“And what, move back in with Mom and Dad? Um…no thank you.”
“You can stay with me!” Peyton offered, and Ryder did his best to hide his surprise. Her place only had one bedroom and they tended to utilize it a lot, so…
“Oh, stop. Your place isn’t big enough,” Parker responded, and yeah, he was seriously buying her as much chocolate as she wanted now. “And I’m not sure this is where I want to be when all is said and done.”
“All what is said and done?” Mason asked. “You’ve traveled, you’ve done college remotely, I mean…what is your endgame here, Parks? Eventually you are going to have to settle down and do something. At least here in Magnolia, you know you have family to help out and support you.”
She huffed even as she shook her head. “There’s nothing here for me anymore. I don’t want to be in the restaurant business and I don’t want to work for the town or in an office, so…” She shrugged.
“What is it you want to do?” Ryder couldn’t help but ask.
“I don’t know,” she said quietly, moving her food around on her plate with her fork.
While Ryder realized he didn’t know much about her, he was fairly good at reading people. There was more to Parker’s hesitation than simple indecision. There was something keeping her away, and she didn’t want to talk about it.
Yet.
“Parker,” Mason went on. “There are endless opportunities for you here! We all have connections and can help you! You don’t have to move back into your childhood room; there are plenty of places to rent.”
“Not if I don’t have a job,” she volleyed, and Ryder saw the frustration on her brother’s face.
A change of subject was in order.
“So, Mason,” he began, “I’m thinking about getting a boat. How do you like yours?”
Luckily, he took the hint and smiled with gratitude. “We actually love it. Want to check it out?”
“Sure, why not?” As much as he wanted to stay next to Peyton where it had the potential to be safe, Ryder believed in dealing with the opposition as swiftly as possible. So if a talk about boats led to a heart-to-heart with her brother, so be it. He kissed Peyton on the cheek before excusing himself to walk across the yard.
“We started out with a bowrider,” Mason said as they began walking toward his dock. “But with a toddler and another on the way, we thought we’d upgrade.” He let out a low laugh. “Granted, I only had the opportunity to enjoy the bowrider for a year, but I sold it to Scarlett’s brother Kyle. Every once in a while, I get to go out fishing with him on it, so…”
“And what’s this one called?” Shaking his head, he laughed too. “As you can tell, I know nothing about boats.”
They walked along the dock and Mason glanced at him. “And I’m guessing you really aren’t that interested and this was a chance for you and I to talk privately.”
“Smart man.”
Shrugging, Mason stepped up to the boat and motioned for Ryder to climb on. “This is a forty-foot cabin cruiser. We were going to go a little smaller because it’s not like we take it out on overnight trips, but with the way the family is growing and all the nieces and nephews, it’s nice to have enough space to put little ones down for naps.”
Ryder wasn’t sure what to do with that information so he simply nodded.
They sat down on one of the benches and Mason looked out at the sound for a moment. “My great-grandfather left me this property in his will. Scarlett and I designed the house, Jake built it, my cousin Sam helped design the yard, and we enjoy hosting parties here. We’re fortunate that it’s big enough with our extended families.” Then he faced Ryder. “I’m not going to lie to you, seeing you show up here today with my sister was a little…unnerving.”
Not this again…
“I don’t see why everyone’s making such a big deal out of this. I’m not some random guy she met on the street. I’m wealthy and successful and not looking to latch on to her success! It’s not like…”
Mason held up a hand to stop him. “It’s not about you, Ryder. I don’t have an issue with you. We’ve hung out enough times that I feel like I know what kind of man you are. And just so you know, it doesn’t matter how wealthy and successful you are. If I didn’t think you were a decent human being, you wouldn’t be here right now.”
“Oh.”
“What has everyone a little…curious–for lack of a better word–is Peyton.” He shook his head. “She’s always dated guys who are either quiet, socially awkward types or one of the spoiled douches my mother sets her up with. Her showing up here today with you was just…unexpected. But not in a bad way.”
“Are you sure about that?” he asked with a mirthless laugh.
“Absolutely.”
“Oh. Okay. Um…thanks.”
“I do have to ask you one thing,” Mason said, his tone going mildly somber.
“Sure.”
“Are you just passing the time with her?”
Ryder’s temper flew to the surface, but he managed to keep it under control. “I find it appalling and offensive that you even ask that.”
“You have to understand…”
“Not to me,” Ryder quickly went on. “But to Peyton. Do you all think so little of her that you believe no one would be interested in her for real? That she can’t hold the interest of someone and only be useful as a temporary distraction?” With a growl of frustration, he cursed the fact that they were on this stupid boat because he wanted to pace and rant and rave. Instead, he forced himself to calm down. “You know what I like most about your sister? Her mind. She’s freaking brilliant in ways that I don’t think anyone gives her credit for. She’s spent her entire life trying to blend into the background and now that she’s finally becoming the person she was always meant to be, no one knows what to do with her. I love her intellect and listening to her ideas. I love how fearless she is and how she stands up for herself–except here.”
“Well, my wife dragged you away before you got the earful Peyton gave us all, so…”
“Really? Because when I joined all of you, it seemed like your mother was still poking at her.”
“I think you’ve been around my mother enough to know that’s just the way she is,” Mason said with a small shrug. “The important thing is that she got her point across. It’s just going to take some time for my parents to learn how to deal with it. And believe me, I’ve been there, and she’s got a long battle ahead of her.” Then he smiled. “If you really care about her, you’ll know when it’s time to step in.”
“I was ready to step in earlier but your wife talked me out of it.”
Mason’s smile grew. “She’s been dying to see Peyton put her foot down. For her to step in like that and lead you away means she knew how important that moment was. I hope you don’t fault her for it.”
“As long as she’s looking out for Peyton, then that’s all I can ask for.” Slowly, Ryder stood and looked down at Mason. “I care very deeply for your sister. We’re not messing around or passing the time. This is still new and we’re figuring it all out, but…I’m in.”