Fallen Crest High

Mason and their mother threw him a glare. He sank back against the couch and raised a hand across his lips. They were zipped.

Mason frowned at him, but sighed. "Yes, mother. This is Samantha."

Someone buzzed on the door and Logan jumped to his feet. He scurried around the room to open the door. Garrett Brickshire straightened as he viewed the room dressed in a navy blue suit. He'd been leaning with an arm near the top of the door.

"What's he doing here?" Mason rounded to his mother.

Logan's eyes widened. His smile grew and he hurried back to his seat. He picked up a bag of chips this time and started to munch on them.

Their mother grimaced, but swept past us. She rested a hand to Garrett's chest as his lips skimmed a kiss to her cheek. She gave Mason a small smile. "I figured it's appropriate. He is her real father after all, and you know about the two of us. We can deal with two birds with one stone tonight. Mmmm? Don't you agree?"

Mason glanced at Logan. "You okay with this?"

He made a show of showing his zipped lips again and shrugged.

"Thanks." Mason didn't hold back a wry tone to his voice.

Logan bobbed his head up and down as he reached for another beer.

And then there was another buzz at the door. Helen frowned as she walked to it and peered through the peephole. "Who could that be—oh my god." She turned back with a panicked look on her face. Her chest started to rise and fall at a rapid pace and she seethed at Mason, "Were you behind this?"

"What—no…"

Garrett rubbed a hand over his jaw and shook his head. A low baritone chuckle escaped him. "Now, darling, it only seemed appropriate for me to call her. She is my daughter's real mother after all."

"Garrett," she snapped and cursed at him. "Now's not the time to be charming."

He lifted a shoulder and arched an eyebrow before he perched on a couch's end. "Answer it, darling. They're going to find out anyway and it might as well be now. They can't be angry at us later for withholding information. I know Analise would throw that at me."

"Mom, what's going on…" The words died in Mason's throat as she opened the door and his father walked in, followed by my mother. Both of them wore reserved expressions, but when Analise saw Garrett, she sucked in her breath. Her face stretched at every angle over her skull. She looked in pain and then her eyes swung towards Helen. A confused look replaced the horrified one.

Logan groaned behind us. Something that sounded like a mix of laughter and curses slipped out. He snorted next and pressed his head into a couch cushion as his shoulders shook.

"Honey, what are you doing here?" Analise asked me. She was cold and formal.

"Helen? Why are we here?"

All eyes turned towards James, who was frowning at Mason.

Garrett stood from his perch and stretched to his fullest height. "She didn't call you. I did."

Analise jerked forward with fists clenched to her sides. "Why?"

He swung his head towards us. "Ask them. I was doing my fatherly duty." His lip curled up in a mocking manner.

"Sam?"

"Mason?"

"Garrett, what are you doing here? Sam, did you call him?"

I choked on my own vomit. "Are you kidding me?"

He drawled out again, "Nah, the girl doesn't want anything to do with me, Lise. You did a good job. She hates the sight of me."

I ducked my head and wished I could disappear. This was not somewhere I wanted to be.

"Why? What did you do to her?"

"Honey," James tone was soothing. "We were called here for a reason. Helen, you weren't behind this?"

She choked out an angry snort. "Are you kidding me? I'd like to handle our sons without your interference."

"And why would you have to handle them?" His tone cooled. "Mason? What is your mother referring to?"

Analise's look was filled with loathing as she glared towards Garrett. "Why in the world are you here?"

Helen's laughter peeled out this time. "I can take credit for that one, Analise." Her lip curled up in disdain. "You're going to find out anyway. Everything's going to come out now."

"What are you talking about, Helen?"

"Helen, let's spare some of the sordid details."

She threw a seductive grin towards Garrett. "I think I'm going to have to. Your ex doesn't look like she can handle all the details, not just yet anyway."

My mother paled and she jerked forward a step. "What are you talking about? Garrett, what is she talking about?"

He threw his head back and rolled back his shoulders. A cocky smirk came out. "I'm leaving my wife, Lise. I fell in love with someone else." And he threw a pointed look towards the middle of the room.

Analise seared everyone with a glare. "And why do I get the feeling you're not talking about your daughter?"

Helen smirked and poised with a hand to her hip. "He's talking about me, Lise. We were going to wait until his divorce was final, but we're engaged." And with that, she flipped a ring around on her finger. The diamond was double the size of my mother's. It sparkled as she wiggled her fingers around. "You like it? It matches the rest of my accessories. Only another woman can appreciate my outfit."

Mason groaned next to me and sat on the couch beside Logan. He passed the chips and the two munched away.

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