Page 93 of Meant to be Falling
“We all have our strengths.” She turns halfway back to her desk before looking back at me. “You came over here for something Coach Turner wants to do?”
Waving her off, I smile. “It’s nothing that can’t wait till Monday. I’ll email you the details.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. You have more important things to do—like larceny of used spoons and batteries.”
Barking out a laugh, she throws her head back and misses the moment Porter steps into the student center.
Time to go.
“I’ll see you on Monday, Shay.”
“Bye, Lana, and thank—” Her words end when her eyes lock on the man who’d almost been reduced to a lifetime of minor and aggravating annoyances.
Grinning, I make sure to lower my voice as I pass him on my way out. “Deserve her.”
I don’t wait for his response because I have a good feeling everything is about to work out even if I’ll probably have to avoid the copy room on Monday.
“Beckham Howard Richards,how many times have I told you to put the seat down?” I holler as I come into the kitchen to find my son with his hands up and my boyfriend with a guilty expression.
“It wasn’t me!” Beck yells, affronted.
“It better not have been you,” I grumble, “because why?”
“Because you’re raising a gentleman,” Beck answers dutifully as he smirks at Mason.
“Good boy,” I say with a smile before turning my mom face on my boyfriend.
“That’s my fault,” he says, hustling into the bathroom and coming back a moment later, kissing me on the cheek. “Sorry, Dream Girl.”
“Uh-huh. Listen, I had a whole conversation today about mild revenge ideas for annoying rather than maiming.”
Mason’s mouth opens and closes as he blinks at me. “Apparently your day was far more entertaining than mine.”
I shrug, a little self-conscious. “I got to be a friend today.”
Mason’s eyes narrow. “I’m thrilled you’re, um, putting yourself out there to make friends, but maybe we need to talkabout the people you’re associating with…” His voice trails off teasingly and Beck snickers.
“You shouldn’t give in to peer pressure,” my son says, unable to keep the laugh from his voice, and Holland’s gaze bounces between all of us, obviously confused.
“I don’t think we need to worry about your mom, dude. It’s the innocent sensibilities of others we— Hey!” Mason squeaks as I pinch his side. “Ow.”
His eyes are twinkling, and I can’t help but roll mine. “You’re causing trouble.”
“I would never.” Mason grins and leans forward to press a quick kiss to my lips.
Beck gags and Holland makes some kinds ofoooosound; both have me laughing when I pull back and look at them. They’re smiling, and I am too, because this is happiness. This is what it’s always supposed to be like.
“What do you think about a waffle bar for dinner?”
“Yes!” Cheers sound around me, my boyfriend included in the mix. His vibrance brings so much to our lives, and I’m so damn thankful because we’d settled for so long. Jacob would be appalled at such an unconventional night, and it makes me smile, that and the fact that Mason and I will have plenty of whipped cream left over for later.
Much later.
42
MASON
