Chapter 2 #2
“Thank you so much for giving us a moment of your time,” she began and Sky got a gross sinking feeling when Mason rested his hands on her shoulders and gave them a supportive knead, then kissed her hair.
She smiled back at him, her eyes shimmering before she took a deep breath and addressed the room.
“We had planned to wait for a few months to make an announcement but we goofed and I’m pregnant,” she said, her voice wavering as she pressed a hand to her stomach.
There were gasps, claps, and whistles as Mason’s hand lowered and covered hers and he grinned over her shoulder.
His grin faltered when he spotted Sky but Mason recovered quickly.
“I thought we should make an announcement and make it official, before anyone noticed that Sina isn’t drinking and keeps turning green.
And we thought we could all use some good news. ”
Adele hummed loudly, glaring at Sarina. “I noticed that Mason was drinking your wine and babying you more than usual. It might have been better to wait, though. Making a spectacle out of yourself while we’re mourning your father is…a bit disrespectful, don’t you think?”
“A spectacle?” Mason echoed and from the way his nostrils flared, it was clear even to Sky that she had touched a rare nerve.
“I think it’s wonderful and about time!” Nana declared from her seat by the fireplace and raised her teacup to them.
“You would,” Adele muttered. She had never gotten along with Nana Sutton and the elderly matriarch had never approved of Adele.
Thankfully, Uncle Lance stepped in. “They’re absolutely right. This is wonderful news and just what Stew would have wanted.” He put his arm around Adele and whistled loudly. “What I’d like to know is how a stunning, young lady like yourself could be a grandmother.”
“Stop!” Adele wound her arms around Lance’s middle and beamed up at him.
The old rascal always had a way of charming Adele out of a bad mood or a tantrum.
Lance had a way with all women, actually.
And a few men as well, if the lore about Lance was true.
Their father’s best friend had cocky, old man charisma and had always been an incorrigible flirt.
Sky thought that “Uncle Lance” looked like a lost member of the Rat Pack with his perfectly coiffed silver hair and his immaculately tailored suits.
He could get a little too affectionate when his wife, Cora, wasn’t looking.
According to Adele, Lance didn’t overlook younger caddies and bell boys either, whenever he was out of town on business or a vacation.
Aunt Cora hadn’t been able to attend the funeral or the reception, unfortunately.
It had been close to a year since Sky had seen her and was told that she was recovering from a serious chest infection after having heart surgery.
He had asked about visiting Cora while he was home but was told her immune system was too fragile for guests and that she was rarely awake or aware these days.
Lance seemed to be handling it well, though…
“We’ll find something more fitting to call you than grandma,” Lance said with a purr, lifting Adele’s hand and kissing her knuckles before winking at Sarina and Mason. “Thank you for reminding us that there are brighter days ahead and giving us two wonderful events to look forward to.”
More clapping and cheers followed and several people remarked that they were relieved to have had a break from the sad heaviness of the last few weeks.
Not Sky. He had never been more pissed off and disgusted in his life.
How could Mason do it?
And why didn’t they tell Sky? They used to be his best friends in the whole world and he could have used some good news when he was drowning in pain and Merlot.
He definitely wouldn’t have come onto Mason, no matter how drunk he was.
If that had been why Mason had freaked out and hit the brakes, he should have done it a lot sooner.
Any time before Sky took out Mason’s dick would have been a good time to share that he was with Sarina and a big announcement was imminent.
Sky bided his time until Sarina excused herself to get some fresh air and followed her out onto the back deck. “We need to talk. Now.” He grabbed her wrist and headed for the stairs so they could hide behind the pool house.
“Not now, Sky.” She pulled her hand free and hugged her chest. “I’m barely hanging on as it is.”
“It’s important,” he ground out and widened his eyes urgently but she shook her head.
“I know but it doesn’t matter. It was all a misunderstanding.”
Sky drew back, sure he hadn’t heard right. “I can believe that I misunderstood a lot of things but Mason had no business—”
“Sky!” She stomped her foot and whispered a desperate “Please!” and whimpered. “I asked him to help you because you were a wreck. We had to get you out of there before you got sick or hurt yourself. Mom wasn’t going to lift a finger. That kind of spectacle was fine, apparently.”
“Of course, it was fine. Someone else was suffering.” Sky sneered in the direction of the house.
“Mason’s lying, if he said it was just a misunderstanding.
I don’t know what happened to the Mason I used to love and look up to, but he’s lying now and he’ll probably do it again.
That looked way too easy in there.” He flailed in the direction of the living room.
Sarina laughed, but it wasn’t her happy laugh.
“That was the opposite of easy for both of us. I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in weeks and everything makes me vomit.
My tits hurt and I can’t stop peeing, which doesn’t make sense because I can’t stop crying.
I have never been this tired in my life but I can’t get an hour to myself.
I’m here with Mom or I’m at the clinic, covering as many of Dad’s patients as I can because the nearest clinic or hospital is over in Southampton. ”
“I’m so sorry, Sina.” Sky reached for her and she didn’t back away, leaning in when he hugged her.
“I don’t have tits or a uterus so I don’t understand, but that all sounds awful.
I’ll take the next semester off and we’ll figure this out together.
Maybe we could sell the practice and get a place in the city for the three of us,” he suggested off the cuff, hoping it would help Sarina see that she had other options and she wasn’t alone.
She pulled away and huffed stubbornly. “No! I’m not leaving Mason. You don’t understand how wrong you are about him and how much he’s doing for me.”
“I’m not even sure if we’re talking about the same thing!” Sky threw his hands up in frustration. “I thought it was a pretty big deal, but you’re acting like he tripped on a banana peel and fell on top of me. Things were unzipped and out.”
“Stop it, Sky!” Sarina snapped. “It was a stupid mistake, okay? You wouldn’t understand, so just let it go and leave it alone.”
“You’re right, it was stupid and I don’t understand.
” He nodded as he backed towards the door.
He was so sick—hungover, confused, and disappointed to the depths of his soul in his sister and Mason.
“You know what else is stupid?” he asked and she shot him a scowl.
“Marrying a liar and hoping for the best. Last night was fucked but this morning broke my heart. I don’t know who he is anymore or what happened to you, but this won’t end well. ”
“You don’t know that.” She wanted Sky to believe her, that she was fine and knew what she was getting into. Her lower lip wobbled and her nose was running, a dead giveaway that Sarina was scared.
“See that?” he asked angrily and pointed at her face. “I know what that face means! This is when I’d rescue you—I want to so badly—but you won’t let me. It’s my word against his and you’re sticking with Mason.”
“You don’t understand, Sky, and you’d hate it if I tried to explain! He’s sticking with me! I’d lose everything and I’d have to start over. With a baby!”
“You wouldn’t lose everything. You’d still have me.”
She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Maybe. You might change your mind if you knew the whole truth.”
Sky’s face twisted. “Change my mind about you? You’re not making any sense. I think you’re scared and choosing what you believe is the most comfortable path. I’m just a fuck-up, right? I can’t take care of you as well as he can and being the future mayor’s wife is bound to have a lot of perks.”
“Oh, fuck off! Do you really think I care about that?” she shot back in an angry hiss.
Sky shrugged. “Why else would you settle for a closeted liar who came this close to getting off with your brother?” he asked, mashing his thumb and finger together.
“It’s none of your business.”
“Fine. I’ll stay out of it. Best of luck with whatever the fuck this is.
” He flailed a hand, then turned and headed inside and straight upstairs to pack.
He said quick goodbyes to Nana and Nadine then swept past his mother on his way out, before she could manipulate him into staying.
“I have to go but I’ll call you in a week,” Sky told her before he kissed her cheek and escaped in a waiting cab.