It's All Relative (48 page)

The pair slowed as they approached Mason’s office. Excited, Louis grabbed Kai’s shoulders and hopped up and down, like Kai had just told him that they were going to Disneyland or something. Kai hoped he could pull his enthusiasm back a notch or two for April. Although, she probably wouldn’t mind the attention. Putting his hands on the man’s shoulders to calm him down, he looked him squarely in the eye. “If she says yes…” Louis scoffed at that, like April saying no wasn’t even a possibility. Kai bit back a smile at the man’s confidence. “If she says yes, take her to that nice place you mentioned, and order that snail thing. And Louis…”

Louis raised his shoulders under Kai’s hands and shook his head. “What?”

Dropping his hands, Kai smacked his shoulder. “She’s a friend of mine, treat her like a lady.”

Louis straightened his stance and rested a hand on the tranquilizer gun at his hip. “I am the epitome of a gentleman on a date, Kai.” He raised an eyebrow at him and leaned in. “Why do you think I’m so successful at the mating ritual?” Kai grinned as Louis patted his back and started walking away. “Don’t wish me luck, because I won’t need it!” He called over his shoulder.

Standing in front of Mason’s door, Kai watched the strange man saunter down the hallway. Definitely an eclectic group of scientists they had here. Laughing as Louis scratched an itch in the shaggy head of hair that probably hadn’t seen a speck of shampoo in quite some time, Kai tossed out, “Oh, you might want to shower, too!”

Not turning to look back at him, Louis raised a finger in the air. “The female species loves the scent of machismo, Harper. Remember that, the next time you snag a date with a hottie.” Twisting to finally look at Kai, he smirked as he paused at the corner of the hall. “Then maybe she won’t dump your sorry ass.” Winking, he added, “Hey, if you get lonely, you could always hook up with Missy again.”

Then he darted around the corner and disappeared. Kai softly laughed to himself. He’d actually miss Louis, and his odd, sometimes correct advice. Imagining Louis and April together made him shake his head. Regardless of his confidence, he silently wished Louis luck. He was going to need it.

Kai’s momentary lightheartedness crashed back to bitter reality as he twisted around to face Mason’s door. Once he opened it, he would begin the process of leaving Jessie. He was horrified
and
anxious to get that ball rolling. Closing his eyes and exhaling a slow, controlled breath, he knocked on the door.

Almost immediately, a worn voice replied with, “Enter.”

Kai stepped into the room, softly closing the door behind him. His heart started thudding in his chest as he spotted Mason, sitting at his desk cluttered with journals and notes. Even though things between Kai and Mason had been strained at times, Kai enjoyed working here with him. He wasn’t eager to tell him he was leaving, and he had no real reason to offer Mason except that he’d changed his mind. It seemed like a shallow excuse to Kai. Empty. But it was better than the truth.

Mason silently studied Kai as he approached his desk. There was an odd expression on his face, like he was calculating and debating. Did Mason know what Kai was about to say? He didn’t think so, but the idea that he might know made Kai even more nervous as he sat in a chair across from him.

Tension filled the room, making Kai’s palms sweat. God, why was this so hard? Mason was a stranger who didn’t like him. Of all the conversations Kai was going to have in the next couple weeks, this one should be the easiest. Running his hands over his slacks, Kai cleared his throat.
Might as well get this over with
. “Um…Mason, I need to talk to you about something…and it’s sort of hard to talk about. I’m not really sure where to begin…”

Mason’s reaction to Kai’s words surprised him so much, that he couldn’t continue his thoughts. He crumpled in his chair and let out a sigh that was both weary and relieved. His chin quivered with emotion, and his eyes started to shine with building tears. The nerves inside Kai started to morph into dread. What the hell was wrong with his boss? As Kai debated what to say, he was struck with an odd desire to run.

Suddenly, Mason’s expression turned hard. “He told you, didn’t he?” He shook his head at Kai, his voice both incredulous and agitated. “I can’t believe he actually told you. After everything he did to get you out here with me, so
I
could tell you…he told you anyway. He said he would give me until the end of the year. I can’t believe he was so impatient, that he couldn’t give me just a few more weeks with you. He had to know how hard this has been for me. Not that he would care if I was suffering.” He sighed. “Maybe I deserve to suffer after what I did to him…”

Kai felt like someone had just lifted the floor and shook it so hard his head was rattling. He’d never been so confused in all his life. He’d also never been so concerned. Something was going on here that he didn’t know about. Something that involved him…and Mason.

Kai opened and closed his mouth a few times, but he didn’t know what to ask. Suddenly looking exhausted, Mason rubbed his face as he sighed. “I told Leilani this wouldn’t work, that she and Nate should sit down and tell you together, but she begged me…said you’d take it better if it came from me, that maybe you wouldn’t hate her if I softened the blow for her. Ridiculous. But somehow she convinced me, and I agreed to take you in, so I could tell you…so I could get to know you.” His face hardened as he shook his head. “But then Nate decides that your relationship with him is getting worse, and he needs this…monkey off his back so he can repair the damage
he’s
caused by being too scared to talk to you.” With a scoff, he looked up at the ceiling. “And then he goes and tells you anyway…right as I’m working up the nerve to do it. I shouldn’t be surprised. He always was impatient.”

Anger raced up Kai’s spine. Nothing Mason said was making any sense. What the hell did his parents have to do with…anything? “What the hell are you talking about? What would my mom and dad want
you
to tell me? What could possibly be so awful, that they couldn’t talk to me about it first?”

As Kai fumed, he watched all of the blood drain from Mason’s face. He grew so pale that Kai was a little worried he’d pass out. Under his breath, he heard Mason mutter, “Oh God…you don’t know.” Then Mason’s expression completely changed. Clearing his throat, he steepled his fingers and calmly asked, “I’m sorry, what did you want to talk to me about, Kai?”

Kai wasn’t an idiot, and he wasn’t about to be deterred by such a lame attempt at diversion. Like any well-trained researcher, he was going to follow the evidence until he got his answer. What the hell was going on here? “What does my dad want me to know, that you’re supposed to tell me?”

All the rigidness left Mason, and he seemed to melt into his chair. His face was the picture of defeat. And remorse. “I am so sorry that you have to find out this way, Kai. I truly am. I need you to know that.”

Not sure how much more of this Kai could take, he grit his jaw and spat, “Find out what?”

Closing his eyes, Mason let out a long sigh. “Just over twenty-three years ago, your mother and I fell madly in love. Much to my later regret, we…carried out an illicit affair behind Nate’s back.” As Mason opened his eyes, Kai’s heart started racing, and he suddenly didn’t want to hear anymore. Mason wasn’t about to stop now though. “While we were together, Leilani became pregnant.” His hands splayed out to indicate Kai. “
You
are the result of our union,” he whispered.

Kai shot up out of his chair. No. That was not true. He was not saying that Kai was…that Mason was…no.

While Kai shook his head in disbelief, Mason stood at his desk. Slowly walking around it, he quietly said, “I am your biological father, Kai. That is what Nate wanted you to know.”

The world started shifting, spinning on its axis in a different direction. Lights darkened, and all Kai knew for sure was that he needed to get out of here before everything imploded. He started backing up, away from Mason, this complete stranger…who was nothing to him. Nothing! “No…you’re demented.” He pointed a shaking finger at Mason. “Nate Harper is my father!”

Mason took small steps toward him, palms beseeching. “Not by blood, Kai.” Kai backed up until he hit the door; he was still shaking his head. Mason sighed. “I know this is hard to accept. I only recently found out myself. But it’s true, Kai. Genetically, I
am
your father.”

Pressing flat against the door, feeling like it was the only thing holding him up, Kai whispered, “No…there’s been some mistake…”

With a sad smile on his face, Mason put a hand on Kai’s shoulder. Kai flinched away from his touch, and Mason dropped his fingers. “I thought so too at first, Kai. But Nate had you tested when you were younger.” Mason shook his head. “I’m sorry, but you’re not his. And to the best of my knowledge, that leaves only me.”

Kai opened his mouth to protest, then he shut it. Arguing without proof on either side was pointless. And what he’d just said, struck a chord and opened a painful memory. His gaze drifted to the floor. “When I was younger…” When he looked back up to Mason, moisture was heavy in his eyes. “Is that why my parents got divorced? He found out the truth?”

Mason paused, then nodded. “Yes. He couldn’t forgive her for what she’d…for what
we
had done. But know that her love for you never faltered, Kai. And…if it makes any of this easier for you…you were conceived with a great depth of love, on both sides.” His hand once again reached out for Kai, but dropped before connecting.

Kai let his head rest against the door behind him. He was shaking. He couldn’t stop the reaction. Everything he’d known, everything he’d believed…was a lie. Quiet filled the room, and when Mason spoke again, his voice was thick with emotion.

“I didn’t want to tell you this, Kai. Honestly, at first, I didn’t even want to be bothered with it.” Kai’s gaze snapped to Mason’s, and he shrugged. “I’ve spent the bulk of my life alone. I know nothing about kids, and I have no clue how to be a father. My work is my life…and I like it that way.” He smiled warmly at Kai, and Kai could again see tears brewing in the older man’s eyes. “But meeting you, working with you. Seeing your passion and integrity…I have grown to deeply respect and admire you, Kai, and I would be proud to call you son.” His voice broke after he squeezed that out.

Kai blinked, and a tear almost escaped his eye. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Up was down, down was up. “But you hate me,” he whispered.

Now Mason blinked. He took a step toward Kai, but again stopped himself from touching him. “Oh, no, I never hated you, Kai.” He shrugged. “You were just…thrust on me, and I didn’t know how to deal with the…situation.” Looking down at the floor, he sighed. “I had a hard time dealing with what I had been asked to do. I knew it would change you, hurt you, and regardless of what I’ve done in my past…I’m not a cruel man.” Mason returned his gaze to Kai. The regret in his eyes was clear. “I was torn, but I never blamed you or hated you. Ever. I’m sorry if I made you feel that way. It was not my intention.” Smiling he added, “You’re an incredible asset here. Improbable as it sounds, I hope you stay.”

Kai couldn’t even ponder the possibility of staying. He couldn’t ponder much of anything at the moment. His entire world was wisp and smoke, intangible. “I don’t believe this…” His hands came up to run through his hair, then an idea struck him. He pushed away from the door. “Did you see the test results?”

Mason blinked in surprise, then shook his head. “No…but, I don’t really need to.”

Kai narrowed his eyes. Why would a man of science not need proof? “Why?”

Mason gave him a wry smile, as he pointed to Kai’s eyes. “Let’s just say that I see a lot of similarities.”

Kai shook his head, he couldn’t accept that limited connection. “Because of our eye color? That’s not good enough.” Stammering a bit, he looked around the room, searching for something to make his world solid again. “I need proof. I need a test.”

Mason’s smile turned prideful. It was an expression Kai wasn’t used to seeing on him. “Always the scientist. Yet another way we are alike.” Before Kai could comment, Mason shrugged. “We have the machines here. I could test us now, Kai, if that would ease your mind.”

Nodding, he moved away from the door so he could open it. Proof and facts he could deal with. Something physical, something real. “Nothing right now is going to ease my mind,” he said as he yanked open the door. “But it will end the doubt.” Without meeting Mason’s eyes, he stormed through the door.

From behind him, he heard Mason sigh and say, “Yes it will, son. But are you ready for that?” And that was one question Kai already knew the answer to. No. He wasn’t ready at all.

J
essie was exhausted as she drove home for her lunch break. She was glad her next appointment had cancelled, and she didn’t have to go back to work for a while. There was something about the ambiance in her massage room—the soft flickering candlelight, the quiet soothing music—that reminded her of Kai. She already missed him, and he wasn’t even gone yet. But they weren’t seeing each other until their goodbye, so it was almost like he’d left already.