Resolution (Mason Family 5)

He bends forward, dipping his chin, and sits with his arms resting on his desktop.

Relief comes off me in waves. I hope he can’t tell.

“I never quite know what greeting I’m going to get from you,” he says, his lips twitching. “It could be a hug. It might be a dog attack. Admonishments are apparently on the table.”

“Which do you prefer?” I grin, relief coursing through me. “I like to please.”

He shakes his head and looks away, fiddling through a stack of papers.

Good try, Mason.

“I like Eliza,” I tell him.

The statement catches him off guard. His attention whips back to me.

“That’s random,” he says.

“I know. But …” I sigh. “Look, I know none of this is any of my business, but I can’t help myself.”

“Here we go.”

“But she’s so sweet, Wade, and she sits out there like someone is going to say boo! and she’s going to pee her pants.”

He takes his glasses off and sets them on his desk. “And what would you like me to do about that?”

“I do have potential solutions. I never come unprepared.”

I’m pretty sure he wants to tell me to fuck off, but he seems resolved to the inevitable.

I appreciate that about him.

“So,” I say, crossing a leg over the other and really getting comfortable. “My first suggestion is that you relax a little. I think she’s jumpy because you’re a little … overbearing.”

“I’ve never heard that before.”

“Sure, you haven’t.” I roll my eyes. “And maybe … compliment her occasionally. Do you do that?” I pause, taking in his unmoving reaction. “Didn’t think so.”

“You want me to compliment my assistant? My employee? That’s asking for legal trouble, Dara.”

“Not like that. Just tell her she’s doing a good job. Appreciate her attention to detail. Oh! I know—this should be easy for you—tell her you notice that she’s always on time.”

I might as well have told him to ask her to marry him. He just looks at me blankly like we are living on different planets.

“I’m going to point out something—one more thing that’s none of my business—”

He sighs and falls back into his chair.

“—that your refusal to make your employee feel seen is a reflection of your apparent disregard for intimacy in relationships.”

As the last words fall out of my mouth, Wade’s office door swings open without warning. In walks a taller, slightly older, and much friendlier version of Wade. His steps come to a screeching halt when he sees me.

“I …” He swallows and looks at Wade and then back down to me again. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You’re not interrupting.” I extend a hand. “I’m Dara Alden. It’s nice to meet you.”

A smile breaks out across the man’s face. His attention flips to Wade in a moment of incredulity before he takes my hand.

“I’m Holt Mason. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Alden.”

Wade says something under his breath that I can’t quite make out.

Holt sits next to me. “So, I heard something about intimacy in relationships?” He stares down his brother with an amusement that he doesn’t even try to hide.

Wade scowls at him, also without trying to hide it.

“Well, since your brother is tongue-tied,” I say, twisting my body to face Holt. “We were talking about Wade’s refusal … failure?” I glance quickly at Wade and then back to his brother. “Let’s go with refusal. His refusal to introduce intimacy into his relationships on any level.”

Holt quirks a brow. “Oh, really?”

“That’s enough,” Wade says, shaking his head.

I pivot in my seat until I’m facing Wade again. “That’s not enough. You won’t even listen to what I’m saying, and I’m right. I know that pains you to hear and even more to admit, but you need to—”

“Dara,” he says, his voice rising over mine. “Let it go.”

“Fine. It’s your life.”

Holt clears his throat. “So … Are the two of you …” He motions between Wade and me.

“She is Bowery’s granddaughter,” Wade says with a tinge of disdain.

I don’t have time to really process that before Holt hums in understanding.

“I haven’t seen your grandfather in quite a while,” Holt says. “How is he?”

How the hell do I know?

Knowing I can’t say that—I can’t tarnish the family reputation—I grin.

“Granddad is great. I just spoke with him the other night. We’re having dinner soon,” I say. The words sound like they’re coming from someone else’s mouth. I’m completely disconnected from them.

“Give him my regards, please.” Holt nods, capping off the respect in his tone.

“Of course.”

The space between the three of us is unwieldy. I don’t know what to say, but I can’t take the thickness of the air and the tension in the room.

“So, Holt, are you the brother who just had a baby?” I ask.

Wade’s chair creaks as if he’s moved, but I don’t dare look at him.

Holt grins. “No. That’s Coy. He and his wife had their baby boy last week.”