Page 79 of Played
Dalton James’sgruff voice snaps me from my thoughts. “Good morning, son. Did you sleep well?” He’s at the counter with his back to me, pouring himself a coffee. I glance around the kitchen, expecting to see Mason, but it’s only Dalton and me.
He must be addressing me. I clear my throat and answer, “Yes, sir.”
“Sir?” He barks a laugh. “You make me feel old.” He sits down at the table opposite me, his gray eyes twinkling.
“Old habit.” I shrug, pushing down the memory of my father slapping me at the dinner table any time I didn’t address him as sir.
He checks his watch. “It’s not like Mason to not have left the house before eight-thirty. Did you two stay up late?”
Holy shit. He heard us fucking, didn’t he? Thanking Christ for my poker face, I keep my expression neutral and pretend I don’t give a shit that he knows I’m fucking his son. But I would prefer the ground to open up and swallow me whole right here. He sips his coffee and goes on watching me, and I realize I didn’t answer his question. “Not really. It was just nice to sleep a little late.”
“Ah,” he says with a wistful sigh. “I can’t recall the last time I slept past six. My body clock is a stubborn old gizzard and refuses to believe we’ve retired now.” He carries on chatting about everything and nothing, and it’s obvious that Dalton James doesn’t give a damn if I was fucking his son all night. Not because he doesn’t care about Mason, but because he truly doesn’t care that he’s gay.
Of course, I knew Mason’s family accepted him for who he is, but it’s another thing entirely to see it play out. I saw it last nighttoo, but here, sitting with his dad who was raised in the same generation as my parents, casually chatting about the mundane, it feels all the more real and poignant. It’s like a punch to the gut when I finally realize that this is normal. On some level, I always knew my family was fucked up, but now it’s staring me right in the face.
Mason steps into the kitchen, looking edible in a fresh shirt and suit and smelling of that expensive cologne he wears. “I hope you saved me some coffee.” As he walks past me, he stops to plant a quick kiss on the top of my head like it’s the most natural thing in the world. And perhaps it is. It sure feels like it sitting here in this house, and I’m full of gratitude that the person I love more than anything in this entire goddamn world got to grow up in a place like this. It gave him the compassion to deal with someone like me.
Smiling, Dalton watches Mason pour a mug of coffee. “I know better than to take the last of the coffee when you’re around, son. Like a grizzly bear with a hornet’s nest up its ass.”
Mason laughs and takes a seat at the table with us. God, I love him so fucking much. I want to launch myself over the table and kiss him. What the hell has happened to me? “What are your plans for today, Pop?” he asks his dad.
“Maddox is taking me for lunch at that vegan place he’s working at. He assures me it will make me renounce my love for meat.” He pulls a disgusted face. “After that, Amber’s taking me shopping. I need a new shirt or two.” He pulls at the collar of the one he’s wearing. “Then I’m going to get myself a haircut and a shave.”
“A full day.” Mason grins, leaning back in his chair. “You’re going on a date, then?”
Dalton sips his coffee. “None of your beeswax.”
“That means he is,” Mason stage-whispers to me, shooting me a wink that does nothing to lessen my desire to have my mouth on him.
“One of us James men has to get out there.” Dalton huffs a laugh. “Seeing as how all my sons seem to be falling in love and settling down.”
I swallow hard, waiting for Mason to dismiss his father’s claim, but he doesn’t. Sure, he told me that he loves me, but that his family knows too feels like another huge step. “Mad hasn’t,” he says casually, showing no sign of unease at his father’s assessment of our relationship.
“Well, Maddox is different. He doesn’t date. But I have no doubt he’ll find the right person for him.” Dalton nods once. “He has an energy that attracts good people.”
Mason hums his agreement, his eyes on me again. I wonder what kind of energy Mason has that he attracted someone like me. The glutton-for-punishment kind? The life-full-of-secrets kind? Because as good as this feels, I’m worried it will all come crashing down around us again, just like it did before.
I only hope that if that does happen, I’ll be strong enough to pick up the pieces and put us back together.
Chapter
Thirty-Eight
MASON
“You sure everything’s okay there without me?” Elijah asks. “I feel bad about leaving again when we haven’t found the leak yet.” His face on my monitor is tan and relaxed, and the lines around his eyes are a little more pronounced than usual, but not because he’s tired. He’s smiling, and it looks like he hasn’t stopped for months.
The old Elijah never would have considered leaving Manhattan during a crisis, but he’s only having a long weekend in Charleston. It’s not like he’s off-grid, and he’s right on the other end of the phone or a computer screen whenever I need him. I have to say I love this more relaxed version. He’s still a workaholic and has managed to close another huge Korean deal from the comfort of his sun lounger. He’s flying out there tomorrow to finalize everything and will be gone for another ten days.
“I have it all in hand, and King is making progress. He’s confident he’ll have our leak plugged soon. And I’ll be interviewing for the new VP position Thursday and Friday. I’m planning to hand over a lot as soon as they start.”
“Yeah, they need to be able to hit the ground running.”
I nod my agreement. We have some stellar candidates, which is to be expected at the level we’re recruiting for.
He smiles. “I’m proud of you, Mase.”
I roll my eyes.
