“This place looks swanky,” Avery says, taking off her scarf and jacket.
Lina slumps down next to me. “I’m starving. I don’t really care what this place looks like as long as it’s good.” She leans across the table, raising her voice over the loud music. “Jess, your man better make sure this food is good.”
Jess chuckles. “You’ll get some amazing things to eat, promise!”
From the corner of my eye, I see Mason walk through the doorless entrance. The sleeves of his collared shirt are rolled uplike he always wears them. My breath hitches while my eyes yet again smooth their way along his toned back before moving to appreciate the way his shirt fits tight around his abdomen.
What the hell is wrong with me?
His dad and stepmom follow behind. Mason walks his parents over to the table, stopping to introduce them to my mom and dad first. Then he leads them around to the other side of the table where they’ll be sitting but stops when they approach me.
“Dad, Terri, this is Harry’s sister, Bailey, and her son, Luca.” Mason gestures in my direction.
“It’s great to meet you both,” I say, smiling at them. Terri brings me in for an unexpected hug. I’m caught off guard, but I fold into her warm embrace anyway.
“It is so great to meet you, Bailey!” she returns. After his dad greets me as well, they both bend down to say hello to Luca.
Mason escorts them to their seats, then he leaves the private space and heads back to the main dining room.
Avery, Lina, and Jess chat with each other while my eyes peer through the glass windows and toward the other side of the restaurant. I’ve turned into some kind of a stalker, as I can’t manage to stop tracing his movements. I see Mason move through the bar with ease, helping the bartenders, laughing with the guests as they have drinks and enjoy their meals. I’m completely captivated by how natural he is in this setting. This is his element, and clearly, he’s thriving.
A warm sensation builds inside of me while I witness another side of him that I’ve never seen before. A side that’s sexy, confident, and utterly irresistible. No wonder women throw themselves at him; he’s absolutely perfect.
Like Jess said on Thanksgiving, Mason has always been hot. His large emerald eyes, full head of dark hair, and toned body were a magnet for girls back then—and apparently still are.
My opinion of Mason has been flooded with memories of his over-the-top personality and indescribable level of confidence, which often read as immature. But now the confidence he exudes is sexy and addicting—like he’s sure of what he wants, and he’s not afraid to take it.
At one point I see Harry say something to him at which Mason full belly laughs, flashing his white teeth. I feel a little strange staring through what seems like a fishbowl, but I continue to be locked on his every movement.
Then my stomach drops.
A gorgeous young woman with big boobs and short, blonde hair leans over the bar to say something to him. Her face is beaming with a wide smile as she begins speaking. Mason is pouring a glass of wine for a customer when he tilts his head in her direction to, I’m assuming, respond to whatever she’s telling him.
Look away, Bailey.
I look away and blink a few times. I can’t be jealous. He’s not my boyfriend, and I wouldn’t even want him to be anyway. But still, heat from jealousy crawls up my back, getting more intense the longer they remain that close.
Thankfully, Jess drags my attention away to talk about the wedding. A helpful distraction, although the back of my head burns thinking about how she could be directly behind me, flirting with him. I wonder if she works here. If she does work here, then he must see her all the time. I roll my shoulders back, sitting up straight in my chair.
I don’t care. I do not give a shit.
After dinner, Mason and my brother come back to the room to hang out a bit. Mason keeps his distance from me, choosing to interact with everyone else, including Luca. After a few minutes, they leave again, getting back to work.
“So, Bailey, Mason tells us that you’re a flight attendant?” Terri asks.
Why am I nervous to talk to his parents?
“I am, yes,” I say, swallowing dryly.
His dad makes eye contact with me and smiles. “I bet you love that. It must be great to travel to so many incredible places. Terri and I are just now starting to travel in retirement.”
I take a sip of my wine, then place it back on the table. “I’m glad that you both are enjoying your retirement, and yes, flying is something that brings me so much joy and even though I often have to leave for a few days at a time, on the flip side, I’m home for days at a time as well.”
“He is such a delight. You must be so proud,” Terri compliments, grinning in Luca’s direction.
I smile, glancing down at him sitting nicely in his chair, coloring with my dad. “He’s a gift, that’s for sure.”
Luca picks up on the fact that we’re talking about him and quickly chimes in. “I’m going to kindergarten next year,” he says to Mason’s parents.
