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“Is there any other way to properly have a blintze?”
“Not as far as I’m concerned.” Katy winks at her and then hops out of the car and heads straight into the restaurant, giving me a moment alone with my mother who is nothing but smiles.
That is, until she pats my cheeks and says, “My boy, you can say whatever you want, but you are so fucked with that one, and I don’t even mean that literally.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Ladybug!” Mason shouts out, using the nickname that’s never managed to die off, despite the fact that I’ve hit three decades of life and am a successful surgeon. He’s wearing Boston Rebels red swim trunks, and an unlit cigar hangs limply from his smiling mouth.
“Ladybug?” Bennett questions with a crooked grin.
“Yep. You’ll hear all sorts of nicknames for me today. Lady killer,” I throw back at Mason because he pretty much is. Tall, good-looking, muscular, funny, and a famous NFL quarterback for the Boston Rebels. Need I say more? I throw my arms around my cousin, and he lifts me high off the ground, hugging me fiercely.
“Glad you could make it, babe. And I see you brought a snack for Owen and Vander.”
I roll my eyes. “Mason, this is my…” Dammit, we didn’t work out what I’d call him.
“Boss, friend, and potential baby daddy,” Bennett finishes for me, making my eyes go wide. “Nice to meet you, Mason. I’m a huge Rebels fan.”
Mason shakes his hand automatically and then stalls mid-shake to turn back to me with a slow head swivel. “I’m sorry, did he just say potential baby daddy?”
“He did.” I beam because I might as well roll with it.
Mason looks back over at Bennett, and gives him a long once-over, doing the guy sizing him up thing. “Oh shit, this is going to be a fun afternoon. I don’t even have to break your fingers, brother. Owen and Vander will fuck your ass so hard you’ll be crying for your mama in no time.”
Boys. Like, really?
“I doubt that,” Bennett says confidently. “But it’ll be amusing to watch them try.”
“Bold. I like that. Hold onto that one. You’ll need it for all the ass-raping that’s about to go down.”
Bennett takes a step and then Mason does too, and what in the Wide World of Sports is going on here?
“They’ll love him,” I state firmly as I step in between them, pushing Mason back with my hands. “I mean it, Mason. I don’t want any of this macho, overprotective thing all you assholes feel the need to do to show off your dick size. Last I checked I’m a grown woman who can handle her own life without intervention.” Sorta. But anyway. “You all know how important this is to me. If you scare him off, or even worse, kick the shit out of him for bullshit reasons, I’ll never forgive you or make lasagna for you again.”
Mason’s incredulous green eyes whip over to me with the speed of a bullet. “You’re threatening the lasagna over this guy?” He juts his thumb in Bennett’s direction.
I fold my arms. “And the game-day egg casserole.”
“Fuck,” Mason hisses. “You’re serious with this.”
“As serious as my cinnamon rolls. I mean it, Mase. This isn’t me bringing a boyfriend around. This isn’t romantic. It’s both of us wanting the same thing and nothing more. And frankly, you’re all too old to act like juvenile asswipes on the playground.” Especially since I’m listing the only foods I make well. Cooking is not my forte, but for some reason, Mason loves what I make him.
Mason searches my eyes, absorbing my words before he goes back to Bennett. “Welcome to the family, Bennett.” He slaps Bennett on the shoulder. “As long as you swear in blood that you’re going to be good to my girl here and understand that I will fucking murder you if you’re not, then we’re cool.”
“I guess we’re cool then,” Bennett states, and the two of them do some sort of male stare-off, and then Mason cracks up and so does Bennett.
“It’s nice to see you again, Doctor. I think we really got her with that one.” He fist-bumps Bennett.
“What?!” I squawk. “You know each other?” My head volleys back and forth like a tennis ball during a match.
Mason is laughing at my appalled expression. “Do you remember when we played Minnesota last year and I got hit in the gut and they were worried I had some internal bleeding?”
“Yeah.”
“Dr. Bennett Lawson was my doctor in the hospital when they brought me in. In fact, two of my guys got stuck in an elevator with him. So when Owen told me this morning that you were bringing him today, I texted the good doctor and he suggested this just to fuck with you a bit.”
I turn on Bennett. “You know Mason and you never mentioned it to me?”
