Grand Love by JC Hawke

21

Nina

The next morningI wake early like I always do on the days I don’t have Ellis. I don’t know if Joey is going to be home this morning, but I call and text him before I leave my apartment to let him know I’m on my way over. He doesn’t answer or reply, and I get to his apartment and find it empty. For an hour I linger around his flat, clearing the draining board and setting the living area straight.

When seven thirty rolls around and I haven’t heard back from him, I decide to go home. Just as I pull open his front door to leave, my phone rings, Joey’s name lighting up my screen, and I walk back into the apartment and quickly answer the phone.

“Joey! Where are you?”

He doesn’t say a word.

Silence.

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Joe?”

“I’m in New York.” His voice is cold and detached.

“New York?” I check the time on my phone. “To see Jasper?”

“Yeah. He’s dead.”

It feels like someone has poured ice through my veins, my body running cold. “W-what?” I utter.

“He’s dead.”

“Joey, I’m… I’m so sorry.” What do I say? What do I do? “I missed your calls last night. God, Joe. I’m so, so, sorry!”

“It doesn’t matter now,” he says, lacking all emotion in his voice.

He sounds lost.

“Are you coming home again?” I ask.

“I’ll be back in a couple days. It’s early, you go, Nina.”

“No, it’s okay I can—”

The line goes dead and I start to shake. He has no one else. It’s just him now.

Nina: What can I do?

Please reply! Please reply!

Joey: I need a couple days

I blow out a breath, understanding he needs space but needing to see him, hug him and know that he’s going to be okay.

Nina: Call me! Whenever you need me.

Joey: Okay.

My hands run through my hair as I fall back on his sofa, my heart breaking for him. He has lost his brother. All his living relatives are gone. How does anyone deal with that?

Sometimes I wonder if life would be easier if we didn’t allow people into our hearts. It would keep it safe from the heartbreak that quakes us when they eventually leave, because they do. One way or another, they always leave.

The truth is, we only hurt when we truly care about something. It’s a bittersweet thing. It’s brave. Loving something so much you let it consume you, knowing one day it might break you, leaving you less wholesome, but full of memories that will last a lifetime.

God, I hope he’s okay.

* * *

Lowerwick Estateon any day is the vision of breathtaking tranquillity. But today as I look out over the grounds from my spot on the bedroom balcony, I wonder to myself if I have ever seen such beauty.

“Scar, you really outdid yourself. It’s perfect,” I tell her, smoothing my hand over the railing before sipping my champagne.

Scarlet slips up next to me, grinning wide as she looks over the grounds which are lit up with the lanterns and candles. “You really think so?”

I dip my head, smiling at her.

“I did good, didn’t I,” she confirms.

The sun decided to shine down on the estate for the entirety of the day, the marquee was able to dry out along with the grass, and with the team that Scarlet hired to set everything up, we were done just before two o’clock. Ellis should be arriving with Maggie and John any time now. They offered to have him so Mason could get himself ready and over to the Montgomery’s with the rest of the boys.

I haven’t seen Mason since Wednesday. Elliot dropped Ellis home on Thursday, because Mason had to go into the office, and when he didn’t call or text, I took it that he needed the space.

Having not heard from him means I have no idea how he’s feeling, or if he’s even going to show up. I contemplated texting him earlier, but am I really the one he would want to hear from when he is probably already in his own head about coming out here?

“Have you heard from Mason?” I ask Scarlet, hoping she can shed some light on the situation.

“No.” She purses her lips, grasping the railing and letting her perfectly curled lavender hair flow down her back. She tips her head to the sky. “Not even a text.”

Scarlet has worked tirelessly on this night, but I know despite her tone, that she holds a level of understanding for her brother. Scarlet is forgiving. I don’t know if that’s a good thing, but I know it makes her the person she is, and she is the best kind to have in your life.

“There’s Mummy!” Lucy sings, carrying Ellis out onto the balcony. “And Auntie Scar.” She passes off Ellis to me and I place him on my hip. “There’s a guy downstairs, says he has a fifty-kilo block of cheese?”

Scarlet’s face instantly drops.

“What?” I laugh. “Why so much? The pantry is full of everything we need.”

“Oh my god,” Scarlet deadpans, scurrying out of the room and leaving us none the wiser on the balcony.

“You need to get changed,” Lucy tells me, standing in her robe just like me.

“We have time. Tell me about Miller. What happened?”

Her frown is defensive, and I’m not certain I’m going to get the truth. “What do you mean, what happened?”

“Luce, you said you were done.”

“I know.” She palms her forehead but pulls her hand away when she remembers her makeup. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, Nina.”

When she doesn’t elaborate, I say, “It’s not about what you’re supposed to do, Luce, you do what you want, what feels right.”

“Nothing feels right. Nothing! Not my job, not my relationship.” She throws her hands out to her sides at a loss. “I was always the one with a plan. I wanted kids young.” She picks up Ellis’s hand. “And that’s not going to happen now. What if I don’t meet someone before I’m thirty?”

“So, your plan is to what… force a relationship with someone you don’t love?”

“I don’t love Miller,” she says in agreement. She lifts her eyes to mine and shrugs. “But I could.”

“You aren’t ready to make the decisions you’re making right now, Luce. Trust that when the time comes you will.”

“It’s just hard. Seeing you with your shit so together.” She smiles at me, her eyes glassy. “I’m proud of you—don’t think I’m not, but I feel a million miles away from your level of contentment right now.”

“What? Luce, you have no idea, or you do, and you refuse to see it. I haven’t danced in over a year. I have a son with a man I can’t go five minutes without arguing with. My shit is well and truly not together.”

“I’d still love to have half the life you do. Your independence and confidence to be alone is inspiring.”

“We’re all made differently, Luce, I don’t like being alone.” I run my lips along Ellis’s head. “It’s what you get used to.” I shrug.

She nods. “Sorry for the rant.”

“I’ve been the most dramatic best friend in history this past year!” We both laugh and I take her hand. “Promise me you won’t settle. You deserve more, so much more, Luce.”

“I promise.” Her face lights up, that angelic, alluring smile that she wears so well taking over her face. “I need to get Ellis to Vinny, then we need to get dressed and you still need your hair doing!” she tells me.

“I will go find Vinny. You take a minute,” I tell her, leaving her on the balcony and wandering down to the kitchen where I find Vinny, and Scarlet stood around the biggest block of cheese I’ve ever seen.

* * *

Mase

Every summerfrom the time my mother became sick to the day I left Lowerwick for college, was spent on the Montgomery’s estate. It wasn’t something that was discussed; it was just the place we went when our fathers had to work.

It took years of my own ignorance, or maybe my immaturity, before I realised that my father wasn’t the man he once was. He was an alcoholic, one who managed to hide it from everyone he loved—until he didn’t.

The Montgomery Estate holds better, maybe even longer-lasting memories than Lowerwick ever will. It’s a home, with love and laughter and life.

Lowerwick Estate is nothing more than bricks and mortar, filled with half arse promises that were made by two people who lie six feet beneath it. Lifting the glass of amber liquid to my lips I empty the tumbler in one mouthful, welcoming the burn as it runs down my throat.

Elliot watches me over the brim of his glass, giving me a nod before lowering his eyes to check his cards.

We are lounging around a table in one of the many sitting rooms. Lance, Charlie, Elliot and George—because apparently George gets invited to family parties now too.

I give Elliot a nod, tossing an ace down which George instantly straightens on the table.

“I’m out,” Lance huffs, throwing down his cards.

“Me too.”

“George, you were out three hands ago. You don’t have to call it every round,” Lance snaps. He’s been even more of an asshole than normal recently.

“This is taking forever! What time is the ball? Those girls will have you strung up if you’re late, you know. That lilac haired beauty who was here earlier, God, she could organise unholy nuns! She told me to make sure we were on time. I don’t want to be the one she comes for.”

“You won’t be.” Lance rolls his eyes. “Charlie, call it.”

Charlie is just as quiet as me this evening and I know he’s stuck in his own head. I just don’t know why. Reaching forward, he slides in three-quarters of his chips—around twenty grand—into the middle of the table.

Elliot matches him, and I follow.

Elliot sits forward, rubbing his hands together. “I’m feeling lucky tonight, assholes!”

“That’s what I said,” George remarks, shaking his head at me with a smile that I don’t return. “Is everything okay, Mason?” he calls me out.

The boys all look at me, none of them having bothered to ask the question. They aren’t fucking idiots, that’s why. They know better than to ask.

Was everything okay? No. No, it fucking wasn’t. But I sure as shit wasn’t about to get into it with him.

“Everything is dandy, Georgey.” I pat him on the shoulder. “All in.” I push my chips into the middle of the table, not looking at anyone else.

“Shut up you, dick. You haven’t even looked at your cards.” Elliot finishes dealing then grins as he checks his. “You know what, all fucking in.”

“Fuck’s sake,” Charlie mutters, throwing down his cards.

Elliot looks like the cat that got the cream while Charlie glares at me.

I couldn’t give a shit.

I can’t focus on a fucking game right now.

* * *

I haven’t beento the estate properly since my father’s funeral, and a part of me wishes I had, just to make this moment less public. The marquee is full, and people spill out onto the manicured grounds. It looks like something out of a movie. Only in my head, it’s a horror film.

Businessmen, most of which I despise, nod their heads at me in greeting. My parents were respected in the property business, and now that I sit at the helm of it I’m expected to smile and greet them with the same professionalism my father showed.

When I took over the company six years ago, I knew I wasn’t going to be a pushover like mine and Elliot’s fathers were. They were the nice guys, and now we are the assholes, but also the assholes that sit at the top of all the competition.

All eyes follow the five of us through the crowded marquee as we make our way to the bar. Charlie orders a round of drinks, and I scan the crowd.

“Anyone see the girls?” Elliot asks, standing a solid two inches above me.

“No,” I deadpan, turning to retrieve my drink.

“I’m going to go find them,” he says, disappearing back the way we just came.

Ellis will be in the house, and I want to go and see him, but I feel safer out here.

Where the fuck is everyone?

I text Nina asking her where she is.

She told me she would be here, Ellis too, and now Elliot has fucked off.

“Mr Lowell Jr.”

I exhale on a deep sigh, looking to the ceiling before turning. “Mrs Mills.” I smile, turning to her husband. “Fred.”

“Good to see you, Mason, great evening you’ve put on tonight,” Fredrick says, shaking my hand. “Did you see Millerton have moved in on Berkley’s territory. I knew they would but not this fast.”

Fuck my ever-fucking life.

“I did. Doesn’t surprise me one bit, they always have been greedy in their market.”

“Well, your father would’ve been outraged. It was these very movements Anthony put a stop to.”

“Anthony isn’t here anymore, Fred.”

“I know, but—”

“Excuse me, I see someone I need to speak with. You enjoy your night.”

I’m almost clear of the bar and back to Lance, Charlie, and George when Rupert Hemmings intercepts me.

I shouldn’t be here.

I don’t want to be here.

“Mason, how are you, son?”

“Rupert.” I nod, shaking his outstretched hand.

“I haven’t seen you in years. I’m sorry to hear about your father.”

Rupert Hemmings was one of my father’s biggest competitors for over thirty years. When a scandal sent his company into bankruptcy, he decided to start asking my father for financial aid. Like I said, my father was the good guy, so he helped him. But when I took over the company, I put a stop to it and had him pay back the money he owed.

There’s no place in business for family and friends.

The old man isn’t doing bad for himself either, he had more than enough money to pay us back. If I remember rightly, he made the call from his yacht in the Maldives. Had his PA do the transfer. Safe to say old man Hemmings had his priorities in all the wrong places.

“No, it has been a while… I don’t think I saw you at the funeral.” Not that I’d know if he was there or not, but something tells me he wasn’t.

“Uh, no, I was away. Business trip.” He shrugs glumly.

“Ah, of course.”

“Lowell!”

I turn as a hand slaps me on the back. Cooper Hemmings greets me with his signature over the top pretentious smile. The prick hates me, and I hate him.

“Cooper.” I nod.

“Have you heard the news, Mason?” Rupert asks. “Cooper will be taking over the firm as of next year.”

“No way?” I recoil in shock, a smile tugging at my lips.

“Yeah.” Cooper glares at my obvious smirk.

“Well good luck to you, Coop.” I tip my chin up. “I look forward to seeing what you’ve got.”

He places a hand on his father’s rounded shoulder, tipping his chin as his lip curls. “I have one of the best to learn from.”

“Indeed.” I give him a tight-lipped smile.

Cooper and I went to college together. He flunked his final year and had to stay behind to repeat. The prick never got over it.

“What’s this I hear about Montgomery taking over the Savale account?” Rupert asks. “Anthony always worked with them.”

My eyes flick to his, then back to Cooper and I wonder if they are intentionally trying to piss me off. My hands clench in my pockets, the need to punch the smirk off Cooper’s face too strong.

“Gentlemen.”

I whip around, my eyes landing on Nina.

Everything drifts the fuck away.

Every thought of my parents, my business, and the pricks who bait me, it all disappears, my world stepping up and carrying me away.

Every word I have in my brain seems to die before they can pass my lips. And it’s a good thing because they wouldn’t be coherent.

She’s wearing a black lace dress. It’s tight to her body and barely covers her tits. It’s too fucking tight and leaves nothing to the imagination.

Fuck!

Ellis sits on Nina’s hip, wearing a tux that matches my own. He throws himself at me and I gladly take him.

“Mase,” she says softly, gripping my arm with her dainty hand. “Sorry we’re late.” To anyone watching on, it would seem like a simple apology. But to us, it’s Nina placing the shield up and telling me she’s here.

I fucking adore this woman.

Cooper steps forward. My eyes are trained on him from the moment he takes the first inch towards her. “Who’s this delicacy?”

“Mine,” I announce on a growl, wrapping my hand around Nina’s waist whilst placing Ellis on my other hip.

“Oh,” he muses. “Mrs Lowell, it’s a pleasure.”

“It’s Anderson,” she corrects, and my eyes fly to hers.

She looks up at me with an innocent look and shrugs.

“Cooper Hemmings,” he introduces himself. “And this is my father, Rupert.”

“Mr Hemmings.” She nods to Rupert politely.

“I heard you had a kid. But nobody told me his mother was such a fine beauty. A dance later, Miss Anderson?” His eyes rake down her body, pausing on her chest for a second too long.

“Mason, can I have a minute with you?” Nina asks with a smile. “In private.”

In my head, my fist is already on the side of Hemming’s jaw, but as Nina squeezes my hand and pulls me to the bar, I begin to relax a little.

“You know it would be extremely rude to beat your own guests,” she tells me.

“They aren’t my guests,” I grit out, my anger subsiding as I look down at Ellis. “Hey, mate.” I lean in and kiss his head.

“He’s super tired. I’ll take him to bed in a little while,” Nina says, rubbing his back.

“I thought Vinny was doing it?” I signal for the barman then bring my eyes to Nina. My throat catches as I take her in fully. “You look fucking beautiful, Angel.”

She tries to hide her blush from me, dropping her head then lifting it and saying, “I said I would do it so Vinny can enjoy himself. He deserves a night off and I don’t mind.”

“And I said you look fucking beautiful, Angel.”

Her lips twist up into the sweetest smile, and my heart somersaults in my chest because I put it there. “Thank you.”

“Do you want a drink?”

She nods.

“Who invited Cooper cunting Hemmings?” Elliot tsks, sliding up to the bar along with Lance, George, and Charlie.

“Elliot!” Nina scolds.

“Shit, I forgot about Baby Ell.” He lifts Ellis from my arms and sits him on the bar top. “I think he looks more like you today, Lowell.”

“He looks exactly like Mason,” Nina corrects.

“Nah, he has your lighter, brown eyes. It’s that frown he does with his brows that’s Lowell to a T.”

We all chuckle as Ellis frowns harder. Exactly like me.

“That’s fucking funny.”

I lean in, taking Ellis and shaking my head at Elliot. “Watch your mouth,” I warn.

“Here she is!” Elliot grins, pulling Scarlet into a tight hug as she nears with Megan in tow. “The brains and beauty of the family.”

“I need a drink!” Scarlet huffs. “I feel like if I stop I’m going to fall asleep at this point.”

“Everything is perfect, Scarlet,” Charlie tells her, leaning in and kissing her cheek.

Lance hands her a drink and then throws her a wink.

Then she turns to me, and I worry it will be awkward but it’s Scarlet and she doesn’t allow it, pushing her arms through mine and around my back she pulls me in for a hug.

“They would have loved this tonight,” I whisper into her ear.

“Yeah?” she asks.

“Yeah. Mum was all about this kind of thing, and Dad lived to entertain.”

“Thank you for coming, Mason.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” I squeeze the tops of her arms and let her pull away to stand beside me.

“Where’s Luce?” I ask, looking around the group, feeling better now that everyone is here.

Elliot raises his glass in a toast, ignoring me altogether. “To the gang.”

We raise our glasses, mine and Nina’s eyes meeting across the group. She shakes her head, telling me with her eyes that she will explain later.

* * *

It’s halfan hour later when Ellis starts to get fussy and I watch Vinny sweep in and offer to take him to bed himself. I roll my eyes on a laugh, knowing how much Ellis means to him.

Nina watches on at the entrance of the marquee as Vinny carries him up through the grounds until they are out of sight. She smooths out her hair and takes a moment, breathing in the night air. I stand perched at the bar, my eyes trained on her and unable to look away, as I wonder what she’s thinking.

Picking up her dress, she turns and walks back into the marquee. She strides straight over to me, making my shoulders draw back and my chest expand as I tuck her into my side. “Vinny couldn’t resist, huh?” I whisper against her temple.

“Nope.” She laughs.

Her eyes bore into mine as she gazes up at me, her hand running up my back under my jacket. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I tell her, taking a sip of my drink.

She grins up at me, her dimples set deep in her cheeks. “That smile,” I admire.

“I’m just happy, Bossman.”

“Guys!” Megan summons from the other end of the bar. “Shots!”

“Here we go,” I huff out, following behind Nina as she slides out from my side and makes her way to our friends.