“Well, who do we have here?” he said as he settled into his seat. He was referring to Mason and me…probably me more than Mason.

I shot a look at Jay hoping he would introduce me so the atmosphere in the room felt less awkward. He just lifted his crystal wineglass and took a long sip, leaving me to fend for myself.

I sighed, trying to pull it together long enough to offer a reply. I didn’t get why I had to be the one making conversation when Mason had met the man before.

“I’m Kendall, a friend of Mason’s,” I replied.

He reached across the table, taking my hand. His eyes stayed focused on me for a few seconds before he gently kissed the top of my hand. He unbuttoned a couple buttons on his fancy jacket.

“It’s a pleasure, Kendall. What brings you here?” he asked.

I pursed my lips. I always hated trying to explain that to people.

“Mason and Kendall were just passing through, Gramps,” Jay said, answering for me. He winked at me and saluted me with his glass before taking another drink.

I relaxed and sat back in my chair.

“Kendall, this is my lovely ex-husband, Benny,” Gran spoke up.

I wondered how they were able to be in the same room if they were exes. In my family an ex meant restraining orders and violent fights.

“Mason, is this the beautiful girlfriend you’re always bragging about?” Benny asked, a big smirk flooding his face.

I looked at Mason wondering what the hell he ran around saying about me when I wasn’t there.

“No. Kendall and I were forced to be together a lot, practically since birth. She’s definitely not the one I was talking about,” he said, pressing his thumb into the fork tines.

I wished he’d pierce his flesh after making such a rude comment. I knew he was trying to irritate me.

“If you could only be so lucky, Mason,” Jay said, taking a jab at Mason. He leaned back in his chair a smug smile on his face.

“That’s funny, because I have been many times,” Mason shot back.

A woman—the hired help—bustled in the room, taking my attention away from Mason and Jay. She placed a plate in front of Gran. Several others followed behind her, each one carrying a tray.

I stared at the plate before me. Asparagus and some type of meat I wasn’t familiar with sat elegantly on the plate garnished with green herbs and a yellow sauce. It wasn’t anything I’d ever eaten. I hoped it wasn’t squid.

I smiled at Gran, noticing she was watching me from her place at the table.

It didn’t seem to bother Jay’s grandparents that Mason and Jay were passive aggressively attacking each other at the table. With smiles on their faces they began eating.

“Mason, you’re not being polite,” I said under my breath at him.

“Fuck polite,” he muttered, sawing into his food. His elbow jerked back and forth. He was acting like such an idiot, and I was ready to lose it. I balled my napkin in frustration trying to keep from hauling off and punching Mason.

Jay sat up, bringing his elbows down on the table. He watched Mason as he messed with his food, hardly eating anything, just moving it around on his plate in agitation.

“Are you sure you want to play this game, Mason?” Jay asked. “I know all about you.”

“Yeah, I know,” Mason said, giving a shrug of his shoulders.

I shoved the asparagus in my mouth, biting off the tip and chewed angrily. I was trying to ignore what was happening, but they were making it very hard.

“Kendall isn’t into guys like you. In fact, she despises guys like you.” Mason dropped his fork and pushed his plate away. “I’ve known her my entire life.”

Jay bit down on his lip. “She likes you, right?”

“She has daddy issues, mommy issues, and Aunt Wanda issues. The girl’s a train wreck. She doesn’t know what she likes,” Mason said.

I gasped, blown away by what Mason had just said about me. My heart kicked into gear, beating like mad in my chest. I looked at Benny and Gran one last time, hoping they would stop the two of them from battling it out. Minutes later, it was clear they weren’t going to do anything and my anger had bubbled over. I couldn’t hold back any longer and I slapped Mason right across the face, startling him.

Mason threw a hand back, angrily knocking me and the chair I was sitting in backward. I skidded to a stop on the wooden floor, shocked that I was now looking at the ceiling.

Jay was at my side helping me up. I pushed past him going after Mason. Mason picked up his water and tossed it in my direction.

I gasped at the cold water hitting me in the face. It crawled down the front of me, saturating my t-shirt. He didn’t stop there. Next he picked up a fork and whipped it past my head. It skidded into the kitchen and spun wildly across the tile.

Jay stared at Mason in disbelief, probably shocked things had gone this far. I was sure he was only toying with Mason. But he didn’t know what Mason was going through and he’d pushed him too far.

“Now, boys, let Gran out of here before we spin this into something we can’t go back on,” Benny said sternly, helping Gran out of the room.

“I’m sorry,” I told Gran as she passed by us.

She touched my arm and shook her head at me letting me know she wasn’t upset. I didn’t know how she saw this as okay, but she wasn’t mad.

I turned my attention back to Mason once Benny and Gran left the room. “What the hell did I ever do to you, Mason?” I asked, pulling at my hair in frustration. I was angry and hurt.

I pushed him into the wall, demanding an answer. I shoved him and tried to get him to look at me. Trying to get him to say something.

“If you want him, go for it. Take him upstairs and show him what Kendall can do and how well Aunt Wanda taught you,” he said, pushing me away from him.

I smacked him in the face again even harder this time, my hand burned with pain.

“Don’t you ever talk to me like that again,” I warned him, grabbing him by the collar.

Mason eyes were dark, nothing I had ever seen before. He was distant and cold. “Fuck you. Get the fuck out of my face.” He grabbed me by the throat and shoved me into the table, bending me over it, his body weighing me down and keeping me from getting away.

I had never seen Mason so angry before.

I screamed and kicked my feet, afraid of what he might do to me. He held me down, not letting me loose. Jay ripped Mason off of me.

“Whoa, easy now. I can’t let you do something stupid to her, Mason,” Jay said, nose to nose with him.

I sat up, rubbing my arm trying to figure out what was happening. Mason was losing it!

I decided I didn’t care what his problem was. I grabbed one of the useless forks from the table and before I knew what I was doing, I stabbed Mason in the arm, all my rage coming out of me in waves. I used every ounce of energy to push it deep into Mason’s flesh. He screamed in pain, shock overtaking his face.

I let go of the fork and picked up a plate and threw it at him. And then I took off out of the room.

JULY 15

TH

I WATCHED THE WAITER walk away with an empty tray poised perfectly in one hand. I wondered what I was doing going out in a public place when Mason and I were all over the news.

Jay cut through my racing mind. “You look amazing,” he said with a big smile. He took a sip of his overpriced beer.

I smiled and nodded, trying to choke down the disgusting wine I was politely drinking. I was enjoying being wined and dined for once in my life. I didn’t know if I’d get another chance.

“Thanks, Jay. This is a beautiful restaurant,” I said, taking in the dimly lit restaurant. There were twinkling candles on every table, soft music playing, and the chatter of everyone around us as they enjoyed their fancy meals.