35. Mason #2
When we walk back downstairs, the boys are on the couch with some cartoon playing, wrestling with each other, and getting pretty rowdy.
My stepmom appears in the doorway, placing her purse on one of the chairs. “What is all this noise—oh.”
Her gaze lands on Simone, soft but curious.
“I’m Rose,” she says, smiling warmly. “You must be the friend Mason said he was bringing.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Simone says politely. “It’s really nice to meet you.”
Rose looks between us, then at me, smiling before she turns back to Simone.
“It’s nice to meet you, too. Dinner will be ready shortly. Make yourself at home.”
Dinner is actually pretty nice…at first. Mostly because my dad is running late, so everyone currently at this table is pleasant to be around.
About ten minutes go by, and then the front door opens. My dad walks in, and instantly his gaze sweeps the room, landing on Simone.
“Who’s this?”
I see Simone straighten and hate it. He can make me feel small all he wants, but he won’t be doing that to her. Not tonight, not on my watch.
Before I can say anything, Rose speaks up. “This is Simone. A friend of Mason’s from college.”
He nods and sits down at the head of the table, not even introducing himself to her.
That pisses me off, but what’s new? Everything he does pisses me off. I guess we share that sentiment about each other.
It’s silent for a while after he starts eating. Nobody wants to talk now, and I can feel how uncomfortable everyone in the room feels—even my brothers.
Lucky for us, my dad never knows how to read a room or keep his mouth shut for long.
“You don’t need girls distracting you from school and football, Mason,” he says flatly. “Especially ones who have you coming in my house smelling like marijuana.”
Simone stiffens beside me.
My jaw clenches, and I have to dig my nails into the palm of my hand to keep my temper controlled. I don’t respond, and he takes that as an open invitation to keep going.
“How stupid are you, Mason? You do know you can get kicked off the football team for having that in your system, right?”
“I wasn’t—”
He doesn’t let me finish; he just cuts me off, turning to Simone beside me and looking her up and down in her seat. “How exactly do you know my son?”
“Um, we met through a couple of Greek events,” she answers nervously. “I’m in the Delta Gamma sorority at the college.”
He huffs, and it makes me want to snatch the breath right out of his fucking lungs.
“Of course you are. Just another sorority girl looking for a come-up.”
“Don’t—” I snap.
Simone’s hand lands on my knee, silently telling me it’s okay, to stand down.
I really don’t want to. But I let her hold her own.
She straightens in her chair, and I place my hand over hers on my leg. “It’s not like that, Mr. Sinclair,” she tells him politely. “We’re not dating or hooking up, and there’s no amount of money or lack thereof that influences our friendship.”
My dad shoves a bite of food into his mouth, indifference written all over his smug face.
Then he points his fork at her. “But you enjoyed that private jet, didn’t you?”
“She didn’t even want to use it,” I defend.
I feel her squeeze my leg, and I look up to see her face soften on me.
I hate her being subjected to his shit. If I had known he had no home training around outside guests, I would never have asked her to come. As much as I love her being around, she doesn’t deserve to be talked down to.
“It’s okay,” she tells me, then turns back to my dad. “Sir, with all due respect, I’m not some money-chasing college girl looking to use your son in any capacity. I grew up lower-middle-class, and I’m currently pursuing a law degree. I plan on working very hard for everything I earn in my life.”
He just hums under his breath, focusing back on his food. “I haven’t seen you bring a girl around here since…what was her name? Jackie? Yeah…and we see how that turned out.”
Thanks for reminding me, Dad.
He just keeps going. “Do pot heads typically get hired at many reputable firms?”
“Scott,” Rose hisses from beside him.
“What? It’s a legitimate question. I don’t know any druggy lawyers, do you?”
“That’s enough,” I spit, standing up from the table. “We’re done here.”
I reach my hand out for Simone to take.
She looks up at me, hesitating, then takes it and stands with me.
“We have things to go over,” my dad says flatly, not even caring that he’s offended either of us.
“We can go over them tomorrow before I leave…or better yet, have them fucking emailed to me. This trip was pointless.”
“Language,” Rose warns.
The boys giggle, then stop when their mom glares at them.
“We’ll be in my room. If you need something…well, too bad.”
I take her hand, guiding her away from the dining room.
“Thank you for dinner, Rose,” I tell her as I pass by her seat.
“Are you still gonna watch a movie with us?” Easton asks as we’re walking away.
I stop and turn back. “Of course, bud. I’ll set it up in my room, okay? Y’all can come up there after you finish with dinner and your baths.”
They both nod, and I turn back, ignoring anything else my dad is still saying under his breath. I stop in the kitchen, grab the whole six-pack of beer he has in the fridge, and take it upstairs.
An hour later, we’re all on the couch in my room with Honey I Shrunk the Kids playing on the TV. Easton is on my right side, and Asher is on the other side of Simone, putting her next to me with the boys boxing us in together.
Asher moves to lay his head on Simone’s lap, getting tired, and I watch as she mindlessly starts running her hands through his hair, still watching the movie.
I can’t hide my smile, and I’m glad it’s dark in here so she doesn’t see it.
Easton leans against my side, and I put my arms up over the back of the couch to be out of the way. My fingers graze Simone’s shoulder, but she doesn’t react. She actually…moves in closer.
Halfway through the movie, both boys are asleep, and Simone has tucked herself into me, leaning her head on my shoulder. When I look over at her, she’s asleep too.
I should get the boys in their bed…but I can’t move. I don’t want to move. I don’t want to be anywhere but here right now.
I thought I would spend all night resisting the urge to pull Simone next to me in my bed, but it looks like I don’t have to. She’s cuddled up next to me, sleeping like a baby.
Exactly where she belongs.
It freaks me out to feel that way.