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14

MASON

Mason knew something was wrong by the middle of the ceremony when Dylan had slunk down the side aisle to whisper in Marci’s ear. After that, her expression alternated between concerned and pinched, and she looked at Mason far too often for his comfort. He couldn’t help but worry that it had to do with Rain, and his worst fears came true as Marci grabbed him the second the recessional ended.

“Rain’s family is here.” She waved toward the hall.

Mason didn’t remember moving but all of a sudden he was sprinting into the building, Marci a step behind telling him to head to the foyer. Family indicated more than Rain’s mother which meant that her disgusting boyfriend was there too. Although Mason detested violence, he had a serious urge to punch that guy’s lights out, and by the time he reached the top of the stairs his right hand had curled into a fist.

He hoped that Rain wasn’t up there, that he’d gone somewhere safe, but Mason’s heart sank once he saw Rain standing nearby, curled in on himself, holding his cheek. Had someone struck him?

Fingernails digging into his palm, he took a step forward, ready to go to battle for the first time in his life, but as his eyes swept over the rest of the group, all of his strength vanished and he froze, his blood running cold.

In the center of the foyer, near a poor imitation of Rain, stood Gage Lasson, the upperclassman who’d made Mason’s life at school a living hell. Unable to believe it, Mason blinked a few times to be sure, and while the last fifteen years hadn’t been kind to him, Gage’s face and beady eyes were undeniable.

And then Mason made the connection, realizing exactly why Gage was standing next to Rain’s mother, and the shock hit him so hard that he almost doubled over.

Gage was the boyfriend, the pervert, the man who’d left Rain trembling on the bedroom floor. After torturing Mason, he’d moved on to new victims, including Rain, and Mason needed to do something about it.

Facing down a tidal wave of memories, he shuffled forward another step as Marci’s voice brought the fighting to a stop.

“ What the hell is happening here? ”

All heads turned to her and Mason, and he braced himself because Gage squinted and then lit up with disconcerting glee.

“Holy shit,” he announced to the room, putting his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his heels. “It’s Gayson Hart.”

That slur had Mason biting the inside of his cheek. Covering his terror with a frown, he tried to manage his breathing. All of the attention was now on him and suddenly the foyer became the high school hallway where Gage and his rotating buffoons shook him around, taking his things and flinging them down the corridor if he was lucky. It beat public humiliation, being stuffed in a locker, or pushed into gym equipment. He was fortunate enough that he hadn’t broken anything except his sanity, but like his family, this bully wouldn’t let up. It was probably in their nature to spread ruin, and Mason needed to step in front of Rain, put that ruin to a halt, and peel away the damage.

Which he could do if his memories stopped crashing down over him, dragging his mind away in the undertow.

“Did you just call him Gayson ?” Ollie said in such a low tone that Finn dove away from Gage, putting Ollie in a bear hug. It turned out to be a smart move because Ollie struggled, roaring. “ I am going to rip his arm off and beat him with it! ”

“Naw, naw, me and Gayson go way back.” Gage waved a hand as if he’d just stopped by for a chat. “I knew him when he was nothing. And it looks like he’s still nothing.” Turning to Rain, he leered. “Come on, Rain. Enough of your shit. Time to go.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you, asshole.” He looked at Mason with pleading eyes and Mason managed to shuffle forward a few more steps. If there was ever a time to speak up and protect Rain, it was now and every cell in Mason’s body wanted to, but this sick coincidence had left him numb and mute, as if he were fourteen and powerless again.

“You heard him.” Marci strode to the front, hands on her hips, and expressions of alarm rippled through the staff. “He’s a grown man and you’re trespassing and interrupting someone’s wedding. Leave. Now. ”

Gage mimicked her stance, mocking her. “Listen, bitch-”

Audible gasps were heard as Marci, faster than light, got in Gage’s face, which was impossible since she was barely five foot two.

“That’s it, Tinydick, time to go.” Her voice gave Mason chills and suddenly they were both gone. Finn and Dylan came to first, rushing out the front doors after them, probably more for Gage’s protection than Marci’s.

Rain’s mother swung her head back and forth between Rain and where Gage had gone as if she were watching a tennis match. They did look alike; however, her beauty was vacant and twisted, making her ugly to Mason. While Rain registered as an elfin prince, she took the spot as evil crone, wizened in both body and spirit.

“B-Babeee…” she stuttered and Rain clicked his tongue.

“Get out. Leave me alone,” he replied in a monotone, his eyes dark with storms that howled through Mason’s mind.

“B-But-”

“Did you think this would work?” Rain wasn’t yelling but he didn’t need to; each word was weighted like a dagger. “Did you think humiliating me like this would make me come back to you? You’re selfish and you never think about my safety or what you’re doing to my life. These people I work with? They care more about me than you do! So, guess what? I’m not coming back. I’m never coming back.”

Silent, she seemed to be processing, but as Mason’s body began to break free, he saw why Rain feared her. From one heartbeat to the next she went feral, diving at Rain, but the older woman next to him was faster and stronger, grabbing both of her wrists.

“Nu-uh, no more of that or I’m gonna have a little too much fun dishing it back to you,” she stated, easily holding onto Rain’s mother, who began to scream. Marci zipped back into the foyer again, removing her in under three seconds, and Mason took in a slow breath as his lungs began to open up.

He’d just gotten a significant amount of insight about Rain’s family; unfortunately, so had everyone else, and Mason cursed at himself. He should’ve done something, said something, even walked up to Rain and stood next to him, but he’d frozen up like a useless statue and he’d barely come back to life. Breathing in deeply once more, he tried to calm down and stop shivering, turning his attention back to Rain.

But Rain wasn’t there, he’d slipped away while his mother was being dragged out.

“Where did Rain go?” The yellow-haired chef echoed, looking around.

“I’ll find him.” Mason needed to get away from the foyer, from all the prying eyes and the events of the last few minutes, which was definitely why Rain had left, and Mason knew exactly where he’d gone.

“What about the bride and groom?” Marci asked.

“They’re with Owen,” Liam supplied, his hazel eyes still wide.

“I can stall them, take some pictures,” Ollie butted in, glancing at the door as Finn and Marci returned. Holding out his hand, Ollie waited until Mason realized that he needed the camera.

Slowly taking it off, he handed it to Ollie, who nodded encouragingly. “Go find Rain.”

Still muddled and in shock, Mason staggered downstairs, heading straight to the storage room. Flicking on the light, he made his way to the back, his heart sinking as he circled the couch and found Rain in the corner, curled up into a tight shaking ball.

“Rain.” Mason pitched his voice as softly as he could. It didn’t seem to have any effect and Mason stood there for a moment, wondering what to do when Rain raised his head a few inches, peering at him with dark, teary eyes.

“ I don’t want to talk about it. ” Even muffled, it was easy to hear the disappointment and anger in his voice.

“I…want to explain.” Despite the agony of the last five minutes, Mason needed to be a little vulnerable. “I’m sorry but…but I froze up. Gage-”

“What the fuck was that with Gage?” Rain uncurled a bit, but his cheeks were streaked with tears, his stormy gaze full of lightning.

“He was the school bully I told you about.” And seeing him had pried loose a few memories that should’ve stayed lost.

“You went to high school with Gage?” Rain looked away, clearly doing the math in his head.

“We’re four years apart. He got left back twice.” His voice hit the same monotone as Rain’s had earlier. “I knew he got out of prison but I had no idea he was with your mother.”

Taking in a stuttering breath, Rain tried to focus, sitting up a bit more. “Gage was in prison?”

“For multiple DUIs.” Mason wasn’t surprised that Rain didn’t know.

“So, he’s been a jerk his entire life.” Rain wiped his eyes but more tears leaked through. “It doesn’t matter though because my mom and him? They won. I can’t work here anymore. Not after that.” Lowering his head, he began to cry in earnest, flooding Mason with the urge to comfort, to hold Rain and assure him that Mason wanted to be by his side, help him face his demons, and that there was nothing to be embarrassed about - Rain could keep his job. The Pointe was staffed with decent people who wouldn’t hold this against Rain in any way; besides, with the way gossip flew at wedding halls this would be old news in a week.

Taking a chance, Mason gingerly sat next to Rain on the couch but Rain immediately jumped up, putting space between them.

“You know…” Rain started in a shattered tone, scrubbing hands through his hair, which was messily falling out of its braid. “Today, Bryce asked me if I was still living with you. He called you names and you know what I did? I stood up for you. And tonight, while I was being skewered in front of everyone?” Rain choked on a sob. “You couldn’t even…you couldn’t even hold my hand. I know seeing Gage was pretty traumatic for you, but I just…I needed you.” Pulling off his bow tie, Rain dropped it to the floor, a few dark spots joining it as tears dripped from his cheeks. “And it makes me feel like a selfish jerk on top of it all.”

“Rain…” Mason stood, and Rain took another step back.

“No. I’m…I’m hurt.” Brushing wetness from his face with the back of his hand, he sniffled. “I know it wasn’t your fault but I can’t help that I feel like shit. I know I shouldn’t have thought-” He stopped himself, looking at the floor.

Mason had a hunch that Rain was about to say something important. “What did you think.”

It took a while for Rain to lift his anguished gaze. “I thought that we were more .” He whispered the words, saying the last one as if it were delicate, yet it held so much weight.

Dumbstruck, Mason wanted to reply. For once, he had many things to say. Yes, he thought they were more too, because in a short period of time Rain had gone from a stranger to a muse to the focal point of Mason’s life. How did one classify that? His feelings for Rain didn’t have a label. Did he even need one?

He’d gone quiet for too long because Rain sniffed again, disappointment filling his stance.

“See, I’m an idiot,” he murmured.

“No,” Mason insisted. “I’m thinking and-”

“Why do you have to think?” Rain croaked out. “It should be simple.”

No. The way Mason’s core rumbled for Rain wasn’t simple. Neither was the way their bodies sang in unison. Or the way they quietly understood each other. Their symbiotic existence was much more complicated than that.

“It’s not simple,” Mason tried again, beginning to sweat as he realized that Rain wasn’t going to let him explain. They’d never argued like this and each despairing word stabbed Mason through, causing his heart to ache as if he were in love.

Wait. Was this love?

Ding ding ding, it’s about time you figured it out, Cricket.

“No, listen,” Rain backed up a few more steps, ripping Mason away from his epiphany. “I don’t want to feel worse. I’m uh…I’m leaving.”

“Wait!” By the time Mason made it around the couch, Rain was out the door. “ Rain! ” he called down the hall once he reached the front of the storage room, not knowing which way he went.

“Whoa, I didn’t think you could yell that loud,” Dylan said from his left. Mason snapped his gaze to the side, glaring at him. “Um…sorry dude but the bride and groom are gettin’ antsy and the reception starts in twenty.”

“Fuck. Fuck. ” Mason rarely cursed but this warranted it, and Dylan’s eyebrows just about flew off his head. Pushing past him, Mason went to the men’s bathroom and splashed cool water on his face, trying to get his act together even though his mind and emotions were jumbled beyond belief, but he wasn’t having much luck.

How the hell was he going to take pictures when he needed to find Rain? They’d arrived together, so if he left the building he’d be on foot unless he called a cab.

The door swung open and Ollie strode in, Mason’s camera still around his neck.

“Okay. Dylan, Finn, and Liam are looking for Rain and I am now your assistant photographer,” he stated.

Mason frowned at him; Rain should be his assistant. “How did you-”

“Dylan saw him run out of the storage room, thought you might need a hand.” Ollie checked his curls in the mirror. “And I know that it’s tough to work when you're super worried about someone, so I’m here to back you up.”

“Why.” Mason tilted his head.

“I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this but - gasp - we’re friends.” Ollie smiled softly at him. “Now, do you have a second camera?”

True to his word, Ollie turned on his charm, working the bride and groom while putting Mason where he needed to be, helping him make it through the all-important entrance and first dance. Mason managed to hold on until after the toasts, but once the DJ started blasting disco the overall noise was too much to bear, especially when Finn and Dylan came up empty. Liam had even taken a drive around the neighborhood but no one could find Rain, and Mason’s sanity was beginning to fray.

“Hun?” The woman who’d faced off with Rain’s mother stepped in front of him, and she beckoned when he finally focused on her. Glancing at Ollie - who stood in the middle of the dance floor, snapping photos of a joyous bridal party - Mason felt secure enough to leave for a bit. He needed a break to slow his mind and search for Rain.

She led him to a corner of the kitchen that wasn’t being used, gesturing for him to take a seat on one of the stools. That was the last thing he wanted to do but for some reason he obeyed her. She’d protected Rain in the foyer when Mason couldn’t, so he considered her an ally.

“I’m Emma.” She put her hand up in a slight wave. “Listen, hun, try not to worry. That was a lot for him tonight and he’s probably getting some air.” She pulled up a stool, sitting with a sigh. “I’ve been watching over Rain and I’m not surprised by what happened today. Marci and I know that he was sleeping in the storage room, and we kept Owen from offering him a place to stay too many times to count. Rain has his pride, you know? And when you don’t have a place to sleep, keeping your pride is important.”

All Mason could do was nod, too dumbstruck by how perceptive she was. Rain was lucky to have this woman in his life.

“I knew about you two before he told me,” she continued in her hushed tone, her eyebrow quirking. “And I can see that you treat him right.”

“…I don’t,” Mason grumbled after a minute. Why was he even spilling his guts to her? Probably because she reminded him of his Gran - warm and nurturing with a decent portion of sass.

“Wrong. You do. What happened upstairs affected both of you and I’m sure emotions were high after that. But it doesn’t erase the fact that Rain has looked downright happy these last few months. That boy was carrying some things when he started here, but now? He shines.”

A plate dropped in his lap and Mason looked up at the burly head chef, who stood in front of him, arms crossed.

“I’m Angelo and,” he jerked his head at Emma, “ditto to everything she said. Eat up. You need fuel to slog through the next few hours. And we’re not going to stop looking for Rain.”

Although Mason didn’t feel hungry, he ate a few forkfuls to be polite, amazed by how much these people cared about Rain, enough to want to offer him a place to stay and make sure he was safe, and Mason thanked his past self for speaking up in the state forest and letting Rain move in. Not only had it changed Rain’s life, but it had changed Mason’s too.

Mason wanted to tell Rain that; he wanted to tell Rain everything .

Sound rose in the kitchen as the cake-cutting loomed and servers began running back and forth, so Emma and Angelo left Mason to himself. Quickly forcing down half the meal, he stood, knowing that he had to get back to the party and wondering where to put his dish when the chef with bright yellow hair walked in with a cart. Pushing it close to where Mason sat, she smiled at him and then wandered to the back.

“I need an assistant for the bananas Foster. I don’t wanna burn the place down,” she laughed.

Mason put his dish near Angelo’s station, nodding at him.

“Thank you.” It was somehow easier to say that now.

“No problem, pal.” Grinning, Angelo nodded back, and Mason turned, squinting at the amount of people swinging through the main doors. Looking around, he headed toward the other exit by the dessert cart, squeezing by the floppy-haired server that had been part of Rain’s storage room threesome. Was he the one who’d called Mason names? It didn’t matter because he wouldn’t even look Mason’s way; he was too busy trading out the big pan on the cart.

The reception music came to an end and the MC’s voice echoed through the building, easily heard over the cacophony of the kitchen.

Ladies and gentlemen, get your cameras ready because the bride and groom are about to cut the cake!

Breaking into a run, Mason launched himself into the main room, making it to the center spot just in time, and he kept one eye on his camera and the other on the door in case Rain decided to walk in. Unfortunately, Finn and Dylan were the only ones to grab his attention, both giving him a slight shake of their head as the cutting of the cake finished up.

Even though Mason’s heart had already sunk into the floor it managed to fall another level and his eyes misted again. Gritting his teeth, he looked around, trying to distract himself by studying the crowd.

Because of the earlier chaos, Marci and Owen were in the room, posted on either side to make sure things ran smoothly, and Liam stood beside Owen, talking to a few of the servers. Finn went over to Ollie as the bananas Foster cart rolled in, high-fiving the yellow-haired chef who pushed it, and the two employees she had in tow helped her set up.

With a heavy sigh, Mason prepared to get his regular shots, dragging himself to the bride and groom as they stood on the edge of the dance floor, anticipation in their eyes.

“Can we move it up?” The pastry chef looked down at the floor in front of the DJ setup. “There’s some kind of carpet here.”

Pushing the cart further away, she nodded at the DJ and he started the cheesy techno music that always accompanied this display, his multicolored lights flashing before they dimmed, leaving only her station lit.

Under the spotlight, she poured liquor around the edge of the giant pan, lighting it on fire to the oohs and aahs of the crowd. Flashes snapped everywhere, making it difficult for Mason, but even with his brain in chaos mode, he managed to grab a few amazing shots, especially when she added bananas to the pan and began to flip it. The fruit curved high a few times and Mason got it all, how it formed an arc before it fell, the gentle splash as it hit the pan, and the way the chef shrieked in pain, dropping the pan on top of the bottle of alcohol, which shattered as everything spilled to the floor.

In theory, there shouldn’t have been a fire but the bottle had just been filled, the cart hadn’t been moved up enough, and the DJ’s backdrop was completely flammable, going up in seconds.

That’s when people started screaming.

“ Everybody out! ” Owen roared, grabbing Liam’s arm and waving towards the doors as smoke started to billow across the room, causing the sprinklers to go off and the fire alarm to screech through Mason’s head, and he lurched in panic.

Was Rain still in the building? He’d never had a chance to search but it wasn’t too late.

Shoving his cameras into his bags, he made it into the foyer, where Marci, Dylan, Ollie, and Liam were all guiding people outside, keeping the mass hysteria at bay. Wiping water out of his eyes, Mason took a few steps away from the crowd, trying to slip around the back of the giant stairwell when a hand clamped onto his arm.

“Wrong way!” Finn shouted over the ringing.

“Rain might still be in here,” Mason yelled back, freeing his arm.

“And he’s not hearing this?” Finn gestured at the ceiling. “Or getting soaked? You won’t be any good to him if you’re dead.”

A roaring whoosh rang through the building as the fire grew and the last few people hurried out, leaving Finn and Mason behind. Tearing over to them, Ollie grasped Finn’s shirt, pulling him toward the door, shrieking. “ We have to go! ”

“What’s happening?” Owen appeared behind them, his hair plastered to his forehead.

“He won’t leave, he wants to look for Rain,” Finn told them but Mason didn’t want to talk anymore.

Turning, he headed for the stairs. Finn dove for him again, latching onto his left arm, and the stress finally caught up to Mason, manifesting in rage. Trying to pull free didn’t work and this was life or death, so Mason did the only thing he could do. He hauled back and punched Finn in the jaw. While it wasn’t much of a jab, it caused Finn to stumble and release him as Ollie shrieked again.

“We don’t have time for this!” Shaking his head, Owen approached, side-stepping Mason and putting him into some kind of hold. The air around them became hazy and the sound of glass breaking reached Mason’s ears as the windows in the main room shattered, the heat of the fire reaching them and zapping all of Mason’s strength.

No matter how much he hated to admit it, Finn was right. If he searched for Rain under these conditions he’d die; besides, the fire alarm had been ringing for over a minute now. Rain would’ve come out of hiding if he was in the building.

Owen must’ve noticed Mason’s lack of resistance but he half-dragged him out anyway, dumping him and his camera bags on the grass across the street. Everyone had gathered there, including Finn, who rubbed his jaw, and Ollie, who tended to him while glaring daggers at Mason. Flames could be easily seen through several of the broken windows and a crowd gathered around the sobbing bride and shocked groom. Sirens howled in the distance, a few minutes away, and everyone stood back, trying to process, until gasps rippled across the crowd and Ollie’s stare faltered, his eyes going wide with fear.

“Rain!” He jumped to his feet, pointing, and Mason went cold, looking up at the second-floor window where Rain furiously waved his arms, smoke escaping into the air around him.

Mason didn’t remember getting up. All of a sudden, he was next to the building, right below Rain, and their panicked eyes met.

“There’s too much smoke in the hallway.” Tears streaked his smudged face and he quickly glanced over his shoulder, slinging a leg out, but the smooth facade left no footholds, which meant that Mason couldn’t climb up either. “Help me, Mason! I’m scared!”

Fisting his hands in his hair, Mason stepped back, took in a breath, and then looked up at Rain.

“I’m going to get you!” He took a few steps toward the front entrance, cursing himself for leaving earlier, but Ollie and Liam darted in front of him.

“Wait, Mason. He can jump.” Liam put up his hands, trying to get him to calm down.

“It’s at least fifteen feet. He’ll break his legs if he’s lucky.” Mason blinked several times as his vision kept blurring.

“Does anyone have a blanket or a tarp?” Liam yelled and the request rippled through the crowd until a young man in a blue suit raised his hand.

“I have one in my car.”

“Get it quickly, please?” Ollie asked and the guy took off toward the parking lot at high speed.

“If Rain jumps into that, he’ll rip through. We have to put something underneath.” Wiping his eyes, Mason sniffled, realizing that he was crying, but he didn’t have time for that.

“Hurry, please!” Rain screamed, most of his body outside the window as the smoke tripled, pouring out.

A tux jacket landed at Mason’s feet, right below the window, and another followed. Suddenly, guests and staff started shedding their jackets, and within thirty seconds there was a large accumulation of clothing to cushion Rain if the tarp didn’t hold.

The sirens grew louder, almost earsplitting, letting Mason know that the fire trucks were close, but they wouldn’t arrive in time. Rain needed to get out of the building now .

Tearing back at a ridiculous speed, the man with the tarp flung it open, holding onto one corner while Mason, Owen, and Finn grabbed the others, spreading it out efficiently.

“Okay!” Mason wiped his tears away, knowing that he was laying himself bare in front of all these people but it didn’t matter. Rain was the only thing that mattered.

Wincing, Rain hesitated, but the building rumbled and Mason could feel the heat it gave off.

“ Jump! I’ve got you! ” Mason yelled with every fiber of his being, letting out all the rage, confusion, and sadness he’d felt over the course of the day, and Rain nodded, closed his eyes, and let go.

His hair streamed behind him as he flew through the air and while he only fell for a sliver of a second, it felt like eons to Mason, almost like Rain had been frozen in time, suspended in the atmosphere until he hit the tarp with a solid scratching thud. While it didn’t rip, the weight and velocity forced it down despite the hold, and Rain landed solidly in the jacket cushion, all four men stumbling forward toward him.

Mason didn’t give Rain a chance to breathe, lunging for him and gathering him in his arms, both of them shaking with sobs as the crowd around them cheered for Rain’s rescue. Smoothing back tangled and sooty hair, Mason cupped Rain’s cheek, placing a gentle kiss on his lips before carrying him off to the grass, away from prying eyes once again.

Finn and Owen snatched up the jacket pile as the firefighters arrived, and while people searched for their contributions, Mason cradled Rain in his lap. He twitched and shook, his gaze vacant, and it worried Mason beyond measure, breaking his heart.

Because there was no denying it now. He was definitely in love.