Page 17 of Living at 40

“What about Anna’s teaching career?” Mason asks, keeping his back to the happy couple.

“I’m ready for something new. I’m actually going to look for a position here. I can’t sit around all day and do nothing.” Her eyes catch Ben’s, and they share a weak smile. The decisions have already been made. Ben will consult on our father’s landscaping business while Anna finds a new job teaching in the immediate area.

“That’s kind of a big change with your boys in high school.” Zack’s comment is a reminder of one of the difficulties in my brother’s decision to move. Ben and Anna didn’t want to uproot the boys from their routine, but the move was presented as an opportunity and adventure. I doubt Calvin fell for it at sixteen, but he’s been quietly supportive of the big change his parents are asking of him. He’s smart enough to know there’s something more to this decision.

“What do Archer and Amelia think of you moving here permanently?” Logan asks next.

“Archer doesn’t have a say as he’s hardly around and didn’t lift a finger when our parents passed. Amelia is too settled in her job near the city and doesn’t take time off to visit. I don’t want the house to go to waste, and summer weekends aren’t always enough time here,” Anna admits. “Plus, summer is Ben’s busiest season but my time off, and we want to be together here.”

At one point, Anna’s mother made the same decision, wanting this house to become their permanent family home instead of their house in Chicago. That decision came after the McCaryn children were all grown, though. Surprisingly, Ben seems perfectly happy to return to this area despite the big city contracts and extensive outlying suburbs his landscaping company services. He’s looking forward to scaling down in business while moving here is scaling up in house size.

“Done,” Mason announces of his dish duty, drawing our attention away from Ben and Anna’s big announcement. Personally, I’m thrilled they’ll both be closer to me, and I can spend more time with my nephews and Mila, but I still wish it wasn’t for the reason they aren’t sharing yet. “Time for a drink.”

After drying his hands, Mason steps toward an alcove off the kitchen which houses a built-in bar area. The distinct pop of a bottle topper released from a bottle is heard, and the glug-glug-glug of alcohol being poured in a glass follows.

“Who else wants a scotch?” he calls out, and several of the guys groan.

Anna hops off Ben and heads to the counter for another glass of red wine, and Logan hands me another glass. With a glass of water in his hand, he taps my glass. “To adventure,” he states half-heartedly and looks over at Ben again.

“Come sit on the patio,” Ben tells his friends, and everyone falls in line to follow him. Only once outside, I notice Mason isn’t present. His head bobs up and down as he descends the stairs to a landing halfway down the one-hundred and fifty steps to the beach.

“Go after him,” Anna whispers, sneaking up behind me.

“Me? Why me?” Whatever Mason is sulking about isn’t up to me to decipher.

“He’s lonely. It’s perfect. Just be with him. You never know where it could lead.”

“Are you crazy?” I mumble, lifting my wine glass, and the words echo within it.

“You want a baby. He’s your man. I’m telling you, ask him,” Anna encourages.

“This is ridiculous,” I say, stomping off the patio like a petulant child. I do not want to sleep with Mason Becker, but I also don’t want to hear any more meddling from Anna.

8

[Logan]

I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact one of my best friends was giving up his hard-earned business to move to this area. Lakeside is a beautiful location, but his father’s business does a fourth of what Ben’s does in a larger city.

Even more pressing on me, though, is the fact Autumn followed pouty Mason down the steps, and they hadn’t returned.

“I’m going to check on those guys,” I state, offering no other explanation for following Autumn after ten minutes that felt like a lifetime. Mason had been flirting with her all through dinner despite her sitting next to me, and he continued the blatant perusal of her body while he washed dishes. Kiss-up. He’s never washed a dish in his life. If anyone warranted maid service, it was Mason.

I only travel halfway down the wood steps leading to the beach before I see Mason and Autumn standing on a landing built as both a spot to rest from the climb and a private deck on the edge of the cliff for sunset viewing. Tonight’s sunset will be spectacular as the golden orb sinks toward the water-filled horizon. Nothing impairs the sun from kissing the waterline, and kissing was strongly on my mind.

And the last thing I wanted was Mason kissing Autumn. However, his body's position—leaning his hip casually against the railing of the landing—said he was ready to make his move any second. Autumn faced him, holding her wineglass to her chest, and when Mason reached out to tuck her hair behind her ears, I almost tripped descending the short treads.

“Let’s talk about this baby-making business.” Mason’s voice drifts up to me where only a few steps remain between them and me.

Let’s not.

“Hey, guys. What are we talking about?” I fumble down the next couple of stairs and watch Autumn take a large step back from Mason. Mason shifts his body to press his ass against the railing. Once I hit the landing, I step up to Autumn’s side and look up at my longtime friend.

“Cock blocker,” Mason coughs into his glass while I smile broadly at him before turning to Autumn.

“Am I interrupting?” I hope to hell I am because it sounds like Mason was on the verge of propositioning Autumn, and I’m not liking it one bit.

“Mason and I were discussing Ben’s announcement.” She smiles over at him and then back at me.