Chapter Twenty-Two
“Hey, Mom.” Mason’smother stood at the stove and he had to step over a sleeping Bentley in order to wrap her in a big hug, kissing the top of her head. “Why is this dog always in the way? Do you need help with anything?”
“Oh, hi, sweetie. Would you mind finishing the salad for me? Your dad started to cut up the veggies, but then I think he got distracted by something else. What time is it? Is Natalie arriving soon?”
“Yeah, she texted me about fifteen minutes ago that she was on her way.” Despite leaving Natalie’s parents’ house feeling as if there was something wrong, he tried to push it aside, accepting her reasoning that she was tired.
Today was Christmas and the day came with some bittersweet feelings. He should feel happy and content but there was that one moment, while he stood at the bathroom mirror brushing his teeth, where he considered this was likely the last Christmas spent at the farmhouse with his parents. Who knew what the next year would entail. Would he be flying down to Arizona to spend part of the holidays there or would they travel to Placerville? There was a lot that was still unknown.
“So, you really like this girl, huh?”
He chuckled. “Oh yeah. I’m pretty sure this is the one I’m going to marry.” Movement caught his eye. Glancing up, Mason did a double take. There was Natalie standing in the kitchen entry with his dad beside her. He hadn’t heard the doorbell ring or anything. Now he stood there, with a vegetable peeler frozen in his hand, his previous words echoing loudly in his ear. “Natalie.”
Bentley jumped to awake, scrambling to greet her, which had his mom turning around. “Oh. Hello. Welcome.” His mom went to his girlfriend, giving her a quick hug. “Mason, you should take her coat.” This did a good job of snapping him into action.
“My mom insisted I bring over some cookies,” she said, offering a Tupperware filled with cookies that were rolled in powdered sugar to his mother.
While she smiled softly at his parents, something about her was reserved, as though some of her normal light was tucked away somewhere. He didn’t consider his conversation with his mom as anything bad but Mason was kicking himself for opening his big mouth anyway. Their relationship was still in that new, fragile state and he didn’t need to give her an excuse to already run away from him. He couldn’t lean over and say,Forget what you heard. I was just kidding—not with his parents there. She might not believe him and for a good reason. He hadn’t been kidding. Either way, there wasn’t much he could do about it now.
He tried to pretend everything was fine, peeling her jacket off and taking her scarf. Beneath the outerwear, she wore a deep green sweater dress made of the softest material and her hair fell in loose waves. He couldn’t stop himself from pulling her into a hug, brushing a kiss along her temple, but she didn’t fold into him as normal.
“It smells good. Do you need help with anything?” she asked, removing herself from his arms.
“Dinner is just about done. Mason, can you set the table please?”
Once dinner was ready, they loaded up their plates with duck, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and bread rolls. She answered his parents’ polite questions. They asked if she had any siblings, how long she’d been working for her uncle, and if she had any other hobbies or interests. As much as his parents worried about him finding himself another Dakota, they were warm with Natalie and appeared to genuinely like her. The glow in his chest returned as he draped his arm across the back of her chair, feeling a sense of pride.
“I like to read or hang out with my best friend. One of my sisters and I train for the El Dorado 10k marathon every year. It’s probably time for me to give up those waffles Mason keeps feeding me.”
“Is this the same sister who’s an EMT?” his mother asked.
“Yes, that’s right.”
There was a lull in conversation as the eating continued. He never realized how quiet his family dinners were until experiencing Natalie’s holiday events.
“The duck is really good. Thank you so much for inviting me,” she said to fill the void.
“Oh, thank you. You’re so sweet. I’m so happy that you and Mason hit it off. I had been trying to get him to sign up for one of those dating bachelor shows—”
“Mom,” Mason warned, his cheeks heating. His mom was joking, kind of, but Natalie didn’t know that. He slid her a glance. She returned it with some of her old spark lighting her eyes for the first time that day.
“What?” His mother was oblivious to the fact he was embarrassed. “There’s no reason you couldn’t have been on one of those shows. You’re tall, and women like men who are tall. Plus, you’re handsome. Don’t you think he’s handsome, Natalie?”
“Mom, come on. Stop.”
“Yes,” Natalie agreed. “Very handsome.”
“Well, it certainly doesn’t matter now. He’s found you and you’re a very lovely young woman. And you know Mason is natural husband material. He’s so helpful to have around. You do want to get married someday, don’t you?”
Oh God. Regardless of how he felt toward her, they didn’t need this kind of pressure. He might have been able to laugh it off as his mother being a mother if Natalie hadn’t overheard him in the kitchen earlier. It made his accidental slip even worse.
Mason cleared his throat, his brain working furiously in an attempt to change the topic before his mother brought up grandbabies, making the whole conversation even more awkward. “I’m also happy to not be a contestant on a reality show nor have to fight over other contestants like Alejandro and Valentino for someone like Natalie. Here, have some more bread rolls, Mom.”
“So, uh, Mason said you guys were soon going to move into spring planning for the nursery.” Natalie appeared uncomfortable, tearing her roll into pieces.
“Yeah,” his father answered before changing his mind. “Actually, I keep forgetting. No, we’re not. After we’re gone, that’s going to be someone else’s responsibility.”
“Gone?” she asked.
