Mason (Carter Brothers #2) - Lisa Helen Gray Page 0,14

“Charles, dear, are you going to let him talk to me like that?’’

“Boy, watch your mouth around the lady. Come on Vivian, I can see Darla and Robert over there.’’

My mother’s head whips up so fast to look around her. She gives me one more disgruntled look before walking off with my father again in tow. I’m still frozen and kind of shocked.

“Your parents seem really... nice,’’ Harlow says once they’re out of earshot. The comment breaks the awkward silence and I burst into a fit of laughter, looking at her as if to say ‘no shit.’

“Your mom’s a bitch. Now can you go get me food, you guys owe me for eating without me. Oh grab some mayo and chips if they have any,’’ Max says before walking off.

“Are you okay?’’ Mason asks, the same time Maverick walks over to us.

“Don’t let her get to you. She might come around...,’’

I snort, “Or not.’’

“Or not,’’ he chuckles.

“Let’s go get some food,’’ Mason mumbles, his posture still tense and rigid, his eyes focused back to where my parent’s just left.

“Yeah,’’ I whisper, feeling my eyes water. I pray like hell he doesn’t notice them or that they fall. I never imagined bumping into my parents when I found out about coming back. To be honest they never crossed my mind. Nan said she called up my father a few times, but it was always my mom to answer the phone. She said if she could get him on his own he may be able to speak for himself.

Seeing them here is a complete surprise and another reminder of why I can’t stay around here. It hurts too much to know my own parents kicked me out when I needed them the most. I just wanted my dad to cuddle me and my mom to tell me everything was going to be okay. Unlucky for me, my parents have never been those kind of parents. They were always too busy with their image they had to uphold than to worry about their daughter.

I was the mistake. I was the one they didn’t want, so all my life I had to watch my brother get everything and anything while I suffered through my mother’s continuous criticism where she belittled me every chance she got.

Chapter Four

After grabbing some food Mason and I head over to where the group said they’d be. Mason carried both the trays while I carried the bag of drinks and a tub of pink candyfloss.

“Good, I’d started to think I’d have to go make the food myself for a second,’’ Max mumbles unhappily.

“Wouldn’t want you to do something that productive now would we,’’ Maverick sarcastically replies making us all chuckle.

“Not when you’re buying it from robbing idiots. Hot dog, seriously, four ninety nine with small fries and a can. I can get a tin of hotdogs that have eight in a tin, a pack of eight hotdog buns and a bottle of ketchup with a large bottle of pop for less than that.’’

“But then you’d have to cook it yourself,’’ Malik replies looking amused at his younger brother.

“Which is exactly why I’m okay with Mason buying it for me,’’ he chuckles earning a glare from Mason.

“Well I’ll be hungry in an hour so I hope you got some money on you Max because the next round is on you,’’ I smile gently, rubbing my rounded stomach.

“Trust me, I don’t think there’s enough food here to fill that,’’ he says pointing at my stomach.

“Cheeky fucker,’’ I giggle rubbing my stomach affectionately.

Feeling eyes on me as I look to the floor where they’ve laid blankets down on the grass, I look up. Mason is staring at me with a soft expression and a soft smile on his face. His eyes are focused on my stomach and the look in his eyes has me pausing my hand movements on my stomach. He.... he looks happy. I know it’s so premature to say such a thing, I mean, the novelty of having a baby could wear off within a few days, but something about the look he giving my rounded stomach, tells me every emotion he’s feeling. He’s happy about the baby. Not that I’ve had time to talk to him about it.

“You going to sit down or what? You’re making the place look untidy,’’ Max pipes up again amused. He obviously saw the little stare down I was giving Mason which has me blushing.

“Yeah... Um... I’ll just,’’ I trail off, looking around the