Broken (Book 1, The Watcher Chronicles, Paranormal Romance) (28 page)

I try to put on a smile but feel the strain of such an act actually start to hurt my face.

It would have been bad enough to just have Mama Lynn present with her camera at the ready but it isn’t just her.  George, John Austin, Vern, Sadie, Beau and his entire family are all standing inside my house staring at me.  George, Vern and Sadie smile at me proudly but John Austin and Beau are staring at me with their mouths agape.

“What?” I ask the two of them, hands on hips.  “Didn’t think I could clean up this good?”

Beau’s wife Fanny slaps her husband on the backside of the head which promptly makes his three little girls giggle.  I imagine such a happening is quite common place in their home.

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” I say
to them, “but why are you all here… now… in my house?”

“I dropped by Beau’s store to pick up some batteries
for my camera,” Mama Lynn says.  “When I told everyone what I needed the camera for, they wanted to come and see you in your new dress.”

“I hope you don’t mind, Jess,” Sadie says.  “Its just that we don’t get a lot of excitement around here and well, when Lynn described the dress to us I just had to see you in it.  You look
so gorgeous.  Your date is a lucky man.”

I see George cross his arms over his chest.  “Am I going to need to have a talk with Mason before the two of you go on this date?  I might not be your father but I can make sure he understands what’s expected of him.”

“No, George,
that won’t be necessary.” I say. “If there is anyone in this world you don’t have to worry about treating me like a lady, it’s Mason.  He’s really old fashioned.  He even pulls out the chair for me when I sit at a table.”

“Awww,” Beau’s three girls say in unison, obviously thinking Mason must be some type of romantic hero.

“Well, I want to take some pictures of you before you go,” Mama Lynn says, turning on her camera.

For the next few minutes, I let Mama Lynn take all the pictures she wants.  I know what she’s doing.  Since I didn’t go to any of my proms or winter formals, she’s making up for lost picture opportunities.

“Try to relax and smile naturally,” Mama Lynn instructs.  “You look like your getting your teeth pulled, not like your about to go on your first date.”

I glower at Mama Lynn for sharing
this personal information with everyone but apparently they already know it and don’t look the least bit surprised.  I suppose that’s one bad thing about living in a small community, everyone knows everything about everyone else.

Finally, the doorbell rings and I know it has to be Mason.  I watch as George opens the door since I am on the other side of the house standing
in front of the Christmas tree for the background Mama Lynn wants in her picture.

George is so big he fills the entire opening making it impossible for me to see Mason at all.  I hear the two men exchange greetings and George finally moves out of the way to allow Mason entry
into my home.

I feel like someone has just snatched all of the air from my lungs
at my first sight of Mason and a true smile spreads my lips.

“Yes!  Stay just like that!”  Mama Lynn says excitedly, snapping pictures in quick succession.

I barely hear her because my ears are filled with the sound of my own rushing blood.

Mason is dressed in a black tuxedo with black bow tie.  He’s wearing a white mask similar to the one I once saw in a movie called the Phantom of the Opera.  I know why he has chosen such a mask: because it perfectly covers up the left side of his face camouflaging his scar.  I instantly want to take it off of him.  I hate that he feels
the need to hide that part of himself and hope he didn’t choose to wear it because of me.

I watch as Mason’s eyes take in everyone in my house and hope he doesn’t feel like he’s being ambushed
by the general population of Cypress Hollow.  Most of the men are standing in the foyer and instantly extend their hands to Mason as they introduce themselves.

I hear John Austin say, “Now Jess is like a sister to me.  You treat her right.”

Mason nods his head.  “You have nothing to worry about.  She will be treated like the lady she is.”

Mason
finally turns to look directly at me and I see a slow smile of appreciation spread his lips.  Our eyes lock and I feel as though the whole world fades away allowing Mason and I to share this one moment in time with only one another.

“You look beautiful, Jess,” he says, coming to stand in front of me.

“And you look quite dashing,” I reply breathlessly.

“Now I want to get a picture of the two of you together,” Mama Lynn says.

“I’m sorry,” I silently mouth to Mason, completely ashamed Mama Lynn is treating us like we’re teenagers going on our first date.

“Don’t be,” Mason replies,
coming to stand beside me and placing an arm around my waist as we stand together for Mama Lynn.

Mama Lynn smiles.  “Perfect.”  And snaps a single picture.

“We need to leave now,” I tell the others.  “You guys are welcome to stay if you want.”

Faison walks up to
us and hands Mason my mask.

“Maybe you should put it on her,” she suggests.  “I’m a little short to do the job right.”

Mason instructs me to turn my back to him and asks Faison to hold my hair up.  I hold the mask over my eyes while he loops the silky ribbon over my ears and to the backside of my head.  Once the ribbon is tied he tells Faison to let my hair go so it covers up the white silky ribbon.

Mason holds his arm out to me.

“Shall we go?” He asks.

I nod, too excited to verbally acknowledge his question.

Before I know it we are standing in the entry way of
a mansion.  To the right of us, I see Angela walking down a grand staircase dressed in a red and black ball gown with a handsome man wearing a tuxedo similar to Mason’s on her arm.

“There you are,” she says excitedly.  “Oh my
God you look gorgeous,” she tells me, giving me a kiss on the cheek when she comes to greet me.

“Jonathan,” Mason says to the man at Angela’s side, who I had already assumed must be Mason’s son.  “I would like to introduce you to Jess Riley.  Jess, this is my son Jonathan.”

Jonathan smiles at me.  I expect him to hold out his hand for me to shake but instead he wraps his arms around me giving me a hug instead.

“Thank you,” he whispers in my ear, leaving me clueless as to what he could be thanking me for.

When he pulls away, he’s still smiling. 

“I can’t tell you how much we’ve been looking forward to having you in our home,” he says.  “I’ve waited a long time to meet you.”

I find his words curious since I have only known Mason for little over a week now.

Angela loops her arm through Mason’s free one and says, “I want to introduce you to some people.
”

Reluctantly, Mason lets go of my arm and looks down at me apologetically.

“Jonathan,” Angela says to her husband, “why don’t you show Jess the Christmas tree?  I’ll bring Mason there to find you after I introduce him to Mathew.”

Jonathan holds out his arm to me and I take it.  I watch as Mason is whisked away by Angela and I know something is up.
 

As Jonathan walks me into the large living room area where
a nine foot blue spruce is, I ask, “So what’s really going on? I feel like I was just pulled into a game of divide and conquer.”

Jonathan laughs.  “No, nothing like that.  I just asked Angela to
distract my Dad so I could have a moment alone with you.”

Jonathan lets go of my arm and we turn to face each other.

“Is something wrong?” I ask.

“No,” Jonathan says smiling, “everything has suddenly become right since my Dad met you.  I just wanted to thank you in person for bringing him back to me.”

“I don’t understand,” I say.

“Ever since he’s met you, he’s been pleasant to be around.  He’s smiling, making jokes, letting himself be a part of our family.  I’ve never seen him so happy.  On Christmas day, Angela and I couldn’t believe how much he was acting like a young man in love.  He must have checked his phone a thousand times just to make sure he
didn’t miss a text message from you.  He’s never done that, Jess. Never.”

I feel flush all of a sudden.  I know if anyone knew Mason it was his son.

“I’ve worried about him for a very long time,” Jonathan says, his smile fading with the reminder of distant memories.  “Now, I don’t feel like I need to.  Having you in his life makes him want to live again and not hide himself in his work.  He’s held on so strongly to his guilt over failing the other Watchers, I wasn’t sure he would ever find a good enough reason to start forgiving himself for it.  You are his reason now.  He wants to become a better man because of you.”

I swallow hard, trying to take in everything Jonathan is telling me.

“I don’t know if I deserve him,” I confess.

“Even though I don’t know you personally,” Jonathan says, “I know that you and my Dad belong together.  You’re helping him more than you could possibly know.  He needs you and from what you just said, I think you need him too.  It’s not a question of whether or not you dese
rve him or if he deserves you because it’s a moot point.  You belong together.  You were made to bring out the best in one another.  That’s all love is really.”

“How do you know he loves me?” I ask.

“How do you not know that?” Jonathan asks in return.

“We’re back,” Angela announces, with Mason still on her arm as she escorts him to my side.
  Angela easily transitions from Mason to Jonathan’s arm with a grace I envy.

“
Would you like to go dance?” Mason asks me holding out his arm for me to take once again.

My blood runs cold.  How, in all my preparations, did I miss the most important thing about tonight?  This was a masquerade ball.  Of course there would be dancing.  The closest I ever came to dancing was when Faison and I went to the karaoke bar and swayed to whatever music we were singing together.  And this was a ball which meant
people would be dancing fancy waltzes and things I had never even heard of.

“I can’t dance,” I hear myself confess.  Better to get things out in the open then hide them.  I felt sure if I tried to pretend I knew what I was doing Mason’s feet would suffer the consequences.

“You don’t want to dance?” Mason asks, his face the picture of confusion.

“No.  I can’t dance.  I don’t know how to.  I’ve never done it before.”

Mason’s face relaxes and he smiles at me.

“Then you’re in luck because I’m an excellent teacher.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Angela tug Jonathan’s arm and they walk quietly out of the room leaving Mason and I alone.

In the background I hear the strings of an orchestra
begin to play and the dulcet notes of a classical piano quickly join in.  Mason puts one of his arms around my waist and pulls me in close to his body.  He holds my other arm out with his and I place my free hand on his shoulder.

“Now, you don’t actually need to know how to dance in order to dance, if that makes sense.
”  He smiles.  “As long as you follow where my body leads you, you’ll be all right.”  Mason looks me in the eyes.  “Do you trust me?”

Without even having to think about it, I nod.  Mason
’s smile grows wider and we begin to dance.  At first my body seems to have a will of its own and fights against following Mason’s lead.  I apologize profusely every time I step on his toes.  Mercifully, Mason finally stops to end my torture of him.

“Close your eyes,” he instructs me.  “I think you’re over thinking things.  Maybe if you can’t see what
is happening your body will adjust to mine.”

“Ok,” I say
,  not uncertain Mason knows what he’s doing but uncertain my body will relax enough to let me be led around the room without knowing where I’m going.

I close my eyes and feel myself involuntarily grip Mason’s hand and shoulder tighter.

I feel him lean into me.  “Relax, Jess,” he whispers in my ear, his warm breath causing me to tingle all over.  “I won’t let anything happen to you.  Trust me.”

I loosen my grip slightly and try to concentrate on relaxing my body enough to
let Mason lead me around the room.

Mason
begins to hum the tune the orchestra is playing and I instantly feel my body respond.  The tension in my muscles dissipates and I begin to feel like I’m floating on a cloud.  When the music stops, Mason’s brings us to a stand still.

I open my eyes
and smile up at him.

“Is that how you teach everyone?” I ask, wondering who else Mason has
danced with in his life.  I feel sure I am not the only woman and find myself not liking that fact.

“The humming is new,” he says.  “But it seemed to help you relax enough to let me lead you.”