Chapter 11

 

The farm would always be home, no matter how many years it had been since Mason had actually lived there. It was the one place he could go where he was always welcomed no matter what time of the day it was. He was always guaranteed to be greeted by someone he loved and who loved him. He couldn’t imagine not having that source of comfort and familiarity, and it broke his heart to think that Cassie didn’t have that.

To think she was alone in the world bothered him far more than it should have, especially considering Caleb had been in that same lonely place not so long ago. But for some reason, Mason never thought twice about Caleb’s situation and how he had lost everyone he had held dear to him.

Perhaps that was because Caleb was laid back, and Cassie was guarded and clearly in need of help, even if she was so quick to resist it. He wanted to be the one to help her, wanted so much for her to trust him that he found himself lying awake at night unable to stop the thoughts of her being alone. They invaded his head every time he tried to close his eyes.

Knowing that she now at least had a roof over her head, walls to surround her, and heat to keep her warm, he was able to sleep a little easier.

He spent the morning helping her get settled. She wasn’t kidding when she said she only had a tent, but he couldn’t drop her off with an empty fridge, so he insisted, as a house warming gift, he would buy her groceries.

When they got back from the store, he headed outside and chopped some wood for her, stacking it on the side of the house so she’d have plenty to get her through the next week. He had made a mental note to get back there and make sure she was stocked up for the winter. He never wanted her to be cold or to ever go without the basic necessities.

Now they were pulling up to his parents’ house for Sunday dinner. Cassie was hesitant at first to accept his invitation, but she eventually said yes. He hoped his family behaved, and she wouldn’t regret it.

“This house is beautiful,” Cassie said as he put the truck in park behind Hadley’s pickup. “What was it like growing up here?”

“Loud.”

She stared up at the house with a sweet gleam in her eye. “I bet you were never lonely. You always had someone to play with and talk to.”

“Also never had much privacy.”

“I would trade privacy for companionship any day of the week.”

“You sure? Because once you meet my family, that trade is a guarantee.”

Before Cassie could answer, Hadley knocked on the passenger window, causing Cassie to jump. Afraid the unexpected knock would send her into her mind, Mason rested a hand on her thigh and gave it a comforting squeeze.

Instead of the blank stare Mason expected, Cassie grabbed her chest and laughed.

Relief flooded Mason’s body as he brought his hand back to his side. “Told you. No privacy,” he said with a shake of his head.

They both got out of the truck and joined Hadley and Lady, a senior golden Cocker Spaniel that had won Hadley’s heart, and gone from a foster dog to a permanent member of the family.

Mason bent down and scratched the curls on Lady’s ears. “Hey, girl.” She relaxed into his hand and pressed her weight against his leg. “Hadley, you remember Cassie.”

“Of course. How have you been? Hope my brother is treating you right.”

“I couldn’t ask for a better boss,” Cassie said.

Hearing her call him “boss” didn’t sit right. It seemed like it put too much of a divide between them.

“He’s not too brooding?” Hadley tucked her blonde bob behind her ear, her slate blue eyes sparkling a little too much for Mason’s liking.

Cassie held up her thumb and pointer finger. “Maybe a little.”

“Hey!”

“That’s what I thought. Does he also insist on doing everything himself because you know, he’s perfect, and no one can do anything right?”

“Had…” Mason said, narrowing his gaze in warning.

“Mace…” she mocked with a big smile, then looped her arm through Cassie’s. “I have quite a few stories I think you might appreciate.”

“Remember that privacy thing,” Mason said to Cassie as he followed behind them toward the house.

“Privacy?” Hadley said. “No such thing in this family.”

“My point exactly.”

The front door opened, and Kate came out, holding a glass of red wine. “Finally! What took you so long?”

“Let me guess,” Hadley said. “Grandma is asking when Caleb is going to knock you up?”

“Yes! Can’t she let me get married before she starts making plans for my womb?”

“When are you two getting married exactly?” Mason asked, and Kate turned a fiery pair of bluish green eyes on him.

“Not you, too. It’s not good enough to just get engaged. People want dates for your bridal shower, your wedding. Where are you going on your honeymoon? When are you having kids? How many do you plan on having? Whatever happened to going with the flow?”

“Sorry I asked,” Mason said, holding his hands up in front of him.

Hadley patted Kate’s shoulder then looked to Mason. “It’s a bit of a touchy subject at the moment.”

“You don’t say.”

Kate took a healthy sip of her wine. “How do they expect me to be pregnant for nine months? I can’t even go ten minutes in there without having a glass of wine.”

“It’s all new,” Cassie said. “I’m sure it’ll die down after a while. They’re probably excited for you and eager to share that excitement with you.”

“Who brought the levelheaded girl?” Kate asked.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“I’m kidding,” Kate quickly interjected. “You’re totally right, and I’m being a brat.”

Mason tried to stifle a laugh. “You? Never.”

“Shush, you.”

“Where’s Caleb?” he asked.

“I threw him at Grandma and ran for cover. I guess I should go rescue him.” She opened the door, and the delicious smells of their mom’s cooking greeted them. They walked into the house, and within seconds the Hayes clan descended, welcoming Cassie with warm smiles and even a few hugs.

Once the greetings were exchanged, Hadley and Kate whisked Cassie away to sit with Shay around the kitchen table.

Mason spotted Cooper outside on the deck, beer in hand, staring off into the distance. With Cassie occupied by all the females in his family, he slipped outside to join his brother.

“What’s going on?”

“Just enjoying this. It’s been so long since I’ve been home for the fall, I almost forgot how great it is.”

“Better than climbing the ruins of Machu Picchu or swimming with the pigs in Exuma?” Cooper was a professional travel blogger, and had visited more countries than most people could ever imagine. He had turned his love of travel into a career by posting pictures and videos on his blog and social media, quickly gaining a massive following after a monkey in Sri Lanka stole his camera and took pictures.

Cooper stared out to the acres of farm toward the corn maze at the far end and the signs shaped like pumpkins declaring all you can carry, and smiled. “Yeah, it is.”

“How much have you had to drink?” Mason asked.

“First one.” Cooper held the bottle up that was still half full. “All those places are great, but none of them are home.”

“Does that mean you’re ready to give it up?”

Cooper had always been looking for his next adventure. He had never been content staying in one place for too long. Mason was still surprised that he never took off after Matt and Shay’s wedding back in July. It was the longest stretch of time he’d been home since high school.

“I don’t know. I love the journey. The exploration of new cultures and learning the history and what makes these places so great, but as much as all these countries have to offer, there is one thing they never have—you guys. My family. Being home I realized how much I miss showing up at your place, sitting back and bullshitting. I’ve missed Mom’s cooking and Grandma’s nose butting into my business. Grandpa’s absurd projects and chilling with Dad out here and talking about nothing… just enjoying each other’s company.

“Now that Shay’s pregnant, I’m afraid of being that uncle who misses every birthday and every school play because he’s too busy in his own life. I want my niece or nephew to know me.”

“They’ll know you whether you’re here or travelling the world.”

“I want them to know me though not the guy in the pictures. Those pictures don’t tell the whole story. Everything looks great in a single snapshot. I have all these fans and none of them know the truth. They all want to be me, but they have no idea. You don’t see the fleabag hostels I stayed in. The toilets that were nothing more than holes in the ground with a bucket of water and a ladle sitting next to it.”

“Why not tell people, then?”

“Because nobody wants to see the truth.”

“They might not want to see it, but maybe they’ll want to read about it.”

“What like write a book? I couldn’t write a book. I don’t know the first thing about it.”

“I’m sure every writer at some point in time knew nothing about it, but they took the time to learn. I know you. When you set your mind to something there is no stopping you. Maybe it’ll go nowhere, but at least you’ll have something for our niece or nephew to read one day that tells them who exactly you are and all you’ve done.”

“It is pretty impressive. I mean seventy-four countries in seven years is no small feat. I could break it down by country. Give a list of must see places in each country. Talk about the culture, the food, the sights. I could incorporate my pictures and the ones I never posted.”

“You’re going to do it?”

“I think I am.”

“Good.”

Cooper had spent his entire adult life never settling down, always on the go, searching for the next big adventure. Maybe that next big adventure was right here at home surrounded by the one thing he never had in any of those other places—his family.

“For the past few months, I’ve been toying with the idea of taking a break, staying home for a while. I think you helped me make my decision.”

Mason held his glass up, and Cooper clicked his against it. “You’re welcome.”

“I was also thinking about building a tiny home.”

Mason arched his eyebrow in Cooper’s direction.

“Mom and Dad have all this property, half of which they don’t use. I never needed much. I can build it on wheels so I can travel the country with it if I want. I’ve been looking at designs, and I think we can do it.”

“We?”

“I did kind of help you get your brewery up and running.”

“And you’re turning in your payback card.”

“Damn straight.”

“Thought I’d at least have a couple years.”

“How about a couple weeks? I already placed an order for materials. Should arrive right after the Fall festival comes to a close.”

“Don’t really have a choice, do I?”

“Nope.”

“Okay, then.”

Cooper nodded toward the glass doors that led into the kitchen where Cassie stood with Shay, Hadley, and Kate. “She’s cute.”

“Stay away.”

Cooper held up his hands and smirked like he knew something that Mason didn’t. “Down boy. I was just making an observation.”

“I know you.” There was a reason Cooper was nicknamed Casanova in high school. He loved women, and didn’t think twice about moving on from one to the next. Whenever women were involved, he was like a starved man at a buffet. He would take all he could eat, and maybe regret his indulgence before moving onto the next. He lived his life in a series of one-night stands, always gone before the sun went up.

“Then you should know I wouldn’t move in on your girl.”

“She’s not my girl.”

“Why is that?” he asked, a strange curiosity in his voice.

“She’s my employee.”

“So?”

“I don’t mix business and pleasure.” Even he was having a hard time accepting that as an answer, but he wasn’t ready to talk to his brother yet about the complication that was Cassie. He wanted it to be more, but the power was in her hands. He gave her his word, and he planned on keeping it.

“We know. Trust me we all know. But what if your stupid rule stops you from finding something great? I mean look at her, dude.”

Mason looked back to the house, his eyes settling on Cassie. Every day she was coming out of her shell more and more. Today, talking with his sisters, she was smiling, and damn it if it wasn’t the prettiest thing he had ever seen. She turned, catching his eyes across the way. A slight blush spread through the delicate line of freckles across her nose.

Cooper smacked him on the back, and Mason quickly looked away. “Do yourself a favor and make your move before someone else does. Not everyone is your brother, and trust me when I say they would not hesitate, so you shouldn’t either.”

The problem was Mason surrendered that ability. He told Cassie he wasn’t going to make a move until she was ready, and she hadn’t brought it up since that day. Now he only hoped that she wouldn’t let fear keep them apart, and she would find a way to trust him before her trust went to someone else.