hoped it’d be him.
But then, why should she feel allegiance to him? The genuine friendship they’d shared might as well have happened a hundred years ago. Had her sister’s death created what was essentially an artificial reality, thereby forcing a reunion? A reunion that was actually an illusion?
Was Hattie the only one of them smart enough to call last night for what it had been? A blizzard-party hookup between old friends who were better off just friends?
Ignoring Hattie’s protests, he swung by the pharmacy, filling her prescription so at the very least she’d have relief for tonight.
Back at the house, she tried helping get the twins inside, but he fended her off. “Go on in and take your medicine.”
“I’m perfectly capable of handling the girls, you know?”
“Yep.”
“Then let me—”
“Hat Trick, please...you’re only stuck with me for one more night. Do me the favor of letting me take care of you till I’m gone?” He held her gaze, silently signaling her to chill. Leaving her and the twins was already hard enough. Leaving under these circumstances made him feel like the world’s biggest jerk.
“Sure. Whatever. Toss me the keys, though, so I can at least unlock the door.”
Finally in the house, Mason corralled the twins in their playpen, then got Hattie settled on the sofa, bringing her a Coke, her medicine bottle and her cell so she could ask one of her employees to cover her shift. “Need me to bring you a few crackers? You probably shouldn’t take it on an empty stomach.”
“Thanks, but I’ll be fine.”
He started to make a fire, but instead took a seat on the cold stone hearth. The chill seeped through his jeans, but had nothing on the deep freeze that had settled over Hattie. “You ever talking normal to me again?”
“Thought I was?”
He snorted. “Right.”
“Sorry. I’m not trying to be difficult. I’m just hurting and mad at myself for being in such a rush this morning that I fell.”
Mason wanted her to keep talking—admit she was also upset by his leaving. Instead, she made an awkward grab for a movie magazine Fern had left on the coffee table.
“Where do you think you’ll be this time tomorrow?”
Her question caught him off guard. Truthfully, he was surprised she even cared. “Jeez, I guess I’ll still be in the air. I leave Anchorage at 9:25 in the morning, but don’t land in Norfolk till 10:15 at night. Gonna be a long day.”
“But a good one.” Her faint smile tightened his stomach. Damn, he wanted to kiss her. “When I was a kid, I always dreamed about traveling. It’s gotta be exciting, going all over the world like you do.”
“It is—was—but it’s not often the navy takes us anywhere sane people would want to be.”
“I suppose....”
There was so much he wanted to say to her, but where did he begin?
Never did Mason think he’d be happy to hear either of the twins cry, but in this case, he was glad for the distraction. “Guess it’s dinnertime, huh?”
“Want me to help?”
Hopefully, his glare conveyed how serious he was about her resting.
“Come here, you little bugger.” With Vivian in his arms, Mason set about making bottles, finding comfort in the routine. When she turned her tear-filled baby blues on him, he melted. “You’re going to grow into one helluva heartbreaker.”
From the playpen, Vanessa wasn’t happy about her sister hogging the attention.
“Just a sec, sweetie. I’m almost finished, then heading your way.”
In his peripheral vision, Mason caught a flash of movement from the sofa to the stairs. He turned back in time to see Hattie vanish in the hall. “What the...”
* * *
HATTIE REACHED THE bathroom just before retching into the commode. Why hadn’t she listened when Mason told her to eat something with her medicine? What else had he been right about? Wanting to stay?
She’d wanted so badly to agree with his plan, but what was the point?
Seated on the tub’s tile edge, she rested her elbows on her knees. More than anything, she wanted to call out to Mason, ask him for a cool rag, but in the morning he’d be gone and she had to once again learn to not only live on her own, but be happy about it.
Twin cries rose faintly upstairs.
Seconds later, Mason stood in the bathroom’s doorway. “You okay?”
Nodding, she drew strength from just knowing he was near. “Hate to admit it, but you were right about those crackers.”
“Sorry.” As if reading her mind, he took one of Melissa’s designer washcloths from the towel rack, dampening it before holding it to her forehead.
“Thanks. I should’ve listened, huh?”
From downstairs, the wailing grew louder.
He knelt, kissing the top of her head. “You gonna be all right if I leave you for a sec? I’ll grab those two and bring them up here to feed them.”
“I’m fine. No need to hurry.” Or even come back to me at all. Because his presence only worsened her pain.
The babies soon enough quieted, but then she heard what sounded like Mason talking on the phone. Creeping from the bathroom to the stairs, she eavesdropped on his conversation.
“Yes, sir....Thank you....Same to you, sir.”
Who was he talking to? His dad?
“I’ll be sure and let you know....Yes, sir.
Thanks, again.”
She’d never heard him call Jerry “sir.”
One of the twins whimpered, so she headed that way to help. And maybe get a better feel for who Mason was chatting with. His whole demeanor had changed. He’d deepened his voice and squared his already-broad shoulders.
For a split second, her mind’s eye returned to their shared shower, and the way those shoulders had looked all soapy and wet. Mouth dry, she willed her pulse to slow and her mind to get out of the gutter.
“Who was that?” she asked, striving for a casual tone.
“My CO.” He scooped a sniffling Vivian from the playpen, teasing, “What’s the problem, princess? Your appetizer wasn’t adequate?”
The infant’s giggle only further degraded Hattie’s foul mood. The twins had already lost their parents. Having bonded with Mason, would they mourn his loss, too?
He knelt for Vanessa, and then, once he held both girls, he took their bottles from the counter before heading for the sofa.
“Want me to take care of them so you can pack?”
His slow grin destroyed her. “Didn’t I tell you to rest?”
“Since when do I ever do what you tell me?”
Laughing, he said, “Good point.”
Seated alongside him, she used her good arm to take Vanessa. “Wanna hand me her bottle?”
He passed over a bottle, and they finished feeding the girls. Darkness had fallen and she shivered from a sudden chill. Her medicine made her eyelids heavy.
After tugging an afghan from the back of the sofa to drape over her lap, Mason said, “I’m going to give these two monkeys a quick bath, then put them to bed. If you’re still awake, want to watch a movie or just make out in front of a fire?”
“Excuse me?” If she’d thought for one second he was serious, her choice would be all too obvious.
“Just kidding. See you in a few.”
“Mason, if you need to pack, I can handle tub time. It’s not a big deal.”
The SEAL's Christmas Twins Page 12