Chapter 61: Chapter 26: Harris Family Dinner

Jamie

I was sitting at the table with my dad, playing a game of cards while my mom cooked dinner in the adjoining kitchen.

My brother Jake was holding Penelope, sneaking candy to her in hopes that I wouldn’t notice. I did!

Cards had always been a game that we played with my father growing up. Like today, we were sitting at the dinner table playing while my mom prepared our meal.

I was older now, so mostly I just played a game or two to entertain him while I was there.

Today felt a little different, though, not exactly like every other family dinner. Today Mason would be joining us, and I was feeling apprehensive about it.

~He’s coming by after work, which should be any minute now.~

I picked up my phone and texted Mason just to check in. I was worried that he would get cold feet about being in the same room as my father.

I wouldn’t blame him for that. My father can be an intimidating man at times.

“What’s the holdup, sweetheart? You and that phone.” He clicked his tongue off the roof of his mouth.

“Sorry, I have work emails.” I placed my next card down, and my father looked at his. The game continued on.

I glanced over at Jake and Penelope giggling. “I wish you wouldn’t stuff her with chocolate before dinner, Jake.”

“I’m her only uncle. I mean, look at this face.” He looked at her and chuckled. “I can’t say no to her, and she knows it.”

I shook my head, but I found it cute how he was with her.

“Dinner is almost ready. Another ten minutes. Is Mason on his way, sweetheart?” my mom asked.

“Um, I’m not sure. He hasn’t seen my messages, so he could be stuck in a meeting. I’m sure he won’t be long.”

I was so anxious about this dinner, even more anxious now that he wasn’t returning my texts.

If Mason showed up late, it’d just give my dad another reason to dislike him, and he’s already got plenty of those.

“Maybe he’s too chicken because he thinks Dad is going to give him the boot.” My brother chuckled. He always finds a way to poke fun at my situations.

It’s a good thing he doesn’t know about that recording of me.

“He’s not too chicken. He’ll be here soon.” I looked at my father, shaking his head and looking down at his playing cards. “You’re going to be nice to him, right?”

“I’m just going to ask him a couple of questions, Jamie. You don’t need to worry,” he replied.

“He’s the one that needs to worry!” my brother chimed in. I shot him a glare.

I placed a card down on the table and looked at my father. “Please don’t embarrass me. He’s a good guy, Dad. I just want you to see that for yourself.”

“If he’s such a good guy, then why did he run for the hills and miss the first few months of his daughter’s life?” my father said.

“We are allowing him to be in her life now, but there’s no reason why he has to be in yours.”

“Because I want him to be in my life. I want to be with him. I think I’m old enough to make my own decisions.” I released a sigh and looked my mother’s way in the hope that she would help me out.

“I think she’s made her mind up, Clay.”

“This guy is no good for her, Julia.” He looked at me again. “I just don’t want to see you hurt like the last time. I don’t like him.”

“I trust him. He won’t hurt me—”

“But how do you know?” he asked. “How do you know he won’t leave again when things get tough? He’s not exactly the family man type, is he?”

I was feeling angry. We’d been in this situation before, and my father wasn’t happy about it. He was right back then when he’d warned me that Mason Knight was going to break my heart.

~But he’s wrong this time.~

“Excuse me.” I stood from the table and grabbed my phone to take with me. On the way up the stairs to the bathroom, I overheard my mom giving my dad a scolding for what he’d said to me.

My father had always been the protective type, maybe a little more so when it came to Mason. I wished he would just learn to butt out of my life.

I walked down the stairs, ready to face the music for a second time. I heard the doorbell ring, and that brought a smile to my face.

“I’ll get it,” I shouted and walked toward the front door. I opened it up and saw his face.

“I know I’m late, I’m sorry! I got caught up in a meeting.”

He was looking gorgeous, of course, even though he was dressed in the same navy checkered suit I’d seen him in this morning before he left for work.

“I was worried that you weren’t coming.” I put my arms around him and leaned up for a kiss. It had only been a couple of hours, and I missed him.

“I told you I would,” he replied. I noticed that he was holding a bouquet in one hand and a bottle of scotch in the other.

“Flowers! Are they for me?”

“Actually, they’re for your mother. I didn’t want to show up empty-handed, and I wanted to make a good impression.”

Of course. I should’ve known the flowers were for my mom. Mason isn’t really the romantic type of guy.

“Good idea. She will love them. Let’s go inside.”

Inside, to the kitchen where my family—well, my dad mostly—was waiting to have their say on our relationship.

~Why am I subjecting him to this? I should’ve just told my mom no when she invited us to dinner.~

My dad had already told me what was on his mind. I highly doubted he was going to behave any better now that Mason was here.

We were midway through our dinner, and Mason’s discomfort didn’t go unnoticed. Family dinner wasn’t really his thing, so I was grateful that he’d even shown up in the first place.

“So, how is business, Mason?” my father asked.

“Business is good, Mr. Harris. My father recently decided to take a step back from the company, so most days I’m quite busy with meeting after meeting.”

That was news to me! He’d never told me that Harry was no longer running the place, and he was instead. Why wouldn’t he tell me that? I told him pretty much everything.

“Sounds like a lot on your shoulders.” My father set his cutlery down and looked at Mason from his place at the head of the table.

“Are you sure you even have time for a relationship? You know, you need to put as much time and effort into your relationship as you do your business.”

“I know I do. I work hard for what I have, just like I’ve always done. Having Jamie and Penelope in my life drives me to be even more successful in what I do. I’m committed to her for the long haul.”

My lips curved into a smile at his words.

“Does that mean you want to marry her?” my father asked, and everyone at the table went quiet except for Penelope singing along to her musical storybook.

Mason choked on the drink that he was just about to swallow. He was taken aback by the question. He didn’t expect it, and neither did I.

“I, um…” He looked at me and looked back at my father.

“So, do you want to marry my sister or not?” Jake chimed in.

“Please stop,” I said. I wasn’t actually sure if I wanted to know the answer to that question. It’s so soon that I don’t know how I’d feel about his answer either way.

“Well, um…to be honest, I don’t see myself getting married in the future. I don’t think it’s for me.” He drank from his glass and avoided eye contact with me.

“I think it’s time for dessert,” my mom said and stood up from the table. She started picking up empty plates from the table in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

I would have preferred my father not to ask the question. I didn’t know how I felt about his answer. Upset, I guess. I didn’t expect marriage to be a solid no.

***

Mason

Mr. Harris poured another scotch into his glass before he invited me out to the front porch for a private chat.

We all knew how this was going to go. He didn’t like me very much. That was clear to me before I sat down at his dinner table.

Coming here tonight was a mistake, but I did it for her. I came here because she asked me to. I wanted to show Jamie that I was committed.

I don’t think it came across that way after her father’s questions.

“So,” Clay sat down on his chair and drank from his glass. “This thing between you and my daughter. Does it mean as much to you as it does to her?”

“Yes, of course.” I sighed. “I wouldn’t be with Jamie if I didn’t feel something for her.”

“Well, if I remember correctly, the last time I warned my daughter about you, she ended up getting her heart broken. You knew she loved you, and you left.

“She needed you when Penelope was born, but she couldn’t find you. Where were you all that time?”

I turned around and looked out at the front lawn, feeling agitated by his questions.

“I didn’t leave because I didn’t want to be with her. I left because I wasn’t in the right state of mind to be around anyone. I needed time.”

“And now here you are,” he replied. “Back in my daughter’s life. But for how long this time? You’re not exactly a reliable man. Not a man that I would choose for her.”

I turned around and looked at him. “I’m not leaving again. I’m here trying to make up for the past. If I wasn’t serious about her, then I wouldn’t be living in her house.”

The expression on his face changed from anger to surprise. He had no idea, did he? She hadn’t told them that I was living in her house. “You’re living there? Since when?”

“Not long. I thought Jamie would’ve told you.”

“No, she didn’t. We both know why that is.” Mr. Harris shook his head and stood up from his chair.

“Now that you have a daughter of your own, you must understand why I am so protective of mine. You hurt her once. I won’t allow you to do it again.”

“I told you—”

“I don’t care what you told me,” he interrupted. “Your word doesn’t mean very much to me, considering the reputation you have and the crap that you’ve pulled in the past.

“I don’t trust you one bit. You don’t deserve my daughter.” He grabbed his glass from the floor and walked into the house.

~FUCK!~

In annoyance, I grabbed my suit jacket from the chair and walked down the driveway toward my car.

I sat waiting for Jamie, wondering how I was going to explain to her that her father still didn’t accept our relationship.

~The past is going to haunt me forever! It doesn’t matter if it’s months or years from now. I’m always going to pay for leaving her like I did.~

It was something that would always be held against me, even by Penelope when she was old enough.

Later that night, I was sitting in bed with my laptop screen in front of me. I’d left early for that disaster of a dinner, so now I was paying for it.

Jamie had been distant with me since we’d arrived home. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe she was pissed about me telling her father that we were living together.

She walked into the room and looked at me on the way to her dresser. “You’re working?”

“I have a couple of things to do. I’m almost done. Is Penelope asleep?”

“Finally. I wasn’t sure it would happen after all that chocolate Jake gave her.” She rubbed moisturizer over her arms and chest. She stopped and looked in the mirror at me. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I continued typing. “Are you okay?”

She turned around and looked at me. “I guess so. I mean, dinner didn’t really go like I hoped it would. My father is so angry about us living together.”

“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t know that it was a secret. I’m guessing they don’t know anything about Jack either?” I asked.

“Well, not about the naked recording and him breaking into my home to steal them back. I think my dad would keel over if he knew about that.

“I don’t know what to do about him. I just want him to accept you.”

~Jesus! I wish she didn’t have to say naked recording every time. I hate being reminded of her being naked with that guy.~

“He has his opinions, and I have mine. In time he might come around.” I was lying to her. No part of me thought that man would accept me. But I didn’t want to upset her by saying as much.

“What opinions?” she asked and folded her arms across her chest.

“Come here,” I ordered and set my laptop to the side.

She came across the room toward me and onto the bed. I pulled her onto my lap, one leg on either side. “Your father thinks I’m going to leave again.”

She sighed. “Well, he worries about it, of course. You don’t know what it was like for me when you left. It was really hard, Mason.

“My father doesn’t want me to get hurt again, so he’s overprotective when it comes to you.”

I moved my hands up her legs, rubbing her skin softly. “I’m not going to leave you, Jamie.”

Her lips curved into a smile. “I trust you. I don’t want you to worry about what my father thinks. His opinion isn’t going to change the way I feel about you.”

“Hmm, you sure about that?” I placed my arms around her and pulled her body closer.

“Yes, I’m positive.” She moved her face toward mine in a sensual kiss. Her nipples teased me through the silk fabric of her cami pajama top. I snaked my hand up and cupped her right breast.

She moaned against my lips. “Mmm, I like that.”

“Oh, you do? What about this?” I kissed her again before moving my lips down her neck.

I pulled her body against mine again and licked between her breasts. She tasted so sweet, like raspberries and vanilla.

“Mmm, so good!” she moaned.

I turned her over so that she was lying flat, and I was above her. I moved her silk pajama top up and kissed her body. “I don’t know if I can resist you much longer.”

She chuckled. “Just a little longer, I promise. But for now, if you like, I could do a little something for you?”

She moved her hand down and rubbed my cock over my boxer shorts. “All you have to do is lie back and enjoy.”

“Well, since you’re offering.”

I rested back against my pillow and watched her in action, enjoying the familiar feeling of her mouth around my cock. She was sucking me in ways that only she knew.