“Hey, it’s ok. We were all shocked and worried about her but she’s a fighter and she’s recovering. Luckily she had her cell phone and called 911 when she started to feel ‘funny’ as she tells me.” he ended with a slight grin.
Lena seemed to be trying to blink back her tears then she swallowed and nodded. “Good, that’s good. I’d hate anything to happen to her.”
“Yeah me too.” he said with a kind of ironic tone.
She seemed to gather herself up then.“Well of course. She’s your mother after all.” she paused and shook her head, “What a small world. I can’t believe she’s your mother.”
Mason didn’t know if he should be insulted or complimented. “Why? Is it so hard to imagine I have a mom?”
“No, no. She’s just so warm and comforting. I’d always wished she was my own mom.” she stopped and looked at him with an almost sheepish expression. “I know that must sound ridiculous.”
He finally gave way and grinned down at her. Who was he kidding? He couldn’t help himself and she was standing here in his mother’s shop, who he loved with all his heart, telling him that she loved her too. How could he fight that?
“That doesn’t sound ridiculous Lena. She’s an amazing woman. I don’t blame you one bit.” he looked around the small space. “I’ve been coming to this store for years, since I was a little boy. I don’t have one memory of her in this shop without a smile on her face. Only an amazing woman can be that warm all the time.”
Lena couldn’t believe that Catherine was Mason’s mother. She’d been coming to this store for nine years. How had she not run into him before that day with the roses? It was almost unbelievable how often their lives must have come so close to crossing over, intertwining and yet just missing each other by a small fragment of space in time. Focusing back on the man in front of her, who kept surprising her at every turn, she said softly.
“Your mother, Catherine, has been doing something for me for years.”
She watched him nod. “The sunflowers.”
Lena narrowed her eyes and felt her heart squeeze tight in her chest. “How did you know about those?” she asked in a more accusatory tone than she was expecting. She just couldn’t fathom the idea that he’d known about her all along, all her deepest most private issues and not said anything to her. She hated feeling like someone was digging behind her back but that was exactly how she felt at this moment.
“Sheathe your claws Lena.” he said with, what seemed like, great patience. “I was telling my mother about the doctor who’d made such an impression, that I’d taken her to my kitchen and cooked for her.”
Lena swallowed but didn’t back down an inch. “I don’t like people discussing me.” she watched as he visibly stiffened and saw the temper flare in his eyes.
Once again he crossed his arms. “She wasn’t discussing you. I was and all she told me was that you’ve been a wonderfully loyal customer and you liked to by sunflowers. Jesus Lena! You would try the patience of a saint.”
Lena reached down and clutched the strap of her purse, she was about to say something when she heard the tinkle of bells and knew someone else had come in. Mason looked over his shoulder then back at her. “I’ll be back to help you in a minute.”
He walked away from her with what she could only describe as a pissed off march. Turning back to the roses she picked up the red one she’d been looking at earlier. She didn’t understand her need to lash out at him, but that was what she was doing. She needed to get it under control, reign in her emotions. Try to remember the poor man’s mother was in the hospital. However, all she could think about was the fact that he’d known about her all along and not said anything. He’d known about her weird little coping habit and just left it. He hadn’t bothered to ask her about it, hell maybe he didn’t care and now she was standing here being a raging bitch because she was also upset he hadn’t called her. She had serious issues.
Moving further down the aisle she saw the happy sunflowers in their usual aluminum can. She stopped in front of them and crouched down to look at the seven flowers standing tall. They were flawless as always. Catherine always picked out the ones that had no blemishes on the bright yellow petals. Standing back up she walked over to the counter where Mason was finishing up with a little old lady.
“Thank you dear.”
She watched as he smiled down at the lady. “You’re welcome. Make sure you come back soon.”
The little lady nodded then asked, “Are you that young chef that’s been all over the television?”
Lena watched as he seemed to tense up a little. He held the smile but it’d left his eyes.
“Yes I am.”
The little lady smiled wider. “You are much more handsome in person young man.”
Lena watched a blush creep up over his cheeks and she almost laughed until his eyes met hers. He looked mortified. She tightened her lips and kept her gaze on his. Finally after what seemed like minutes instead of seconds he broke the contact and turned back to the little lady. This time his smile was a little sheepish but completely genuine. “I don’t know about that, but thank you very much.”
She nodded and made her way out. The chimes tinkled and Lena watched as Mason came around the desk and walked to the door. She felt her heart kick up when he flipped over the closed sign and she heard the door lock.
Mason didn’t want anymore interruptions. He wanted to talk to Lena and he planned to do it now. He turned back and made his way over to the counter and walked behind it, so he was on the opposite side. He figured they needed a barrier just incase he felt the need to either kiss the day lights out of her or strangle her.
“So let’s clear the air here.”
“There’s nothing to clear.” she snapped back.
Mason leaned against the counter with his hip. “Yeah, that’s obvious by the warm way your glaring at me.” he paused, “Spit it out Lena.”
She narrowed her eyes at him in a move that was so much a part of her he found he’d actually missed it. Wow, that was demented.
“I don’t have a problem. If you have one maybe you should tell me so whatever this is can be over.”
He pushed up to stand facing her and placed his hands on the counter. “Okay let’s start with a little magazine called Delicious. Did you read it?” he watched as her eyes widened just the smallest fraction. He figured she hadn’t actually thought he would call her out on it.
“I called and apologized for that!” she shouted at him.
He nodded slowly. “So you did.”
“It’s not my fault if you don’t know how to accept an apology.” she grumbled.
“Oh I know how to accept one.” he crossed his arms over his chest, “I just needed some time to cool off before I spoke to you.”
He was a big believer in honesty and that was the truth. He’d been going to call her that Friday but things had been crazy at the restaurant over the weekend. Between booked out nights and interviews surrounding the fall out from that blasted article then his mother, he just hadn’t had the opportunity to get back to her.
“Wow. That’s honest.”
“I told you I’d always be honest with you.” he paused for a moment as he watched her clasp her hands in front of herself as though she was nervous. That seemed a little preposterous though, the Lena he knew was never nervous. “I needed to stop being annoyed at myself as well as you. Lena that article was a disaster. Did you read it?”