Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Five


Eventually the magical weekend had to end and both Annie and Mason had to return to their respective businesses.

Mason was in his office Monday morning and he was surprised by a visit from his mother.

“Mother!” He rose from his desk to dutifully kiss her cheek. “To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure? Thinking about getting a gym subscription? I’ve gotta tell ya, best gym in Atlanta.”

Claudia laughed lightly. “No, son, though I am here to talk to you about this gym of yours.”

“Oh?”

She didn’t sit and he watched in surprise as she pulled a folder from her Prada handbag to place on his desk.

“What’s this?”

“The contract stating that this gym and all its subsidiaries and royalties etc. belong solely to you now. I’m withdrawing my share in the company and turning it over to you, in other words. It’s what you’ve been wanting, isn’t it?”

Mason stared at her, too stunned to speak for a moment.

“I thought I couldn’t handle the responsibility of it.” Was what he finally said, still recalling the sting of their last conversation about the business.

“But you have been. I’m sorry that it’s caused such friction between us.” Claudia turned to him with a small smile. “You know, it was that poor little waif of a creature that you somehow convinced to pretend to be your girlfriend, just to fool me and get me to sign this inconsequential document; it was Ms. Caldwell who made me realize that you deserve the respect your father would have given you. She said that this business meant everything to you and I’m sorry that I’ve been blind to that for so long.”

“Mom...”

But she held up her hand. “It’s okay, son, it’s the truth.”

“Thank you, Mother.” He said quietly.

“It still needs to be notarized, of course.

“You know, Mason, this gym really is something; that charming Leyfield fellow was just showing me around, and I must say, your father would’ve been proud of you, too.”

Mason dipped his head to hide the sudden moisture in his own eyes as his mother swiped at hers. “Thanks.”

“And that Ann girl, I must say, she seems to really care for you.” Claudia leveled him a sharp look before departing. “Don’t screw it up.”

“Why, Mother, is that your stamp of approval?”

“Hmf. Well, anyway, I’m off to help judge the fall fashion lineup in Milan, darling. I’ll call you when I land.”

“Ciao?” He said as he watched her leaving, a little smile on his face.

His mother was as sly as she ever was.

He sighed as he settled down at his desk once more to look over that all-important document that she had left behind.

She had finally signed it, just like that.

Annie had done one helluva job playing the role he needed from her, after all.

A sense of doom settled over him shortly thereafter, however, as his mother’s words rang in his head.

‘Don’t screw it up.’

She wanted him to settle down with a woman so badly, be married; be a family man like his father.

Mason felt the weight of that expectation around his throat like an anchor.

His father had been an undeniably great man, a wealthy man, a proud and prosperous man.

Richard Blacksteele had done everything exactly right in his life; took the right steps, made the right connections. He had gotten married young, had two kids...he’d had everything, and in the end Mason had watched the man drink himself to death. He’d been miserable. Mason didn’t know why, didn’t need to know why, but it certainly seemed as though the responsibility itself had simply crushed him down over time.

So who was to say that he wouldn’t crumble if put in the same position?

Mason stared down at the document that set him free, essentially, but he didn’t feel as happy as he’d expected to.

He still only felt empty inside.