Keep Me In | DR3 | BOOK 1

31 - Sunday Morning

"So, how about," Mason began, taking both of my hands into his. He looked me in the eye, standing so that his shoulders were square with my own. I took a deep breath as I awaited the words I was absolutely not ready to be faced with.

"Alexa?"

Mason and I both turned, his expression remaining confused as mine twisted into a surprised smile. I gave Masons hands a squeeze before letting go and turning towards the voice.

"Julia! No way!" I exclaimed, pulling her into a hug.

"What were you going to say?" I asked Mason as he wrapped his arm around me, leading us both back in the direction of the restaurant.

He shook his head, "Let's order the Uber home."

--

The gentle, familiar tapping of rain was the first thing I took notice to when I woke up the next morning. I allowed my eyes to peek open a crack as I gazed at the drops dancing on the other side of my window, through the cream white curtain I had been sure to draw the night before. I took a deep breath in, and then out as I checked the time on my phone, charging beside me. It was quarter after seven in the morning, arguably too early to be up on a Sunday (though, my body's natural clock would disagree).

Masons rigid, muscular back had been facing me on the other side of my bed. I hadn't been used to waking up to a welcome presence in my bed after a Saturday night. My hand yearned to reach out to him, to feel his warmth. To wake him up and repeat the night that we had prior. But remembering what time it was, and the busy schedule Mason usually had, I realized it might be a kind gesture for me to let him sleep in.

I maneuvered my body to the edge of the bed, careful not to jostle the mattress too much on my way, and lifted the sheets just to let myself out. As much as staying in bed with Mason seemed tempting, I had to pee. The morning ritual was calling, and the completely empty cup of tea resting on my nightstand could be to blame.

I entered my bathroom, shut the door lightly, and freshened myself up. I relieved myself, brushed my teeth, and ran a brush through my hair before gathering it up and out of my way with a claw clip, letting a few bang pieces fall out to frame my pale face. Maybe a Monaco trip was due soon, I needed the sun.

Making sure Mason was still fast asleep on the way, I made my way down to the kitchen, leaving the door ajar just a tad behind me.

Today was an exciting day for a couple of reasons. Reason 1: I got to spend time with Mason. We had a good part of the day to spend together, for me to show him all my favorite parts of living in London. Reason 2: We were having dinner with Dad and Leanne tonight. For the first time since Eric, I would be introducing Dad to a guy I'm dating. And for the first time since Mom, Dad would be introducing my brothers and I to a woman that he's dating.

Maybe I should have slept in. Nothing an extra shot of espresso later on couldn't fix.

I scanned the fridge for the breakfast ingredients I had purchased in preparation a couple of days before. I pulled out the eggs, back bacon, arugula, a shallot, and a few other ingredients to make eggs benedict. I had planned to make hollandaise myself, a task even I found hard. But Dad had a fool-proof recipe that would hopefully save me from any faults of my own making. Dad taught all of us how to cook when we were kids; Carson and I caught on pretty well, though Rory was a lost cause. He normally helped with prep, but when heat was added to the equation, he immediately got out of the way for either Carson or I.