Whatever It Takes (11 page)

“Well, you’re more than welcome to bring your turkey potpie
along with you. We’ll heat it up and let everyone fight over it, because you
know it’ll be in high demand. Who can resist one of those scrumptious things?”
Mason laughed.

Laurie chuckled and he saw the uncertainty on her face
slowly fade.

“I’d love to come,” she finally decided.

He ignored the way his pulse kicked up in excitement at her
agreement.

“Great. I’ll be up early getting things set, so just come
over as soon as you’re ready on Thursday. We’ll probably eat around 1:00.”

“That works for me,” Laurie said as she began gathering her
things.

It was getting late and the waitresses and crew were getting
ready to close up. Mason tossed some cash on the coffee table to cover the tip
and then insisted on carrying Laurie’s things as they left the café.

When they reached her car, Mason handed her things over, and
she tossed them in the backseat. Once she settled herself in the driver’s seat,
he crouched in the open door and smiled at her.

“I had a good time, Angel. We need to do this again
sometime.”

Laurie nodded and smiled at him.

“Thank you for trusting me enough to confide in me about
your situation.”

“Thank you for offering to help. If you can help me pull
this off, it will save my life. You’ll be my hero…again.”

“We’ll take care of it, no problem. Be safe, Angel. Text me
when you get home?”

Laurie assured him that she would.

He leaned forward and gave her a quick, soft kiss, which she
returned. It was no more than a peck but it set him aflame, and her shaky hands
were a good indication she was just as affected by it. He smirked as he backed
out of the open door and shut it. Laurie started the car and then waved before
she pulled away.

Still smiling to himself, Mason watched her taillights until
they disappeared. He’d had a great time just sitting next to her, talking to
her.

Her revelation about her situation with Trey had angered him
beyond words and he was still considering killing the bastard or, at the very
least, messing up his face for life. One way or another, he would save Laurie.
He already had everything he needed for her lock-picking lesson—he had just one
more thing to take care of.

As he headed for his car, he pulled out his cell phone and
punched in a number.

“I’m going to need your help pulling together a last-minute
Thanksgiving dinner. It needs to be great,” he said as soon as James Rubin
answered the phone.

As soon as Laurie stepped out of her car, the stillness of
the neighborhood struck her. Although it wasn’t like the busy city center,
there was usually quite a bit of noise from the street. She supposed even the
homeless people and others who frequented this run-down area had somewhere to
go for the holiday.

The day dawned cold and gloomy with thick, heavy clouds
hanging low overhead. It had been raining off and on all morning and she wouldn’t
be surprised if the sky opened up again at that very moment. As she moved
toward the front doors, she found the gloom and silence unsettling and picked
up her pace. Because of the heavy cloud cover, the inside of the building was
darker than usual. The stairwell was so dark that it took a moment for her eyes
to adjust. When they did, the blackness seemed to close in and her heart began
to pound.

She moved quickly up the first flight of stairs, hearing
imaginary monsters chasing her in the gloom. Envisioning hands reaching for her
from the shadows, she picked up her pace a little more with every step and
found herself running up the last flight of stairs.

Although relief and a sense of safety filled her when she
locked her eyes on Mason’s door, she couldn’t make herself stop running. She
was nearly there when the door swung open and Mason stepped into the hallway. A
look of surprise crossed his face for a moment as she skidded, staggered and
collided with him in an unsuccessful effort to stop. It was like slamming into
a wall. He was hard and unmoving and she bounced off him.

She stumbled backward and expected to fall flat on her ass
but he grabbed her and pulled her back to him, holding her protectively against
his chest.

“I heard you running. Is someone after you?” he demanded, voice
rising with anger.

His body was tense, as if he was ready to confront whoever
was out there. She breathed in the comforting scent of him and allowed herself
a moment to enjoy the feel of his arms around her before she shook her head
against his chest.

“Only my imagination.”

“Did the boogeyman chase you up here?”

Laurie felt him chuckle and squirmed out of his grasp. Narrowing
her eyes, she crossed her arms over her chest and did her best to appear
indignant.

“I was going to offer to help with the dishes but if you’re
going to make fun of me, I’ll just eat all your food and leave you with the
mess.”

Mason gripped her elbows and pulled her toward him as he
grinned down at her.

“I wasn’t making fun,” he insisted. “If the boogeyman was
after you, I would have come out here and taught him a lesson about chasing my
Angel.”

Laurie smiled as warmth spread through her. He tightened his
grip on her elbows and pulled her even closer.

“Laurie.”

A voice came from the open doorway and she looked up and
smiled at Chloe. The older woman grabbed Laurie’s shoulders and turned her away
from Mason.

“I was so hoping you would come.” Chloe pulled Laurie close
in a warm hug. “I have so much to thank you for. That lawyer really did save my
ass.” Chloe put her arm around Laurie’s shoulders and led her inside.

Mason stood just outside the door and glanced up and down
the hallway. He really needed to install some kind of lighting in the
stairwell. He took a couple deep, calming breaths, which he always needed to do
after he’d been near Laurie, and then returned to the apartment.

Inside, Chloe was doing a good job of playing the part of
hostess as she introduced Laurie to everyone. As soon as he’d invited Chloe,
she’d taken over the planning. Her father had passed away the week before and Mason
thought she was eager for the distraction and the company. Whatever the reason
for her enthusiasm, he was grateful for it.

She’d immediately demanded money to pick up items for
decorating and Mason had handed over his wallet. Looking at the cheap folding
table and chairs, which she had transformed into an elegant dining table
complete with fall-themed dishes and linen napkins with little turkeys on them,
he couldn’t help but smile. She’d spent his money wisely.

Another new addition to his apartment was a huge flat-screen
TV that took up most of one wall and almost completely covered the front
window. The television had been one of Dewayne’s demands for showing up. He
usually spent the holiday in one of the many bars in the French Quarter,
watching football, and he had insisted he had money on the game and couldn’t
miss it. Thus, Mason had shelled out another two grand for the ridiculous TV.

Then there was James, who at that moment was busy in the
kitchen, cooking and finishing off a glass of wine. The old bastard had
insisted he needed three bottles of merlot for the dinner…and not the cheap
stuff either. He’d quickly agreed to cook and Mason had been relieved until James
had showed up with his shopping list. He sure didn’t believe in using cheap
ingredients. Mason’s little charade had sucker punched him in the wallet.

Chloe motioned toward Dewayne and his date and he waved.

“We’ve met already,” he said and then nodded at the woman
next to him. “This is Ellen.”

“It’s Irene,” the woman corrected him as she elbowed him in
the ribs. “It’s really nice to meet you.”

Laurie nodded and gave Irene a warm smile. Next, Chloe moved
toward the people on the other couch and Mason groaned inwardly.

“This is…” Chloe looked at a loss as she gazed at the
middle-aged man and woman sitting beside each other.

“Oh, I’m Aubrey and I think this guy’s name is Robert.”

The man ignored them, his eyes glued to the TV and one hand shoved
between her crossed legs. Laurie looked confused for a moment but she smiled
and shook Aubrey’s hand.

Mason shot Dewayne a dirty look and Dewayne chuckled. He’d
insisted they needed more people to make the dinner look legit and had showed
up with the two mystery guests. Mason wasn’t sure where he’d found them but he
had a strong suspicion that Aubrey was a hooker and the man sitting beside her was
her john.

Mason was relieved when Chloe led Laurie away from them and
toward the kitchen. James, who was leaning against the bar with a glass of wine
and a cigarillo, smiled warmly as Chloe led Laurie toward him. He set his glass
aside and reached for her hand.

“Hello, my lovely,” he gushed as he kissed the back of her
hand. “I’m James and it is a pleasure to meet you. I’m afraid Mace didn’t do
you justice. You are an absolute beauty.”

Laurie blushed and smiled shyly. “Thank you. It’s nice to
meet you too.”

Instead of letting go of her hand, James pulled her closer
and offered her the empty stool next to him, where he continued to flirt with
her. Mason scowled at him. He liked James a lot but he’d be damned if he’d
stand for the old bastard putting the moves on his woman.

Chloe chuckled and gave him a reassuring pat on the arm as
she passed him on her way to the kitchen.

“What the hell are you doing?” James abruptly demanded. He’d
lost interest in Laurie and his focus switched to Chloe in the kitchen.

“I just thought the gravy could use a little pepper.”

“Pepper!” James cried as he hurried past Mason toward the
kitchen. “My gravy is perfectly seasoned.”

Mason moved to claim the seat beside Laurie as he watched
the exchange in the kitchen.

“I don’t know, James.” Chloe looked at the pot skeptically. “I
don’t think anyone here likes bland gravy.”

“Bland?” James looked as if she’d just slapped him. “There
is nothing bland about my food. Get out of my kitchen, you crazy woman, before
you ruin everything.”

“Well, excuse me, you tetchy old fart.” Chloe huffed. “I was
only trying to help.” She brushed past him indignantly but shot Mason a
mischievous grin on her way back to fuss over the dining table.

Mason chuckled and turned back to Laurie, who had been
watching with amusement as well.

“Happy Thanksgiving.” He chuckled.

A moment later, James banged a spoon on a pot to signal that
dinner was ready.

* * * * *

James’s dinner didn’t disappoint—the old guy really knew
what he was doing in the kitchen. Everyone raved over the food and ate their
fill. Mason couldn’t help but smile. His only motivation when he’d come up with
the idea to hold a holiday get-together was to score some extra time with
Laurie, but he got so much more than that.

It was the first time he could ever recall having a real
Thanksgiving celebration—the kind he’d seen in wholesome family movies—at least
until Aubrey tried to give Robert a blowjob at the dinner table.

He was talking to Laurie during dinner when she froze with
her fork halfway to her mouth. Her eyes became huge and her cheeks turned
bright red. He turned to see what had her attention and nearly choked.

Dewayne acted quickly and ushered Aubrey and her “friend” into
the hallway. While they stood in the doorway, he dumped both of their plates
into a paper sack then stepped back to the door and tossed it to them.

“Sorry you have to rush off. It was great to see you guys
again,” he said before he slammed the door in their faces. He returned to the
table, fighting an embarrassed smile and clearly at a loss for words.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room as Mason
racked his brain for some explanation for what Laurie had just witnessed.
Finally, James came to Mason’s rescue.

“Those two are always like that. Remember last year? We
should stop inviting them,” he said before he gulped down more wine and shot a
dark look at Dewayne.

“Oh yeah,” Chloe agreed, glancing at James uncertainly. “Last
year was bad. Those two just have no self-control.”

“Uncouth,” Dewayne added before turning his attention back
to his food.

“Sorry.” Mason looked at Laurie apologetically.

“Don’t worry about it. It was weird but then again, it’s the
first Thanksgiving BJ I’ve ever seen. I’ve been sheltered, you know.”

“Well, they don’t come along very often, I can tell you
that,” Mason quipped. “I hear they’re rare, like a shooting star.”

“But not nearly as spectacular as a Christmas BJ,” Dewayne
piped in.

“And if you’re lucky, it’ll involve a drunk mall Santa,”
James added.

His comment caused everyone to laugh hysterically. With the
tension in the room eased, Mason was able to relax and enjoy the rest of
dinner. All in all, he reckoned the day was a success.

After dinner, everyone moved to the couches and looked ready
to pass out until Dewayne spoke up.

“So are we going to hit the parade? If so, we need to head
out, ‘cause it starts at 3:30 and parking in the French Quarter is a bitch on a
good day.”

Mason looked at Laurie questioningly. “You up to it?”

“Hell yeah. I’ve never made it to the parade but I’ve always
wanted to. Let’s do it.”

“Count me out.” James yawned as he grabbed a day-old newspaper
from an end table next to his recliner. The very recliner Mason had lugged up
the stairs the night before, along with the TV and folding table and chairs.

He’d forgotten that added expense. James had insisted he’d
need a comfortable chair to relax in after he cooked dinner. Of course, he
picked out the deluxe leather model and of course, he intended to take it home
with him. More truthfully, he intended to have Mason deliver it. He shook his
head as he glanced around the room, not sure if he loved or hated his friends.

“I’m going to head over to my sister’s house,” Chloe called
from the kitchen, where she had just finished fixing a dish of leftovers to
carry home. “Thank you so much for inviting me, Mace. I had a great time.” She
stopped on her way to the door and kissed his cheek before she waved to
everyone else and left.

“You kids go on,” James said. “I’ll have some food heated up
for supper when you get back, and then we can watch the game.”

“Sounds good,” Mason said as he held the door open for Laurie.

* * * * *

After spending a good half-hour searching for a safe place
to park his car, a fully restored black-and-silver Mustang, Mason—along with Laurie,
Dewayne and Irene—walked several blocks and found a good spot to watch the
parade.

Throughout the parade, Mason found himself watching the
delight on Laurie’s face more than the action on the street. He, Dewayne and
Irene were locals and had become somewhat jaded. Having seen the parade year
after year, they were hard to impress but her enthusiasm was contagious and
soon the whole group was cheering for every new float as if they were a bunch
of tourists. He couldn’t remember ever enjoying the parade as much. Not even
when he was a teenager and the thrill was getting drunk and throwing
firecrackers at the horses in an attempt to start a stampede.

The light sprinkles didn’t bother them for most of the
parade but when the rain picked up they finally called it a day and headed back
to the car.

“That was so much fun,” Laurie said, looking irresistible with
her damp hair and bright eyes.

He couldn’t stop himself from putting his arm around her as
they walked side by side. Instead of feeling her stiffen, as he’d expected, she
sighed and leaned her head into his shoulder for a moment.

“It must be so great to get to see that every year. You guys
are lucky. Thank you so much for inviting me today. It’s been the best
Thanksgiving I can remember.”

He chuckled and rubbed her arm.

“It’s been a good one, hasn’t it? Thank you for coming to
celebrate with us.”

“Let’s get a move on. The game’s starting,” Dewayne said as
he pulled Irene past them at a jog.

Mason and Laurie watched as Irene did her best to keep up,
wobbling in her painfully high heels and trying to keep her short skirt from
riding up. They looked at each other and laughed at the sight before they
picked up their pace to catch up.