MASON FOLLOWED HARPER’Sswift run across the room and relaxed when Mrs. Harrison caught her. He hadn’t known they were back. He bent and scooped up Layla. “Excuse me a minute,” he said to Estelle, Riley and a few others who were gathered around.
Estelle laughed. “You’ll lose Layla if you go over there.”
Mason shrugged. “There are worse things.”
Mr. Harrison saw him coming and stood up, but Mason frowned when he noticed how pale the man was. Mr. Harrison had always been larger than life. A strong, confident man who built chocolate sculptures that made people weep. He looked thin and slightly sickly. When they shook hands, Mr. Harrison’s grip was weak and shaky. “Mr. Harrison,” Mason said, pushing aside his worries. He’d ask Aspen about it later. “Good to see you.”
“You as well, Mason,” Mr. Harrison said with a wide smile. His eyes went to Layla. “I can see you’ve been busy.”
Mason chuckled and bounced Layla, who was back to sucking her two fingers. She stared, wide-eyed, at the Italian man in front of her. “You could say that. But I’m happy to say that Layla is here to stay. Everything’s official now.”
Mr. Harrison nodded and clapped Mason on the shoulder. “Congratulations. I’m sorry about your sister, but what a beautiful way for you to honor her memory.”
Mason nodded, though his smile dimmed. He still wished things had been different with Aimee, but Mr. Harrison was right. This was the best thing he could do now.
“Oh my goodness, let me see that baby,” Mrs. Harrison cried, stepping past Harper. She put her hands to her cheeks. “Mason...she’s a living doll.”
Mason leaned his head down. “Layla, this is Mama Harrison. Would you like to go see her?”
Layla looked up at him and Mason tilted his head toward the waiting woman.
“Maybe she’ll warm up as the night goes on,” Mrs. Harrison said in a disappointed tone. She held out her hands and wiggled her fingers. “Would you come see me, Layla?”
Layla bounced and leaned forward.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Mason said and leaned over so Mrs. Harrison could take her.
“Such a sweetheart,” Mrs. Harrison cooed. She fingered Layla’s curls. “Her hair reminds me of my own girls.” She smiled at Harper and Mason. “I think we need dessert. Excuse us!”
She bustled away and Mr. Harrison laughed before sitting back down. He sighed, giving further credence to Mason’s thoughts that the man wasn’t well. “That child won’t sleep tonight,” Mr. Harrison teased. “Calling her Mama Harrison gave Emery grandma rights. You’ve lost Layla for the night.”
“She’ll need a grandma,” Harper said, leaning into Mason’s side.
His arm automatically went around her. “She will,” he agreed, though the words pained him. His parents had rights to see Layla, but Mason was doing what he could to keep some boundaries in place. For the foreseeable future, they would have to travel to him, and he had no intention of leaving them alone with her. If his mother ever decided to ease up, maybe the rules could change, but until then...
“Emery would never turn down the job,” Mr. Harrison said.
“And she’ll have a grandpa to boot,” Jayden said, coming up on Mason’s other side. He grinned. “Howya doin, Uncle Tony?”
Mr. Harrison scowled. “When are you going to settle down, Jayden? Some woman needs to pull that grin off your face.” A twitch of his lips let everyone know he was teasing and Jayden laughed.
“Pull it off? I’m pretty sure if it was the right woman, she’d put a smile on my face.”
Mason chuckled and Harper covered her laugh with her hand. “I can testify to that,” he said.
Mr. Harrison smiled. “Glad to see you’re doing well, Jay. I haven’t been to see your parents yet. Everything okay?”
Jayden nodded. “Yep. The inn just keeps plugging along. You know the drill.”
Mr. Harrison nodded. “I do. I’ve spent quite a bit of time working there myself.” He relaxed. “It’s nice to have the next generation taking it over, just like the bakery.”
“Aspen has done so well with it,” Harper assured Mr. Harrison. “You’d be so proud of her.”
“I am,” Mr. Harrison assured her. He pointed sideways. “Except for that. It’s a monstrosity.”
Mason laughed. The couch that was dubbed “The A’s Place” really was horrible. But it was part of Aspen and Austin’s story, so no one complained too much.
Harper smiled. “People come in just to take pictures on that sofa.”
Mr. Harrison nodded. “I think I’m too old to understand.”
“Are you too old for dessert?” Maeve asked, walking into the group with a plate in her hands.
Mr. Harrison reached for it, but his hands shook slightly. Clenching them into fists, he smiled sadly. “Maybe later, Maeve. Thank you.”
She sat down next to him. “Nonsense. Mom’s showing off Layla like she’s the only baby in the world. Someone might as well take care of you.” She began to cut the cake and Mason took that as his cue to move.
“Good to see you, Mr. Harrison.”
The middle aged man smiled, though it wasn’t as bright as before. “You too, Mason. Come by the house sometime. I have a feeling I haven't heard the whole story about Layla, and I’d be interested.”
Mason nodded and took Harper’s hand. “We will. Thanks.” He guided her away. “Somehow I don’t think he’ll eat if we’re all watching.”
“I know,” Harper said under her breath. “It’s been hard on him.”
“Do you know what it is?”
“He has Parkinson’s.”
Mason stopped. “What?”
Harper nodded. “Yeah. It’s why he quit sculpting. His hands shook too much.” She glanced around, then leaned in. “That's why they were in Italy. He was seeing family before he reaches the point where he can’t travel.”
Harper pulled Mason back into motion. His heart ached for the Harrison family. Why did bad things have to happen to good people?
“Come on,” Harper encouraged. “It’s a party tonight. Leave them be.”
Mason nodded. “You’re right. Tonight’s a celebration.” Instead of aching, his heart began to beat a little faster. Tonight was a celebration and he had something he was hoping would be worth celebrating even more than just keeping Layla. Tonight he was hoping to build a complete family, not a partial one.