Chapter Sixteen
Mason
“Mason, I don’t know how to thank you for this.”
With a grin, I finished helping Kris set up Maddie’s crib in the hotel suite I had booked for them. My brother Rich flew out last night for a meeting in Chicago for our father’s candy company. I’d worked for him for a bit with marketing and such before moving onto another company. It was easy being at the top of your father’s company, but getting to the top of another company was another story.
“I can’t believe the heater went out like that.” She glanced around. “How much are you paying for this suite?”
I chuckled. It wasn’t like I couldn’t afford it or Rich for that matter. My brother and sister-in-law lived very modestly. Their house in New Jersey was nice, but not over the top. You’d never know my brother was a CEO of a multi-million-dollar company in Chicago.
“If Rich came back home and found his daughter and wife in nothing less, he’d beat my ass.”
She shook her head. Her dark brown hair swooshing from side to side in her ponytail.
“Will you be able to work from here with Maddie?”
My phone went off in my pocket. Again. I was sure it was Ashley. I had told her not to call me unless it was an emergency.
“Yes, I’ll be fine. I’ll do all my calls when she’s sleeping.”
I nodded and looked around. “You don’t need anything else up but the port-a-crib and swing?”
“Nope. I think that’s it.”
“How about I bring you dinner tonight. Since you’re in town and I never really get to see Maddie, I’d love to stop by.”
Her eyes lit up. “Can you bring Chinese from that place you and Sterling used to go to all the time?”
Laughing, I walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. “Yes. Pepper steak, still?”
She pulled her head back and titled it some as she regarded me.
“What?” I asked.
“You know, most men would not remember what their sister-in-law liked from a Chinese restaurant. You’re going to make an amazing husband if you would let that wall down.”
My brows drew closer. “What wall?”
Her hands went to her hips. “The one that you’ve put up in some sad attempt to focus solely on your career. You’re thirty-two, Mason. It’s time to think family.”
“Kris, I just landed the job I’ve been working toward my whole career.”
“Why can’t you have both?”
I sighed and pushed my hand through my hair. “Because a woman is going to demand attention. Want me home at five to eat dinner and then watch some fucking TV series on Netflix that ended five years ago. Then she’ll want a kid which means more responsibility and then play dates and all of that. When would I have time to work?”
“Bullshit.”
My chest squeezed. “What do you mean, bullshit?”
“That’s all bullshit, and you know it. Your brother is the damn CEO of a company in another state! He flies back and forth at least once a week, and I work full time as well. We go down the path we choose to walk along, Mason. Just don’t be blinded by the wrong thing as you travel down yours. If you pass an exit, it’s hard to turn around.”
I rolled my eyes and pulled my phone off. I sent a text to my driver and told him I’d be heading down. “Jesus, you can tell you’re a writer.”
She chuckled. “I write bios and boring shit for large companies.”
Kissing her on the forehead, I started toward the door. “I’ve got to run, Kris. Text me or call if you guys need anything.”
“Will do. Don’t forget egg rolls tonight. No! Springs rolls!”
Waving my hand, I shut the door, headed to the elevator and down to the lobby.
I pulled out my phone and hit Ashley’s name.
“Mr. Quinn, your meeting with Johnson and Johnson was moved up to one.”
Glancing at my watch, it was just after twelve thirty. “Shit. Okay, I’m leaving the Ritz hotel now and will be there as fast as I can. Just make sure they are all seated in the conference room on time. Don’t make them wait for me if I’m not there.”
“Yes, sir.”
I hit ‘End’ and slipped into my waiting car and said, “Back to the office. And try to take the faster route, I’m late for a meeting.”
He nodded and said, “Will do, Mr. Quinn.
The driver took off and started making his way through the traffic as I stared out the window and cursed to myself. I had wanted to get to the office first thing this morning and talk to Saylor—apologize for calling her Saturday night and acting like an ass. Then I planned on asking her to lunch. I needed to figure out exactly what in the hell I was feeling for her and I needed to know if she felt the same.
When Kris had called me late last night to say it was freezing in the house and their heat didn’t work, I immediately headed to Jersey to get her and the baby. By the time we got back to the city and I got her and Maddie into the hotel and settled, half the damn workday had passed me by.
When I realized I had been staring at the same damn café, I looked forward. “Have we moved at all?”
“Not in the last fifteen minutes, sir. We’ve come up on an accident.”
“Fuck.”
Glancing at my watch, I saw I had less than ten minutes now.
“I’m three blocks away. I’ll just get out here I can make it there faster on foot.”
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry sir.”
“No worries,” I called back to the black town car before setting off into a jog. An older lady walked right in front of me, causing me to trip over her dog and bump into another person who spilled her drink all over me.
“Son-of-a-bitch,” I shouted.
“Sorry dude!” she called out as she continued on her way like her smoothie or whatever the hell it was hadn’t just destroyed my expensive suit.
I reached for my phone in my pocket and called Ashley. “Mason Quinn’s office.
“Ashley, I’ve soiled my suit, and I’m two and a half blocks away and out of the car.”
“Out of the car?” she asked.
“Accident,” I panted out.
Shit, when is the last time I went running?
“Running. Can’t talk.”
“Do you need the full suit, sir?” she asked, calm as a cucumber. I’m glad one of us was.
“No . . . new . . . shirt.”
Did she just giggle?
“I’m on it and will have it ready when you get done with your morning workout.”
I rolled my eyes. “Bloody hell, Ashley. I . . . was . . . just thinking . . . how much . . . I like you. Don’t make me . . . fire you.”
“No, sir.”
I hit ‘End’ and tried to pick up the pace. By the time I got to Tate and Cane, I was panting like I had run a damn marathon and I’d only ran three blocks.
“Mr. Quinn, are you okay?” Olivia Tate asked as she stepped onto the elevator and stared at me with a stunned expression. Noah walked on next and busted out laughing.
“Fun lunch date, Quinn?”
There was no one else in the elevator and Noah and I were good enough friends that I felt comfortable giving him the middle finger. Considering he was my boss, I still risked it.
“I’ll take that as a no,” Noah replied with a wink.
Hitting him on the stomach playfully, Olivia asked, “Mason, why are you out of breath?”
I stood taller and took in another deep breath. “Meeting at one. Accident. Had to run three blocks.”
“Three blocks!” Noah practically shouted. “You need to start running again, Quinn. You should be able to sprint that.”
Nodding, I replied, “Never enough time . . . with . . . work.”
Noah gave me a serious look. “Rule number one, make the time. Work will wait, Mason. Life won’t.”
His words seemed to ring loudly in my ears along with Kris, and Annie’s.
When the elevator opened, I got out. “Why are you getting off a floor early?” Olivia asked.
“Don’t want . . . the Johnson and Johnson people to . . . see me like this.”
The both nodded. “Good call, buddy. Hey, keep up the good work, Mason. And hit the gym.”
I shot him a dirty look as the doors closed, causing him to let out a roar of laughter.
“Asshole,” I mumbled as I raced to the stairwell.