All Chapters of Mr. Hayes’ Secret Heir: Chapter 71 - Chapter 77

After the school event, Mason took us to lunch.He and Lior were having the kind of back-and-forth that had me biting back a laugh. Lior had given Crystal a couple of the gifts his grandparents spoiled him with, and Mason wanted to know why."Because sharing is caring," Lior told him matter-of-factly."Is Crystal the only classmate you have? Why didn't you share with the others?""Because Crystal is the one I saw first. The others weren't lucky."Mason kept a straight face. "You had more than one gift. You could've spread them around."Lior thought about it, then shook his head. "I just want to give them to Crystal."I was smiling into my food at how earnest he was, too busy being charmed to notice his father was winding him up.Then, out of nowhere, Lior looked at Mason. "You're going to marry Mommy, right?"The bite I'd just taken went straight down the wrong way. I started coughing, my eyes watering. Mason reached over and rubbed slow circles on my back until it passed."Sorry, Mom

Whatever fun the night promised died after Daphne set her sights on Chase.Hannah had come to vent about her frustrations with Chase, but she couldn't do that now, not with Daphne openly crushing on him too. Having to swallow it all down left her cranky.Each time Daphne struck up a conversation, Hannah offered back the bare minimum, polite and clipped, until Daphne gave up trying.I was stuck right in the middle of it. Hannah wanted to talk to me. Daphne wanted to talk to me.Chase, look at the mess you've caused.With that kind of energy at the table, none of us were in the mood to linger. We called it an early night.When I got home and walked through the door, I heard voices and laughter before I even reached the living room.Mason and Chase had two other men with them, the four of them comfortable with their drinks, in the middle of some story. The laughter trailed off when I stepped in, all four heads turning my way.Chase smiled. "Welcome.""Hi." I gave a small wave and headed

On the drive back, I asked Mason why he'd done that."Done what?""The kiss. Back there. Why would you peck me?""Felt like it."Whether it was the lightheaded feeling or the wine still loose in my blood, something had loosened my tongue. The question left me before I could think better of it."Why have you been so scarce lately?""Not sure what you mean," he replied, his eyes fixed on the road.I spelled it out for him. How he was barely around anymore. Every time I did see him his face was buried in his phone. He would show up for Lior and then disappear again.Mason laughed. "Does it bother you? You want me home more, is that it?""That's not what I meant." Heat crawled up my neck. "I just meant, in case something was wrong.”He gave a quiet laugh and let it slide, far too pleased with himself.When we got home, he stopped me before I could head up. "Actually, there's something I wanted to run by you. Please, come with me."He started toward his room without waiting, glancing back

I looked up rent in the decent parts of the city. Safe areas, good schools nearby, not too far from where Lior already went. The numbers made me wince every time. I gave myself three months to save enough and move out.Mason had sent a generous sum into my account, payment for the room decor. As much as I didn't want to touch a cent of it, I would still do the redesign for him, a thank you for everything he'd done.But if worse came to worst, I might be forced to dip into it to move. I started looking into flexible job openings I could pick up after my hours with Nicholas, because rent in LA is no joke, and three months of saving wasn't happening on one income.If Mason's mother would rather have him marry Naomi than anyone else, even knowing she cheats, that was the wake-up call I needed. Getting him out of that agreement would mean a war with his family. A war I didn't want to be the reason he had to fight.It wasn't helping that my resolve had started to thin. My emotions were begi