Chapter Thirteen

 

Breakfast had become one of the most enjoyable parts of Mason’s day. The coffee was already brewed and he was cracking eggs into a bowl when Danielle appeared in her pink robe with slight mussed hair looking absolutely adorable.

“You’re up early,” she said, sliding onto a stool at the island counter.

“I thought it was my turn to make us breakfast,” he said. “Would you like some coffee?”

“Please,” she said.

Mason poured her a cup and set a carton of cream in front of her. He retrieved some items from the fridge and began chopping. “How did you sleep?” he asked.

“Fine. Your mattress is very comfortable,” she said, a slight blush in her cheeks.

She must have been thinking about the goodnight kiss he’d given her last night after they watched the movie with their take-out dumplings and fried rice. She’d finally let her guard down and had even snuggled up on the couch with him. He’d gone to bed with the scent of her perfume on his shirt so besotted that he’d slept in his shirt, rather than change into his pajamas. He looked forward to the day when they truly shared his bed as husband and wife, so she could fall asleep in his arms every night and not have to go to a separate room. He just had to be patient.

He didn’t want her bolting or backing out of their arrangement because she was scared. He’d give her time and space and do his best so she’d fall in love with him. He couldn’t be reading her wrong. She had to feel the electricity between them, the bond they’d developed in the week they’d spent together. She had to sense there was more to them than an arranged marriage. He couldn’t be the only one feeling this way.

“I hope you like omelets,” he said. “With prosciutto and goat cheese, because that’s all I could find.”

“Sounds wonderful. Very gourmet.”

They ate and talked, lingering over a second cup of coffee at the counter. “I have no job to go to and neither do you today,” he said. “What would you like to do?”

“I haven’t given it much thought,” Danielle said.

“We could go to Muir Woods. Have you been?”

“A long time ago when I first moved here.” She blessed him with a shy smile that melted his heart. “But I haven’t been with you.”

“We must remedy that then,” he said with a wide smile.

He rose to clear the dishes and Danielle followed him. They taken up the habit of washing dishes together, avoiding the use of the dishwasher. After she dried the dishes, he put them away and turned to face her. He loved how her face lit up when she looked up at him. It made him feel so warm inside. He rested his hands on her waist and looked down at her lovely, full lips. He bent down and kissed her, brushing his mouth against hers with a feather touch. Her arms came up around him, pulling him closer to her. He could taste the coffee on her lips, creamy and sweet. He deepened the kiss as he felt her nudge upwards, standing on her toes as she reached to pull him closer.

A sharp ring filled the air. Someone was downstairs wanting in. Mason let go of Danielle with reluctance and stepped back. “Who’s calling so early?” he muttered, taking a peek at the stove’s clock.

He glanced at Danielle and saw her face fall, the joy seeping out of her like a candle losing its flame. “I have a pretty good idea,” she said.

Mason pushed the intercom button. “Yes?”

“Let me in. I have some news for you.” His father’s voice came out of the speaker, disrupting the peace and happiness in his home in an instant.

“I think it is a little early for visitors. I’m busy right now,” Mason said as he wrapped his arms around Danielle and pulled her to him. He kissed the top of her head, reassuringly. He had no intention of letting his father destroy his peace ever again.

“It’s too important,” his father said. “Let me come up.”

Mason sighed. He knew his father was up to no good, but he also knew he wouldn’t let up until he talked to Mason. He took a step away from Danielle. “He won’t stop until I talk to him. I can let him in now and get it over with or prolong it and suffer his constant interruptions until I talk to him.”

Danielle plastered a blank expression on her face that Mason found troubling. “Let him come up then. No sense in putting off the inevitable.”

Against his better judgment, Mason buzzed his father in. The former happy energy in the apartment turned cold and tense. Mason held Danielle’s hand as they moved to the living room. Both of them sat on the couch, staring ahead of them, awaiting the impending chaos that his father would bring. Within seconds the doors to the elevator swished open and Mason’s father rushed through the door, shoving a file under Mason’s nose.

“What’s this?” Mason asked stiffly. He pushed his father’s hand away, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

His father plopped the file on the glass coffee table and opened it. He picked out a sheet of paper and thrust it towards Danielle, holding it in front of her face. “Recognize this man?”

Danielle’s face changed from blank to surprised. She grabbed the paper out of Mr. Rutherford’s hand and studied it. “My father,” she said, her voice unsteady.

“Yes, and do you see that caption?” Mason’s father pointed out the type beneath the photo.

Danielle dropped the paper to the floor and stood up, causing Mr. Rutherford to take a step back. “How low will you stoop to separate me from Mason? My father may be many things, but he is not a murderer.”

Mason grabbed the paper from the floor and scanned it. He threw a gruff look at his father. “Get out,” he barked. He shoved at his father, pushing him away from Danielle and towards the elevator.

“Her father is in a state prison in South Carolina, serving a life sentence for murder in the first degree. Did you not think to do a background check before choosing a wife?”

Mason pushed the elevator button and the door slid open. He thrust his father inside. “Do not come near me or Danielle again, or I will have a restraining order put on you.”

His father twisted his mouth in an angry frown. “A restraining order? Against your own father?”

“That’s right. Now leave me alone. I don’t care if you publish that in every paper in the country. I’ve chosen my wife and the life that makes me happy. One without you in it.” Mason pushed a button. The doors closed just as his father was about to respond.

He turned to Danielle and gave the file on the coffee table a baleful glance. “I’m not going to assume anything this time,” he said quietly. “But you told me that you didn’t know your father, but it seems you recognized his photo. Did you know about this?” Mason held up the paper with her father’s mug shot.

Danielle stared at him. He could see her fighting back the tears. “No.” she said. “I haven’t seen my father since he walked out on my Mother and I when I was ten years old. But I can tell you one thing for certain. My father is no killer.”

Mason set the paper down in the file with the rest of the paperwork. He knew that feeling all too well of being abandoned by your father. He was certain there were many more dark secrets contained in that file. His father’s meddling had gone to far. His own actions had brought pain to the woman he cared for, the woman who was his wife, even if it was in name only. He scuffed his hand through his hair. It was time to get the truth out. All of the truth, no matter how ugly, no matter how sad, no matter how tough to stomach. For either of them. A strong, happy marriage could never be built on lies.

Mason took Danielle’s hand and led her back to the couch where they sat down in silence. “Tell me what you know about your father,” he finally said.

~

Danielle sat back, willing the tears not to fall. She’d never kept a photo of her father. She’d never forgiven him for leaving her and her mother. She wanted nothing more than to forget he ever existed. Now, all these years later there he was staring back at her from a mug shot. She couldn’t believe it. Her mother had to know. She’d hidden it all these years. A spike of anger exploded towards her mother. Why had she hidden the truth from her?

“I don’t know anything about my father being in prison,” she said. “I need to speak to my Mother. I can’t believe she kept this from me. To my knowledge, my father left us, high and dry without a penny. I’ve never forgiven him for that,” she said, her voice starting to break. “It was a terrible thing to do.”

“All you know is he left one day and never came back? Maybe your mother didn’t want you to know he was incarcerated.”

“She had to know. I can’t understand her keeping that from me. We moved afterwards to a different town, and I attended a different school,” she said rising from the sofa. “I have to go to Savannah. I have to see my Mother in person. She has to tell me what happened. I need to know the truth.”

“I’ll go with you,” Mason said.

Danielle shook her head. “No, I have to go alone. This is a family matter.”

Mason bristled at her words. “You are my wife and that makes us family. I am going with you. We’ll take my private jet and be there before evening. If you want to speak to your Mom in private, I understand, but I want to be there for you.”

“Okay,” Danielle said. “Guess I need to pack again. I should call my roommates too.”

An hour later, Danielle sat in the luxurious cabin of Mason’s private jet. She ran her hand against the supple tan leather of her seat as a staff member served them refreshments. She’d never been in a private jet before. It was a shame she couldn’t enjoy it more. She had so many questions for her mother, she’d barely been able to keep from asking her anything when she’d called her to tell her she was coming. Strangely, her mother didn’t seem surprised she was visiting so impromptu.

She wasn’t sure how to tell her she was married. She’d planned on waiting until the three months had passed. Until she knew if it was going to work with Mason. Foolish, girl. In little more than one week, their counterfeit wedding had blown up in their faces and into a drama she’d never anticipated. Nor desired.

She peered over at Mason, who was devouring the file on her father. She wasn’t ready to conquer that mountain yet. She wanted to hear her mother’s explanation first so her judgement wouldn’t be colored. Her feelings were in turmoil. At once she was glad her father hadn’t truly left her and her mother, as she’d thought all these years. And on the other hand, she couldn’t believe her father was in prison for murder. She thought of his kind face, and the way he’d smiled so proudly at her as a child. He’d hugged her tightly the last night she’d seen him. He’d tucked her in and said good night. And then, she’d never seen his face again. Until today. Until Mason’s father showed up with what he thought was evidence to completely break them apart.

“Mason?” she said softly.

He looked up at her, startled, as if he forgot she was sitting beside him. He shut the file and promptly set it on the table in front of them. “Sorry, I’m trying to figure out what happened. I’ll call James and have him look into it. Seems your father was convicted on circumstantial evidence. He never appealed. Something seems suspicious about it.”

“I know he didn’t murder anyone,” she said. “He wasn’t a perfect man, he worked hard, liked his occasional beer and was a kind person. He was a simple fisherman.”

Mason raised his eyebrows. “A fisherman?”

Danielle nodded. “He came from a long line of fishermen. I can’t imagine him locked up in a prison away from the sun and sea. It must be killing him.”

He reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. “We’ll get to the bottom of it. I promise,” he said.