Page 41 of Mason Wilder
“I’ll take the Chili Peppers,” Tessa replied. “Flea is my hero.”
They were quietly teasing their two best friends and it was hilarious, in a devious way. Realizing that Lucas and Sindy were halfway through the song without waiting for Mason and Tessa to add the rhythm, they sat back and listened to the two guitarists. Mason tapped his foot, an involuntary action that he barely noticed anymore, but Tessa let her head fall back as if she was bored.
As Mason listened to the acoustics echo in the open space of the rooftop, he began to imagine what it would sound like if he set up his full drum kit up here. “You know what would sound cool?” he asked when Lucas and Sindy finished the song.
“Adding a drum beat and baseline when me and Sindy play?” Lucas asked.
“Yeah. That too. I was just thinking we should plug in up here. Do you think we can get a permit and do a rooftop show?”
“Here?” Tessa asked. “We’re five stories high.”
“That’s what makes it so cool.”
“I have an idea.” Tessa always had an idea. “We could give fans a sneak peek of our new song and do the show for charity. We could raise money to feed the homeless. It’s a win-win opportunity!”
Sindy smiled at her best friend. “That’s such a nice idea. You’re so generous, Tessa. I just love you.”
Tessa actually blushed as she waved off the compliment. She was so Goddamn adorable that it brightened Mason’s smile. This girl, who was seven years his junior, continually amazed him with her industry knowledge. It didn’t matter that he grew up in the business. She took to overseeing the band’s direction, the shape and sound of the songs, more than he ever could. He loved her take-charge attitude and her sense of direction. She had more dedication than seasoned musicians who’d been at it for decades.
They ran throughDirty Little Secretsseveral times, Tessa recording the last take on her phone, and then they went down to Lucas’ apartment.
Mason settled in the overstuff chair and listened to the playback of the song. It was very different, unlike anything on the radio and a surefire hit. It was cutting edge and had a great beat. It was kind of bittersweet, though, because it was written from a dark place, when he broke Tessa’s heart the night he told her he didn’t love her. It still stabbed him in the chest when he thought about it.
“We gotta get into the studio and record this,” Tessa said. “We need to release this as a single.”
“Yeah.” Mason sighed and ran his hand over his face. So much for one day without drama. Going into the studio meant seeing Tessa and Lucas’ parents. Mason’s dad would want to hear the song. Recording the single meant giving it to his Aunt Kira, who was helping as A&R rep until they hired someone full time. He’d been putting off seeing their families because he didn’t want to tell them about Kendall yet, and if he saw them or talked to them for more than five minutes, he’d spill. He hated secrets, and it ate away at him.
Lucas dropped into the seat next to Mason, a concerned look on his face. “You all right, Mase?”
Mason knew that the sympathetic hand on his shoulder stemmed from Lucas’ intuitive nature. Withholding important events in his life from his best friend was added stress that Mason didn’t need right now. It was time to confess the details of the last few days. “I gotta tell ya something, man, but you can’t say anything to any of our parents. Not yet.” His head was swimming and his emotions were still all over the place, but he realized that he wanted to share the news of the reconciliation with his birth mother. He had started to bond with her, which was something he didn’t think would happen. Ever.
Tessa sat on the arm of the chair and draped her hand across Mason’s shoulder for support, aware that he was ready to talk about Kendall. Lucas sat on the coffee table facing Mason and Sindy sat on the adjacent couch, both leaning forward as they waited to hear what Mason had to share. He could almost see the mixture of hesitation, anxiety and excitement plastered across his face, which left question marks on both Lucas and Sindy’s expressions. “My birth mother showed up after Aunt Mary’s funeral,” he blurted out.
Sindy’s mouth opened into a wide smile and she sucked in a breath, ready to offer some sort of happy congratulations, but stopped when she saw the consternation on everyone’s faces, especially Lucas’.
Lucas’ brows pinched together with suspicion. “What does she want?” His jaw softened, slightly. “I mean, after all this time she just shows up out of the blue? And why didn’t she come to Aunt Mary’s funeral? She was her aunt, right?”
Sindy looked shocked at the questions and insinuations, but they were all valid. “She wants to get to know me.” Mason told Lucas about the initial encounter and how blindsided he’d been. How he’d needed a day to sort things out before he saw her again and how their luncheon made him feel like they had a chance at a relationship.
Sindy responded before Lucas had a chance to say anything. “I think that’s great, Mason. It’s never too late to mend fences.”
“What are you talking about?” Lucas asked her. “You told your parents to get lost and blocked their number.”
“That’s different. My parents are drug abusers. They never cared about me. They never called me once since I left Baltimore. Then all of a sudden I’m on the radio and on TV and they remember they have a daughter. They didn’t ask how I was or if I was OK. They called to ask for money.”
Lucas turned a wary eye on Mason. “Do you think your birth mother could be after your money?”
It was just like Lucas to lay it on the table. Others may have tiptoed around an awkward question. Not Lucas. He blurted everything out without holding anything back. In that regard, he and Tessa were exactly alike. A trait they inherited from Jessi Blade. Truthfully, it was a question that never occurred to Mason. He thought about it for a few moments, and then shook his head. “Nah. I’ve been over 18 for a lot of years and famous for almost as long. She would have come sooner if it was for money.” He reflected on her fancy clothing, upscale appearance and haughty mannerisms.“Besides, she doesn’t look like she’s hurting for money. Apparently, she married rich.”
Lucas pondered Mason’s answer and then gave a curt nod. “Just be careful, bro. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I know, man. Thanks. But, remember, don’t say anything yet.”
“I don’t understand,” Sindy said. “Why don’t you want your parents to know she’s around?”
Mason didn’t know how to explain it. He was still trying to figure it out himself, and not sure if he really wanted to know the details. “I’m not sure. There’s some untold story. Some unpleasant history. According to Kendall – that’s my birth mother’s name – she thinks our families hate her. I just want to form an opinion on my own, without hearing all the slanderous details of something that happened 25 years ago.”
“That makes sense,” Tessa agreed, rubbing his upper back.
