“Yes,” he answers with his eyes lit up.
I tickle him, snuggling his shoulder. “I missed you, buddy. We’re going to finish our breakfast, then head home to play with your new Lego set.”
“Is Mason coming to play with my new Legos too?” he asks.
My dad drops one side of the newspaper, raising an eyebrow at me.
My mom’s head pops up from over the stove.
My throat runs dry.
I pause for a minute before answering, rubbing my lips together and fighting back my feelings of sadness. I haven’t even thought about how to answer his questions about Mason, and I know I will have to, but this moment is not the right time.
“Let’s go eat some pancakes!” I smile, attempting to distract Luca from his question. Luckily, it works, and he heads right back to the table, plopping into his seat next to my dad.
I walk into the kitchen and wrap my arms around my mom.
“How are you feeling this morning?” she asks.
As soon as I hear my mom’s sweet voice, I lose it. Leaning against the counter next to her, I bury my head in the palm of my hands.
“I love him, Mom,” I barely squeak out as a flood of emotions hits me like a hurricane that cannot be stopped with simple sandbags.
I want to say that I’m madly in love with Mason, but I’ve been madly in love before, and it wasn’t healthy or good. With Mason, I’m peacefully in love, deeply in love, and safely in love.
I hear her suck in a breath through her nose, then let it out through her mouth like she’s choosing her words wisely. “I thought so. You guys are perfect for each other.”
“Why do you like him so much? Even after knowing he doesn’t do relationships, you still urged me to give him a chance.”
She twists her body around to face me, then lets out another sigh, deeper this time. “I’m not quite sure, but I’m confident he has a good heart. And I’ve always known that he’s had a thing for you. The way he looks at you, Bailey, and the wayyouget all worked up around him, even when you hated him, there was this spark in you that he brought out. Sometimes those things are just obvious.” Then she wipes her hands on a dish towel and turns back to stirring the eggs.
I smile. “Really?”
“Without a doubt,” she answers, grabbing a plate for me. “And if you’re still questioning his true feelings, just look at the way he handled himself yesterday at Luca’s party. He immediately came to your defense when Tyler showed up, essentially protecting Luca and the family from a possibly upsetting situation.” She sets down the cooking spoon, putting one finger in the air in front of us. “And when your brother hit him, which I’m still disappointed about, he didn’t retaliate. Mason is a good man who very clearly loves you guys.”
I grip the plate with two hands, holding it in front of me. Tears stream down my face, landing on my arm.
My mom frowns and rubs my shoulder. “I can’t tell you what to do, Bailey, but you do deserve to find happiness.”
I look away, turning my head to my happy, healthy five-year-old.
“Uncle Harry!” he yells excitedly as soon as he sees my brother lumber down the stairs. I was wondering where he was this whole time.
“Okay, Dad, the towel holder is fixed,” he says as he rounds the corner of the banister coming down the stairs.
The towel holder!I completely forgot that I yanked it out of the wall when Mason and I were hiding in the bathroom, making out during the party. I felt guilty at first, but now that I know my brother was the one who had to fix it, I don’t. The devious side of me wants to tell him why it’s broken and then rub it in his face when he freaks out.
My focus is back on Harry. His forehead creases when he catches me glaring at him.
“You two need to talk and get this shit figured out,” my dad orders without even looking up from the newspaper. Harry and I both glare at each other.
“Grab a plate, Harry,” my mom tells him.
He saunters into the kitchen. “You know, Mom—and Dad,Bailey and I are adults, and we don’t need you two running interference.”
My mom pats him on the shoulder. “We know that, but you two need to remember that you will only have each other when your dad and I are no longer around. You’ll be each other’s only family. You two are the most important people in your lives outside of your children and spouses. Don’t forget that.”
Harry and I sit across the table from each other, eating breakfast with my parents and Luca. All the while, knowing that our parents set us up so we’d both be here at the same time.
