Chapter 44: Chapter 9: Seeing More than I Bargained For

Mason

“I know it looks bad on my part. Not answering the phone when she called was bad enough. Finding a woman in my room didn’t help the situation.”

“Was she pissed?” Eoin asked.

“Of course she was.” I rested back in my chair with a sigh. “But Jamie’s been pissed with me since I came back, so there’s nothing new there.”

“She was probably jealous. About the woman, I mean. She has a thing for you. She just won’t show it because she’s still angry. You know how women can be.”

“Jealous.” I shook my head in disagreement. “No, I don’t think so. She made it clear how much she hates me. I’m pretty sure Jamie would rather I was out of the picture. She doesn’t want me around.”

~Jealous! She would have to feel something for me in order to be jealous. Coming back here, I didn’t expect winning her over was going to be such a challenge. How naive I was!~

“Well, that’s not going to happen. You’re back for good, right?” Eoin asked, and I nodded my head.

No one believed that I was back for good. They all thought that I was just going to up and leave again like I’d done a million times.

There was nothing I could say to make them trust me again, but with time, maybe they would change their minds.

“I’ve gotten to know Jamie over the months that you’ve been gone. She’s a good person. I don’t think she wants to keep your daughter from you, Mason.

“She’s just gotten used to raising Penelope alone, and now, all of a sudden, she has to share her. Imagine how she must feel too.”

“I get it!”

He wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t already know. The difference is I was trying to make things as easy as possible for Jamie, yet it didn’t feel like she was doing the same for me.

“I’m going to go see her.”

“Isn’t it a little late for house calls?” Eoin looked at his wristwatch. “It’s almost ten.”

I stood up from my chair, grabbing my suit jacket from the back of it. “Well, if I get no answer, then I’ll leave. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I left Eoin in my office and walked down the hallway toward the elevator.

~I’ll just go there and talk to her. We can have a calm discussion, surely. Jamie can’t stay angry at me forever. That’s not going to work for me.~

I showed up at her doorstep, knocked, and then waited. To my surprise, the door opened, but it wasn’t Jamie who answered. It was her mother. At least she likes me.

“Mason, hi!” She smiled. “Jamie didn’t mention that you were stopping by. It’s a little late.”

“I know it is. I’m sorry. I just want to talk to her. Is she here?”

I couldn’t see her from where I was standing in the doorway. She probably sent her mother to the door so she wouldn’t have to see me.

“No. She’s working a party tonight at the Ritz. I think it’s going to be a late one. Was it something important?”

Important enough for me to show up at her door late at night.

“No, it can wait. I’ll just give her a call in the morning.”

I didn’t plan on waiting. I wasn’t patient enough to wait another day. Why would I when I knew exactly where she was? The Ritz was where I was going.

“Okay, I’ll let her know that you stopped by.” She smiled politely.

I wondered if she was too polite to show any emotion to me other than a smile. I deserved anger and hatred after everything I’d caused her daughter, yet I never got it from her.

I’d turned around and walked a few steps down the pathway when Jamie’s mother called my name, and I turned back.

She walked out the doorway, folding her arms across her chest in an attempt to keep out the cold night breeze. “My daughter told me what happened.”

“I figured she would. I know she’s angry, but it wasn’t what it looked like,” I explained.

“I know it wasn’t. You came back here for her, didn’t you?”

“It’s not like it matters now.” I wasn’t one to have deep and meaningful conversations, so needless to say, I wasn’t exactly comfortable having this one with Jamie’s mother.

“I know Jamie gives the impression that she’s moved on from you—but she hasn’t. My daughter is stubborn, just like her father. She will come around eventually. Just don’t give up on her.”

She smiled.

I nodded my head in reply. On the drive to the Ritz, I found myself wondering how different things would be if I hadn’t given up on Jamie so easily the first time around.

She was the one. I just wished I’d realized it sooner.

When I walked into the lobby, I noticed the blonde handling the front desk alone.

She looked up from her screen as she heard me approach. It must have been the noise of my shoes, as the lobby was mostly quiet.

“Mr. Knight! What, um, can I do for you?”

She smiled, but it was obvious she was nervous. I seem to have that effect on women.

“I’m looking for Jamie. Is she around?” I asked.

“She’s working the anniversary party tonight. I’ll give her a call and see if I can get her down for you. One second.” She picked up the phone and dialed her number while I waited impatiently.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Knight, she’s not picking up. I’m sure she’s busy up there. I’ll keep trying her.”

“Thanks!” I walked away from the desk and toward the elevators. I knew what floor the function rooms were on, so I pressed the button to take me up there.

The function room was big and loud, surrounded with fancy tables and chairs to make room for the dance floor in the center. It was mostly old folks dancing. I couldn’t see Jamie anywhere.

“Champagne, sir?” a waiter asked. He was holding a silver tray full of champagne flutes.

I took a glass from the tray, thinking I was already home, so I might as well.

My eyes were making their way around the room when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, hoping that Jamie had found me before I found her.

“Hi!” A woman in a lilac dress stood before me, giving me a look I knew too well from women. “I saw you from across the room, and I thought I’d introduce myself. I’m Emily.”

“Mason,” I replied, then looked away, avoiding her gaze.

She was good-looking, I’d give her that, but I wasn’t interested.

“Have we met before?” she asked. “I’m pretty sure we have. Your face looks familiar.”

“No, I don’t think we have.” I drank the contents of my glass and grabbed a second from a passing waiter’s tray.

“I’m sure I know you from somewhere.” She stood in front of me, looking at my facial features. “Oh my God! I remember now. We met at a nightclub a couple of years back. Club Red.”

Of course, to me, it was no surprise that I didn’t remember who she was. I’ve been with plenty of women over the years. I can’t remember most of them.

“You don’t remember?” she asked.

“No, I don’t. Sorry!” I replied, hoping my lack of interest in a conversation with her would come through in my voice.

“Well, it’s a small world. I didn’t think I’d run into you again. Are you here alone, Mason?”

She was flirting. I didn’t know if she thought she was being subtle, but she wasn’t. The smiles and the nibbling of the bottom lip—I knew the signs.

“No—yes. I’m just looking for someone.”

My eyes scanned the room again, and that’s when I saw her by the entrance to the ballroom. Her back was to me, but I could tell that it was her from behind.

“Well, how about a drink by the bar?” she asked while her hand lightly moved down my suit jacket. “We could talk, you know? See how the night goes.”

Jamie had my attention, her and the tallish man she was having a conversation with. They both looked cozy.

She was even smiling, which is not something I usually see. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a smile on her face.

~I guess I’m to blame for that.~

The man didn’t look like he worked here. He was dressed in a suit, so I assumed he was here for the party and not to serve drinks.

“Mason. Mason.” The blonde moved into my line of sight, drawing my attention away.

I looked at her, feeling a little frustrated that she was still there.

“Drink at the bar?”

“No, I have to go.” I walked past her, not bothering to say another word. I prayed she wouldn’t come after me.

As I made my way through the crowd of people dancing, I looked in Jamie’s direction and saw something I didn’t like.

She was kissing him!

It made my blood boil, to be honest. Seeing her like that, with another man. I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it one bit.

I didn’t like the thought of her being with someone, seeing his mouth on hers, his hands on her skin.

I was burning with anger, and my hands were balled into fists as I watched their display.

All the time I’d been gone, of course, I thought there was a possibility that Jamie would be seeing other people. I’m sure she had it in her mind that I was doing the same.

I couldn’t do anything about what she was doing for all those months.

I certainly can now.