43. Chapter 43 #2
“Well, I, for one, am a strong believer that mother’s know their bodies better than anyone else.
” Dr. Reed’s smile returned. “But, the main things to watch for are heavy bleeding, her water breaking, or if she has contractions that are five minutes apart for over an hour. It’s also important to make sure these contractions are getting stronger, as I saw on Mason’s chart that she recently had a false alarm with labor. ”
I nodded, trying to absorb every word as if my life depended on it, and to be fair: it kind of did. Sure, I’d be alive, but I knew Mason was my last chance at having the family I’d always dreamed of, not as Cameron, but back when the only name I had was Calvin Waters .
After we left the appointment, we took Mason to a café she liked just up the street. According to Mason, it was a mandatory routine because she deserved a treat after going to the doctor, and I didn’t argue. So, we stopped, and I got coffee for the house.
Sophia’s order was always the same: an Iced Oat Milk Latte with Vanilla and Lavender. Lucian tended to like his coffee black and iced, but I got him the same thing as Sophia, intending to make him drink the whole thing as a sort of punishment for blowing off Mason.
I was a little surprised to see that Seb liked his coffee the same way as his brother, but I wondered if he actually liked the black coffee or if he didn’t allow himself to enjoy anything that tasted good.
It was a little funny that he himself stuck to such a rigid diet, but when Mason was torn between ordering what looked like a gourmet Poptart and a chocolate croissant, he encouraged her to get both.
She listened and managed to drink all of her London Fog and devour the pop-tart within the first ten minutes of the ride home, but she saved the croissant until we got home. I wasn’t sure why until we pulled in.
On the porch, Lucian sat in one of the many wooden rocking chairs. His long hair was pulled back into a low, uncharacteristically messy, bun. A few of the loose vine-like curls swayed as he slowly propelled himself back and forth.
Mason was the first to get out of the truck, and I was a little afraid she’d fall because of how fast she went.
Before my seat belt was off, Lucian was standing and she threw herself at him like a golden retriever who missed their owner.
Lucian’s expression softened as he held her, kissing the top of her head before his eyes fluttered shut and he breathed her in. And, all I could think about was how he didn’t deserve to be Mason’s fiance.
Sebastian and I got out at the same time, and I wasn’t immune to the fact that he reached for my hand the second I was within range.
I never expected him to be so touchy, but I wasn’t opposed to it.
There was something grounding about Sebastian’s presence.
It was like he and I were two parts of the same puzzle, but not a good one.
Actually, he and I were more like bits from two different puzzles that somehow just fit together. It didn't make sense, and it felt right and wrong at the same time, but the connection I felt toward him was undeniable, just like the one between Mason and Lucian.
She pulled her face away from his chest and looked at him like he was the sun. The warmth she held for him made my heart ache, this time not from jealousy, but because, for the first time ever, I feared Lucian would hurt Mason worse than he already had.
If he did, it wouldn’t be intentional, but it would break her.
He was already flaking out on her, and while I loved Lucian, I was starting to think he was too rough around the edges to be with someone like Mason.
Instead she deserved someone a little softer, someone just as willing to protect her… someone like Seb.
And, I was willing to play matchmaker if it meant her choosing Seb over him.
“How was the appointment?” Lucian asked.
He was completely focused on Mason, but I didn’t want to risk her smoothing this over. I wanted Lucian to be upset for shrugging her off.
“You’d know if you’d have gone.” My words came out barbed and Lucian’s brows raised.
But, he knew better than to argue. I wasn’t afraid to take his pretty ass over my knee and beat him black and blue, in a sexual way of course. I’d never abuse my lovers, but fuck did I want him to pay for what he did to Mason.
“I know.” He sniffled as he rubbed his nose. “But with me feeling under the weather, I thought it’d be better for me to stay back.”
Mason paused as she pulled back from Lucian a little more. “I thought you said you had something to do?”
His face quickly shifted to a look of oh shit . And, my first thought went to him hiding something from us. Sure, he’d been sober for six or so months, but that didn’t mean I’d forgotten how good he was at sweeping things under the rug and pretending they didn’t exist.
“I uh, I did. I was supposed to go to the shop for Sera’s apprenticeship, but I started not feeling well again this morning.”
Mason’s gaze narrowed, and I wondered if she was as suspicious as I felt. “You’re sick again? What’s wrong? ”
Lucian pulled back away as he scratched his head. “I’m having stomach problems–It’s happened every now and then since I got sober.”
His discomfort was palpable, so I decided to let this continue.
“Is it serious? Do you need to go to the doctor?” Mason pressed on.
“What? No!” He laughed, waving her off. “I threw up once and I was fine.”
“Then why didn’t you go to work?”
Lucian’s eyes flickered to Sebastian and I before landing back on Mason. “Because…I think it was just stress caused by missing your appointment, and I thought I might feel better once I got to see you.”
She seemed to ease into his words and her smile returned. “Oh, well I guess you don’t want a bite of the croissant I brought back from the bakery.”
His shoulders eased, and it seemed like he could breathe easy again. “Nope, all I need is some time with my beautiful fiancée.”
Sebastian tensed as he said that, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he let Lucian guide Mason inside before looking at me over his shoulder.
“I know I may tend to over analyze things, so correct me if I’m wrong. But Lucian’s hiding something, isn’t he?” Sebastian sounded almost bored with the conversation despite it being one he picked.
“I uh, I think so.”
I just couldn’t figure out what.