Page 40 of Mason Wilder
Mason popped open a beer and plopped down in the lounge chair on the rooftop deck of Lucas’ penthouse. The sun was blaring down on him, so he pushed his shades higher on the bridge of his nose. He stared into the blue sky and tried to clear his head. For one day he didn’t want to think about loss or surprise biological parents showing up out of the blue. He rolled his head to the side to look at Tessa. “Do you think I can bring my drum set up here?”
“No. I think you’d get Lucas kicked out of his apartment if you brought your kit up here.”
“That’s what I thought.” He covered Tessa’s hand with his and gave her a soft closed-mouth smile that, he hoped, conveyed how much he appreciated her in his life. With all the crazy shit going on the last few days, she turned out to be his rock. He knew she would be. She was one of those people who always knew what to say and how to handle a situation. Even if it was just a loving embrace, her empathy and compassion eased his heavy heart.
“Lower the flame!” Tessa called to her brother. She was the cook and the grill master, but Lucas refused to let her man the barbecue when they were at his pad.
Lucas didn’t listen, and another flame shot up from the grill. The top choice rib eye burgers that had Mason’s mouth watering were in danger of turning into well-done inedible pieces of meat. “You better give him some tips, babe, because I don’t think he knows the knob turns in two directions.”
“Honestly, I don’t know how he’s related to me right now. He’s not even wearing an apron.”
He chuckled at the overly dramatic huff she expelled from her lungs. Others may have thought she was joking, giving her brother a hard time, but Mason knew better. Food was serious for Tessa. The only thing she committed to more than cooking was the band.
Tessa rummaged through the tote bag she brought, which contained sunscreen, lotions, towels, bug spray, extra sunglasses, a lightweight beach cover-up, and, apparently, an apron. No. Make that two aprons. And those were only the things Mason saw her pull from the bottomless bag. His girl was prepared for anything.
“Put this on, big brother.” She slipped the apron over Lucas’s head and knotted it around his waist. “And tie your hair back before you singe it off. Geeze. Don’t you remember anything from our childhood?”
Mason threw his head back and laughed up to the sky as he recalled the incident she was referring to, although Tommy Blade losing a chunk of his long blond hair when he had leaned over the grill to steal a sausage was definitely no laughing matter. Mason watched Tessa secure an apron around her waist before she assisted her brother on the grill. She lowered the flame and showed him how to rotate the burgers so they cooked evenly, and she moved the salmon steaks to the top rack, but not before coating it with a healthy dose of olive oil with a basting brush she produced from the bag, so they didn’t stick to the grill.
The elevator doors that led to the rooftop opened and Sindy walked through them carrying several large sealed containers. Mason jumped up to help her. Together, they spread the salads and sides on the table and took a seat to wait for the brother and sister duo to place the grilled feast on the table.
“Make room for Lucas’ famous barbecue. It’ll be done in 30 seconds,” Tessa announced, giving her brother credit even though she’s the one who made sure everything was cooked perfectly.
Sindy’s high-pitched laughter echoed in the open air, and Mason turned to see what had her cackling.Lucas and Tessa were facing them, backs to the barbecue, one holding a spatula, the other holding a basting brush. Apparently, it was their aprons – Lucas’ specifically – that had Sindy laughing. Tessa’s apron read, “Life is Short, Lick the Bowl.” Lucas’ portrayed a picture of a two-pronged barbecue fork holding a flaming hot dog and read, “It’s All Fun and Games Until Somebody Burns Their Weiner.” A hearty laugh flew out of Mason’s mouth as soon as he read it. “Nice apron, bro.”
Lucas lowered his chin and inspected the apron, apparently for the first time, and then playfully swatted the spatula at his sister.
Mason went to Tessa and wrapped his arms around her in an overly protective embrace. “Watch it, bro,” he warned Lucas with a light-hearted smile, then kissed Tessa.
“My hero,” Tessa proclaimed with a dramatic sigh.
“Oh my God,” Sindy complained, as she helped Lucas bring the burgers and salmon to the table. “You two are sickening. I’m trying to eat here.”
Tessa sat at the patio table and smirked at her friend. “Don’t hate us because we’re in love.”
“We’re in love, too,” Lucas said, sitting next to Sindy and placing his arm around her shoulder.
“Yeah, but you and Sindy thought flirting meant trying to kill each other.”
Lucas placed a wet kiss on Sindy’s cheek. “That’s all in the past.”
“Please.” Sindy pushed Lucas away and leaned in the opposite direction. “I still want to kill you.”
“Then why don’t you try?”
Sindy was about to make a sarcastic comeback, but paused and melted a little as she gazed into Lucas’ eyes. “I would, but it seems that I’m totally enamored by your incredible blue eyes, master guitar playing and luscious long blond hair, not to mention your spectacular body.”
Lucas broadened his shoulders and Mason swore the guy’s head grew six inches larger in circumference. “What about my brain?” Lucas asked.
“Your intelligence sealed the deal for me,” Sindy said. “A bubble-headed blond rock star is not what you are, Lucas Blade. You’re the smartest man I know.”
Mason wasn’t sure if she was joking, until Sindy’s lips fell onto Lucas’ with passion that couldn’t be manufactured.
After they ate, the four of them sat in a circle around the fire. Lucas and Sindy had their acoustic guitars, Tessa had an acoustic bass, and Mason had his electronic drum pad. They ran through a few of their older songs that were going to be included on Prodigy’s next album, then they playedEnter SandmanandHardwired to Self-Destruct, at Lucas’ insistence. When Sindy played the intro toParadise City, Mason and Tessa both rolled their heads toward one another. Lucas was a Metallica fanatic and Sindy was a Guns N’ Roses aficionado. Between the two of them, Prodigy’s jam sessions were practically boxed into a mashup of nothing but classic 80’s rock and timeless heavy metal covers.
“Now there’s two of them,” Tessa whispered. “We should start cornering the market on covers.”
“I call A7X,” Mason said. “I could channel The Rev.”
