Chapter Eleven
Payton
I’d called Mason’s cell after my shift at the hospital was over. There was a screaming infant in the background and Mason sounded stressed as hell. It was about a twenty-minute drive to the ranch and I hoped that he would be okay when I got there. His whole life had just been turned upside down. In a matter of mere seconds he lost both his parents and went from playboy rock star to a surrogate father.
A few minutes later, when I went to turn off the main road to head through the gates to the ranch’s driveway, I was met with about a million camera flashes. I winced and held my hand in front of my face. The lights were blinding. A man in a suit pushed through the crowd and knocked on my window. “This is private property.”
I raised an eyebrow, surveying the crowd of reporters and paparazzi on the side of the road. “Doesn’t really look like it though, huh?”
“Name?” He seemed annoyed.
“Payton Adkins. I’m here to see Mason. I’m a, uh, friend.”
The beefcake security man raised a sharp brow. “Isn’t everyone?”
Damn Mason and his whorish ways. I smiled, as genuinely as I could. “I was one of the nurses that helped take care of the baby in the NICU.” I grabbed my wallet from the passenger seat and showed him my ID and the hospital badge.
He nodded, then spoke something I couldn’t hear into his sleeve. The tall iron gates started to swing open and about ten more guys, all attractive and dressed in suits, came out. They blocked the reporters from getting any closer and made a path for me to drive through. “Holy shit.” I knew my eyes were wide, but this was like a circus.
My heart ached for Mason and the baby. They’d lost so much and the world was treating it like a sideshow. I parked and walked up to the front door, knocking loudly. I could hear the baby crying, screaming really. But no one answered. I tried the handle, and when I found it unlocked I let myself in. “Mace? Where are you guys?” I took a few steps into the house, the Spanish tile gleaming under my feet.
“Thank fuck you’re here.” Mason came into view, a wailing infant in his arms. He was wearing a gray wifebeater and some loose black drawstring pants. They hung so low on his hips that my eyes traveled down of their own accord. “I’ve tried everything. I fed her, I changed her. I burped her. She won’t stop.” He looked rough. His hair was sticking up all over the place, he had either pee or vomit on his beater, and his eyes were red and wild. “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”
Seemed those two had had a rough four hours since they left the hospital. Although he looked as if he had showered and shaved, and was handsome as hell. I crossed the open floor plan living room and took the baby from his arms. I held her close, shushing in her ear.
“She’s used to the sounds of the NICU. Constant noise and voices.” I started to bounce her a little on my way to the old record player in the corner of the room. “Does this work?”
“Yeah.” He came over, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Or exhaustion. I watched as he lifted the lid and turned it on. Even worn out and stressed, he still looked handsome. An old Eagles album started to play.
“Turn it up a bit.” I unwrapped Katie from the blanket twisted around her body, and then rewrapped her without setting her down.
“How did you do that?” He sank onto the large brown leather sectional. “I can barely get her swaddled when she’s still and lying down. Why didn’t you do a better job teaching me Payton? Why?”
“You’re a terrible student.” I winked to match his humor. It seemed like every time he let himself feel an emotion even close to happiness, it bothered him. “And it’s swaddled, Mace.” I held her close, bouncing to the slow beat of the music. Within a few seconds, she stopped crying. Her eyes were open, taking in as much of her surroundings as she could.
“I tried music. She wasn’t having it.” His arms were crossed, his gaze on the baby in my arms. “She already likes you better than me.”
I snorted. “You tried music as a last resort. You were already worked up, tense because you couldn’t make her happy. She can feel your stress.” I placed a soft kiss on her tiny head. “Me? No stress. Bouncing with a preemie in my arms is what I do.” I smiled. “You’re great with her, Mace. You just need to get some rest.”
He leaned his head back, putting his hands in his hair. “Unfortunately, rest isn’t in my near future. I have about a hundred people clamoring to talk to me. I need to make a statement and I need to plan a joint funeral.” His voice cracked at that last word. And my heart broke a little more for him and for Katie.
I met his eyes. “Mason. It’s ten o’clock at night. You’ve had a really long three days and tomorrow isn’t going to be any easier.” I looked down at the baby. She really was one of the cutest infants I’d ever seen. And I’d seen a lot. “Go. Get some rest while I watch her. Tomorrow you can face the world.”
“No. You don’t have to do that. You worked all day and just by being here you’re—”
“We had sex, like four times. We did dirty things in your pool. And I’ve talked to you on the phone for hours at a time. Hell, I talked you through giving a naked groupie an EpiPen injection after you poured honey on her stomach.” I narrowed my eyes. “We’re friends, Mason. Right?”
He chuckled at my words. “Yeah, Payton. We’re friends.”
I liked seeing him smile. I knew those smiles were going to be few and far between over the next few weeks or so. “Well as your friend, I’m telling you to take your emotionally drained and physically exhausted ass to bed.” I gestured to the baby in my arms. “Katie and I? We go way back. And we’re going to be just fine.”
He stared at me for a few seconds, then let out a sigh and got to his feet. “Thank you.” He came over to us, placing a kiss on her head, and then one on my cheek. “And it was five times, baby.”
After he disappeared down the hall, I whispered, “Your brother is a mess, little girl.” Katie eye’s moved to my face, and I swear she winked at me.
I shouldn’t have brought up our time at the ranch, or the things we did in that pool. Mason was going to need me as a friend, now more than ever. It certainly wasn’t the time to start anything more, anything physical. Not even close. He was vulnerable and hurting. He’d lost his parents. His world was spiraling out of control. I’d be there for him, for Katie. But only as a friend.
I wouldn’t let myself be his escape, his emotional rebound.
We’d both end up hurt when it was over.