Re-Thinking
1316 Words
Mason surprises me when he emails me a list of contractors, making my life that much easier. I get to work Saturday checking each out, looking at their websites, their work, and what they offer. I email a few of them, pretty sure I won’t hear from them till Monday.
Not having much else to do, after the soup kitchen and my emails I reach out to Tara to see if she wants to do something. I’m riding a tide of joy, something I haven’t genuinely felt in a long time. Sitting at home is driving me crazy, even baking is not enough to expend all the energy I have brewing under my skin.
Tara doesn’t answer till it’s time for her to head into work, so I end up seeing what Jude and Sean are up to, we spend the day throwing a Frisbee and kicking a soccer ball. Jude is full of laughter at my expense, he thinks it hilarious that I’m about as coordinated as toddlers in their first year of dance class. When I catch the Frisbee or ball it’s as if I just won the championship game.
All in all, it’s a great day.
The next day, I was elbow deep in kneading a Garlic Tuscan artisan dough when there is a rapid pounding on my door. At first, I thought it was coming from my music but it continued into the next song. Leaving the dough on my counter I take off towards the door curious who it could be, surprised to see Tara there, a newspaper in hand, shock on her face.
“What the actual f**k Aria?” She pushes past me, not allowing me to deny her entrance, not that I would. Stomping over to the kitchen counter and throwing down the paper. “You’re engaged?”
“Ummmmm” Yeah, so I don’t think I was really prepared for this part of the deal. Grabbing her discarded Newspaper, I look. Mason told me he was going to put an engagement announcement up, he even made me take a quick photo with him before I left on Friday… And there it is, our faces, smooched together, smiling at the camera, it isn’t a fancy photo, just a selfie from a phone camera. We’re smiling ear to ear, looking like a happy couple. Next to it, there are two paragraphs outlining us, our fake relationship. The whole announcement takes up a quarter of the page... it’s almost obnoxious.
“Wow” it comes out under my breath, not really sure what to say or how to process. I should have known, or maybe asked more questions, but damn this is over the top.
Did we really need to take up half the freaking newspaper?
How did Tara even get her hands on one, does anyone even read newspapers anymore? I get wanting to make an impression on his board members but all of Boston?
Turning the music down, needing more room to think.
“Wow? Did you not know you were engaged or maybe it slipped your mind? You do know this is all over f*******:, i********:? Work! The Mavericks are like royalty, you just threw yourself right into the spotlight.”
Damn it! f*****g social media! I really should have thought about this more before I signed that damn thing!
Thinking on the spot, I pull up my big girl panties and decide I need to thoroughly lie my way out of this one. Then I need to call Mason and iron out the details.
Work knows, and I remember that policy about sleeping with the clientele, people have been fired for less. Now I’m engaged to their boss, that they don’t actually know is their boss.
Yeah, that’s a problem.
They already think something weird is up since the whole Lauren ordeal. No doubt they’ll be thinking even worse now. I could quit but why would I? I won’t be opening Shirley’s for a little bit, I have time.
Plus, what happens if I can’t handle a whole year being stuck in his house with him, yeah maybe a huge mansion, but still he’s not easy, or maybe too easy to be around.
“That’s why I wanted to hang out yesterday. He asked Friday, at his house. He had a beautiful breakfast spread. It was amazing.” I throw a lot of enthusiasm and awe trying to sound like a woman who just got engaged to the love of her life, instead I sound like my grandma trying to get me to eat cooked carrots.
Her eyebrows are raised, more surprised than before? I didn’t think she could be. Uh-oh, I need to make this believable.
Clearing my throat, “I’m not sure what happened.” Going back over to the dough I start to knead it. Letting some of the tension fade, away. “I came here to start over you know, get away from what my life had to offer in Buffalo. I didn’t intend to fall in love.
“Love makes you vulnerable, I didn’t want to ever put myself in that position again. You know?”
“Uhhh.” I let out a deep sigh, pounding the dough a little too hard. “Mason came out of nowhere. He’s demanding, self-assured, cocky, he doesn’t listen for shit.” I let out a little chuckle, not sure why that fact is starting to endear me to him. “Everything I don’t want, yet he’s thoughtful, playful, honorable, and brilliant. He isn’t even selfish! He got Jude and Sean an apartment here, made sure their fridge was full, he gave Sean a job.
“When I’m around him my heart beats faster, my palms sweat, he makes me laugh and so angry, but he still comes back, and I want him to. I don’t know Tara, but when he asked… I don’t know if anything could make me as happy as that.” Ha! I would be happier if this was real. Stop it Aria! Stay away, if this is already how I’m feeling? How am I going to pull this off?
“Oh my god, Aria! I‘m so happy for you both! Being around the two of you together is nuts, I was burning up if I got too close to the two of you! But Girl if you don’t start telling me these things? We’re going to have to re-think this friendship thing.”
“Whoever said we’re friends?” She grabs some flour and throws it at my face, going right down my throat and up my nose. Gaging I cough some out. I cannot believe she did that. Now she’s over here laughing it up!
“Not friends huh?” She laughs.
“Not after that!” I say with a choked laugh.
“Oh, you’ll get over it! Now show me this ring! I can’t believe you’re going to be a billionaire!”
“I’m not, I’m just going to be Mason’s wife.” Why does my heart have to flip with those words?
“Uhmm, yeah, and have billions!”
“I guess. That’s not why I’m marrying him though.” How would it feel to have everyone’s first thought always about your money, your net worth? That has to suck in some way.
“I know that. Now, where is that ring?” Settling the dough in a glass bowl and covering it with a towel, I go grab my ring off my dresser in my room. I didn’t want to wear it while baking.
Tara loves my ring, making me move my hand all around to see it from every angle. We spend the night cooking a delicious dinner and watching Netflix. I missed having girlfriends, maybe I didn’t want one but
I sure can’t deny how amazing it feels to have one.
- Writer
