Made to Love (8 page)

Mason eyed Nikki with skepticism. “Me?”

“Sure, why not?” Nikki shrugged nonchalantly. “You have a good heart. I see how you are with Aspen and even Lex. You would protect them no matter what. I know you would be the same with your kids.”

Mason swelled with pride. So far, she had been a clumsy oaf every time she saw Nikki.
But somewhere around all the mess ups, Nikki managed to see what she looked like inside. It was true. Mason would do anything for the people she loved. “I would take care of my wife the same way.”

Nikki knew Mason didn’t mean the words specifically, but they touched home. She had always been the protector in her relationships. Her lovers were the providers. They were rich women with too much money and time to be useful, so they flitted about from conquest to conquest, buying them with lavish gifts, but giving no real love or security. It was only Nikki who held on to the notion, albeit foolish, that she was the one responsible for their well-being. In actuality, she was just another pawn in a much bigger game. Sure, she liked having all that money at her disposable, and most times she could trick herself into believing she wasn’t just an expensive escort. It didn’t matter now though. Now she needed to figure out a way to look after herself. She was getting too old to catch the eye of most of the women she went after. They had obscene amounts of
money, and they didn’t want to pay for some two-bit
has been
, or sadly a
never was.
It was a realization that didn’t sit well. The sad reality was that she could do nothing to change it. Nikki glanced sideways at Mason. Maybe her future could be different. Maybe she had a shot with a decent woman, who didn’t buy her relationships. Maybe Nikki could settle down and start a family with someone like Mason. She had always heard the old saying people couldn’t change their spots, but maybe she could. What if this was her second chance? Her opportunity to turn things around; be something better than what she’d been. The thought, while completely foreign to her, didn’t set her on edge like she thought it would. This time when Nikki looked at Mason, she saw her differently. This time Nikki saw the possibility of a different tomorrow. “I think anyone would be very lucky to have you looking out for her.”

“Thank you.” Mason turned to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. She was thankful for the distraction of the curving road. “What do you think they are going to have?”

Nikki thought for a moment. “I’m not sure. For Lex’s sake, I hope it’s a boy. For A., probably a girl. She seems like she would like to have a little girl to play dress up with.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right. I guess if the baby is healthy, it doesn’t matter.” Mason flicked the turn signal on and started down the drive toward the house. She heard a phone ring and automatically reached for hers.

“It’s mine.” Nikki eyed the display and frowned.

“Everything okay?” Mason put the car in park.

“What? Yeah.” Nikki sighed and eyed the phone again. “Listen, I need to take this. Are you okay if I don’t go back to the hospital with you?”

Mason hesitated. She was hoping for a ride back out to the ranch to get her car, but she figured she would work something out. She started to answer, but Nikki was already getting out of the car. She watched Nikki answer and start walking toward the bunkhouse. “Sure, no problem. I got this.” Mason muttered and shook her head at the retreating figure. She realized once again that she would never understand women, no matter how hard she tried.

“Women.” Mason huffed loudly and stomped up the steps. She turned the handle of the back door, not surprised to find it unlocked, and slipped inside. Mentally, she compiled a list of what she needed to bring back to the hospital. She spotted the overnight bag sitting next to Lex and Aspen’s bed, and she scooped it up quickly, letting her eyes rove around the room. She landed on several pictures of what she surmised were Lex and Aspen’s family. A few of them were older and Mason quickly picked out her two friends, though years younger, they were both recognizable. Her heart clenched at the mere sight of their families, complete with a mom and a dad. Mason knew from Aspen that she adored her mother and her aunt, and her father was one of her favorites before he passed away. Mason knew Lex’s family was Greek, and she knew that meant they were either close or just really nosy. Either way, it meant they spent a lot of time together.

Mason cinched the bag onto her shoulder and frowned. Her family didn’t look all that
unusual, to anyone looking in. It just felt different to Mason. The oldest by more than a decade left a wide gap between her and her younger sibling. Any connection that she had with Shelley or her mother fractured with her sister’s pregnancy. The little bit of time she was able to steal from her mother suddenly dwindled to nothing. That was the year Mason checked out and in all the time she’d been gone, her mother had only called her twice. Once, to let her know her niece had been born and the last time to let her know that her sister was getting married. Needless to say, Mason hadn’t make it home for either event.

She felt a quick pang of homesickness as she made her way back to the car. It wasn’t her family that she missed. It was Anne and the love and acceptance Mason received from her. Her sudden death made Mason’s heart ache. Mason thought she was dealing with it better in the last day or so, but she realized as she swiped at tears that she was merely filling the void that Anne left. Her mind flashed to
Marly, and a small smile played at the corner of Mason’s mouth. So much like her mother, Marly had an uncanny way of getting under Mason’s skin one minute and soothing her soul the next. It made things a little easier seeing Anne’s eyes or hearing her laughter in her daughter. Though only a semblance of a friendship had started between them, Mason believed that Marly would play a big part in her healing process.

During the drive back to the hospital, Mason’s mind played the day’s events over and over like an old projector. The images jumped around in Mason’s head as she critiqued every last move she made in her feeble attempt to impress Nikki. Mason felt her face get hot as she pictured the dancing disaster earlier, knowing her clumsy attempts would do nothing to win her favor. “Ugh.” The only saving grace was their conversation minutes before. Mason thought she saw something flash in Nikki’s eyes; something that resembled interest. But whoever called Nikki ended the brief moment they shared, leaving Mason to keep replaying the afternoon in hopes of seeing other connections between them.

Much to her surprise, Mason pulled into the hospital parking lot, not remembering the drive at all. She knew the trip by heart, and her preoccupation with Nikki replaced any other focus she had. Mason shook her head and grabbed Aspen’s bag and jogged across the parking lot toward the door of the McClure Building. She pulled the phone out of her pocket and checked the display for their room number. A quick scan of the signs in the hallway and Mason made her way to the seventh floor.

Lex looked up at the quiet knock on the door. She jumped up and opened
it quickly, her face breaking into a smile. “Hey.” She grabbed the bag from Mason and stepped aside, letting her into the room.

Mason shuffled in and plopped down in a chair at the foot of Aspen’s bed. She glanced out the window then back at Aspen. “So this is the thirty-thousand dollar view.”

Aspen followed Mason’s eyes and chuckled. Her birthing room faced west, and the windows gave them a clear view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. It may not be worth the price Mason quoted, but it was beautiful nonetheless. Aspen loved living in the valley between two mountain ranges. “Maybe not thirty grand, but it beats staring at the walls.” 

“How long till…” Mason gestured toward Aspen’s stomach. “…you pop that kid out?”

“Once the timer goes off.” Aspen winked at Lex and smiled.

“You’re kidding? There’s a timer.” Mason narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, as she pondered Aspen’s words. “Who knew?”

“Silly. There is no timer. I’m not baking bread. It happens when it…oh!” Aspen grimaced and clenched the sheets, pain etched in her features.

Lex hurried to the side of the bed and grabbed her hand, wincing at the force with which Aspen clasped her hand. She rubbed her back. “That’s it, breathe through it. You’re doing good.”

Mason stared out the window awkwardly. This was the part she had no experience with. She could tell that the pain was almost unbearable. Almost a minute passed before Aspen relaxed, and her face softened. “So, that timer…getting pretty close, huh?”

Lex nodded. “Cory, she’s our nurse, left right before you got here. Aspen is already at six
centimeters, and a hundred percent effaced. She figures another couple of hours.”

“I have no idea what that means, but I’ll take your word for it.” Mason shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “Um, I…uh…I’m sure it’s…well, you two should probably be alone. I’m sure you want your privacy and all.”

Aspen smiled at her friend. She was as comfortable with birth as Aspen would be with a blowtorch. “You can go. I’ll have Lex call you after the baby comes. Thank you for bringing my stuff up. You wouldn’t mind looking after the girls for a couple of days, would you?”

Mason shook her head and let out a relieved sigh. “Not at all. That’s something I can handle.” She pushed herself out of the chair and kissed Aspen’s forehead. “Good luck.” Leaning over, Mason rubbed Aspen’s belly and smiled. “Listen up, kid. Don’t be too rough on your mom.”

Aspen squeezed Mason’s hand. “Thanks for everything, honey.” She saw the concern in Mason’s eyes and shot her a reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine. I promise. Now get out of here and do something productive. I can’t be the only one working tonight.”

Mason nodded. “I will, and don’t worry about the girls. I’m sure Nikki and I can handle it.” Before she forgot, Mason pulled the keys out of her pocket and handed them to Lex.

“Wait.” Lex eyed the keys and furrowed her brow. “Your car, it’s still at the house.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get a ride.” Mason rubbed Aspen’s arm one last time. “I’ll give Nikki a call and see if she can come up and get me.”

Lex opened her mouth to say that Nikki was horrible with directions, and it might be faster to walk back to the ranch, but she clamped it shut when she saw the hopeful expression on Mason’s face. “That’s a great idea. Tell her I’ll give her a call after the baby comes.”

“Sure thing.” Mason waggled her fingers as she left the room. She made her way back down to the lobby before pulling her phone out and dialing Nikki’s number. When it went straight to voicemail, she figured Nikki must still be on the phone. Mason hit the end button then dialed another number. When Marly’s soft voice answered, Mason couldn’t help from smiling. She sounded so much like Anne. “Hey, are you busy? Would you mind giving me a ride out to Lex and Aspen’s ranch to get my car?” Mason paused. “I really appreciate it. I’m at the hospital.” She paused again. “Oh no, I’m fine. Aspen is getting ready to have the baby.” Mason found a bench and sat down. “I’m at the McClure Building, sitting out front. See you in a few.”

Chapter 8

An involuntary smile stretched across Mason’s face when she saw Marly’s car pull around the corner of the building. She jogged in front of the car and got in quickly, shooting Marly a sheepish grin. “Thanks. We had to rush Aspen to the hospital because her water broke, and my car is at their ranch. You sure you don’t mind taking me all the way out there?”

“It’s not a problem.” Marly turned around in the parking lot then headed back out the same direction that she had come from. “Besides, I needed a distraction.”

“From what?” Mason shifted in her seat and regarded Marly’s profile.

“The quiet. The house. Going through mom’s stuff. It’s starting to suffocate me.” Marly slowed then headed west on Colchester. “I didn’t realize she hung onto so much. I’m not even sure what to do with it all.”

“You don’t want to keep it?” Mason bit back the tears. It wasn’t that she was attached to things normally, but this
stuff
, as Marly referred to it, was a piece of Anne. Getting rid of it so hastily seemed to hasten the process of forgetting her and Mason wasn’t ready to let go yet.

“What would I do with all that junk?” Marly clamped her mouth shut and smiled apologetically. “I didn’t mean that like it sounded.”

“Thank God, ‘cause you sounded like a heartless bitch.” Mason winked when she saw Marly’s jaw drop. “I’m kidding. I know you are the wandering type and have no need for possessions. I was just thinking you could hold on to her stuff for a while, out of respect.”

Marly thought about Mason’s suggestion for a few moments before she spoke again. “I know that most people are sentimental. It’s in our nature to hold on to the past. It’s just…it’s hard for me to hold on to something that doesn’t really seem to be a part of my past. I le
ft so long ago that I don’t even recognize half of the stuff Mom has in the house.”

“Not recognizing it doesn’t make it any less sentimental to your mom or to the people that cared for her.”

“Like you.” Marly said the words without censure. She knew that Mason had a soft spot for her mother and somewhere deep inside, she was trying to understand it. She broke from the conversation long enough to get directions to Lex and Aspen’s house and make the turn away from town before she picked up the conversation where she’d left off. “If there is anything in the house that you want, you are more than welcome to it. I believe my mother would have wanted you to have it.”

Mason smiled sadly. “Thank you. That kind of makes it all the more real that she isn’t coming
back, and that is a hard thing to accept. So far, I’ve convinced myself this is either a really bad dream, or that she is on vacation somewhere. That she will be coming back. But each morning, I wake up and realize she’s not on the porch drinking coffee. Slowly, it becomes a little more real that she is gone.”

“Can I ask you a personal question?”

“Sure. As long as I have the right not to answer if I so choose.”

“How did you and Mom get to be so close?”

Mason shrugged. “At the time, it just happened. I had just moved in, which mind you, took forever. I was so tired and frustrated by the end of the move. My girlfriend, Jill, well, ex-girlfriend, Jill, decided right before we were getting ready to move to Burlington that she wasn’t sure I was the one for her anymore, and she ended things with me. I found out later that she was actually seeing someone else. I was feeling the hurt and anger from that, the nervousness of a new town, the sheer exhaustion of moving myself. There was a moment when everything hit me, and I lost it. I was sitting in the garage bawling my eyes out because I couldn’t get my English wheel set up, and out of nowhere, Anne shows up. She said she was the neighborhood welcoming committee. She brought me cookies and listened to me unravel. It felt so good to just let it all out. She was so sweet. I let everything go. All the years of feeling unwanted as a child, the bad breakup, feeling alone. She hugged me.”

“That sounds like Mom.”

“Do you know that was the first real motherly hug I had ever gotten? My parents weren’t affectionate until…let’s just say, they weren’t the most involved parents. I think that’s why I felt so close to Anne. She was the mom I never had growing up. Now that I know about you, I think we must have needed each other, and that’s why we hit it off so easily.” Mason pointed at a driveway coming up. “That’s the turn.”

Marly nodded, slowed down and turned onto the small dirt drive that led up to Lex and Aspen’s house. She stopped next to Mason’s car and shut off her engine. “Here you go.”

“Thank you. I appreciate the ride.” Mason opened her door and started to get out then stuck her head back in the door. “Hey, you like horses?”

Marly regarded Mason with a curious stare. “I’m not opposed to them. Why?”

“Lex and Aspen are going to be out of commission for a few days, and I’m looking after the girls for them. If you’re not in a hurry, I wouldn’t mind the company while I clean out their stalls.”

“Sure.” Marly pulled her keys out of the ignition and hopped out of the car.

“Cool.” Mason started up the path toward the barn with Marly in tow. “They have two horses now. There were three, but they lost one last summer.” Mason walked around the back of the barn and stopped along the fence, closest to where two beautiful horses were munching on grass. Mason leaned her arms over the fence and propped her foot up on the bottom railing. “The blonde, that’s Lacey. She’s a sweetheart, but she has a bit of a mischievous side. The darker one is Reba. She’s the well-behaved one of the two.”

As if sensing she was being talked about, Lacey whinnied and tossed her head around then started toward the fence. She nuzzled her nose against Mason’s shoulder. “Hi, girl. You did miss me.” Mason rubbed her palm down the star on Lacey’s nose. “She loves apples and sugar, so if you are looking to win her over, that’s what I would go with. Isn’t that right, Lacey?”

Lacey snorted in response and Marly reached out hesitantly. “I’ve never been around horses.”

“Here, try this.” Mason took Marly’s hand and turned it palm down. She placed it just in front of Lacey. “Let her smell you first. She needs to get comfortable with you.”

Marly held her breath as Lacey started to sniff the top of her hand. She felt Lacey’s breath tickle the tiny hairs on her hand. After several seconds, Lacey moved closer and whinnied.

“She likes you.” Mason took Marly’s hand and slowly moved it toward Lacey’s neck. “Just start off with petting her here. You are getting to know each
other, and she is getting comfortable with a new person touching her.”

Marly slid her palm along the muscles in Lacey’s neck and over her shoulder. She felt Lacey lean into her touch. “She likes it.”

Mason chuckled as Lacey tossed her head back and whinnied in response. “Lacey warms up to people quickly. She loves the attention. Don’t you, girl? You love when you get spoiled.” Lacey leaned her head over the fence and nudged Mason’s pocket. “I know what you’re after. I’m sorry, girl. I don’t have any treats today. I came straight from the hospital. Your mommies are having a baby today.”

Lacey gave Mason an impatient look and walked away. She stopped near Reba and glanced sideways at Mason. “Fine, be a big baby. I see how easily you forget all the apples I brought you before.” Mason pushed herself off the fence. “Lacey also has a bit of a temper when she doesn’t get her way. Come on.”

Marly took one last look at Lacey and Reba and followed Mason into the barn.

“You can just relax if you want. It shouldn’t take me too long to freshen things up.”

“Nah, just show me what to do. It will go twice as fast if we both do it, won’t it?”

Mason nodded. She appreciated Marly’s offer. “Actually, tonight, it shouldn’t be too bad. The girls have been outside
, so we should just have to get them fresh water and hay.”

“What do you normally do?”

“Normally, I’d have to clean their droppings out of the stall first. Lacey is a treat when it comes to that. You saw how she was out there. Let’s just say, if she is in a mood, she uses the entire stall. Spoiled, I tell you. Reba, she’s much better. She has a favorite spot, and she doesn’t stray from that.” Mason walked over to the wall and touched a pitchfork. “We use this. You have to scoop up any mess, shake the excess hay off and dispose of it.” For good measure, Mason grabbed the pitchfork off the wall and sifted through Lacey’s stall. She fluffed the hay several times before repeating the steps in Reba’s stall. She pointed at the water buckets in each of their stalls. “There’s a pump right outside the door. Just rinse those out and fill them up with clean water.”

Marly grabbed the buckets and made her way outside. She turned on the water and rinsed the first of the two water buckets out and filled it with fresh water.

“Hello?”

Marly hadn’t heard anyone approaching, so the surprise made her jump. She dropped the bucket and doused herself with cold water. “Shit.” She looked at Nikki with barely veiled irritation. “You ought to give a girl a little warning. Cough or something, jeez.”

“I’m sorry.” Nikki narrowed the distance between them and let her eyes roam the entire length of Marly’s body. “It seems I’ve gotten you all wet.”

Marly looked down to hide her eye roll. She knew Nikki’s type well. She used her good looks to get whatever she wanted. Well, Marly had run into plenty of those
women, and she had little use for them. “Can I help you with something?”

“You’re Mason’s neighbor, right? Your mom just died.” Nikki stood akimbo waiting for Marly’s response with as disinterested a look as possible.

“Yes.” Marly bristled at the tactlessness that oozed from Nikki’s dark lips. She was either incredibly cavalier or just clueless on how to properly interact with other people. Whichever it was, Marly was tired of it already. “Did you need something?”

“I was just looking for Mason. I wanted to apologize for ditching her.”

Marly noticed the way Nikki’s voice softened when she said Mason. It wasn’t entirely obvious, but Marly used subtle visual and vocal clues in her work, so she was more skilled at picking up on slight variations in peoples’ tones. Marly tossed her head over her shoulder. “She’s in the barn.”

“Thanks.” Nikki took a step then stopped. “I’m sorry about scaring you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Marly bent over and picked up her bucket and started to fill it again. She watched Nikki’s fluid strides into the barn. Truth-be-told, she was a little jealous of her long, willowy build and her perfect olive skin. Marly considered herself to be very average looking. The closest she’d ever come to being beautiful was a compliment about her eyes.
Your brown eyes are captivating.
That was the one and only time Marly could remember being attractive. She cast one last glance as Nikki slipped inside the barn and wrinkled up her face at Nikki’s perfect bottom. “Figures.”

“Hi, Mase.”

Mason glanced up from Reba’s stall and smiled. “Hey, yourself. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just an important call.” Nikki shuffled nervously. “Listen, about earlier…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“No, I want to apologize for ditching you. That was rude.”

Mason waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t give it another thought. I got a back okay.”

Nikki nodded once. “Yeah, I saw that. She’s
pleasant.”

“Marly? She takes some getting used to.” A smile slid over Mason’s face as she recalled her first meeting with Marly. It was less than idea
l.

“I guess it didn’t help that she dropped an entire bucket of water on herself because of me.” Nikki feigned innocence. “How did I know she scared so easily?”

“I’m sure she is fine.” Mason walked out of the stall and hung the pitchfork back on the wall. “Have you met the girls?”

“U
nh-uh. I would love it if you introduced me.” Nikki slid her arm through Mason’s and followed her out of the barn. They walked around to the back and stopped along the fence.

Mason pointed at the tawny
-colored horse. “That’s Lacey. She’s a bit peeved at me right now. I didn’t have any treats for her.” Lacey looked up and snorted at Mason, who laughed in response. “See. And that is Reba.”

“And is she mad at you too?”

“Not that I’m aware of, but who knows? I have a tendency to piss women off.”

Nikki rubbed her fingers along Mason’s arm, sending shivers down Mason’s spine. “You haven’t pissed me off.”

“Yet.” Mason snorted ruefully. “Just give me time.” Mason leaned her arms over the edge of the fence. “Come here, girl. I know you’re mad at me, but I want you to meet someone.”

Lacey snorted and pawed the ground, but didn’t make a move toward them.

“I’ll bring you two treats next time; I promise.” Mason’s tone was soft and soothing as she wooed Lacey. “Come on, Lacey. Who’s your favorite aunt?”

Lacey tossed her head, but this time she walked toward Mason and nuzzled her hand.

“Good girl.” Mason grabbed Nikki’s hand and slowly eased it toward Lacey, placing it palm down in front of her nose, just like she had done with Marly. “Just let her get to know you.”

“Okay.” Nikki held her hand still, following Mason’s suggestion. Lacey sniffed her hand for several seconds before her ears went
back, and she tried to nip at Nikki’s hand.