Page 72 of Obsessed

“I am.” Rain said proudly, love bubbling up inside of him as he turned to Mason, but Mason wasn’t returning the sentiment because he was too busy staring at Finn.

As the conversation hit a natural lull, Mason stepped forward, extending his hand to Finn. “I apologize for hitting you on the day of the fire.”

Ollie gasped but stayed silent, watching carefully. Since Mason and Rain hadn’t talked much after that ridiculous day, Rain had heard the entire story from Ollie, and he’d been shocked and smitten that Mason had gone so feral trying to get to him. And now Mason was owning up, something he wouldn’t have done before, showing Rain that he was willing to try and willing to change.

As usual, Finn didn’t have an awkward bone in his body, easily taking Mason’s hand.

“It’s fine, it’s in the past. Besides, if it was Ollie up there? I would’ve done the same thing.”

“Awww,” Ollie crooned, leaning on Finn. “It’s true and - oh noway! Jaxaphone, you made it!” Attention easily grabbed, Ollie flounced over to a man with bleach-blonde hair and a grimace on his face, and Finn went from cordial to worried.

“You okay, Jax?” Finn asked, hugging him as he came over.

“I’ve been better,” Jax gave him a pinched smile. “I got fired again.”

“Why?” Concern lined Ollie’s brow.

“I got tired of watching the chef-slash-owner grope the waitresses so I groped him instead, asked him how he liked it.” Anger flashed in Jax’s eyes and Rain instantly liked him.

“You are a king,” Tommy declared.

“Naw, I’m just an unemployed cook with rent to pay.” He shifted, cracking his neck and shaking out one leg as if it bothered him, his behavior reminding Rain of Tristan.

“I might be able to help with that.” Frowning a bit in thought, Finn pulled out his phone, texting.

“Really? That would be awesome,” Jax moved closer to the portraits, taking in a few before turning to Rain and Mason. “Hi, I’m Jax. Finn’s brother.”

“The infamous brother!” Rain exclaimed, and handshakes went around again, but Jax lingered on Mason, pumping his arm a few more times.

“Your photos are amazing. I love how you underexposed this one.” He pointed to the portrait beside him and Rain tried not to giggle as Mason puffed up with pride. The tells were subtle; his posture straightened a hair and his eyes glinted, but that was his way of strutting like a peacock.

“Thank you.” The joy on Mason’s face was undeniable. “A lot of photographers fight shadow but I like to harness it-”

“Congratulations, guys!” Angelo boomed as he, Emma, Kate, Marci, and Dylan all stumbled through the crowd like there was a Pointe meeting in front of Rain’s pictures, and loud greetings ensued, the gallery filling with their joyful and boisterous energy.

“Oh, wow!” Kate’s mouth fell open as she noticed the portraits, immediately breaking off to check them out, Angelo quickly following.

“Mason, you’re incredible.” Marci toasted him with her glass of champagne. “I’m glad I have you locked down for my wedding because after this? You’re going to be too busy for brides.”

“For real,” Dylan chimed in, staring at a photo of Rain under the weeping willow a few days before The Pointe’s fire. The angle and the lens made it seem like he had stepped in from another world, and he could see why Mason called him an elfin prince.

Emma stood in front of the main portrait for a while, holding her expression tightly, and then she blinked a few times, wrapping her arm around Rain’s shoulders once he joined her.

“That one’s stunning. He sees you in a way that says you need to keep him.”

“I am,” Rain vowed. After all that despair, being with Mason again felt surreal; he still couldn’t wrap his head around the photos Mason had selected and he’d need a few days for things to truly sink in, but right now his heart was so full he felt heady, and he couldn’t wipe the smile from his face as everyone intermingled, Tommy getting to know his coworkers as well as Jax.

“Is Tristan coming?” Mason asked, never more than a few feet away. For once there were no lines in his forehead and his grin had grown, which meant that he was enjoying himself. Of course he was, people were constantly stopping in front of his section, showering him with impressed stares and compliments.

“He has to work,” Rain replied sadly. After weeks of searching, Tristan had landed a host position at an upscale restaurant and couldn’t get time off for the exhibition, but the photos would be up for a month, so he’d promised to visit on his next day off.

“Were you living with him?” The question had weight, and Rain nodded.

“It was nice but I can’t wait to be back home with you. Mouse will finally stop bothering me at night.”

“She kept you up?” Mason’s eyebrows rose a little.

“Like it’s her job.”

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