Always Darkest (17 page)

“I want to learn everything and see everything.
 
I plan on making my home here.
 
I was also thinking about starting a couple of taverns here like I have in Nathis and Red Rock back on Three Suns.
 
I intend to give you a wonderful life, Tori.”
 
Tori didn’t know what to say.
 
Was he for real?
 
Instead of trying to say anything she just printed out the list of places that bought gold.

“I got the list printed,” Tori said as she retrieved the paper from the printer across the room.
 
She noticed Mason’s intense study as he looked from her lap top to the printer and smiled.
 
“Ready to go?”

“Yes,” Mason said as he reached down and picked up one of the large black duffle bags he had brought with him.
 
It looked heavy even for Mason.

“What’s in the bag?”

“The gold,” he said sitting it on the table and unzipping it.

The large bag was filled with gold coins.
 
Tori had also looked up the current price of gold and she knew there was a small fortune in the bag.
 
“Um, I think you are only going to need to exchange a couple of those coins for now Mason.
 
And maybe we should hide the rest in my closet.”

“This is a lot?”

“Um, yeah.
 
The price of gold is way up right now.
 
You have enough to live off for decades if you wanted to.”

“Come on, I’ll show you where you can put it, and maybe later you will want to put it in a bank.”

Tori dug out a nice hiding place in the back of her closet and then buried the bag in shoes.
 
She knew he had some money in Black Rock, but she had no idea he brought this much here.
 
Mason put two of the gold coins in his pocket and they were off to go shopping.

Chapter Twenty

Shopping with Mason was an adventure.
 
He had ridden in the limo before because he came over at the same spot Tori, Thomas and Justin had before and happened upon Thomas’s home.
 
Thomas was still dancing with his “new” wife but was happy to see Mason and directed Alex to drive him over to Tori’s apartment.
 
She wondered if he had freaked out this much in the limo.
 
She was just driving to
Carson
to go shopping and he just kept cringing every time he thought she needed to stop.

When they finally made it to the pawn shop in
Carson
he was white as a sheet and this was the first time she had ever seen him disturbed by anything.
 
And damn it all it just made him sexier.
 
He stepped out and laid his hands on the hood and took a couple deep breaths.

“Tori you are a very brave woman,” Mason said as he smiled at her.
 
He stepped around the car and kissed her again.
 
Tori noted that brought a bit of his color back.
 
They walked into the pawn shop and Tori
was
delighted as she watched him negotiate the price of the gold.
 
She had told him the going rate only a half an hour ago and he talked about it like he traded gold for a living.

Fortunately, the mall was close and this time the drive didn’t seem to bother him quite as much.
 
The first order of the day was getting him some clothes that didn’t make him look like he was from a different time.
 
They shopped at the department stores and she enjoyed watching Mason try on clothes. He drew a lot more attention from the female sales clerks than she would have liked and while he was friendly and courteous, he made sure to always introduce Tori as his fiancé.
  
Tori appreciated that immensely.

When the shopping was done they went back to Tori’s apartment and settled on the couch.
 
Mason was most amazed by the television and Tori enjoyed explaining how it worked.
 
Three Suns wasn’t really so different from Earth.
 
They had running water and gas, but no electricity, so their technology was rudimentary.
 
She showed him how to use the remote control and he settled on a country music station.

When night fell, Tori ordered a pizza and suggested they put up the Christmas tree.
 
It was just a three foot one, but Tori thought it worked nicely in her small apartment. When she plugged in the twinkling multi colored lights Mason cautiously touched one, as if he expected it to burn him.
 
When it didn’t he carefully inspected each one declaring that it was simply amazing.
 
He explained to here that Christmas was also celebrated on Black Rock. They didn’t have trees, but lit many candles and it was a time for families to come together with a feast.

The next day was Christmas Eve so they made their way to Kathy’s house, with the wrapped presents Tori had ordered off the internet months before because she always forgot.
 
When they walked in the door Kathy gave her sister a huge hug.
 
“I’m so happy to see you!”
 
Then she hugged Mason, “and you too!
 
You can just put those presents under the tree.”

Mason was wearing blue jeans and a green sweater that made him look absolutely delectable.
 
Tori was
convinced she could poke a hole in a garbage bag, pull it over his head and he would make it look like an Armani suit.

Randy and his two older boys were sitting on the couch playing a war game on Xbox, when there was a pause in the game, Randy walked over to Mason and extended his hand.
 
“Hey Mason, I’ve heard all about you.
 
I’m Kathy’s husband. It’s nice to meet you.”

Mason took his extended hand.
 
“Nice to meet you too,” Mason said as he shook his hand.

“Do you want to get in on the next game?” Randy asked.

Kathy broke into their conversation.
 
“No, don’t let him.
 
Not if you ever want to see him without a controller in his hand.”

“Ah, come on Kathy it’s not that bad.
 
We need to do a little male bonding.”

“Yeah, I need to steal a few minutes with my sister. I was just kidding anyway.
 
You boys have fun.”

Mason gave Tori a quick kiss before setting down on the couch with Randy and the boys.
 
Kathy led Tori into the kitchen on the pretense of getting her to help with the food.
 
Of course the food was already prepared and her sister just wanted a little girl talk time.
 
Kathy handed her a cup of punch and when Tori took it, Kathy’s eyes lit up in amazement.

“What is that on your hand?”

“It’s a ring,” Tori said smiling.

“Is it an engagement ring?” Kathy questioned looking pointedly at her sister.

Tori hadn’t really wanted to tell Kathy yet because she knew the moment she did she would want them to set a date that she could start planning it.
 
Weddings were definitely Kathy’s thing.
 
Then she would start talking colors and caterers and cakes every chance she got.
 
Reluctantly Tori said, “Yes.”

Kathy immediately grabbed her hand to look at the large diamond ring.
 
She dropped the hand and drew her sister into a deep hug.
 
“I am so thrilled for you!”
 
Then she released her and grabbed her hand again.
 
“This ring is gorgeous!
 
I have never seen a design like that.
 
It is so dazzling.”

“It was his grandmother’s ring.”

“Oh that is so sweet!
 
You are so lucky!”

“So are you.”

“I know,” Tori smiled and she knew she was thinking about Randy.
 
After twelve years of marriage, she still looked like that every time she thought about her husband.

“So have you set a date?”

“Not yet, but we have plenty time.
 
Right now I am just enjoying being with him and I’m not ready to get into planning a wedding.”

“I understand,” Kathy said and Tori
was
simply in shock that her sister let that answer stand. “Let’s go get the boys and start the dinner.”

When they went back into the living room Mason and Randy were sitting on the couch chatting while they boys played the war game.
 

“You didn’t manage to turn him into a gamer?”
 
Kathy asked her husband.

Ricky answered for him.
 
“He got killed like a dozen times mom.”

Mason jokingly defended himself.
 
“It’s not my fault you’re so good at it.”

“Okay everyone into the dining room it’s time to eat!”

“Ah, mom,” the boys said still firing away at the soldiers on the television.

“You get to open one present after dinner,” she said.

The saved their game and ran into the dining room.
 
They sat around the table and Kathy kept smiling as she looked between Tori and Mason.
 

Kathy cleared her throat, “Before we say grace, I believe my sister would like to announce something.”

Tori blushed, it was just her family here, but it still embarrassed her a little. What if Mason didn’t want her to share this news yet? Tori didn’t stand up.
 
She just sat there for a moment looking at Mason and when he gave her hand a little squeeze and a reassuring smile she decided he didn’t mind. “Thanks, Kathy.
 
Mason and I are engaged.”

Randy looked at her, “Congratulations, little sis!”
 
Then to Mason, “I’ll warn you these Clover women can be a handful, but they are worth it.”
 
He gave Kathy a quick kiss on the cheek.

Kathy was already running around the table to hug and congratulate Mason.
 
“I look forward to having you in the family.
 
Now you just make sure she sets a date soon.”

“I’ll try,” Mason said hugging back his soon to be sister-in-law. Kathy took her seat and gave Randy a nod indicating it was time to say grace.

Everyone took hands and Randy led them in a beautiful prayer ending with, “and thanks
be
to God that I will no longer be the only adult male in this family.
 
Amen.”

The meal was great as Kathy was an excellent cook.
 
They made small talk and Tori enjoyed the way Mason interacted with her family with ease.
 
When the meal was over and the presents had been opened, Mason and Randy were playing some card game with the children.
 
Tori and Kathy were sitting on the sofa drinking some white wine.
 
Tori was watching Mason interact with her nephews out of the corner of her eye.
 
The way he was kind and joking with them made her smile.
 
She just knew that he would be a great father someday and this made her fall even more in love with him.

They talked and laughed until late in the night and finally Tori announced it was time for her and Mason to get going.
 
They said their goodbyes and made the short trip to Tori’s apartment.
 
Tori was so happy because it seemed like Mason had a genuinely good time with her family.
 
“I hope that wasn’t too much for you, Mason,” Tori said as she pulled out of Kathy’s driveway.

Mason laughed, “It was great!
 
I had a great time tonight, but I am a little anxious to get you alone again.”

“That sounds good to me.”

Tori pulled into the parking lot and sitting in front of her apartment was the black limo.
 
Mason and Tori looked at each other as they got out of the car and began to walk toward the limo.

“I wonder what Thomas--,” Tori began when the door to the limo sprang open and Willa and Earl climbed out of the limo.

Mason ran to his granny and hugged her.
 
“Merry Christmas,” Mason said.

“Merry Christmas, Mason,” she said as Mason released her.
 
She immediately grabbed Tori into a big, warm hug.
 
“Merry Christmas, sweetie.”

Mason and Earl shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.
 
They were standing outside and snow began to gently fall.

Tori asked everyone to come in and get out of the cold and they all accepted her invitation.
 
She went over to ask Alex, but he said he had to get back to Thomas and
Pearl
’s home.

Once inside the warmth of Tori’s apartment, Tori and Mason took Willa and Earl’s coats.
 
Tori put on a pot of coffee while Mason got everyone settled.
 
Tori came back with a warm cup of coffee for everyone and passed them around. She also set out a tray of sugar cookies.

She took one look at Willa’s rosy cheeks and her now brown hair she had apparently dyed and noticed that her relationship with Earl had made her look twenty years younger.
 
She understood because she had felt seventeen again ever since Mason came to her.