“No!” she said. “No, Mason. Really, I want you to fish.”
He ran a finger down her cheek. “You’re willing to be grossed out just for me? Do you realize how sexy that is?”
She laughed. “Do you realize how shocking it is to discover that you actually have a sense of humor?”
“I’m being totally serious,” he said, swooping in for a quick kiss.
Using a sturdy branch, Mason dug around the softer earth at the edge of the pond and came up with a few worms. Jada freaked out so much when he baited his hook that Mason set her rod on the ground and declared that he would be the only one fishing. She responded by pumping a fist in the air.
“Now we just sit?” Jada asked.
“Pretty much.”
She was silent for about a minute before she said, “So, is this right above watching paint dry on ‘The Most Boring Things To Do in the World’ list?”
Mason looked over at her. “You do remember that you’re the one who brought me out here, right?”
“Yes,” she said. “Are you enjoying it?”
“Actually, I am. It’s been a really long time since I did this. I didn’t think I ever wanted to fish again because I didn’t think it would ever be the same without my dad. It might not be the same, but it’s still good.”
“According to Kiera, your dad was a laugh a minute.”
“He was a huge practical joker. Used to drive my mom crazy.”
“Yet, his son is so serious,” she remarked. “Maybe you should take a page from your dad’s book. He doesn’t sound like a guy who would have been working on a Sunday.”
“No,” Mason said, a corner of his mouth turned up in a sad smile.
Over these past few weeks, thoughts about how his dad would view some of the decisions weighing on him lately had crossed Mason’s mind more than once. He’d spent so much time concentrating on keeping that one promise he’d made to take care of Kiera and his mother that he never considered how his dad would feel about the way Mason was taking care of himself.
Something told him that the lighthearted family man who’d raised him would not approve. Jada had the right idea. There was nothing wrong with being a bit more selfish with his time. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t still watch over his mother and sister while also taking a little time out to enjoy life.
“Thank you for this,” he said. “I didn’t realize how much I needed it.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, a surprised, genuine smile lighting up her face.
He switched his fishing rod to his left hand and reached for her, but she side-stepped him.
“Stay back,” she said, crossing her fingers in an X to ward him off. “You’re not touching me with those wormy fingers.”
“You’re such a girl.” Mason laughed. “As long as I can touch you tonight, I have no problem keeping my wormy fingers to myself.”
She grimaced. “You’ll have to take a rain check. I have a bachelorette party coming up this week and still need to go through my inventory—”
“I can definitely help with that.”
“I’d like to have some things available to sell at the bachelorette party, thank you very much.” She laughed. “I also have to prepare for two interviews tomorrow, including one with The Fortier Foundation! They sent the email yesterday afternoon, but I was otherwise occupied.”
Her grin was so deliciously sexy Mason had to stop himself from tossing the fishing rod in the pond and attacking those lips. But then her smile turned wistful, and the longing in her voice caused his chest to tighten.
“Mason, I want this job so badly. It would make all these months of searching worth it if my interview goes well tomorrow. Which is why I need to prepare.”
The excitement he witnessed in her eyes had just earned Selena Pareja a bottle of her favorite Shiraz. Mason would have it delivered tomorrow. Even if Jada didn’t get the job, it was worth it to see the pure happiness derived just from having an interview.
“In that case,” he said, “I guess I’ll have to be satisfied knowing that when I do cash that rain check, it’s going to be worth my while.”
She leaned forward, keeping the rest of her body at least a foot away from him, and touched her lips to his.
“If I get that job,” she whispered seductively. “It will be off the charts.”
Hmm…maybe he would send Selena a case of wine instead.
***
The effort it took to keep from smiling was harder than just about anything Jada had ever been through. There were times when you felt that things were possibly going in your favor, and there were times when you knew it.
She knew she was kicking ass in this interview.
“I remember the chemical leak incident.” Selena Pareja pointed to the addendum Jada had included with her résumé, outlining specific public relations issues she’d handled over the course of her career. “I’m pretty sure your spin on the situation saved the refinery a lot of money and headaches.”
“The media was trying to make the spill out to be much more than it was. Not that I’m trying to excuse the refinery,” Jada quickly added. The fact that her father was the plant manager at the time had stirred up enough of that type of rhetoric to last her a lifetime. “The entire incident could have been prevented if the workers had followed the standardized operating procedures, but as I explained in my many press conferences, the plant did everything they could to rectify the situation. I thought management handled it fairly.”
“And you handled yourself remarkably well under the pressure,” Selena said. “I don’t envision you coming under that type of fire in this position, but people have questioned The Fortier Foundation’s role in the community, and how our funds are allocated. We want someone who will be able to answer those questions without being intimidated.”
“It takes a lot to intimidate me,” Jada assured her.
“I can see that,” Selena returned. She tossed the addendum on her desk and folded her hands over it. “I have a couple of candidates that I’ve already promised interviews to, but based on this past hour, they will have to bring their A games if they want a chance at this position.”
Jada’s heart started to beat like a drummer in a rock band. The smile that drew across The Fortier Foundation’s executive director’s lips made it beat even faster.
Selena rose and offered her hand. Jada stood and captured it.
“Thank you so much for the opportunity to interview,” she said, shaking Selena Pareja’s hand.
“Believe me, the pleasure was all mine. I have a feeling you’re going to save me a lot of time I didn’t have to spare for interviewing.”
Oh, my God! She was going to get this job!
“You’ll be hearing from me soon,” Selena said.
“I look forward to it,” Jada answered. She picked up her purse from where she’d set it next to her chair, and turned to leave.
“Oh, and can you thank Mason for me, as well?” Selena called. “Tell him I owe him one.”
Jada turned. “Excuse me?”
“Mason Coleman? He’s the one who told me to keep an eye out for your résumé.”
“I, uh, I didn’t know,” Jada said. “He never even mentioned that he knew you.”
Selena shrugged. “We dated a while ago, back when I was still practicing law. Mason’s a sweetheart.” She chuckled. “I’ll be honest, when I agreed to interview you, I thought I was just doing him a favor, but it turns out he’s the one who did me the favor. I’m happy he made that call.”
Jada swallowed and forced a smile. “So am I,” she said. “Thanks again.”
As she made her way out of the downtown New Orleans office building, the anger flowing through her was so potent her hands shook with it. By the time she made it to the parking garage two blocks away, the tremors had subsided, but her jaw was still clenched with fury.
“Dammit!” Jada slammed her fists against her steering wheel.
For the first time ever, she thought she’d fin
ally accomplished something based on her own merits. It wasn’t because she was Montgomery Dangerfield’s daughter, or Eric Pearce’s wife. She wanted to land this job based on what she brought to the table, not because the man she was sleeping with called in a favor to his ex-girlfriend!
“Dammit, Mason!”
She started the engine and threw the car into reverse, and had to slam on her breaks when she nearly backed out into an oncoming car.
“Okay, you need to calm the hell down,” Jada said, gripping the steering wheel. She took several deep breaths before easing out of the parking space and exiting the garage.
She waited until she was out of city traffic and on the expressway heading back to Maplesville before she fished her cell phone from her purse and dialed Kiera. She didn’t even waste time with a greeting.
“You will not believe what your brother did,” Jada opened.
“The same way I don’t believe what you did,” Kiera bit out.
Jada jerked with a start at the bitterness in her friend’s voice. “What did I do?”
“You told Mason about me losing that money with the food truck.”
Jada’s one-handed grip tightened on the steering wheel.
Damn you, Mason!
“Kiera, I did not tell him any specifics.”
“You shouldn’t have told him anything at all!” Kiera screeched.
“He asked me what was going on with you the other night, and all I said was that you were in a bit of a bind. And I specifically told him to stay out of it.”
“He didn’t listen,” Kiera said. “And just when in the hell did you start screwing my brother? Is this some kind of game the two of you have been playing behind everyone’s back, pretending you hate each other when people are around, yet sneaking around to sleep with each other? If I had known my financial troubles would become the subject of yours and Mason’s pillow talk, I wouldn’t have said anything in front of you.”
“Kiera, please,” Jada pleaded. “You know you can trust me with anything.”
“That used to be the case. It’s not anymore,” she said before hanging up.
Jada briefly shut her eyes, trying to blot out the rage she’d heard in her friend’s voice. She knew how much it meant to Kiera to handle this problem on her own. Just as much as it had meant to her to get the job at The Fortier Foundation on her own.
Jada started to dial Mason’s number, but then she tossed the cell phone on the passenger seat. If ever there was a conversation that needed to be handled face-to-face, this was it.
Chapter Nine
Mason raised two fingers in a casual wave to the security guard before driving through his subdivision’s wrought-iron gate. It had never felt so good to be so close to home. He could taste the scotch he so desperately needed after his rough day, despite leaving the office early.
Giving up Oscar Davis’s account was probably both the hardest and easiest thing he’d ever done in his career. The partnership that had seemed so close slipped a bit farther out of his reach, but the weight that had lifted off his shoulders the minute he officially handed the account to his colleague, Charles Boudoin, made up for it. Let Charles deal with Davis and his bulldog CPA.
Most importantly, Mason felt as if he could now look himself in the mirror without questioning the integrity of the man staring back at him. He didn’t have to wonder whether or not his dad would be proud of his decision. Mason knew he would be.
He turned into his driveway and pressed the garage door opener. As he waited for the door to rise, he sent Kiera another text message, explaining why he’d transferred the money she refused to accept into her bank account. It shouldn’t be this damn hard to give somebody ten thousand dollars. He only hoped it was enough to cover whatever she had considered borrowing from that loan company in Hammond.
Just as he pulled into the garage, a white car turned into the driveway.
A smile drew across his face. He’d been thinking about that rain check Jada had promised all day.
He got out of his car at the same time Jada exited hers. He started toward her, but his steps slowed as he took in the look on her face.
They met up just outside of the garage.
“What in the hell is wrong with you?” Jada asked. “Seriously, Mason, is it just impossible for you to stay out of other people’s business?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Where should I start? Maybe with you begging your freaking ex-girlfriend to give me a job? Or how about butting your nose in your sister’s financial problems when I told you specifically to stay the hell out of it,” she screamed.
“You want to calm down?” Mason asked, trying his hardest to remain calm himself.
“Do I look like I want to calm down?” she yelled.
He put both hands up. “I’m not doing this in my front yard.”
He turned and walked to the front door. Instead of slamming it like he wanted to do, he held it open. He knew Jada would follow.
She didn’t disappoint.
She stomped into the house and Mason closed the door behind her.
Stopping just inside the entryway, she turned and threw her hands up in the air. “Why, Mason?”
“Why what?” he threw back at her. “Why did I call a contact with the company that you have your heart set on working for and put in a good word for you? I don’t know, I guess I just felt like being a bastard.”
“She’s not just a contact, Mason. She was your girlfriend.”
“Selena and I broke up years ago.”
Her palms flew in the air. “You know what? I don’t even care. What she was to you personally doesn’t even matter. It’s the fact that you stuck your nose in where it didn’t belong. I did not want your help, Mason. I wanted to get this job on my own. How am I supposed to know whether or not they really want me?”
“Selena Pareja isn’t going to give you a job if she doesn’t want to. We weren’t that damn close.”
She covered her face with her hands. “God, Mason. You just shouldn’t have done it. And what about Kiera?”
“What about Kiera? She was in trouble, and it’s my job to help her when she’s in trouble.”
He started to pace, because what in the hell else could he do to release this pent up frustration?
“When are you going to accept the fact that your sister does not need you stepping in to be her knight in shining armor all the time? Let her do things for herself like the adult she is.”
“Look, Jada, I don’t care what you say. I was not going to sit around and let her pay a bunch of interest on a loan when I had the money in the bank. If Kiera needs something, she should come to me. She knows I’m here for her.”
“Yes, she does. So the fact that she didn’t come to you should tell you something. Kiera would have found a way to make the money. I would have helped her if necessary.”
Mason stopped in front of her.
“How? By bringing her into your little consulting business? Forgive me if I don’t want my baby sister selling fluorescent-colored cocks for a living.”
She took a visible step back, her mouth agape. With venom in her eyes, she said, “Kiss my ass, Mason.” Then she turned and stormed out the house, slamming the door behind her.
Mason pitched his head back and rubbed between his eyes.
“Shit,” he whispered.
He blew out a weary breath and walked back to the garage, taking his briefcase from his trunk, and lowering the garage door. Then he went into his office, tossed the briefcase on the desk, and headed straight for the scotch.
Mason poured himself a finger and downed it in one gulp, then he filled the short tumbler a third of the way and carried it to his desk, plopping down in the chair and resting his head against the soft, leather headrest.
That sure as hell wasn’t what he’d expected when he spotted Jada’s car driving up.
What was it with the women in his life? Forget about being grateful for the help he offered; both Jada and Kiera had g
one crazy as hell over it.
“I was just trying to help,” Mason blew out. He sipped his scotch and set the glass on the desk. Then he ran his palms down his face.
Maybe he should have listened when Kiera, and Jada, and his mother told him to stay out of it. Maybe he should have just let Kiera handle this on her own, even though it made no damn sense whatsoever for her not to get the money she needed from him. She knew he was always here for her.
But what would happen if he wasn’t?
Mason bolted upright in the chair. He braced his elbows on the desk and rested his lips on his folded hands, contemplating a scenario he had never bothered to consider.
He knew first-hand just how quickly someone you thought would always be there could leave your world in an instant.
His eyes pinched closed against the memories that refused to be suppressed. He remembered the conversation like it happened twenty minutes ago instead of twenty years. Remembered the pride on his father’s face, and how he’d praised Mason for stepping in when his family needed him. Remembered how his dad told him that he felt relieved knowing that Mason would be there, even if he wasn’t around.
Mason’s throat tightened as he recalled how his dad had laughed when Mason covered his ears and told him that he didn’t want to talk about what would happened if he died. His dad had assured him that he would be around for a long time; he was only telling him those things as a precaution. The house fire had showed them all that anything could happen.
And the following day, it had.
At fourteen-years-old, Mason had never imagined he would be required to step up to the plate so soon. What would have happened if his dad had not prepared him for life without him? Would he have been able to take care of his mother and Kiera the way he had all these years?
Anything could happen to him: car accident, heart attack like his father, a building collapsing on top of him. There was no guarantee that he would be here. If he didn’t start allowing Kiera to handle her own problems, things would only be harder for her if the unpredictable came to pass.
As for Jada…
Mason tossed the rest of the scotch down his throat, then shot up from his chair. He paced in front of his desk, recalling the look on her face when she’d stormed out of the house.
A Little Bit Naughty (Moments in Maplesville) Page 11