Aftermath Book Two Crash Series

Chapter Forty-One

Aria

            My face is wet with tears as the song goes on. The memory of her warm embrace and the first time I ever stepped up on the stool as she handed me a wooden spoon are bombarding me with so much love and strength. And joy. So much joy.

            Closing the oven I sway my hips and turn straight into a face full of soft petals and hard stems. Gasping I grab for my chest as I jump back, my shoulders tap into the handle for the oven. My instincts take over for a brief second before I can process what’s actually happening.

            With the stove at my back and the unexpected invasion into my space, I feel cornered and attacked. My defenses rise as the song fades away from my perception. But just as I start to panic, I process what I see.

            In the seconds it takes me to process it’s Mason standing before me I watch as his face goes from smiling on in humor at once again freaking me out to dropping to concern when he sees just how much he freaked me out. Add in my wet face and I can imagine I’m quite the sight.

His hands are wrapped around a beautiful sea glass vase, I suspect made by the same artist that made my windchimes. The vase isn’t even the best part, the medium-sized lilac-colored roses filling the vase, their green stems and leaves still peaking through. The vase pairs so well with the bouquet that they’re breathtaking together. They’ll be perfect for the front counter, I love that it matches the wind chimes.

            However it isn’t as breathtaking to watch as that same vase gets lowered down from in between us, so he can shift it to his side. Hugging it with one arm he uses his other to reach out for my hand that I still have held over my rapidly beating chest. As he moves it’s enough to give me a good view of behind him to the cameraman standing there.

            They’re always in all black, their t-shirts have Crew written in white letters on the back. The cameramen hold their cameras on their shoulders or next to their eyes, while other crew members will walk around with microphones and lights. At least that’s what they do when we film at Mason’s and when they filmed here last night.

            This guy has the camera right up against his eye and pointed in our direction. A lady carrying the microphone walks in behind him with the producer on her tail. All of them looking at it with intrigue, they know good TV when they spot it. Too bad it’s at our expense.

            “I’m sorry.” I’m not sure if he knows they followed him in or not but he pays them no attention. Squeezing my hand in his much bigger one he steps into my space, a citric lemon smell from the flowers mixes with Mason’s attractive spicey smell in a perfect combination.

            Keeping the crew in mind while also knowing I agreed to have them here which means there isn’t anything I can do about that now. Still, I’m careful to keep my voice low even though the music should cover most of it. Shaking my head I chuckle, “You suck.”

            “I wouldn’t have been able to scare you if you waited for me to come in like planned.” Mister grump mumbles against my ear, I need to turn the music down at least a little, it really is loud now that were trying to talk.  

            “True, but I couldn’t sleep so…” He drops my hand, instead opting to wipe the trail of tears off my cheek with his thumb. Grabbing his wrist gently I look into his loving eyes and smile. My heart skips a beat as my stomach fills with colorful butterflies that light my blood on fire.

            “Are you ready?” His eyes soften as his hand slides to the back of my head, cupping it gently but securely. I am now, I know he has me. No matter what goes wrong having him by my side and supporting me is everything.  

            “I have to be.” I sigh and bite my lip. Lifting onto my tip toes I tip my head back and pull his head down. Pressing my lips to his I kiss him quickly but no less passionately as I try to remember their filming all of this.

            “It looks amazing out there and smells amazing in here.” He isn’t wrong.

            “Thank you.” He slides his hand down my arm before weaving his fingers between mine so he can bring my knuckles to his mouth and kisses them. It’s embarrassingly sweet and romantic so of course, I have to laugh awkwardly and pull away.

            With no space to move to Mason just smiles at me knowingly as he takes a generous step back.

            “Here, these are for you.” Handing me the flowers I grab them surprised at their weight and again taken with their beauty.

            “They better be, we made out already.” I joke as I take in another good wife of lemon. “Thank you, they’re beautiful Mase.” Walking over to the counter with the radio system I turn down the music after setting the vase down carefully and trying to ignore the cameras. They don’t like it when you look into the camera, they do when we're explaining something or actually cooking but not for the cameo shots and storyline portions.

            “There’s this too.” Coming up behind me he cages me in against the counter as he sets a small wrapped box between our hands. It has a small red bow tied around beautiful silver glitter cupcake decorated wrapping paper.

            Grabbing it up I turn between his arms and shove it back at his chest. “No! No, gifts.”

            “Open it I promise you’ll like it.” He looks like he wants to roll his eyes at me but barely contains himself. The flowers were enough, the bakery was more than enough. His house and his love, I don’t need all the extras but he insists on giving them to me.

            “You’re the worst.” I groan before looking at the crew and then back to the package in my hand. This is so freaking awkward. But when I notice the female producer and female crew member both looking at me with jealousy it makes it a tad bit easier. They want Mason, I know a lot of people want him. I also know without a doubt that he’s all mine but I can’t help my own possessive jealously that flares to life just knowing they want him.  

            “Mhm,” His sexy smirk comes out to play as he settles his hands on my hips with a playful squeeze.

            I have to use my teeth to get the ribbon off but after that, I slowly tear off the wrapping paper revealing the black velvet box underneath. Looking up from under my lashes I glare at him as I shake my head. Whatever this is it’s beautiful and way too much.

“Oh, wow!” I gasp as I use my shaking pointer finger to trace the surface. It’s another rose gold charm for my bracelet but this is probably the biggest one, but only by a few millimeters. He had it custom-made with Shirley’s logo stamped onto a circular charm. Shirley’s is written above a beautifully but simply decorated animated cake, the cake is simple messy lines topped with a few flowers and leaves. The cake sits on a round stand with Café underneath.

The whole thing is painted exactly how it is on my sign above the door, on all the boxes, and everywhere else around this place. There are only two differences the beautiful stones that are acting as the center of two flowers.

            “This stone is your grandmother's birth stone and this one is yours.” He points at them both taking my breath away once more. I wish she was here to meet him, she would have loved him and she sure would have been happy for me. He’s amazing.

            “Thank you! I love you.” Grabbing the box out of my hands he sets it down and grabs the charm and my wrist that has the bracelet on now. He smiles up at me ignoring the tears dripping down my face as I’m again overwhelmed with joy and love.

            “Dance with me?” The has changed and I couldn’t even tell you what it is it’s so far in the background as I’m lost in the overwhelming feelings Mason brings out in me.

            “They’re filming us…” I want to but this is awkward enough and invasive, it’d be super weird to dance around the kitchen…

            “So what? Dance with me?” He interrupts my thoughts as he pulls me to the center of the kitchen. Setting my hands on his shoulders I don’t take my eyes off of his, nor do I even know if we’re dancing to an actual song I let him lead with his arms around my middle pressing my hips into his there isn’t any room between us, exactly how we like.

            He bites his lip making my stomach somersault he looks so f*****g sexy doing it and I cant help but giggle in awe. His smile grows bigger and more dangerous and knowing. I’m on the brink of eutopia, the same as I am when he brings me to orgasm. I’m so in awe, so happy, thrilled, and just f*****g feeling good that I literally don’t know how to handle all the good emotions besides laughing like a maniac.

            Freaking perfect for the cameras. “This is weird,” I mumble through laughs.

            “Pretend they aren’t here.” He says it so off handedly like I didn’t already know that was an option.

            “Oh wise one why didn’t I think of that?” I can’t keep the sarcasm out of my voice as I pat at his thick chest.

            “Cynthia wasn’t kidding you really can’t keep your hands off one another.” Grace interrupts us, bringing us to a halt as we come back to reality. Well looks like it’s time to open my own place. This is so nuts.