Chapter 22: Chapter 22

MASON

The dashboard clock seemed to be taunting my impatience. Jamie had been inside the restaurant for over an hour, and my patience was on its last thread. She had said it would be just dinner and a drink.

It wasn’t the waiting that was eating at me, but the reason behind it. Jamie was out, and she was out without me. Considering our history and the recent break-in, I couldn’t shake off the unease.

She was vulnerable, exposed in a way that made my skin prickle. I won’t deny that I’m protective of Jamie. Our past has given me every reason to be.

At last, the restaurant door swung open, and there she was. My impatience started to fade as I prepared to get out of the car, but then I spotted a familiar blonde. It had been a while, but I recognized Carmen instantly. Ethan was trailing behind her.

Confusion washed over me. What was Carmen doing here? Jamie hadn’t mentioned having dinner with Carmen too. Judging by her expression, I’m guessing she was as surprised as I was.

I got out of the car and started walking toward them, their voices echoing in the still night air. Jamie looked tense, her body language guarded. Carmen was trying to engage her in conversation, but Jamie’s responses were curt and terse.

It was clear that Jamie wanted nothing to do with her.

“Jamie…,” I called out, my voice slicing through the tense atmosphere.

Her eyes snapped to mine, a mix of relief and confusion flashing across her face. Carmen stopped mid-sentence, her words hanging in the air.

“Let’s go,” I said.

I wrapped an arm around Jamie, offering her a comforting presence as I guided her toward the car. I opened the car door for her, helped her in, and then moved to the driver’s side.

Before I could close my door, Carmen’s voice pierced the silence. “Please, Jamie. I just want to talk,” she pleaded, desperation coloring her voice.

I turned the ignition, the engine rumbling to life in the quiet night. My gaze flickered between Jamie and Carmen, the latter still standing by the car window, her face a blend of pleading and defiance.

Jamie sat in the passenger seat, her face a mask of distress. I hated seeing her like this. It was like watching a wound being reopened.

As we pulled away from the curb, I glanced at Jamie. Her eyes were glued to the rearview mirror, watching Carmen as we drove off.

“You okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” Jamie replied. But her eyes told a different story. “I just didn’t expect Carmen to show up.”

A wave of sympathy washed over me. I wondered if Ethan had set up the whole thing, hoping that the two of them would make amends.

While I understood his wish to see things resolved, being the friend caught in the middle, I couldn’t approve of his methods.

“What did Carmen say?” I asked.

“She wanted to talk, not that I let her,” Jamie replied bitterly. “She called me when we were in Napa, before we left. She said she wanted to talk, but by the time we got home, I had changed my mind.”

So that’s why she wanted to leave? Carmen was the one who had called her that day at the beach. That’s who the missed calls were from.

“What made you change your mind?”

Jamie was quiet for a moment, her eyes distant. “I don’t know,” she finally said. She was barely audible. “I guess not knowing how much I was really hurt back then. I can’t remember the pain. I don’t have memories of that. But being told what she did, it doesn’t sound like the Carmen I used to know.”

“People do strange things in difficult situations,” I said softly, breaking the silence in the car. “I was there with you that day. I think Carmen was afraid of losing him… Losing everything.”

Jamie let out a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the passing city lights. “She lost me instead,” she whispered, her voice heavy with sadness.

All I can do is let this situation resolve itself. If Jamie wants to sort things out with Carmen, she’ll do it in her own time.

***

I flipped a pancake on the pan, the batter sizzling as it hit the heat. The aroma of cooking dough and melting butter filled the air, making my stomach rumble. But Jamie’s voice from upstairs cut through my hunger.

“Mason…” Jamie’s voice echoed through the house. I quickly slid the golden-brown pancake onto a plate and turned off the stove. I then made my way toward the stairs.

Jamie was waiting at the top, one hand clutching the railing, the other holding her walking stick. Despite her physical limitations, her eyes sparkled with a mischievous light that was all her own.

“I need your help,” she said, her lips curling into a playful grin.

“Of course,” I responded, bounding up the stairs two at a time. In one swift motion, I scooped her up into my arms. Her body was light and warm against mine.

Her laughter echoed through the house as I carried her over my shoulder, her head tilted to one side, her eyes twinkling with delight.

“Mason, don’t drop me,” she giggled, her voice muffled against my shoulder.

“As if I would,” I replied, my voice a blend of affection and teasing. The truth was, I could have carried her for hours. She was lighter than any weight I’d ever lifted, as light as a feather in my arms.

Once we reached the kitchen, I gently set her down on a tall stool.

“Thanks for the lift,” she said, a teasing smirk playing on her lips.

“You’re welcome,” I replied softly. I leaned in and kissed her gently, a sweet connection that lingered for a moment. Pulling back, I asked, “Coffee, hot or cold?”

She pondered for a moment. “Hot, please. Thank you.”

I left her at the kitchen island and grabbed a ceramic mug from the tree to start her coffee. I could feel her gaze on me as I measured the grounds.

“I thought you were coming to get me an hour ago.”

I turned to face her and smiled. “I wanted to make you breakfast,” I said, starting the coffee machine. The low hum of the machine filled the quiet kitchen. “Besides, I thought you could use some rest after last night.”

Her lips curved into a genuine smile, her eyes softening. “That’s sweet of you,” she said. A comfortable silence fell between us as I focused on making her coffee.

“So, why were you at the restaurant last night?” she asked. “You said you were going home after dropping me off. Ezra was supposed to pick me up.”

I knew the question was coming. I’d expected it last night, but she’d been too distracted by her encounter with Carmen. I finished preparing the coffee, the rich aroma filling the kitchen.

“I waited in the car,” I began. I put the finishing touches on her breakfast, arranging a colorful assortment of fresh fruit next to a stack of golden pancakes.

I brought the plate to her, placing a fork and knife on either side. “I was worried about you…,” I continued, my gaze meeting hers. “I didn’t like the idea of you being out alone.”

“But I wasn’t alone… I was with Ethan,” she replied, confused. She didn’t seem to grasp the depth of my concern. But why would she? There was so much she didn’t know.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “I’m trying to keep you safe,” I said, my voice firm but gentle. “You’re just getting back on your feet. I’d prefer if you didn’t go out without me or Ezra.”

Jamie’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, her expression a mix of bewilderment and hurt. “Really?” she asked in disbelief. “I don’t understand, what are you trying to keep me safe from?”

~From everyone~, I thought to myself. The truth was, I still didn’t know who had taken out Jack in the warehouse that day. I hadn’t forgotten about it. And the recent break-in could have been random, but what if it wasn’t?

Yes, I could pull myself together and tell her about that night. That the car that hit her wasn’t an accident. That the man behind the wheel was someone she’d dated.

But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I didn’t want to see fear in her eyes, didn’t want her to wake from a coma only to live in a nightmare. So I asked everyone to lie. I didn’t give them a choice.

I handed her the steaming coffee, the rising steam a physical representation of my inner turmoil. “Jamie…,” I said. “I need you to trust me on this.”

The shrill ring of my phone on the counter was a welcome distraction from our conversation. I made my way to the coffee machine where I’d left it and picked up the call.

“Hello?”

Eoin’s voice came through the line, a note of urgency in his tone. “Where are you? Mr. Harald is here. You scheduled a meeting with him last week, remember? It’s in the calendar.”

Shit! I clenched my jaw in frustration, rubbing the bridge of my nose. I’d completely forgotten about the meeting. The lack of an assistant was starting to take its toll. “I forgot,” I admitted, more sharply than I’d intended. “I’m on my way.”

“Okay, but you need to hurry,” Eoin responded, his tone stern. “He’s getting more impatient by the second.”

With that, Eoin ended the call. I put my phone down, letting out a sigh.

Jamie looked up from her plate, her voice filled with worry. “Is everything all right?”

“I’m running late for a meeting,” I confessed, apologetic. I reached for my suit jacket, draped over the dining chair from earlier this morning. The fabric was cool against my skin.

“When will you be back?” she asked, her eyes holding a question I knew I couldn’t fully answer.

If I were to be honest, I’d tell her that tonight would be another late one. That she’d likely be asleep by the time I got home. The burden of work had been heavy since we got back from Napa, a familiar weight I’d learned to bear. But as I slipped on my jacket, I felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of leaving her alone.

“I’ll be home by six,” I assured her. It wasn’t entirely a lie. I had every intention of making it home. I watched her as she carefully speared a sliced strawberry with her fork, the juice glistening on her lips. “You seem to be enjoying that.”

“You’re a good cook,” she complimented appreciatively. “Come here, have a taste.” She held out her fork, a piece of perfectly cooked pancake skewered on the end.

I moved toward her, the aroma of maple syrup and butter filling the air. Jamie guided the fork to my mouth, and I took a bite. The sweetness burst on my tongue, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Told you it was good.”

I leaned in and kissed her, the taste of strawberry and pancake batter still on her tongue. I deepened the kiss, my hands cradling her face, my tongue tracing the outline of her lip before slipping inside. A low growl rumbled in my throat and my cock twitched against my trousers. Damn! This is what she does to me. I can’t even kiss this woman without getting aroused.

I pulled back from the kiss, a smirk playing on my lips as I met her gaze. “It tastes even better on you,” I said, my voice husky with desire.

Damn, that sounded cheesy! But it was true. Her lips were sweet, addictive, and I just couldn’t get enough of her.

Jamie’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Thank you for breakfast,” she said, her voice soft. “Maybe we can have dinner tonight, just the two of us. We can Netflix and Chill as people say.” She laughed.

I smirked, finding her endearing. “Whatever you want.”

JAMIE

The house was eerily quiet since Mason had left half an hour ago, and I was left alone with the lingering scent of pancakes. My body was buzzing with post-workout energy, but my mind was a whirlwind.

Carmen… Last night…

Sometimes we get angry at the things we say, and other times we get angry at the things we don’t say. Words had failed me in that moment, but I was taken by surprise. I never expected to see her.

I hadn’t prepared a script or rehearsed a line. Her arrival had completely blindsided me. Mason’s words on the car ride home had cast a different light on everything. They’d stirred something inside me, a need to understand, to remember.

My fingers hovered over the phone, indecision weighing heavily on me. I dialed her number, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. A wave of doubt washed over me as the phone rang, threatening to pull me back into the safety of solitude. But before I could back out, she answered.

“Jamie… Is that you?” Carmen asked, her voice trembling.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “It’s me,” I responded, my voice echoing the tremor in hers. “I need to see you.”