Page 73 of Mason Wilder
He set her down, turned the little velvet box around to face her, and opened the lid.
It took her breath away, and she stared at it as if in a trance as she took in its opulence. The larger stone that had been Mason’s choice was set in a platinum band with two smaller diamonds on each side, as if the four-carat stone wasn’t enough for her. It was incomparable, powerful and dramatic. It washer.“It’s gorgeous.” She breathed out the word.
He slipped it on her finger, and the room erupted into a round of applause and cheers. She looked around, for the first time, and noticed the salespeople and customers all standing against the opposite wall watching them, cell phones raised to capture the moment.
Tessa wanted to invite the entire Immortal Angel family over for dinner to share the news. She wanted to prepare a grand meal for everyone, which included both of their immediate families, plus Aunt Kira and Uncle Brett, and of course, Damien and Alyssa, but Mason refused to let her cook. Instead, he made a reservation at Del Frisco’s and told everyone they needed to be there tonight. Tessa was probably the only woman on earth who put up an argument about preferring to cook a full three-course meal for a room full of people instead of sitting in a five-star restaurant.
She purposely kept her left hand in her pocket or under the table, while she waited for everyone to arrive before making the announcement. Mason was surprised no one caught on, because she looked like she was about to explode. When the last of this intimate party of 13 arrived and everyone was seated, Tessa jumped to her feet. Everyone stopped talking, which was a feat in itself and looked at Tessa expectantly. Mason slowly stood from his chair and Tessa pulled him close to her, as if she forgot that he was part of the announcement. She was so damn adorable sometimes.
“What’s going on, baby?” Jessi asked, with an inquisitive smile. “You look like you’re about to scream.”
“We’re engaged!” Tessa shouted, holding out her left hand to display the amazing ring, which sparkled brilliantly under the ceiling lights.
The room erupted with cheers, and not just their table. Since Tessa made the announcement loud enough for the entire restaurant to hear, the place resonated with a hearty round of applause, as if the moment had been scripted. The women at the table practically rushed to Tessa’s side all at the same time to shower her with good wishes and inspect the ring, and she soaked up the attention. Mason loved watching her this happy.
Jessi hugged Tessa and picked up her hand to examine the huge diamond on her finger. “Holy cow.” Her mouth fell open into a giant oval. “That’s . . . that’s . . . bigger than mine!”
“I need to see this ring. Let me through!” Angel broke through the wives to see his daughter’s engagement ring. His hand went to his chest and he took in a gust of air as he examined it. “It’s ravishing, sweetheart.” He embraced her with a hug that exuded so much happiness it looked as if he was the one getting engaged. Then he took Mason by the shoulders. “You did good, Mason. You’ve done right by my daughter. And I don’t just mean with that rock. Over the years, you’ve always been there for her. You’ve been her friend and mentor. You helped shaped her into the amazing musician she is today.”
Mason couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. “I think she’s the one who mademea better musician.” Tessa was the driving force behind Prodigy, even way back when they were only playing in the basement studio of the Blade-Garcia mansion, Tessa acted as if they were rehearsing for a world tour.
Without warning, Angel suffocated Mason with a hug, possibly tighter than the one he gave Tessa.
“Try not to kill my kid.” Mason’s dad clapped his hand on the back of Angel’s shoulder and gave him a friendly shake.
“How amazing is this?” Angel asked, beaming with joy. “Our kids are getting married.”
“Pretty fucking amazing.” Mason’s dad flashed a smile that Mason returned twofold. The two of them stared at one another for a few moments without saying anything. Their combined dazzling pearly whites probably gave Tessa’s diamond serious competition. They both opened their arms at the same time and embraced in a hug that conveyed the closeness of father and son.
“Congrats, buddy. It’s about damn time.” Mason’s dad pulled back but kept his hands on Mason’s shoulders. Although the smile remained plastered across his father’s face, his eyes reflected a hint of worry. “You all right, kiddo?”
Mason nodded. “I’m fuckin’ great, Dad. Never been better. I mean that.” He knew the question was in relation to the mess with Kendall. Although they spoke at length this morning, this was the first time they’d seen each other, and the fatherly concern was clearly prevalent. Mason refused to let any of it dampen this day or any days to follow. He was moving forward with the girl of his dreams by his side.
They hadn’t discussed where they’d live yet, but he’d been thinking about it and decided that he was moving into Tessa’s place. He’d still keep his apartment in case they wanted to spend time in the City, but Lido Beach was her home. The idea of purchasing the penthouse directly above her apartment and connecting the two, converting it into a duplex, kept creeping into his mind and sounded better each minute. She’d love that. Maybe it could be his wedding gift to her.
He glanced at Tessa. Damien and Alyssa were fawning over her at the moment. Well, Alyssa was fawning. Damien wore a rare smile that proved the guy actually had a set of teeth. As if she felt his gaze upon her, Tessa’s eyes met Mason’s. She continued with her conversation, but she kept her attention focused on Mason. Her smile widened and her eyes sparkled at him, making his chest balloon.
“I can’t believe it. You’re marrying my sister.” Lucas stepped in front of Mason, shaking his head with disbelief and grinning like the Cheshire cat. “I’ve known you my whole life. I always felt like you were my brother, and, now, it’s gonna be real. We’re gonna be officially related, bro, and that makes me ecstatic.”
Mason stared into the eyes of a little boy he watched grow into a man. “We don’t need a piece of paper to say we’re related, Lucas. You’ve always been my brother.” He and Lucas shared a hug that knocked the wind out of both of them.
When Lucas pulled back, water covered his sky blue eyes, and it left Mason choked up. He’d had an emotional 24 hours. Seeing Lucas tear up was too much for him. “Don’t do this to me, man.” Mason smiled at the floor and rubbed the back of his neck while he tried to keep his emotions in check. He glanced up at Lucas, who was wiping his eyes. “C’mere.” He wrapped his arms around Lucas. “You know you’re gonna be my best man, right?”
Lucas hugged him tighter, and his voice cracked when he spoke. “You bet your ass I am.”
They stayed locked in a brotherly embrace until Tessa tapped Mason on the shoulder.
“Excuse me. I need my fiancé to make a toast.”
Mason and Lucas stepped back, both wiping their eyes.
“You guys!” Her shoulders dropped. “Don’t make me start crying now.”
Mason had no intention of letting Tessa do anything except laugh and smile for the rest of her life, so he put on his signature smile and beamed at the girl he loved. “No one’s crying today.”
Without warning, Lucas wrapped his arms around his sister. “Love you, Tess. I’m really happy for you. Congrats.”
She hugged him tighter. “Thank you. Love you back, big brother.” She wiped the corners of her eyes and blinked rapidly a few times. “You guys are killing me today.”
Mason put his arm around her shoulder and moved to their spots at the table. Waiters had filled glasses with champagne, and he picked up his glass and faced the large group of people who were all family. He wasn’t the kind of guy who made speeches or told anecdotes and stories. That was Tessa’s forte, but she was leaving this to him, so he said what was in his heart. “Tessa.” He gazed at her, pouring all the love in his heart into his voice. “I love you more than you’ll ever know. You deserve the world and I plan on giving it to you. I wish I would have realized how much I loved you years ago. We could have been married and on our third kid by now.”
She laughed, leaned back with a wild look on her face and held up her hands. “Slow down.”
Everyone at the table laughed with her, including Mason. Unable to contain himself and the love he had for her, he grabbed her and kissed her.
