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“So hot, he’s getting laid tonight,” I joke, as she laughs, spitting out part of the drink she’s just taken.
“You two go get something to eat, enjoy your dinner. Ransom and I will be fine over here,” Mason’s telling them.
“Are you sure?” Leighton asks, probably scared to leave her son.
“It’s been a really long time since I held one this small, but I got this.” He gives her a wink.
“C’mon babe, let’s enjoy a meal.” Havoc turns her over to where the food has been set up.
As they excuse themselves, I excuse myself from Violet, walking toward where the two of them sit.
“Hey.” I give him a smile as I have a seat next to him.
“Hey,” he answers, his voice softer than normal.
“I had no idea you were the baby whisperer,” I tease as I reach over, pushing a small tuft of hair out of Ransom’s face.
He sighs in his sleep, pursing his lips, and in the blink of an eye I can see a child that looks like both Mason and I. Can see him holding the child like he’s holding Ransom, and a longing with which I’ve never felt hits me hard.
Mason shrugs. “Even though I was young, I was good with him. Typically, it would be me up with him at night.”
“Why does that not surprise me?” I try to keep my tone light, in case Caleb is anywhere around. I never want him to think I’ve said something about his mom, even if they don’t have any kind of relationship.
“I always wanted more.”
He blows my mind as he drops that bomb. “You did?”
“Yeah.” He looks down at Ransom, a longing in his eyes I’ve never seen before. The side of his mouth tilts up, disrupting the smoothness of his face. “But I never found anyone I could see myself having one with, and now I feel like I’m too old. I mean, I’ve raised Caleb. Do I really want to start completely over?”
My stomach does a drop I’m not prepared for when I hear those words.
“But then I think, this time I could do all the things I wanted to do. I wouldn’t be away for two years, I wouldn’t be struggling to put a roof over his head the first few years of his life, and I wouldn’t be growing up at the same time as him.” Mason bites his lip. “I don’t know, maybe I lost my chance.”
“Do you think you did?” I ask quietly.
His dark eyes lift up to mine. “Do you want the truth?”
The air between us is heavy with something I can’t name. It feels as if everything we’ve built, everything we’ve gone through with one another balances on this exchange. “I always want the truth; we haven’t come this far by lying to each other. Even that first night.”
“If I had the right woman with me, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.”
The words flow out before I can think to stop them, before I can force myself to stop them. “A woman like me?”
He reaches up, cupping my jaw in his hand, shoving his fingers behind my ear and up into my hair. “Yeah.” He leans in, kissing me softly. “A woman like you. You’re the only other person I’ve ever thought about having a kid with. There’s something about you, Rina.”
I close my eyes, leaning my forehead against his. “I never knew it was something I wanted until I saw you with Ransom, but fuck if my ovaries aren’t aching right now,” I giggle.
“That hot, huh?”
Pulling back, I give him a smile. “If you could see what I’m seeing, you’d get it, Mason.”
“I’ll remember this for later,” he threatens. “When I’m on your nerves and I don’t want you to put your cold feet on my legs, I’ll remind you of how hot I am right now.”
“Whatever works for you, big guy.”
We’re quiet for a few minutes, until he blows my mind again. “I’m serious, you know. I want more out of life than what I’ve been getting. The way I’m looking at it, that means a future with you, Rina. So if you aren’t down for that, we should probably stop while we’re ahead.”
“I’m totally down for it. Maybe not kids this weekend, but I’m on the same wavelength as you.”
