CHAPTER 17
Aspen’s body languagesaid she was as curious as she was confused. “What do you mean, your daughter?” Her dark eyes darted between Harper and Mason. “Were you married before?”
Harper pinched her lips between her teeth. She didn’t want to overstep her bounds by answering–after all, it was Mason’s story–but Aspen was Harper’s best friend. She looked at Mason, who gave her a half grin.
“Layla is actually my niece,” he said, turning back to the visitors.
Maeve fell backward, her tense posture relaxing. “Oh no.”
Mason nodded. “My sister was killed in an accident a few weeks ago.” He paused and took a deep breath, the words obviously still causing him pain.
Harper rubbed his shoulder. She knew it would take a long time for him to get through this grief. The biggest problem was, he hadn’t been able to grieve, he’d been too busy adapting to becoming a single father.
“In her will, she asked that I take Layla.” He rubbed the child’s back, who had promptly gone to sleep on his chest.
Harper bit back her jealousy. She knew exactly how good that chest felt and it was supposed to be her time right now. It’s life, she reminded herself. If I’m going to be with Mason, I’ll have to get used to it.
“Fact is, I, uh, didn’t even know Layla existed.” He scowled. “My sister had a falling out with my mother and ran off as soon as she graduated. Her passing was the first any of us have ever heard from her.”
“Oh my goodness.” Aspen’s hand came up to cover her mouth. “How sad. And now you’re her guardian.”
Harper and Mason nodded.
Aspen rubbed her forehead. “I feel like I just fell into a telenovela.”
Mason chuckled. “It sounds like it, doesn’t it?”
“But he’s doing great,” Harper inserted. “He’s a wonderful father, or uncle, or whatever you want to call him.”
Mason gave her an appreciative smile.
“Why haven’t you told anyone?” Aspen pressed. “We’re all your friends. We would’ve helped.”
Mason sighed. “I wasn’t really trying to keep anything a secret. I was just...” He looked around as if searching for the right words.
“Too busy trying to survive,” Harper offered.
“Exactly.”
“I can’t even imagine.” Aspen leaned in. “But you’re set up now? You have all the equipment you need? Your house has been child proofed?”
His big shoulders shrugged. “As much as it can be, I suppose.” He looked at Harper. “Harper helped...a lot.”
Heat crept up her neck and cheeks as she tried to shrug off his compliment. “Basically, I shoved my way inside until he realized how much help he needed.”
Aspen slapped the arms of the chair. “Good.” She turned to Mason. “Come over for dinner tonight. At the family house.” She grinned. “Mine and Austin’s apartment is too small, but we’ll feed everyone and they can meet Layla.” Aspen tilted her head to the side. “It’ll be short notice, but I’ll best most everyone can come.”
Harper felt the sting of tears in the back of her eyes and she blinked rapidly. She had never doubted that Aspen and the others would help out, but she’d been so busy helping settle Mason, and then her own work with the art competition, and then trying to figure out how to date while still taking care of Layla...they just hadn’t gotten around to announcing her existence to everyone else.
Mason cleared his throat. “Are you sure?” he asked. “No one expects you all to take on any of this responsibility.”
Aspen stood, Maeve right behind her. “Did you or did you not step in to help when I was having love life troubles with Austin?”
Mason made a face. “Uh...I guess we did.”
“Right. And why did you do that?”
Mason relaxed and Harper smiled. “Because friends help each other.”
“And so does family.” Aspen walked over and lightly brushed her fingers over Layla’s hair. “This little beauty is about to learn that she has a dozen aunts and uncles that will spoil her rotten given half a chance.”
Maeve leaned around her sister. “I get to hold her first!” she squealed quietly, so as not to wake the child.
“Yeah, well I get to feed her cake,” Aspen argued.
Maeve scowled. “Says who?”
“Says the aunt who actually bakes,” Aspen shot back.
Mason held up a hand, laughing softly in that wonderfully deep tone of his. “I get it, I get it,” he said, stopping the fight before it got too crazy. “Lesson learned. We’ll be there.”
“What can I bring?” Harper asked, trying to make herself useful.
Aspen looked to Maeve, raising her eyebrows.
“A salad, maybe?” Maeve offered. She shrugged. “I have no idea what Estelle will want to cook.”
“Fair enough.” Harper stood and hugged her friends. “You two are the best.”
“I know,” Aspen said with a laugh.
Maeve smacked her sister’s arm. “So conceited.”
“Confident,” Aspen threw back.
Maeve rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how Austin handles you.”
Aspen made a face. “If I had a marriage where my husband had to handle me, the marriage would never have happened.”
Maeve muttered under her breath. “There’s a reason the Lord put you as the middle child.”
Harper snorted, then made an innocent face when Aspen glared. “So...green salad or fruit?”
Aspen shook her head. “Just because glasses here,” she jabbed her thumb over her shoulder, “is afraid to speak up, doesn’t mean the rest of us have to be.”
Maeve tugged on her sister’s arm, all while pushing up her fake glasses. “Come on before you wake the baby with your arguing. It would serve you right if she’s totally cranky when you have her tonight.”
Aspen followed, grinning. “Yeah, but then I’ll feed her cake and I’ll be the favorite.”
“Until she’s bouncing off the walls,” Maeve argued.
Aspen held the door open for her sister. “Easy.” She winked at Harper. “That’s when you give her back.”
“Oh my gosh,” Maeve moaned. “How in the world are we related?”
Aspen gave her sister a playful shove. “You know you love me. Don’t try to pretend otherwise.”
“Only because life would be boring without your antics.”
“Perfect. You get a front row seat without any of the repercussions.” Aspen waved and started to close the door behind them, but not in time to keep Harper and Mason from hearing Maeve’s screech of outrage and adamant denial.
Mason turned to Harper as soon as they were gone, his eyes wide. “What just happened?”
Harper laughed quietly. “They’re quite the pair, aren’t they?”
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