"I distinctly remember how good you were at brooding," Moira said with a chuckle.
"Is there a difference?" Mason asked.
"It's more manly," she threw out with a wink in my direction. "We can't describe him as anything that isn't manly or he'll start pouting, I mean, brooding."
Mason nodded. “Ah, right, of course."
"I'm sure I can figure out something to do with him," Kayden said, but I didn't miss the way he glanced at Moira quickly, eyes darting away just as fast. Clearly, he’d been hoping to have some time with her tonight, considering that meant she wasn't going to have to be in Mom mode. The thinning of her lips was the only thing to show that she probably had the exact same thought, and I knew right then and there I had to say something to stop it in its tracks. No way in hell was I going to be the reason they weren't going to have some time to themselves.
Before I could open my mouth to tell him to stop acting like my babysitter, Mason stepped up. "How about I take him off your hands?"
Kayden glanced at him in surprise. “Wait, what?"
Mason shrugged. “We haven't had our designated duking it out this week, why not tonight? That way, you can have your fun without having to make sure he's being properly taken care of and not pouting in a corner somewhere."
"Brooding," Kayden corrected.
"I'll tell it how I want to," Mason said with a grin.
"Fuck both of you?" I growled. "I'm just fine on my?—"
"And you," Mason turned to his sister. "You already worked this morning, which means you should be off already, having your own fun. So, how about you both get out of my face and go do...whatever. I don't care. Learn how to stitch, join a circus, have a wild night on the town, and wake up in a shallow part of a canal somewhere for all I care."
I didn't miss the sharp look Moira shot his way, but if Mason noticed, he was doing a damn good job of pretending he didn't. "I guess I could use a drink or two."
"Then go get one," he said, waving her off. "Kayden?"
"What?"
"I know you've got to be annoying and stubborn if you've managed to be friends with Jace this long."
"Not sure how that's a compliment, but sure, okay."
"Which means you're more than prepared to make sure my sister doesn't try to get back to work when I'm not looking. Because she'll definitely try to give me the slip if I make her have fun, go get her a drink at the bar, make it a double, and see if you can't convince her to have fun somewhere."
"Sure?"
"Cute and willing, gotta love that combination."
"Yeah, Jace is right, you are kind of an ass."
"And a damn fine ass it is," Mason said casually. "Shoo."
"Christ, I really do need a drink after this conversation," Moira said with a roll of her eyes and strode off toward the bar. Kayden glanced between her and Mason, hesitating before deciding to follow her, immediately chattering away when he reached her, and I watched as the tension in her shoulders slipped away.
"Wow," Mason said with a sigh. "Those two really thought they were fooling everyone, didn't they?"
"Did you just...annoy your sister into taking a night off and going on a date?" I asked, both in shock and a grudging acknowledgement of his skills.
"See, the way to get away with something with Moira is to annoy her so much she would rather be anywhere but around you," Mason said with a wink. "Literally the opposite of you."
"Don't fucking start," I growled at him.
"What?” he drew out innocently. "Seems like the more I annoy you, the more you stick around. I might have even been tempted a time or two to think that you enjoy being pissed off."
"I'm going home," I said with a roll of my eyes. "I'm not going to stand around and listen to your shit if I don't have to."
"You've never had to, Jace. But you've always chosen to stick around anyway. I wonder why?"
