They were both breaking out of their shells.
“Are you sure they're okay with this? Me just stopping over with you?”
He laughed. “I told you, they invited us. Believe me, they like you.”
She steeled herself and went to move past him. He stopped her with a gentle hand on the shoulder.
“I do have to warn you about something,” he said. “Brian and Lisa are always trying to play matchmaker. If they make you feel uncomfortable, get me in a corner and whisper something to me.”
“They think we're a couple?”
“I'm afraid to even guess what they think.”
“It's a good thing we know better, right?”
He nodded and turned to walk to the front door. She frowned slightly.
It was obvious Mason liked spending time with her, enjoyed her personality. He didn't find her foot horrible, but did he find her attractive?
Why did she even care?
“If Brian stares at you, let me know,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
He turned around and looked her up and down. His eyes on her gave her goosebumps.
“You're hot,” he said with a slight smile. “I'm surprised you haven't caught me staring at you.”
She blushed. “Well, it seems you're good at keeping secrets.”
“You have no idea.”
He didn't bother knocking on the front door. He cracked it open a few inches and poked his head inside.
“There aren't any naked people in here, are there?”
Brian's voice came from the kitchen. “Get in here. Lisa's making me help with the cooking.”
Mason closed his eyes and enjoyed the smell. Tomatoes, mozzarella, cottage cheese, basil, sausage, garlic bread. It was a beautiful assault on the senses. Lisa could definitely cook.
“That smells really good,” Kelly said.
Dani came running out of the kitchen, wearing a Baltimore Orioles shirt.
“Uncle Mason! Mom's making lasagna.”
“Yeah, we figured that out.” He gave his niece a hug.
Brian stood in the kitchen doorway, across from the dining room. Mason laughed when he saw Brian and Dani wore the same shirt.
“Mason,” he said. “Heads up.”
He tossed a can of iced tea across the dining room. Mason caught it neatly in one hand.
“Kelly, what do you drink? Tea, soda, beer, water?”
“A soda is fine.”
“Hmm. Throwing a soda might not be smart.”
“That hasn't stopped you before,” Lisa said.
Kelly laughed.
Dani threw her arms in the air. “I'll get it!”
She delivered the soda personally to Kelly. Mason smiled. He could see his family already liked Kelly.
“Hey, Kelly,” Brian said as he left the kitchen. “Mason tells me you saw us on television yesterday.”
Mason sat on the loveseat adjacent from the couch. He thought Kelly would sit on the couch away from him, where there was more room.
She sat next to him.
“Yeah. Last night at work.”
“Now, be honest. Who did you notice first? Me or him?”
“Brian,” Lisa said from the kitchen. She appeared in the doorway holding a spatula. “What are you doing in there?”
“Mason,” Kelly answered without hesitation.
Brian feigned shock and looked at his wife. “Do you hear this?”
Lisa laughed and gave Kelly a wink. “Smart woman.”
Brian's smile faded, and he pointed at Mason. “Seriously, though. Good job yesterday, man. I have a few cases coming up that's gonna need some surveillance, if you're interested.”
Mason laughed. “Your captain will love that. He hates me.”
“He doesn't need to play spy for you anymore,” Lisa said. “They're both rich now, remember?”
“Oh yeah. That's right. You guys don't dress rich.”
“Brian!”
Mason and Kelly both laughed. Brian rolled his eyes.
“Back in the kitchen I go.” He grabbed Dani by the hand. “Let's go, Ace.”
Kelly wrapped her arm gently around Mason's shoulders and pulled him close so she could whisper. “I think your clothes fit you very well.”
Mason wasn't an expert in flirting, but he was sure that qualified.
He was awkward in many areas of his life after leaving Yingling. He only had five years in the real world, but didn't feel awkward around Kelly.
Feeling her whisper in his ear gave him chills.
Kelly could see why Mason loved his adopted family.
They were a lot of fun. Brian laughed and joked around with his daughter while Lisa told them both to behave. Brian and Lisa were both very much in love with each other. Even with a seven-year-old daughter running around the room, they both kissed and sat close on the couch.
When Brian joked with Kelly directly for the first time, telling her she was jealous of the mighty man Lisa had landed, Kelly knew she was part of the group.
The game was nearly over when Lisa stood up to go to the kitchen.
“I'll wash dishes.” She looked at Brian. “Pick a movie for us to watch. And try to remember we have young ones present.”
“Hey, now,” Brian pulled Dani close. “My little girl watches all kinds of movies now.”
“I was talking about you.”
“Oh the comedy wife strikes again.”
Kelly laughed and stood up from the loveseat. She put a hand on Mason's knee before doing so.
“I'll give you a hand.”
“You don't have to do that. You're a guest here. That's husband duty.”
Brian groaned.
“I don't mind at all.”
Kelly followed Lisa into the kitchen. Lisa washed dishes in the sink while Kelly dried with a hand towel.
“So, what do you think of Mason?” Lisa asked.
Kelly opened her mouth to answer when she heard a loud cheer from the living room. Both women leaned in the kitchen doorway to see Brian and Dani dancing. The home crowd cheered on television. Mason sat on the couch, simply watching his crazy family.
Kelly kept her gaze on Mason.
It wasn't only his looks that caught her attention. There was a shy tenderness about him that appealed to her. The few patrons at work that occasionally flirted with her did so in the most obnoxious way. Mason was quiet and kept to himself, a rarity in the loud times they lived in. His face would turn red when she complimented him, and he'd unleash that shy, heart-melting smile.
He saved children for a living, and now that he had money, wanted to do it for free.
She remembered Mason telling her Lisa and Brian would try to play matchmaker. That wasn't necessary. She didn't want to have feelings for Mason, but it was too late.
She wanted to be more subtle with Lisa, but couldn't help herself.
“I think he's incredible.”
Lisa laughed and went back to washing dishes. “Yeah, Mason's great. He slept on that same couch in there for almost a year. I was against it at first. I was dealing with a two-year-old daughter, too.” She rolled her eyes as more cheers erupted from the living room. “Now it's like I have three kids.”
Kelly laughed.
“He likes you, too. I can tell.”
Kelly smiled and nodded. “He keeps a lot to himself. But I'm starting to see that.”
“He introduced you to us. That's enough by itself.”
After the game they watched Harry Potter. Kelly kept her hands to herself, but leaned her head on Mason's shoulder. He surprised her by leaning his head on top of hers. She felt like she was in middle school all over again.
The sun was slowly setting when Mason figured it would be a good time to leave. Kelly got another hug from Lisa on the way out the door.
In just a few weeks, Kelly had made a friend in Lisa. And something much more.
Mason talked about a few of the cases he worked on personally with Brian as he drove her back to her hous
e. He didn't like taking money from parents searching for their children, but he had no problem taking a check from the police department.
As always, he walked her to her front door.
He wished her a good night and started the short walk back to his Jeep.
Kelly wanted him to stay. She wanted the simple things. She wasn't ready for heavy emotions. But she wanted to sit with him in her basement, watch television, maybe hold his hand.
“Mason?”
He turned to face her. “Yeah?”
“Would I be out of line if I asked for a hug?”
“I haven't done a lot of hugs in my time. But let's see what we got here.”
She met him halfway up the driveway.
Their short hug turned into a twenty second embrace.
Neither one of them wanted to let go.
He almost raised his hand to rub her back, but controlled himself. Her hair pressed against his cheek, and he realized she wore a tiny amount of perfume. It was either perfume, or she had a naturally appealing scent.
Kelly smiled against his shoulder and pressed her chest tighter against him. Mason liked to keep things to himself, but couldn't hide his attraction. She felt her own breath hitch as he gave her a gentle squeeze.
Physical and emotional attraction mixed together was a fun thing to deal with.
She couldn't believe she used to scowl at the mention of his name.
“Call me tomorrow?” she said.
He finally managed to pull away and smile. He was embarrassed from enjoying a simple hug so much, but hoped he hid it well.
In his defense, it was a hug from Kelly.
He was afraid to think of what might happen if their lips touched. His head would probably explode.
“Yeah. I think I'm gonna go home. Toss a few pounds of ice in the tub.”
She laughed, pleased with herself.
She never had much of an ego, never thought of herself as overly attractive. When his eyes were on her, she felt like the sexiest woman in the world.
She stood in the driveway until he drove away.
It was going to be fun getting to know everything about him.
Chapter 15
Mason and Kelly didn't see each other for the next few days. They did talk on the phone most nights, which was the next best thing.
She did perhaps the corniest thing she'd ever done in her life. One night, they both watched the same movie and talked on the phone at the same time.
For a while, Kelly thought he was actually living with a woman named Lucy. She laughed when he told her Lucy was a ferret.
Another surprise was how quickly she became friends with Lisa.
She felt a little out of Lisa's league. Lisa was ten years older, wiser, had a job where she actually had to dress up. But she treated Kelly with respect and didn't act better than her at all.
They talked on the phone as Kelly drove home one night. It felt like they'd been friends for years. They talked about their jobs, how Dani was doing in school, decorating Kelly's new home, and of course, Mason.
“I can't believe you hated him when you were a kid,” Lisa said. “You didn't even know him.”
“I know, I know. What can I say? I was a stupid kid.”
“Have you seen him this week?”
“Not yet. We've talked on the phone.”
“Well, when I pick up Dani at his place, you're all he talks about.”
Kelly smiled into the phone. She pulled into her driveway.
“It's after midnight. Don't you have to go to bed?”
“Yeah. Brian's already in bed. Maybe I'll wake him up and rock his world.”
“Lisa!”
“What? We're married. Not dead.”
“I just pulled up to my house. I think I'll be hitting the bed myself.”
“Okay. I'll call you tomorrow.”
Kelly hung up and shoved the phone in her purse. She wanted to call Mason, but she was tired. She also didn't want to wake him up.
She wanted to see him. She needed to make that happen soon.
She reached out to stick her key in the front door.
The door opened a few inches on its own.
Dread crept over her. Through the gap in the door she could see her living room, barely visible by the porch light. The few magazines and books she had on her coffee table were scattered on the floor.
She pushed the door open all the way.
The bookshelf in the dining room was empty. Every book was on the floor. The dining room chairs were knocked over.
A quick flash of memory hit her. A rag soaked with ether held to her face while she was dragged inside a van. She had gaps in her memory as she was carried inside a house and chained to a wall. She remembered the smell of nature, and that musty basement.
The rest she remembered completely. It haunted her dreams at night.
She knew Neil Grainger wasn't in her home. He was locked up, far away. That didn't stop the terror from washing over her. That didn't stop her from running back to her car and locking herself inside.
She curled up as tight as she could and laid across both seats. Tears flowed freely down her face. Her hands shook as she reached into her purse and clutched her pepper spray like it was a life jacket. Her breath came in short, raspy bursts.
She could feel the chain wrapped around her ankle.
She pulled the leg of her slacks up to her knee and rubbed her foot, sobbing as her fingers ran over the scars.
She knew she was in her car. But the only thing she could feel under her was that dirt floor. She could hear the basement door opening and the creaky steps as Neil walked down, whistling Amazing Grace.
Her hands still shook, but she managed to call the only person she could think of.
*****
Mason wasn't sure how many laws he broke driving to Kelly's house. He drove sixty miles per hour in a thirty zone and ran three red lights. He turned normally what was a fifteen minute drive into five.
He parked at an odd angle in Kelly's driveway, not even bothering to shut the driver's side door.
He wanted to stay on the phone with her on the drive over, but he had to call Brian. He had no idea what to expect when he made it to Kelly's. She barely made any sense on the phone. She simply begged him to come over, and something about her living room being messed up.
He took slow steps up the driveway, scanning everything he could see.
Doc's voice echoed in his head.
Be aware.
No lights were on in the house, only the porch light. The front door was wide open. He could see a set of keys sitting on the front doorstep. Kelly must have dropped them.
He saw a flash of movement, and red hair, in Kelly's car.
He jogged to her door and looked through the passenger's side window. Kelly was curled on her side, staring at the glove compartment. He tapped on the window.
“Kelly? It's Mason.”
She looked at him. His heart broke as he saw the terror and tears running down her face. He immediately thought back to when he first saw her in that horrible basement.
She unlocked the door, but made no move to get out. Mason opened the door and knelt down to be at her level. He grabbed her hands and held them tight.
“It's okay. I'm here.”
She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck. Mason laced his hands around her back and lifted her out. She didn't resist, but she didn't help either. Only when she was on her feet did she lock her legs and bury her head into Mason's shoulder. He kept his arms around her and simply held her.
He peered into her house as best he could. Through the open front door and part of the living room window he could see books and chairs on the floor. It looked like a robbery.
He breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid someone assaulted her.
Kelly spoke into his shoulder through hitched breathing.
“Thank you...for coming.”
He ran a hand through her hair and let it rest on the back of her neck.
“It's quite simple, Kell. You need me, I'm there.”
She smiled. She liked her new nickname. Finally, the basement started to vanish around her. She was only aware of the feel of Mason's body and heartbeat against her chest.
The sound and flash of sirens cut through the night. Mason turned his head to see four squad cars pulling up on the street, almost all at the same time. Leading the way was Brian in his personal car.
His best friend jogged up the driveway. Despite everything happening, Mason let out a smile. Brian wore a white shirt with no tie, his dress pants, and bunny slippers. His hair was a mess.
Even Kelly managed a chuckle.
Six uniformed officers followed Brian. They stopped when he did.
“What's up?” Brian asked.
Mason shook his head and looked his friend up and down. “Holy hell, Brian.”
Brian didn't crack a smile. “You said you needed help. Didn't think I had time for a shower. What's going on?”
Mason gestured with his head toward the house. “Looks like a robbery.”
Brian squinted his eyes. The burglar was most likely long gone, but they would play it safe.
He nodded to the uniformed officers, and they approached the front door, guns drawn.
Kelly calmed down as the minutes passed. She pulled away from Mason, although it felt great to be in his arms. Neighbors came out of their houses and watched from their yards, curious about what was happening.
Fifteen minutes passed. Brian emerged through the front door and approached Mason and Kelly.
“No one's inside,” he said. “It's a bit of a mess in there. A lot of things knocked around. All the dresser drawers were open, a lot of books on the floor. We're dusting for prints now, then you can start cleaning up and see if anything's missing.”
“Is there any way we can do this tomorrow? I...really don't want to go in there tonight. I'll get a change of clothes and stay at a hotel.”
“No,” Mason said. “You're coming with me.”
She shook her head. “It's okay, Mason. I got money, remember? A hotel isn't a big deal.”
Brian winced and looked around to make sure neighbors weren't listening in.
“We'll finish dusting for prints. You can get an overnight bag, go wherever you want.” He pulled a set of plastic gloves from his back pocket. “Get what you need, but try not to move anything around too much. Tomorrow, when you're ready, we can see if anything's missing.”
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