Chapter 29
29
MASON
“Can I suggest some activities in the area?”
One of our Saturday check-in guests had just arrived. Although there was a self-check-in process—guests receiving instructions prior to arrival about their room and amenities, along with the key procedure—my father tried to greet everyone upon arrival. It wasn’t always possible since he stubbornly refused to hire someone just for that purpose, and though we still used his system, Pia and I had discussed modernizing it. Hiring someone at least during the day made sense.
Especially if I went back to the city.
“Sure,” the wife said. At least, I assumed they were married. Assumptions could be dangerous, though. Something I knew better than most. “We’re only in town for a night and have a few wineries planned this afternoon.”
“Tell me what wineries. And do you have a reservation yet for dinner?”
I talked to them for a few minutes, guided them to a different winery for their last stop and made a dinner suggestion. They left, holding hands and looking quite happy.
With no renovations on the schedule today for a change, I’d been looking forward to catching up with paperwork. And taking Pia out later tonight. It was only two hours into the paperwork that I regretted actually looking forward to it. Heritage Hill was going to need a miracle to get out of debt, and I’d turned down an incredibly generous offer last night.
“You really need an office,” Parker said, coming into the kitchen.
“I had one. Gave it to Pia.”
“Right.” Parker pulled a soda from the fridge. “But there’s plenty of places to set up another one in this place. Besides the kitchen.”
“I like the kitchen.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Job end early?”
Parker had planned to work all day. Plus we needed materials to start the windows—our next order of business on the punch list—hence the day off.
“Jack fucked up the kitchen cabinet order for our house. Not much left we can do without them, so…” He shrugged. “Afternoon off.”
“You really need to ditch him and get something going of your own.”
He waved me away. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll do that when you decide on a career yourself. Heard about the sale.” Sitting on a stool at the island, he cracked his knuckles… a habit of his that drove me nuts.
“One big decision at a time.”
“How much?”
“One point eight.”
“Million?”
“Yeah.”
Parker whistled. “That’s a chunk of change.”
“Tell me about it.”
“So what tipped your hat?”
“Honestly? Pia.”
By the look on Parker’s face, I realized he misunderstood. “Volunteering to take on a bigger role, I mean.”
Never mind the fact that, when we weren’t together, I wanted us to be. And that when we were, it felt… right. Better than right. Every time I peeled back another layer, I wanted to know more about her.
And the sex.
My fucking God. The sex.
“Uh huh.”
“Seriously. Selling this place… I couldn’t do it. But I don’t know if I’m ready to give up my career either. Especially for this. Earlier, I talked to a couple about which winery and restaurant to choose, but if it were a month ago, right about then I’d have been on the job, responding to calls. Or ordering a Riker’s Island special. Or shooting the shit with another shield.”
“Or dealing with putting someone on the bus. Or worse.”
He was right. Although it was harder in the beginning to watch someone who you knew wouldn’t make it be loaded into an ambulance. “The fact that you know what a bus is means I talk about my job too much.”
“You don’t talk about anything too much. If we didn’t pry it out of you, I probably wouldn’t even know you were NYPD.”
“Funny.”
“Listen, I’m not trying to convince you one way or another. You’ve got a lot on the line if you walk away from the force. I get it. But you complained about the politics of the job, and the city itself, more than you regaled us with war stories of the good deeds you always thought would make up for not being able to help your mother.”
“That’s not why?—”
“That’s exactly why. You might have been too drunk at Cassie’s party to remember telling me that, but it’s not something you forget. I just never needed to toss it back at you before now.”
Fuck. “I said that?”
“Sure did.”
“Cassie’s party. That was senior year in college. And you’re just telling me this now.”
“Never would have told you if I didn’t think it was necessary.” Parker shoved the soda away. “Screw this.” He went to the fridge, opened two beers and handed me one.
“I was working.”
“Operative word. Was. Now you’re drinking. And being honest with me about Pia. Beck and I are convinced there’s something more there with her.”
“You and Beck? Don’t you both have something better to do with your time than dissect my love life?”
“Not really, no.”
“We have an understanding,” I said, knowing I’d regret telling him this.
“Can’t wait to hear this one.”
I told Parker about our talk. How we’d outlined all of the possibilities between us. “She gets where we’re at.”
“In other words, Pia’s been briefed?”
I gave him a “fuck you” look.
“What? This isn’t a military mission, Mace.”
“No shit.”
“You’ve got a lot to work out in a few weeks. Can’t say I envy you, brother.”
I thought of last night. Parker might be singing another tune if he had a woman like Pia in his bed. Her proclivity for dirty talk was matched by her enthusiasm.
“If you do go back, I can’t wait for Cole to see this new Mason,” he added.
I’d been staring at my beer bottle. Parker gave me a strange look. “What?” I asked. “There’s no new Mason.”
“Sure there is. I don’t think I’ve seen you smile this much since…” He looked up, thinking. “Ever.”
“Whatever. How about a new topic? If I do go back, no way you’re continuing the renovations without me or payment.”
“Jesus. This again? You know damn well I’m not taking your money. You’re saving me rent. And I like space.”
“You mean you like not having to listen to the women Beck brings home.”
“That too.”
“Seriously though?—”
“Stop.” Parker looked me in the eyes. “If you aren’t here, it will take longer, but the renovations will get done. I have Beck, and if I need to pay anyone to help, like when we tackle some of the bigger jobs, you can take care of that. Otherwise, I don’t want to hear another thing about it.”
When Parker took that tone, a rare stern one from him, I listened. “Fine. I’ll come back as often as possible. If it weren’t for the damned mandatory overtime, I could probably make it back every other weekend. But we’ll see how it goes.”
“Sounds like you’re leaning toward that.”
If only I really was leaning in any direction. It was a huge decision, and for once in my life, I had no idea what the fuck to do. “Who knows. What are you doing tonight?”
“No plans. Why?”
“Pia is going out with her friend Delaney. Apparently she’s introducing her to some other ladies.”
“No Pia tonight. Wow. I’m surprised.”
I was too when she told me about her plans. But I also wasn’t one of those guys who needed to be with his girlfriend twenty-four seven. Not that she was actually my girlfriend. If I went back to the city, we’d agreed we would date other people. But for now, I guess…
I shook my head. “Let’s tie one on,” I said.
“Mason on the loose. Count me in.”
Tonight, I’d forget about all of it. That Dad was never going to walk into that kitchen door again. That I’d turned down almost two million dollars. That I had a huge life decision to make and the clock was ticking.
And that not seeing Pia tonight bothered me, even when it shouldn’t.
I stood up. Took out empty beer bottles and tossed them into the trash. Not caring about the papers sprawled out all over the kitchen island, I said, “Let’s start now.”