Page 28 of Grand Love

As if she knows she’s being watched, she looks straight at me, her bloodshot eyes pinching in at the corners as they drop down my frame. I give a small smile, being polite. I can see she’s been crying. She isn’t like the other guests we have at The Earl Marks. She looks… a bit of a mess. She turns away, swiping her card again, and then disappears into the room.

“Come on, there will be nothing left in the kitchen in a minute.” Emily smiles, pulling on the trolley to urge me along.

* * *

I’m walkingtowards the lifts on my way back from lunch when I spot Mason. He’s climbing from his Bentley, his powerful legs eating up the asphalt as he makes his way to the entrance of The Earl Marks.

“Mason? Is everything okay?” I ask, concerned as I push out through the main doors. Lucy would have called me if something was wrong with Ellis.

His eyes go wide when he spots me.

“Nina, you don’t normally work today?”

“I’m covering, is something wrong? Ellis is with Lucy.” Mason shouldn’t even know I work here, which means Lucy, or someone has told him. Panic fills me. I pull my phone from my pocket to check for missed calls.

“Uh, no. No, Ellis is fine,” he tells me, rubbing his thumb over his jaw. “I could’ve had Ellis today. You should’ve called.”

“I know you work Fridays.” I shrug, feeling awkward. “Luce had holiday to use, it’s fine.” If Ellis isn’t the reason he’s here… “Why are you here?”

He stuffs his hands in his pockets, looking at the cars buzzing around us before bringing his eyes back to me. And he has me, just like that, locked in a stare so intense I’m bolted to the concrete beneath my feet. I wish I could see deeper into those eyes. I swear the depths of their darkness matches my soul. They feel like home, weirdly. “I have a meeting with a client.” His jaw flexes.

“Here?” I question, swallowing past the lump that sets my voice wavering.

He continues to stare at me, unrelenting. “Yes.”

“Oh.” I realise this is probably the most we have said to each other since Ellis was born, and the majority of the conversation is being spoken with our eyes. The thought makes my face flush. “I’ll let you get on then.”

I thought I’d hate him. I expected to hate him. But I don’t. The anger is still there in my gut, but it doesn’t burn as fiercely as it once did. I could never trust nor love him again, not willingly anyway. But if I can, I want to be amicable. For our son.

“I’m still picking Ellis up tonight. Five fifteen.” His gaze drops down the length of me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Is he doing this on purpose?

“Umm, yeah.” I nod. “Actually…” I consider asking him to come later. I won’t see Ellis until Sunday, and I’ve been at work since his nap this morning. But this is Mason’s time, and I can’t take that from him. It wouldn’t be fair. “No, never mind.”

“What is it?” he asks, tipping his chin up, and I can’t help but focus on the movement.

Why is he so fucking hot? It’s not fair. He has more than a day’s worth of stubble lining his angular jaw. He seems fitter, sharper. More. I’m completely transfixed on him. Shit. I snap out of it.

I need to get away from him. Now!

“It’s fine, honest, five fifteen is great,” I rush out, turning and jogging back inside without saying goodbye. Rochelle spots me hurrying through the door and gives me an evil eye.

Not now Satan.

* * *

Mase

I waituntil Nina is inside then turn around and walk back towards my car.

Of course, she’s fucking working today.

Pulling out my phone, I pull up Jasmine’s number. I haven’t checked on her today, and I know she will be upset. The social worker was there as promised this morning. Seeing Jasmine break down wasn’t high on my list of ways to start a Friday morning, but I know it was the right thing to do.

I dial her number and wait for her to answer but get nothing.

I call Vinny.

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