Stay With Me (She's With Me #2) - Jessica Cunsolo Page 0,35
police station waiting room. Do all waiting rooms have furniture from Shitty Chairs Are Us? At least it’s much quieter here than at the station, and the air isn’t as suffocating, but it still smells like disinfectant.
“Hey, that was cool of your dad to do what he did for Aiden and the twins,” I tell Mason as we wait.
“Yeah, my dad’s great. I’ll deny it if you repeat this because I need my street cred, but I wouldn’t mind ending up just like him.”
“He is good looking, so you’re halfway there,” I joke.
“Oh, so you think I’m good looking?”
My smile mirrors his. “No, you’re not listening, I said your dad’s good looking.”
He barks out a surprised laugh and I think back to what his dad did for Aiden. “But seriously, that was awesome for your dad to suggest becoming their legal guardian. I guess that technically makes them your foster brothers.”
Mason shakes his head. “I’ve known Aiden for years. We’ve been through some shit. I don’t need a piece of paper to tell me he’s my brother.”
That statement makes my heart swell. I wish someone felt like that about me. Mason shuffles his feet and shifts uncomfortably in his chair. I can tell he wants to ask me about Aiden, but I’m not ready to talk about it—it’s easier to talk around it. “What did your mom say about it all?”
“Oh, she thinks it’s a fantastic idea. If anything, she’s upset I didn’t say anything earlier,” he admits sheepishly. Mason gets the hint and keeps the conversation in safe, let’s not address the elephant in the room territory. “Did you tell your mom about any of this stuff going on?”
I laugh humorlessly. “My mom and I don’t have that kind of close relationship. We don’t really tell each other things unless it’s absolutely necessary. If anything, we usually hide stuff from each other.”
Mason frowns. “Why do you say that? I’m sure she doesn’t hide stuff from you.”
I think about his statement. “She has this new, secret boyfriend I have yet to meet, or even know anything about. She’s always giggling at his texts and coming home late when I know she doesn’t have a flight.”
“Secret boyfriend, huh? Is he a secret agent or fugitive or something?”
“No. I’m sure he’s just a regular, run of the mill, boring man. He’s just a secret from me.”
“Why is that?”
I sigh and honestly consider it. “I don’t know. I think she thinks I’m not ready to see her with someone who isn’t my dad. I want her to be happy, and I already know their marriage was crumbling before he died. I don’t think it’d be a big deal if I met him, or even just knew his name.”
Mason purses his lips in thought. “Maybe she just doesn’t know how she feels about him yet. She wouldn’t want to introduce someone she isn’t one hundred percent certain about to her daughter.”
“Maybe.”
It feels good to talk this through with Mason, and I’m really glad he’s here with me. We are friends, and I don’t want him to forget that even if I know how I feel about Aiden now, and how Aiden feels about me.
“Are you really close with your mom then?” I ask.
“Yeah, I guess I’m a mamma’s boy, but don’t tell anyone.” He laughs, but his smile falters. “I just feel bad for her sometimes. My dad really wants this promotion at his marketing firm, so his work is getting busier and more demanding. He’s spending later nights, more time locked in the office on the phone. I’m proud of him and his accomplishments—he’s already pretty up there in the company—but I hate that my mom’s alone a lot. He’s even supposed to go on a business trip next week, and I just wish they didn’t send him on one over Christmas break, you know?”
“Are they doing something after he comes back?” I ask.
“The weekend after school starts again my mom is going to surprise him with a romantic getaway. So guess who has a free house to throw a party?”
“Please, Mason. I’m sure we’re going to see you, like, every day over the break. I think we’ll be too sick of you to spend the next weekend with you again.”
“‘Sick of’ and ‘Mason’ have never been uttered in the same sentence before, unless the words ‘not being with’ are in the middle.” He winks, making me laugh and I lightly hit him with the back of my good hand.