Face the Music, page 21
That night, all those unspoken words that encapsulated devotion, love, promise, and commitment were the ones that resonated the loudest. It had taken one night to fill her heart with everything Victoria meant to her, and maybe she was an idiot for allowing it to happen, but she wanted this woman forever. The song in Victoria’s hands represented her ticket to a new life, far different from the one she was living now. It also represented freedom. Mason wasn’t about to bind Victoria to something she didn’t want if she wanted no reminders of that old life.
She didn’t say anything as Victoria read, and she shrugged when Victoria looked up at her with an expression of wonder.
“There are moments in your life that you have no idea of their impact, for good or bad, until they play out.” Victoria placed the papers back in the envelope and slid her hands to the center of the table. “You get thrown in my path at what seemed like the worst moment of my life, and you’ve done everything to make me fall in love with you. You’ve been the biggest and best impact on my heart, and I love you because of it.”
“You’re the woman I’ve been waiting for, and I have no intention of letting go, but I won’t hold you back, either.”
“Shut up,” Victoria said. She squeezed her hands, and Mason could see the candlelight dancing in her eyes. “I never wasted time waiting or hoping because I didn’t think anyone like you existed, but here you are. The best part of being with you isn’t this.” Victoria cocked her head toward the envelope. “It’s being with you, doing all those things people think are boring, but they’re not because you’re right there. I love you, and I’m not letting go either.”
“I love you too.” It was good to finally say it out loud. “It’s probably way too early to say it, and it’s probably crazy, but I love you.”
“Think they could pack everything we ordered to go?”
“Waiter!”
Chapter Seventeen
Victoria smiled against Mason’s shoulder as the house creaked around them in the quiet of the night. So this was what it was like to be happy and in love, and to have a home to enjoy it all in. The location didn’t matter, only the woman in the bed who held her protectively even in her sleep. A couple of months ago she would’ve been content to find a piano job and work in a dive, living in solitude, but now nothing made sense without Mason.
The song Mason had given her was beautiful, but there’d been no time for that after they got home and made love, stopping only to eat when her stomach growled so loud it made Mason laugh. The eating had been fast, though. If Mason had been passionate before, admitting their feelings had brought them to new heights. Their fun should’ve exhausted her, but she was too giddy to sleep, and she’d never used the word giddy in her life.
Mason’s steady breathing didn’t change when Victoria rolled away and got up. It was two in the morning, so she didn’t bother with clothes as she closed the door to their bedroom and sat at the piano. The small light over the music stand was all she needed to play the slow ballad that only she and Mason would truly understand.
She made it through the whole thing and started over, planning to sing this time. Mason’s words were hauntingly beautiful, and they would’ve given away her feelings if she hadn’t already confessed them. The introduction would be only the piano, and she got through it, anticipating what the rest would sound like with accompaniment.
“Talk to me. Tell me all I want to know through your kiss. Those are the words of lovers that only you and I understand. Those are the words that fill my heart with how much you love me.
“You are mine and I am yours. The truth of that is the love song of our lives, and I want nothing more than for you to talk to me.
“Talk to me. Tell me about forever in the way you hold my hand and walk by my side into all my tomorrows. I know you won’t let go even when there are no more days to share, because—
“You are mine and I’m yours. The truth of that is the love song of our lives, and I want nothing more than for you to talk to me.”
She played, having difficulty seeing the music through her tears. Who knew Mason was such a romantic? She finally stopped before it was done, needing to take a few deep breaths so she could try again. Composure was impossible when Mason, completely naked, sat next to her and started playing where she left off.
“Talk to me. Tell me how much you love me in the way you hold me. Your touch is all the poetry I’ll ever need, and your eyes hold every song we’ll dance to until our time is done.”
She pressed closer to Mason as she sang the chorus.
“Talk to me. In your silence I can hear your promise that your love is mine alone. Those are the words written on my soul and they give me courage to face whatever life brings.
“You are mine, and I am yours. It’s the love song of our lives, and I want nothing more than for you to talk to me.”
Mason lifted her hands from the keys and turned to smile at her with those perfect dimples. She straddled Mason’s lap, smiling herself when Mason’s hands immediately landed on her ass. It was amazing to go from a long period of celibacy to being this ravenous for Mason’s hands on her.
“Baby, please.” She locked her feet at the small of Mason’s back and moved when Mason leaned her against the keys, sucked her nipple in, and bit it gently. She felt it all the way to her clit, and she pulled Mason’s hair to get her to suck the other one. “You make me want you so much.”
Mason lifted her head and kissed her hard enough to make her lips feel bruised, and it wasn’t enough. She needed Mason inside her, loving her, reminding her she’d found her home. It was like Mason had read her thoughts. She squeezed her hand between them and then into her, fast and hard, but then didn’t move at all.
“You want me, baby?”
“Oh my God, yes.” She pumped her hips, desperate for the stimulation against her clit. The damn thing was so hard she thought she’d die from need. “I don’t want to wait…I’m so ready.”
“Tell me what you want.” Mason’s deep voice wrapped around her like a spell that left her craving an orgasm. “Tell me or I’m going to stop.” The sensation of Mason pulling out and slamming back in would make her come too soon, so she concentrated on her breathing and on hanging on.
“I need you to make me come,” she said, biting down on Mason’s shoulder. “And when you do, I’m going to suck you until you come in my mouth.”
She almost laughed at how fast Mason went back to her nipple as she moved her hand in time with the thrust of her hips. It was clear Mason could play her as well as the piano, and the way she made love to her made her want to keep her inside, but she couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Oh yes…yes, holy fuck, yes.” She squeezed Mason’s shoulders, and she tried her best to take Mason deep by tipping her hips forward. “Oh…” She felt the orgasm rush through her, and she jolted forward to kiss Mason. There wasn’t a tense bone in her body, and she was ready to go back to bed, but she had a promise to keep.
“You okay?” Mason asked when they came apart.
“I’m perfect, but you need to turn around.” She slowly stood and exhaled when Mason pulled out. “Go on, move.”
Mason swung her legs around and put one hand in Victoria’s hair and the other behind her head when Victoria knelt and sucked Mason’s hard clit in until it was pressed against her tongue. She wanted to make it last and show Mason how she felt about her, but Mason was wound too tight to hold on.
“Fuck,” Mason said and tightened her grip on her hair. “So good, baby.” It was all Mason could manage before the muscles in her thighs tightened and she let out a string of curses.
She kissed Mason’s sex one more time before coming up to kiss her on the lips. “You’re a sexy beast, Liner, and we need to clean this bench before we play out here again.”
“It’s playing that makes it necessary to clean it.” Mason picked her up and carried her back into the bedroom.
“Play music, honey, not house.”
“Live a little, sweetheart, and all those memories will hopefully inspire your playing if I’m not around.” Mason spooned behind her and flattened her hand on her stomach. “Right now, go to sleep.”
“Thank you for yesterday.” The last twenty-four hours had been like finding a lucky penny that actually worked, and all her wishes had come true. “You’re like my own personal Santa.”
“I love doing things for you because I love you.” Mason yawned so she rolled over and pushed Mason onto her back. She draped her arm and leg over Mason’s body and rubbed small circles on her abdomen.
“It’s that simple?”
“When it comes to you, yes, it is.” Mason kissed her forehead and put her arm around her so she could pat her on the butt. “Loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done, and I always want you to know how special you are.”
They fell asleep and the phone woke them up at eight the next morning. It was Colt, and it sounded involved, so Victoria went to the bathroom. This morning her reflection didn’t appear haunted by the ghosts of the past. She looked…happy. It was time to let go and rebuild something she and her mom could live with.
“Hey, Belle.” She answered her own phone, and smiled at the sound of Mason’s voice still coming from the bedroom.
“Hey, I’m surprised you answered. I thought you were avoiding me.”
“I was,” she admitted, and Belle laughed.
“I don’t really blame you. It’s not like I’m asking you out for a fun night. Are you ready? It’s okay if you’re not.”
She dropped her head back and stared at the ceiling. How easy it would be to say no, she wasn’t ready, would never be ready. But she had her own life to live, and it was time to do what had to be done. “It’s time, and I’d like to do it this morning if Mama’s okay with that.”
“If you can be here in an hour, we’ll be ready.”
That was that. It was like pulling the trigger and waiting to bleed, only the wound wouldn’t be fatal. All she had to do was keep reminding herself that her fear always stemmed from the fear of being alone, and wishing she mattered to someone. That had started when her grandparents died and all she’d been left with was a relationship with her mother. She’d twisted herself into knots trying to please her, but she’d never come close. Now she knew why.
The great Sophie Roddy had seen her as lacking, and that had sealed the fate of their relationship. It wasn’t her mother’s fault, though, that she’d been weak and had tried so hard, even into adulthood, for her mother’s approval. That was on her and her need to have someone in her life no matter how they treated her. Now she was ready to reclaim her pride, and Mason’s love was like a talisman that reminded her that she was worthy.
“This must be my lucky day.”
Victoria put the phone down and turned to face Mason.
“Did Colt make you a gazillion dollars?” The sensation she always got from Mason’s embrace was wonderful, but it doubled when they were naked.
“A gazillion might be a reach, but that’s not it.” Mason’s arms came around her, and her feet came off the floor. “I’m lucky because I wandered in here and found a beautiful naked woman in my bathroom.”
“You are lucky, not to mention flattering, but that’s as lucky as you’re getting. I’m meeting Belle and my mother in an hour.” She rested her head against Mason’s and sighed. “Are you going into the office?”
“I think the office can come to us this morning.” Mason led her back to the bed and sat. “You are the woman I love, and you need to remember a few things before you go up there. The most important is if you need me for anything, I’m a call away. I’ll be here when you’re done. If you need to talk, or if you just need space and silence, whatever, I’m here. The other things to keep in mind are that I love you, and you have a place. You have a place and it’s one where you’re wanted, so don’t let Sophie make you think otherwise.”
“I know.” They kissed like they had all morning, before they went and shared a shower. She dressed casually, not bothering with her hair except to pull it into a ponytail.
“You want a ride?” Mason offered.
“I have time to walk, but I might need one back.” There were horses at the fence in the distance, and they added to the beauty of the area, but the best part was Mason stepping behind her and holding her.
“I love you, darlin’, and I’ll be waiting right here.”
“Knowing that gives me the strength to do anything.” It was time to claim her future and all it had to offer. “I love you too, and I’ll be back.”
* * *
Victoria took her time walking to the main house and waved at the ranch hands she saw along the way. She spotted Belle sitting with her mom outside, and she stopped in shock at how pale and exhausted her mother appeared. She hadn’t seen her since they’d arrived here nearly six weeks ago, and she looked nothing like the country superstar of Victoria’s chaotic life. She looked worn down and old. It drove home the reality of how close she’d come to losing her, and it would’ve hurt despite their differences. Perhaps Sophie wasn’t a great mother, but she was the only one she had.
“Thank you for coming, Victoria,” Belle said when she was near the patio. It had taken a few minutes to get her feet moving again.
She nodded and went to kiss her mom’s cheek, but Sophie put her hand up to stop her. This wasn’t going to be a joyous reunion, and her stomach dropped with the well-known dread of being a disappointment.
“Just sit and stop pretending you give a shit about me,” Sophie said.
“Sophie, we talked about this.” Belle tapped her pen on the notebook and shook her head.
“Don’t you mean you talked about this? I’ve listened and done all this crap until I’m sick, and where the hell has she been?” Sophie sliced the air with a rigid finger in her direction. “You fucking abandoned me here, but not before you took everything that was important to me. Weston is gone, my tour is over, and the band has probably moved on as well.”
“You’re seriously going to lead with that?” She spoke so softly that her mother had to stop her rant to hear her. “I agreed to get you help, and no one, especially me, told Weston to go anywhere. He left of his own accord, along with a lot of your money, I might add. The only thing I’ve done was to try to protect your assets while you got better.”
“Didn’t she tell you the truth?” Sophie’s tone was back at full throttle as she pointed at Belle. “You and me have been stuck together, and we need to face that. I might’ve given birth to you, but nothing can make me happy about that.”
“Wow. You’re right.” She stood up and ignored Belle’s motions for her to sit. “Neither one of us got what we wanted or deserved in each other, and I’m sorry for my part in that. You didn’t have a choice in the beginning, and I totally understand that, but you have a choice now. Just be honest and tell me what you want.”
“I want my freedom.”
“From me, you mean?” She refused to cry, not anymore. “Of course, from me,” she said, and her mother stayed quiet. “You got it. I’m never going to tell you that I don’t care what happens to you, because I do, but you’re not obligated to me any longer for anything. All I wanted was to get you help before you killed yourself, but that’s it. You don’t owe me anything. And I most certainly no longer owe you anything, either.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. That’s always been your problem.”
Sophie’s voice was harsh, and she almost wanted to laugh. When her mom didn’t get her way, her instinct to fight was overly emotional, as if trying her best to get you to back down.
“What exactly was supposed to be the correct response, Mama? I’m not being dramatic—I’m giving you what you want.” She stood with her head slightly cocked, breathing in the jasmine-scented air, and found some comfort in the peaceful surroundings. The warmth of the wrought iron armchair she was standing behind made her realize she was squeezing too hard, but she repeated the question despite not wanting to be there or hear the answer. “What would you like me to say?”
“You could say that you give a shit about what happens to me. You should’ve been here helping me through this.”
“Make up your mind.” She wanted to shake her mother until she stopped this stupidity. “Either you want me, or you don’t, but you were never alone. I was frantic at the hospital after Weston called. You were this close to death”—she held up pinched fingers—“and I was praying you’d survive. That’s all I cared about, and I did whatever I could to keep you alive. You say I don’t care, that I wasn’t there for you and I should have been. But I’ve been there, and it wasn’t enough. What do you want?”
“Let’s take a minute,” Belle said when it appeared like her mother was about to start again. “This isn’t about playing the blame game. It never helps and does nothing to solve any problem.”
“Fine,” Victoria said and tried her best not to telegraph how pissed she was. “What can I do to help get her to a safe place where she’s not going to overdose?”
“You—”
“All you need to do,” Sophie said, talking right over Belle, “is put things back the way they were. I didn’t ask to be saved, and I didn’t need it.”
“Victoria,” Belle said, cutting off any response she had. “Can I talk to you?” They stepped into the kitchen, and Belle kept her eyes on Sophie. “This might’ve been too soon, and for that I apologize.”
“If you think I’m surprised, I’m not.”
“Actually, the one who’s surprised is me,” Belle said, shaking her head. “You might not believe me, but in our private sessions Sophie never displayed any of this hostility. I’m a little baffled, to be honest. It’s my mistake in bringing you two together too soon, since it’s clear she can’t let her guard down around you yet. It’s often hardest to be vulnerable around the people who know us best.”
“Maybe what you just saw was her being totally honest. Did that ever occur to you? You and I see an addict out of control, but Sophie didn’t have a problem with her life. That’s the truth of it, so maybe it’s us who have to accept it.”
