Chapter 16
16
MASON
“Beck still sleeping?” Parker asked, handing me a coffee. He was an early riser, like me. Some habits were hard to break, and waking up before the crack of dawn in the army was one of them.
“What do you think?”
He sat at the kitchen island, pushing his stool in close. “I think he’s not the only one sleeping upstairs this morning, a fact that hasn’t eluded you, I’m sure.”
“I never should have admitted anything to that asshole.”
“Oh, okay.” Parker laughed. “Because otherwise I had no fucking clue. Come on, man.”
Glaring at him did absolutely no good. Unlike the perps I dealt with, ones who weren’t accustomed to bracelets and could be intimidated into behaving, my old friend couldn’t give a shit.
“Like I told Beck, it doesn’t matter. I’m her boss, and it wouldn’t be right.”
“Is that the real problem, though? I mean, it’s just the two of you here, really. This isn’t a corporate America job where you guys have to look over your shoulder because the big boss might be offended. Consenting adults and all of that.”
He sounded just like Beck.
“Yeah,” I insisted, leaning against the kitchen counter, “that’s the problem.”
“Not the pact?”
“I don’t give a fuck about losing a few hundred dollars.”
“But you do believe in the reason we made the pact in the first place.”
I couldn’t argue with that. No way I would go through what my dad endured. “True.” I added, “Who knows if I’m even staying.”
“You’re staying. No way I’m moving back into that apartment with Beck. I like not being able to hear his nighttime antics.”
I rolled my eyes. “You could get your own place, you know.”
“I could try. But Beck is like the little brother I never asked for. He’d be pissed. I’ve never met anyone who hates to be alone so much.”
I thought of Beck’s family situation. “There’s a reason for it, as you know.”
“True. But back to Pia…”
“I thought my ears were ringing.”
Lord have mercy. She wore sweats and a tee, her hair up in a messy bun. No makeup. Not a stitch. Pia looked like she’d just rolled out of bed. Sexy as fuck. Unfortunately, it hadn’t been my bed.
“Morning,” I grumbled, aware of a tone I hadn’t intended.
“Is he always so happy in the morning?” Pia asked Parker.
“Time of day doesn’t matter much, or haven’t you noticed?”
“Oh I’ve noticed.”
“I’m standing right here,” I said, not taking my eyes off Pia.
“Oh look, you are,” she teased. “Two things,” she said, all work efficiency now. “I found the bathroom but it doesn’t seem to have any towels. And I popped my head into the second kitchen and Esther’s preparing breakfast already. Does she always start so early?”
Second kitchen was what we called the inn’s kitchen that my dad had added on years ago, though it had never been utilized for anything more than breakfast.
“Yeah, why?”
“I think she may be underpaid. The woman works seven days a week and for more hours than I realized if she’s already in there prepping.”
“Let’s talk about it,” I said, more than open to the idea of increasing Esther’s pay, since it was something I’d already considered. “And I’ll grab some towels for you.”
“Coffee?” Parker asked Pia.
She smiled and nodded. “Yes please.”
“Cream and sugar are there.” He pointed to the counter after hopping off his stool to grab her a mug. “Did you guys have a good time last night?”
After painting into the night and grabbing some takeout with Parker, I’d passed by Pia’s room. The sound of muffled voices told me she and her sister were inside, which made for a mostly restless night, Pia so close to my bedroom. At least three times my eyes popped open as I wondered if Sophia was still in there. Or if Pia was already asleep.
Or was she lying awake, thinking of me?
Unlikely.
“We did. Mom loved the Big Easy, even though it’s not Italian. But I have a horrible wine headache from staying up way too late with Soph.”
Pia was avoiding eye contact this morning.
“If your mom likes Italian,” Parker said, “take her to Bella Luna. It’s in a restored historic building on Lake Street. Very rustic with the best wood-fired pizza around. Oh, and make sure you get the tiramisu. It’s incredible.”
“You wanna come?”
Parker looked at me. Finally, Pia did too.
“You’re more than welcome,” she said.
I began to shake my head—being around Pia more was the last thing I needed—when Parker answered and opened his mouth first.
“Sure, we’d love to. Mason and I will be painting all day, so later is better.”
“I’ll call and see if I can get a rezzie for five of us after seven. I assume Beck is working?”
“Always,” Parker said. “But maybe your mom and sister would like to visit the fine Cedar Falls establishment of O’Malley’s Pub after dinner?”
Listening to Pia’s tinkering laugh was one way to start the day. I was getting fucking hard watching her. Listening to her. Imagining her under me.
“Maybe just Soph. My mom will more than likely want to be dropped off. But who knows.”
Fucking great. Dinner. Pub. And she was literally sleeping down the hall from me.
“You okay?” Parker asked. The fucker actually smirked. He knew I wasn’t okay, and only the fact that he would be painting with me on his day off would save him. And he knew it.
“Come on,” I said. “I’ll get you those towels.”
Without a backward glance, I headed up the stairs.
“Someone is extra cranky this morning.”
“I’m not cranky,” I said, in a tone that defied my statement.
“Whatever you say.”
I headed to the towel closet in the hall next to my room. Pia paused at the open door and didn’t hide the fact that she was peeking inside.
“So this is where the cranky Mason Bennett lays his head, huh?”
I froze, closed my eyes and prayed for strength, and then turned. There was only so much a man could take. Especially one that tuned up for the very woman standing… at the entrance… of his bedroom.
Fuck me. “Nothing special about it.”
“Is that Luke Skywalker?”
I moved closer to her. “Dad remodeled a few years back,” I said. “But I kept that poster from when I was a kid.”
“ Star Wars fan, huh?”
I stepped inside the room, fully aware she would follow.
“For life,” I said, thankful I’d made my bed. Aside from that poster, most of the room was nondescript.
“No kidding. Can’t say I’m a huge sci-fi fan. But he is cute.” Pia looked around. “Very neat.”
“Army habit.”
“You seem to have a lot of those. What are some others?”
“Punctuality. Resilience. Respect for authority. There are lots of them.”
We stood much too close for comfort.
In my fucking bedroom.
Every muscle in my body screamed for me to reach out. To pull her into me. To throw Pia onto my bed and make her scream my name.
“We should go,” I said, not waiting for her to respond. Once out in the hall, I closed the door.
“I’m sorry,” she said as I reached for the door to the towel closet.
“Why?” I asked, pulling out two towels and a hand towel. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“Wandering into your bedroom like that.”
I handed Pia the towels. “Pia, there’s a lot of ways I could respond to that, but being respectful,” I said truthfully, “of our positions here, I’ll keep it clean. You have nothing to be sorry for. Furthermore, you never have to apologize to me. Ever.”
“What if I do something wrong?”
“Fix it. But don’t apologize.”
“Ever?”
“Ever.”
“Why?”
“Not apologizing doesn’t mean avoiding accountability. It’s a reminder to take opportunities to learn and grow. You can be mindful of feedback but unwilling to compromise values or well-being without hesitation too.”
“You’ve thought a lot about this?”
“I’ve thought a lot about everything. Doesn’t mean you have to agree with me.”
Pia flattened her full lips, thinking. “I’m not sure about this. But duly noted either way. Except…” She bit her lip.
Fuck.
Me.
“What if I am sorry. I just… don’t say it?”
“Give me an example.”
“Like peeking into your room.”
“Bad example. There’s nothing to be sorry for. I’d peek at yours too.”
“You would?” She blinked up at me, and so help me God, I wanted to kiss her.
“Yes, I would. Try again,” I said, anxious to be away from the bedroom talk.
“What if I screwed up a reservation? Double-booked a room. And the guests were not willing to accept any compensation and threatened to leave bad reviews?”
“I’d tell them to get fucked.”
Pia laughed. “You know what, maybe we should revise the duties flowchart so you aren’t dealing with any guests, ever.”
Smiling, I had to admit that was not such a bad plan. “Maybe I’d be more tactful than that,” I admitted. “But instead of apologizing, you could say, ‘I would like to fix this error.’”
“But isn’t that apologizing?”
“No, it’s you taking ownership without any remorse.”
“Hmmm. Semantics, I think.”
“To you, maybe.”
“You’re a hard man, Mason. Has anyone ever told you that?”
“Many people.”
“I’ll learn your weakness yet.” With that, Pia stalked off to the bathroom, muttering something about kittens.
You are my weakness .
A scary fucking thought indeed.