Exquisite

Chapter Thirty

Lena watched as Mason’s eyes tried to take it all in. She’d removed everything from his work desk and placed an old picnic blanket over it. On one corner of the desk was a red rose and on the opposite corner lay a sunflower and she was she was sitting right in the center of them with her legs hanging over the edge clutching some tulips. She was dressed in the same pants she had worn on their first date. They were black with a pinstripe and on top she wore a cream blouse that buttoned up to just under her neck and tucked into her pants. Purposely, she had pulled all her hair back and tied it into a prim bun at the nape of her neck and beside her sat a small picnic basket. Her eyes were glued to him as he looked over everything without moving a muscle. Finally he faced her and their eyes locked.

“Lena. I thought we’d be meeting out in the dining room.” he paused, “How’d you get back here?”

Taking all of her courage in her hands, knowing this was probably one of the most important moments of her life, she tipped her chin up and answered.

“Wendy let me in. I wanted to talk to you.” she stopped and licked her lips, “I hope you don’t mind.”

Shaking his head she noticed he was about to move so she held a hand up and said softly. “Please stay where you are. I need to tell you some things and I don’t think I can do it if you come any closer.”

He swallowed then nodded silently, keeping his eyes on her. Then he asked, “What is all of this?”

Smiling at him slowly she jumped down off the table and place the tulips where she’d been sitting. She could feel his eyes on her as she turned and reached for the red rose. Taking hold of it she brought it to her nose and took a deep breath inhaling the beautiful scent, then she walked over stopping a few inches from him and as she looked up into his eyes she felt her heart ache with how much she loved him. It was time to set that free, to lay all her cards on the table and let him do what he would with them. He’d either pick them up and hold them close or he’d throw them away. She was hoping he’d hold her close.

“Our lives have been filled with flowers, you and me, from the very beginning. A year or so ago I met a man.” she watched as he started to say something but she held the rose up and placed the petals against his mouth and watched as they lay against his lips. “Shh. Let me get this out, or I never will.”

He took a deep breath and nodded letting her know he was ready for her to go on. Pulling the flower back she lifted her eyes to his again and continued.

“He was sent over to deliver me some roses.” she grinned up at him and held the rose between them twirling it back and forward. “He was the most irritating man I’d ever met and he drove me crazy that day.”

He blinked down at her but remained silent as she’d asked.

“I remember thinking about him after he left and how gorgeous his blue eyes were, even when he was annoying the hell out of me.”

She dropped the rose down by her side and tilted her head.

“Then I ran into him by accident, in this restaurant. It just so happened he owned it and he smiled at me and pulled out those dimples and blackmailed me into a date.”

His mouth opened and he said softly, “It wasn’t blackmail.”

Lena felt a grin tug at her mouth, “Yes it was. You told me you wouldn’t spit in my food if I went on a date with you. Such a romantic Langley.”

“Me? You Googled me.” he defended with the start of a smirk.

Shrugging Lena turned and walked back over to the table where she placed the rose back down. Reaching out she opened the picnic basket and pulled out a bottle of wine. Looking over her shoulder she was surprised to notice Mason had stayed by the door. The only difference now was that he was leaning back against it and his ankles were crossed. Pouring some of the liquid into a paper cup she moved back to him letting her eyes take him in. When she stopped just a little out of reach he arched a brow and she held out the cup.

“Our first date was a disaster. I was wearing this.” She said motioning to her clothes, “What was I thinking? Then you kicked me out. The second date though. Hmm” she hummed closing her eyes thinking about sticky kisses. Then she opened them and focused on his mouth and when her eyes raised to meet his she was happy to see his lids had lowered just a little.

“What about the second date?” he asked with that deep voice that seemed to stroke over her skin.

Grinning at him she replied, “The second date was juicy.”

He nodded slowly, liking that answer and she noticed a twinkle started in those blue eyes. Looking down at the cup in his hand he asked, “Are you trying to get me drunk?”

Lifting a shoulder she shrugged and asked, “Would it work?”

“Judging by lately, probably. However, my choice of drink is usually scotch not wine these days.”

“Hmm.” she said nodding, “Well I think maybe you should try that one. It’s good I’m told.”

Bringing the cup up to his mouth he took a sip and she watched his face morph into an expression of someone who looked like he’d just sucked a lemon. She gave him props for not spitting it out but then she started to laugh.

“Just reminding myself of how you wooed me on our picnic.”

“Augh!” he said as he looked at her with a look of absolute disgust, “That wine is disgusting.”

She laughed as she turned and walked back to the table. Looking over her shoulder she said softly, “Well you picked it.”

“Geez, seriously that is horrible. I can’t believe you remembered it.”

Reaching up she tugged the elastic from her hair and let it tumble down her back. Shaking it out she looked at him once more and replied with a wink, “Well it does leave a lasting impression.”

His eyes roved over her and she wasn’t sure what he was referring to when he murmured, “That it does.”

Mason’s brain was trying really hard to stay focused. When he’d stepped into his office he’d been blown away by the scene in front of him. There sitting on his desk was the Lena he’d first met. The woman who had crawled in under his skin and somehow burrowed deep into his heart.

The hair was perfectly severe, the clothes were so proper and so incredibly buttoned up, he was going crazy thinking about her in the mini skirt from the other night and comparing the two. Somewhere along the way during their relationship, Lena had relaxed. She’d come undone. However, as she stood in front of him reminding him of all the things that had brought them together and as she shook that long beautiful hair out and down her back, his mind went blank.

He dropped the now empty paper cup on the floor and watched her reach out and pick up the sunflower. Turning to him he saw her green eyes were wide and serious as she moved toward him. He straightened up against the door, and straddled his legs apart slightly, but other than that stayed glued to the spot, since it seemed to be working for them, and waited. When she got to him she reached out like a little girl and held out the sunflower. He gently reached forward and took it from her and she smiled up at him and he felt his walls crashing down. Her eyes showed him how much she trusted him and the words that came out of her mouth confirmed it.

“You gave me my sister back.” She shook her head letting the hair fall back over her shoulders. Then her eyes met his again. “For so long I denied myself any kind of contact or emotion when it came to Carly. No one could get through to me.” she paused and blinked up at him. He could see tears forming in her eyes and she let them fall as she went on.

“Not my mother or father. Not the psychiatrist they sent me to and not even your mother.” she pulled in a deep sob like her heart was hurting and he felt his ache as well. “But you, you got inside and gave her back to me. For that alone I have to fight for you.”

He moved a little but she shook her head and took a couple of steps back and held a hand up, “No, please let me finish.”

Blinking wet eyes up at him he nodded at her, becoming frustrated at not being able to talk, but not really knowing what he would say anyway. He watched as though he were seeing it in slow motion as she reached up and unbuttoned the top three buttons of her shirt. Reaching behind her, to the desk, she clutched the small bouquet of tulips and stepped forward to him again.

He knew what those represented, and knew where she was going. What he didn’t know was if he was ready to hear it, but he knew as he stood there he had to let her say it if they were ever going to move forward. Holding the bunch of colorful stems to him he shook his head once. She kept her hand extended and raised her eyes to his.

“A very amazing woman came into my life when I was twenty three years old.”

Swallowing and licking her lips she blinked up at Mason and he could see her eyes shimmering with the pain of her emotions but he could also see pleasure in her memories. He gripped the sunflower between his hands and held onto it for dear life. She still held the flowers to him but he couldn’t bring himself to take them.

“She took me into her shop and sat me down. She gave me a cup of hot chocolate and told me that she had a family of her own.” Pausing Lena finally pulled the tulips into her chest, keeping her eyes on his, that were now also filled with tears. “A daughter and a son. Two children who she loved very much.”

She blinked and closed her eyes for a moment swallowing a deep breath. Regaining what little composure she had her eyes found his again and she whispered.

“Some of her last words to me Mason, were ‘I believe in fate and I believe you were supposed to walk into my life, so Mason could walk into yours’ I know she can’t be wrong.”

Stepping in close enough that his pants rubbed against her own he watched as she reached out and took one of his hands. He let go of the sunflower and allowed her to bring his palm up to her chest where her shirt was unbuttoned. Looking at him with eyes full of tears he saw his hand tremble through his own blurry vision. When she had his hand over her heart she moved even closer, so she was between his legs. Him holding a sunflower, her with a bunch of tulips. Her face turned up to his and her was streaked with tears when she whispered.

“I love you Mason.”

He sucked in a deep breath and tried to pull his hand back. Looking down where it was pressed over her heart he could feel it racing beneath his palm.

“Look at me?” she whispered. He dragged his eyes up to focus on hers and he could feel a tear escape and slide down the side of his own face. He clenched his jaw and waited, stubbornly silent, trying to keep a cap on his emotions.

“I love you. I’ve loved you since before all of this turned bad.”

He watched her swallow and then she continued. “I wanted to tell you that night we were supposed to meet. “

If it were humanly possible he was sure he would’ve felt his heart finally break in two. Knowing everything that he’d been going to say that night, and now hearing she had been feeling it too his emotions took over and he felt like he was dying on the inside at everything they’d lost. His hands started to shake and he swallowed again, trying to hold it together.

“I never wanted to hurt you. I wanted to tell you about your mother so many times. I begged her to let me.”

Blinking up at him she stepped back and let his hand go. He felt it drop down to his side and he felt as though a hole was starting to gape open in his chest as she moved away from him.

“These flowers,” she held them up. “They’re your mother.” she turned and moved back placing them on the desk and walked back over to where he was slumped against the door. She waited silently, patiently for him to move, he finally worked out. He pushed off the door and stepped aside. She reached out and took hold of the door knob unlatching it. She twisted it and opened it a crack, then stopped to look at him standing glued to the spot clutching her sunny yellow flower and whispered, “Thank you for sharing her with me. I loved her too.” and with that she walked out the door.

Three days later Lena still hadn’t heard from him. She’d run over everything she’d said in her mind a hundred times. There was nothing she’d change and there was nothing she had left out. She’d told him everything, opened herself up and placed her heart in his hands. Now she just had to be patient. She had just finished showering and climbed into bed when her phone buzzed. Picking it up she felt a grin creep onto her face and her heart start to beat faster.

Langley: You still awake Doctor?

Yes. Why? Do you need medical attention?

Langley: Not sure about medical attention but I’d like your attention.

Scooting down in her bed she text back. Well you have it. What’s going on Langley?

Langley: I have a problem.

Grinning to herself she wrote back. Don’t worry it happens to all men.

Not a minute later the phone vibrated.

Langley: Trust me THAT is not a problem.

So defensive :P.

Lena giggled and waited eagerly for his response.

Langley: Watch where you stick that tongue Dr O’Donnell.

:P.

Lena knew she was being immature but at this point she couldn’t help it. He was flirting with her. He hadn’t initiated any kind of romantic behavior with her for so long it was a seductive feeling. She knew she’d been the one pushing the last few times they’d been around one another so when he wrote.

Langley: My problem is I can’t stop thinking about you.

Lena felt completely justified in sighing like a school girl. Good thoughts?

She stared at her phone almost willing it to produce the answer she wanted.

Langley: Not all of them.

Frowning she let out a disappointed breath. Oh.

Quickly it beeped.

Langley: Some are very VERY bad.

Feeling her tummy clench and her thighs tighten she wrote back as calmly as she could. Oh yeah? Like what?

Reaching over she turned her bedside light off imagining him in his big bed facing the wide window with the city lights illuminating the room.

Langley: You, fuck me boots and a smile.

Breathing deeply she wrote back. Excuse me they’re called thigh high boots.

Her phone beeped.

Langley: They’re called wrap your legs around my waist and fuck me HARD boots.

Grinning she wrote back. Langley!

Then she jumped as the phone started to ring loudly in her hand. Looking down at it as though it was on fire she let it ring once, twice and then a third time. Finally answering it she pulled it to her ear and said softly.

“Hello.”

“The next time I see you I want you to wear those boots.”

She shivered at his deep voice drifting through the phone.

“I don’t know Mason. I told you my terms the last time we were in the same bedroom.”

She heard some rustling and knew he was in bed. Closing her eyes she waited listening to his breathing.

“Well, things have changed since then.”

“Have they?” she asked hopefully.

“Yes Lena. Everything’s changed.” he paused then asked softly, “Did you mean everything you said to me the other night?”

Swallowing deeply she nodded and then realizing he couldn’t see she answered, “Yes. Every word.”

He took a deep breath and she heard him sigh and say softly, “Then everything has changed.”

There was a long tense silence and then she said softly, “I’m supposed to go by Precious Petals tomorrow to get some paperwork from Rachel. Will you be there?”

“No. I have to go by the restaurant, but I’ll give Rachel my spare key. Just take it and let yourself in. I should be there at around 6pm.”

Lena closed her eyes and prayed to whoever was listening that this was really happening.

“Ok. I’ll be there.”

“Lena?” he asked and she clutched the phone tight.

“Yes?”

“Wear the boots.” and with that he hung up.

Mason was standing in his office the next day when Rachel came in. “Hey you.”

He looked up and she smiled at him as she leaned against the door. “Hi.”

“So I’m going down to see Lena today.”

He nodded and said softly, “Yeah she told me.”

Rachel moved in and asked cautiously, “Are you two, you know?”

Grinning he asked innocently, “No what?”

Rolling her eyes she sighed, “Are you two back together?”

He shook his head and watched the disappointment slide onto her face. Then he added. “Not yet.”

A grin replaced the frown and she asked, “But will be?”

“Fingers crossed.” he said holding up his hands. He came around the desk and reached out for his sister. She wrapped her arms around him and he kissed the top of her head.

“I’m sorry I checked out for awhile there.”

Rachel looked up at him and he saw a tear fall down her cheek. “I knew you were here Mase, we just had to deal with things in our own way. I’m just glad you came back to us and I’m glad you’re bringing her back to us too.” she paused and sniffed then said softly, “Mom really loved her you know?”

“What makes you say that?”

Rachel gave him a sad smile and told him, “She use to tell me about a girl, around my age, who would come into the shop and she was so sad and mom really wanted to help her.”

Mason was quiet not quiet believing that Rachel had known about Lena all along. It was true, Lena’s life had been running parallel to his their whole lives and it was as though his mother and fate had finally made them cross paths. He heard Rachel say his name.

“Mason?”

Looking down at her he smiled, “Yeah Rach.”

“Some things are just meant to be.”

Nodding he pulled her in tight and hugged her hard, yeah he thought, some things were just meant to be.