Page 126 of Enemies with Benefits

"Mason...well, okay, he's not an idiot. He is an asshole, though."

And there was another problem with parenting. Because I suspected Mason was being an asshole, more than just teasing Micah, but I also couldn't help feeling that Micah should wait until he was older to make proclamations like that. Children, even wise beyond their years, could understand what they were saying, but the wisdom of the ramifications came with experience and age.

"And you're old enough to know that you shouldn't lash out," I reminded him. "You let me deal with Mason."

Micah scowled. “Do I have to apologize?"

"Would you mean it?"

"No."

"Then don't waste your breath. Meanwhile, you can help fold the linens for a few hours tomorrow. Now you can go."

"Ugh, fine," Micah grumbled, walking off.

I thought for a moment and called after him. “Without your podcasts. Just you and your hands."

Micah said something under his breath as he walked out that would probably get him in even worse trouble, but I let that onego. My father would have chased me and smacked me around for muttering under my breath after getting in trouble. The same anger he'd used against me always found a way to flare up in me, but I wasn't him. Plus, it wasn't like I didn't grumble to myself after someone got on my nerves, and I was clearly not in his good books.

I eyed Mason. “Were you being an asshole?"

Mason winced. “He was reading a book about how to talk to someone you like."

Okay, my son had a crush, and my boyfriend was still an asshole, good to know. One of those things I would figure out how to deal with later, the other I was going to take care of now.

"Mason," I glared.

"I know," he sighed. "My mouth got there before my brain. I'll...talk to him later. And yes, I'll apologize."

"And?"

"Oh, you’re loving this, aren't you?"

"A little...and?"

"And I'll try not to tease him about shit that I should know he's sensitive about because every kid from twelve until they're thirty is sensitive about everything."

"Mmm, close enough. Now let's go, the whole family is waiting, and I'm going to have to endure Kayden's stupid jokes and his wife's questioning stares because Micah is gonna be moody."

"His wife," Mason repeated with a snort. "I love when you separate her from being the mother of your child whenever you're annoyed with her or she's going to be annoyed with you."

"Pfft, good luck. Because if she figures out he's mad because I punished him, then I'm going to tell her why he was acting like that in the first place. Your problem, not mine."

He gasped, looking at Lyla, who was now tugging on his ear. "You'd sell me out?"

I grinned. “In a heartbeat."

"See, this is why you can't trust men," he told Lyla, who only giggled as she continued to try to pull his ear off.

I watched him, taking his free hand in mine, head down to the event room that was used once a month for the family dinners. The Beckett family had grown as all the remaining siblings found someone, or in Moira's case, added another kid to the mix. I was as much a part of that family as anyone else, not just because they’d welcomed me, but because I had let myself be welcomed.

I now had a life I could appreciate. It had its fucked-up moments and its struggles, but now I was surrounded by people, for good or ill, who were willing and able to step in and help. It had taken a lot of adjustment on my part, but I hadn't been alone at any step along the way.

"Love you," he muttered with a slightly abashed, but still pleased smile.

"And I love you too, asshole," I said, squeezing his hand to show I wasn't reallythatmad at him.

I had a real home. A real family. A true love.

And it was all because of Mason fucking Beckett.