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He was trying to joke with me, but I wasn’t in the mood. I needed to rage.
“What are you doing here, Mason? You don’t live here anymore.”
“Hey, this is still my home, too.” He was clearly surprised by my bad attitude.
I sighed.
“I’m sorry. I just wasn’t expecting you. There's a lot on my mind."
“Do you want to be alone while you're upset?”
I smiled at him and finished unloading the dishwasher.
“I actually did come to check on you,” he said quietly. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
“C’mon, Arya. I know about you and Tristan. I talked about it with him last night. And the way Rebecca was parading him and Regina around, I figured you’d be a bit…bummed.”
“He told you?” Now I had more reason to want to rage. “We only hooked up a few times. We aren’t together and we’re both keeping our distance.”
Mason’s face turned red, and he ran his fingers through his hair as if trying to calm himself down.
“Shit. I didn’t realize it had gone that far. Jesus, Arya.”
“Look, Mason. You have no right to butt into my business. I’m not a child.”
I hadn’t done anything wrong and in that moment, I realized I didn’t care what Mason thought.
“Arya. Tristan is my best friend,” Mason yelled. “And the Adlers? I don’t need to remind you of their role in our lives. We talked about this, Arya. This is a bad idea. It’s not worth it. Doing…thiswith Tristan would start a feud with them. They’re powerful. Who do you think is going to win?” Mason was pacing around the kitchen, pulling at his hair.
“I’ve given my life to that place,” he yelled, waving in the general direction of the distillery. “I’m well on my way to becoming the CEO when Stephen retires. Did it occur to you that maybe you're fucking all of that up for me?”
Mason banged his fist on the kitchen counter and looked upset. I felt bad. He had a point, but it wasn’t fair that Tristan and I had to put other people ahead of our feelings. Stephen always seemed more reasonable than his wife, but I supposed he got tired of fighting with Rebecca, too, and probably just gave in to whatever she wanted. So if she wanted Mason out, Mason would be out.
“I’m sorry, Mason,” I said quietly. “I didn’t plan to fall in love with Tristan. It just happened.”
“Love?” he asked, surprised but calmer, shaking his head sadly. “You’re in love with him? Arya. You make such terrible decisions when it comes to men. It can't be Tristan. You won't survive Rebecca Adler.Wewon’t survive Rebecca Adler.”
I could tell that Mason felt bad about the situation.
“I know I messed up by hooking up with your best friend. I tried to stay away. I really did,” I pleaded with him, hoping he would forgive me.
“Just try harder. Especially with Regina around. Rebecca, and everyone who wants to kiss up to Adler-butt, will be watching you like a hawk. Right now, you’re a threat.”
He was right. I sighed, and poured us both a cup of coffee.
“Do you think they’ll get back together?” I asked him.
“Hell, no,” he said, decisively, taking the cup of coffee I handed him. “But who knows how far Rebecca will go to try and force them together. Tristan might be a man, but he's a family man, and won't want to rock the boat unless he really has to. Don’t get yourself mixed up in that mess.”
I knew he was right. I was just playing with fire when it came to the Adlers.
“I think that maybe it’s time for me to quit my job,” I said quietly.
“You don’t have to do that. Grace and William and their health needs have nothing to do with this. Just keep your head down, do your job, and stay away from Tristan.”
I appreciated his advice, but I had already made up my mind. Quitting my job wasn’t only about Tristan. It was mostly for me. It was time for me to move on and create a better, more fulfilling life for myself.
