Page 58 of Mase
“He’s not the only fucking one.” Mase grins down at me, then at my heaving tits, the promise in his eyes unmistakable. The dress sure as hell wasn’t this tight on me when we first met.
My cheeks heat at the memory. “Come on, Sum. Let me introduce you to our family.” And I swoon a little more.
MASE
Summer has giggled, smiled, and joined in on every conversation.
After introducing her to Tate and his wife, Ava, I explained that they flew in for the day, and she couldn’t believe the effort they put in to support us. I told her we’re all one big family, and a smile filled her beautiful face, and her eyes gleamed with love, filling me with a sense of purpose, to make her smile like that every damn day.
“Ree-Reed, I need you!” Eleanor rushes toward Reed with another cupcake squished between her chubby fingers, the icing coating her mouth and chin and cheeks.
He holds a hand out in front of her, stopping her abruptly. “Stop! Do not come a step closer to me, Eleanor. You need to calm down, stop eating cupcakes and go wash your”—his lip curls and the disdain oozes from him—“dirty hands.”
I bite into my bottom lip and rock back on my sneakers, loving the entertainment of a three-year-old obsessed with my best friend. Leaning against the wall, I take another swig of my beer and watch with a smile on my face. This is comedy gold.
Her face falls, then her bottom lip wobbles dramatically,and Reed rolls his eyes. “Oh, dear God, no.” My poor friend panics and glances around the garden, searching among the small crowd. Eleanor plonks her butt down on the grass, throws herself back on the ground, and slams her arms down beside her. When her face contorts into hysteria, I wince, knowing damn well this is bound to be another spectacular meltdown.
Reed strides forward, his face ashen. He leans over Eleanor and pokes her stomach. “Eleanor, get up.”
She shakes her head and releases a rattled cry that makes her body shake.
“Eleanor, be a big girl and get up off the ground, please,” he grits out. She shakes her head again. “There’re ants on the ground, and they’ll be getting in your tummy.” He winces and snaps his head in Gia’s direction. “Up, quick.”
She turns to face him, her grumpy face making me chuckle, and shakes her little head again. Shaw has his work cut out with this kid. I wonder if ours will make us endure similar antics.
“If you get up, I’ll get you more cake.”
“Want that one.” She throws a finger in the direction of the cake stand, and I glance over my shoulder to look at it. That thing cost me a small fortune—not that I care, I love the fact it’s half pink and half blue—and I’m silently hoping we do in fact have one of each sex.
Reed licks his lips. “Yes, you can have some of that cake. But you have to hurry. Up, now.” He pats her stomach again. “Quick, quick.”
I shake my head at him, fucking amateur. When the hell is he going to realize you don’t promise an infant more sugar.
The little terror springs up from the ground, all signs of devastation eradicated from her face. “Why don’t you go and find Bubbles, huh? You like him, right.” Reed tugs playfully on her ponytail.
“Cake,” she snaps back.
“Jesus, you’re such a pampered princess. You know that?” He groans, and I seriously think he doesn’t realize she can hear him. I choke on a laugh when I imagine her repeating that to Shaw. He’s going to be borrowing that gun that keeps shooting bullets into him, courtesy of its master, Luca, and deliver a swift bullet in our friend.
Reed’s thunderous gaze locks on mine.Help?he mouths, and I grin wider when he nods down to Eleanor.
Pushing off the wall, I head over to my best friend to give him a reprieve. “Come on, toots, let’s go find you a surprise.” Her little face lights up, and her hand finds mine.
“You owe me.” I smirk at Reed, who narrows his eyes.
Then I head round the corner to show Eleanor what that surprise is.
THIRTY-FIVE
SUMMER
“I can’t believehe ordered a donkey for Eleanor. That’s so sweet.” Emi sighs and sits back against the couch.
“And the blue and pink ribbon around its neck, so cute,” Ava tacks on.
My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. It’s like I won the jackpot with Mase. How is this my life right now?
I sure as hell don’t deserve it.
