The Price of Mason

by Linda Kage

  I didn’t feel very heroic since it was my fault the guy had showed up in the first place. But I was even more confused about getting this call. “Uh…hey,” I said uncertainly. “Thank you.” I’d never expected to hear from them because of this. It was plain bizarre to learn any of my clients would actually worry about me.

  “You’re a good kid, Mason,” the senator said, shocking me even more. “We really appreciate everything you ever did for us. So, if you need anything... I mean, we probably can’t help you publicly because of your, you know, your past. But if you ever need anything privately...” His words trailed off as if he expected me to start listing off a page full of requests.

  “Thanks,” I said again, shaking my head over such a puzzling conversation. “But, uh, I’m good, I think. Thank you anyway.”

  “Oh.” The senator sounded almost disappointed. “Well...”

  He hesitated, so his wife took that opportunity to cut in with, “Can we ask you something?”

  “Sure,” I said hesitantly, wondering why she felt the need to ask me if she could ask a question. It must be something really—

  “Did you ever like it?” she asked. “The things you did with us?”

  “Um...” I paused, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

  Her husband sighed. “That’s what we feared. Make us a promise then, will you, Mason?”

  “Okay,” I uttered, wincing over what they might want me to do. Just try it one more time; you might like it if we did this or that instead. That was not a promise I would keep.

  “Never do anything like that again unless it’s what you actually want to do, okay?” Mrs. Scharper insisted, sounding like a scolding mother.

  Oh, thank God. A promise I could keep…and wanted to keep.

  I nodded, a relieved smile wavering on my lips. “Yes, ma’am. I won’t.” For some reason, I blurted, “I have a girlfriend now. That’s why I stopped. I...she… Everything’s changed.”

  Mr. Scharper sounded amused when he murmured, “Things usually do whenever you find the right woman.”

  “She is,” I said, smiling with pride.

  “Good, good.” Then his wife asked, “Does she know? About what you were?”

  “Yeah,” I admitted. “I mean, she knows a lot. Not...everything.” Hopefully, they didn’t think I’d broken my confidentiality agreement I’d signed with them. But then I went on, needing to talk about it, I guess. I don’t know why I spilled so much to two people who were basically strangers, but they’d called, concerned, so it just came out. “I feel guilty about not telling her some things, but then... I don’t know. I worry about how much she can handle hearing.”

  “You should tell her,” Mrs. Scharper said decisively. “If this is going to be your life partner and you want her to trust you with everything, you need to trust her with everything in return, the good and the bad. If you know you can trust her, then it’ll be okay, and you’ll end up feeling better afterward. I have a feeling you’ll be surprised with how much she can actually take hearing. Open, honest communication is the key to any relationship.”

  “Okay.” I nodded. “Thank you.”

  Their phone call actually left me feeling a little more hopeful. After I hung up, I blew out a long, decided breath.

  It didn’t matter how I told Reese the truth, I was just going to do it. I did trust her. I might not relish the idea of her knowing just how weak and stupid I’d been so many times, but she needed to know. And I knew she’d be upset, but something intrinsic and deep inside me also told me she would forgive me. I just had to man up, trust that part of myself, and tell her already.

  Sighing, I scrubbed my hands over my face, not looking forward to the talk we needed to have when the back door opened.

  I lifted my face, expecting Mom and Sarah to be home, or maybe—hopefully—Reese here to visit, but when Patricia strolled through my back door, I jerked to my feet, enraged.

  “What the actual fuck?!” I roared. “How many times do we have to have this conversation? Get out!”

  “Oh, Mason,” she murmured, shaking her head sadly. “How many times do I have to tell you…?” she countered. “Whenever you leave your door unlocked, I take it as an invitation to come right in.”

  “Well, seeing as you’ve never actually fucking told me that before, I guess just this once will do. I’ll make sure to triple-bolt and bar the doors from here on out, whether I’m home or not.”

  “Cute,” she murmured cattily before walking further into my kitchen and hopping onto the counter, making sure to sit exactly where I’d set Reese the first night I’d kissed her in this kitchen.

  I sighed and rubbed my face, restraining myself from strangling the landlady. I really didn’t want to deal with this right now. And I really didn’t want to go to jail for losing my temper.

  “So I just received your two-month notice,” she murmured, tilting her head as she watched me. “I can’t believe you think moving out is going to change anything. It’s not going to be that easy to escape me—”

  “Will you just shut the fuck up,” I growled, pointing toward the door. “And get out already? This is getting old and annoying. Go learn some new tricks. Like kindness and decency maybe.”

  “I’ve figured something out,” she announced, ignoring my demand as she began to swing her legs merrily, like a little kid, or like she thought it was something Reese might do, because it totally was.

  God, she was such a bitch, trying to imitate my girl. She failed at it, big-time.

  I ignored her, turning away to leave, because if she wouldn’t go, then I’d freaking go.

  “Reese doesn’t know,” she cut in curiously. “Does she?”

  Shit, I think the keys to my Jeep were sitting on the counter next to her. Whatever. I’d just walk somewhere, then. I only knew I wasn’t staying here with her.

  “She still thinks you and I fucked that night, doesn’t she? She thinks you were some kind of noble hero and saved her from getting me to tell her little ex where she was.”

  I was stupid, and I let that get to me.

  Pausing before I hit the hallway to escape out the front of the house, I glanced at her, scowling. “I’m still not convinced you were the one who told him. I mean, you were still trying to get me into your bed the night before he showed up. I don’t think even you’re senseless enough to play your one trump card before you’ve gotten what you want.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Oh, so you don’t think I’m the one who contacted him, huh? You sure about that, big boy?”

  I ground my teeth, fisting my hands at my sides. “Why are you still here?”

  Patricia just grinned smugly, examining her nails. “Oh, I just wanted you to know how cute I thought it was that you keep so many things from Reese. You know, since you love her so much. But it’s probably best if she didn’t find out about us. I mean, her poor cousin was shot—and almost died—over the whole ordeal. We wouldn’t want her to know it was your fault, now would we?”

  “So, let me guess,” I bit out. “You’re going to try to blackmail me into doing something else so I’ll ensure your silence? Except I don’t give a fuck about your threats anymore. I’m going to tell Reese the truth myself.”

  Patricia laughed smugly. “Yeah, sure you will. She’ll never forgive you, but that’s okay. I still have a spot saved for you in my bed.” Her eyes narrowed. “Since you made me lose my fiancé, I have plenty of aggression to take out on you.”

  I grinned for the first time since she’d walked in. “Oh, did you and Ted not make it? I’m sorry to hear there.”

  “Fucker,” she snarled, hopping off the counter and storming toward me. “I don’t know what you said to his brother, but rest assured, I will make you pay for that.”

  I backed away from her, glaring. “Don’t touch me, or I’ll break your hand,” I warned, even as I kept backing away from her, reversing so much that I reached the opening of the hall that led toward the front of the house.

  Movement from the co
rner of my eye caused me to turn that way and make eye contact with Reese, who stood frozen at the other end of the hall, where she stood listening to everything Patricia and I had said.

  Stopping short, I stared at her as she stared back.

  Patricia faltered too, as if she knew from my expression that someone else was there. She must’ve thought it was either my mom or sister, though, because she instantly started to retreat. “Well, I just stopped by to say goodbye and wish you all the luck with wherever you’re moving to next.” Then she winked, whispering, “And good luck confessing everything to Reese. I’m sure she’ll love learning about all the lies between you two.”

  When the door shut behind her, Reese waggled a couple fingers, waving her farewell. “Bye, Felicia,” she said.

  I sighed and slumped against the frame of the hall opening. “How much did you hear?” I asked. “Or do I need to catch you up on most of it?”

  “Well,” Reese murmured, strolling toward me, “I heard the part where Mrs. Garrison announced you two didn’t have sex that night, after all. After that, this loud buzzing in my ears blocked most of your conversation.”

  My bottom lip trembled. “Fuck,” I rasped, bowing my head and closing my eyes. “I’m sorry. God, Sweet Pea. I’m so fucking sorry. I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t have sex with her.”

  “Mason.” Warm fingers cupped my cheeks gently. When I risked lifting my face just enough to meet her gaze, she grinned and rolled her eyes. “I’m confused here. Please try to help me understand why in the world you’re apologizing for not having sex with another woman. Because I can guarantee you I’m okay with that. Like always.”

  “But…” I sighed, still disappointed with myself. “She obviously followed through on her threat and called Jeremy. He showed up in town right after I didn’t—”

  “Wait,” she cut in, holding up a hand and frowning with obvious confusion. “Were you not there when the officer told me how Jeremy really found out where I was?”

  “What?” I blinked, shaking my head. “No. How did he find out?”

  “He confessed everything to the police when he was arrested, I guess. At the hospital, they told me he broke into my parents’ house a few weeks back and went through some papers until he deduced my location. It had nothing to do with you or Mrs. Garrison at all. He’d been in town, staying at a hotel even before the night the landlady propositioned you.”

  My mouth fell open. “But…” My head wobbled back and forth in disbelief. “Are you sure?”

  She blurted out a surprised laugh. “Yes. My God, baby. Have you been worried all this time that Eva’s injuries and Jeremy’s arrival were your fault?”

  “Well…” I winced, and my shoulders slumped. “Yeah, pretty much. I kept telling myself that if I’d only gone through with it and slept with her, you and your cousin would be—”

  “Never, never, never feel as if you have to sleep with any woman for me? Okay?”

  “But at the time, I thought it would save you. I wanted to save you. So bad. Yet, instead I-I…I chose me.”

  “Mason,” Reese said very carefully, gazing into my eyes with nothing but love and acceptance. “It’s alright. You can’t save anyone else until you save yourself. You can’t love anyone else until your love yourself. Walking away from her was what you needed to do. For both of us. You did the right thing.”

  Leaning in, she kissed my forehead and more forcefully repeated, “Okay?”

  Gulping down the pressure that kept rising up my chest and into my throat, I nodded.

  I loved this woman. I didn’t think I could ever love anyone the way I loved Reese. She made everything better. She made me better.

  “Okay,” I murmured, still a little bowled over that this conversation had gone so much smoother than I’d feared it would. Until I remembered that I had actually slept with someone for her.

  Sucking in a cringe, I said, “I need to tell you about your English professor.”

  A sickened expression filled her face. Her complexion actually turned a grayish green. “Oh, God,” she uttered. “What?”

  Closing my eyes, I told her everything that had transpired between me and Monica.

  “Wait, wait, wait,” she cut in at about the time I got to the part where I’d stupidly given into Monica’s terms. “So… This all started because you cried out my name in the middle of—”

  “Yes,” I muttered, pressing a palm to my forehead before gripping a handful of my bangs. “I know. I was an idiot who—”

  “So you were pretty much mine all the way back before we’d barely even spoken to each other?”

  “Reese,” I said dryly, “I told you, you had me the moment I heard your laugh across the college courtyard that very first day.”

  “I know, I know.” She waved a distracted hand. “But this, like, proves it without a shadow of a doubt. Holy wow.” She let out a little squeal of joy. “You have no idea how happy I am to learn you didn’t touch the landlady that night. And you were already that fixated on me so early in our acquaintance! This is so awesome.” She jumped at me and hugged me hard.

  I hugged her back, even as I sighed. “You are honestly the most unique person I’ve ever met. I just confessed to you that I did sleep with another woman, and you’re…excited?”

  “Oh, I’m not excited about that. Pfft. Of course not. But I’m choosing to forget that part because it was before we ever got close and decided we were really together, and I’m focusing on the fact that you did abstain when it mattered the most to me. I’m so freaking happy you didn’t touch Mrs. Garrison that night.”

  “So am I.” I hugged her back and closed my eyes against the relief. “And I really didn’t touch her, if you were wondering how far things went. Except to grab her wrist to stop her. We got to her bedroom, and she had me take my shirt off, then she put that hickey on my chest. But when she tried to open my pants, I freaked. I just…I couldn’t do it. So I grabbed her wrist, spit in her face, and walked out.”

  Reese’s jaw dropped. “You spit in her face? For real?”

  I nodded. My girl grinned and offered me a congratulatory fist bump. “You rock.” Then she sprinkled kisses all over my cheeks. “I’m so happy to hear all this. You can’t believe how much I love hearing this. I would get sick to my stomach every time I even thought about you and her together, but knowing it didn’t happen… Oh, God. This is great. This is just…it’s…”

  Her brow furrowed before she stepped back and winced at me. “Except, do you think it’d be okay if we went ahead and let Eva think you really did sleep with her?”

  “Um…” I squinted before saying, “I wasn’t aware Eva knew anything about it.”

  “Oh, right. That.” Reese blew out a harassed breath and ran her hands through her hair.

  “So, she told me about some conversation you and she had the night before she was shot, you know, while I was out confronting Mrs. Garrison. She knew something had gone down there, and I felt I needed to tell her everything because, you know, she’s already going through so much. But then she tried to get all upset and judge-y on my behalf, mad at you for sleeping with someone else. So I went off on her a little and made this huge production about how honorable and protective I thought it made you, because you did it for me, when in reality, it just made me clammy and ill to think about. But I didn’t want E thinking anything bad about you, so I defended you big-time, and now she thinks this is what I really did want, which is a total lie, because I’d rather face Jeremy down a hundred times over than have you near that woman. But now that, whew, I know you didn’t sleep with her, I can’t eat my own words and tell Eva never mind, it’s all good now after I made such a big stink of supporting what you’d done, and—”

  “Reese.” I covered her hand to stop her from rattling on further. “It’s okay. We don’t have to tell Eva the truth if you don’t want to.”

  “Really? Okay, whew. Thank you. Not that I advocate lying, or anything like that. I am so much happier that you told me the
truth, but—”

  I kissed her to shut her up.

  “I have no problems lying to Eva,” I confessed against her mouth. “The only person I can’t seem to handle lying to anymore is you.”

  “Oh. Good. I love that answer.”

  She kissed me back.

  I started to return the kiss, only to pull away and lift a finger. “Which reminds me, I should probably tell you everything about Ethan Riker, too, and his getting me suspended from work at the Country Club.”

  Reese blinked once before her face flooded red with rage. “He did what?”

  * * *

  I’d like to say that once Reese and I decided to leave Waterford forever, the rest of it was smooth sailing, but wow, there was so much we didn’t consider, so many problems to wade through. I think we were both equally determined to make it work, though. Nothing that got in our way was going to stop us at that point. Not money, not past lies, not terrible landladies, not anything.

  We did try to figure out all the details before presenting the idea to our parents, though. Cuddled together on her couch in her apartment above the garage with my laptop settled in my lap, we made a list of everything to consider. Across town, her cousin was recuperating in a hotel room, but we had no idea how long that would last.

  “I have a feeling we might have to bring her back to Illinois with us.” Reese bit her lip as she looked up at me, as if she expected me to reject the idea immediately.

  I could only shrug. Even though I now knew it wasn’t my fault Eva had been shot, I still somehow felt responsible for the poor little rich girl who’d fallen so hard on her luck. And I ended up saying, “Yeah, whatever she needs. I mean, she’s your cousin. We can’t just let her and her baby go destitute.”

  “My God,” Reese murmured, gazing at me in awe as she shook her head. “I’m not sure how I could love you any more than I do right now.”

  I grinned as she came in for a kiss. Her mouth was so sweet and giving, I groaned and pushed my computer out of the way so I could tug her into my lap. I could never get enough of this girl. Never.