Chapter 134: The Ordinary Things

Chapter 134: Chapter 134: The Ordinary Things

A few days had passed since Audrey and Mason officially got back together.

Audrey had spent the afternoon at her parents’ house, explaining the final fallout with Alexander and answering her mother’s worried questions, and reassuring her father that she was genuinely okay. By the time the sun started to set, she was completely exhausted.

She took a taxi back to Mason’s penthouse in the evening.

When she walked out of the private elevator, she was dragging a small rolling suitcase behind her.

Mason was already waiting for her in the living room. He was sitting on the sofa, reading an email on his phone. The moment he looked up and saw the suitcase, his relaxed expression instantly changed.

He locked his phone and stood up.

"What’s that?" Mason asked, pointing at the bag.

Audrey looked down at the suitcase, then back up at him.

"My things," Audrey said.

"I can see that," Mason replied dryly.

Audrey let out a quiet sigh and rolled the bag into the hallway. "I picked up the last of my essentials from my parents’ house. I’m going to start looking for an apartment this weekend."

Mason went completely quiet.

He didn’t yell. He wasn’t angry. But he was visibly, entirely unhappy. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the small piece of luggage like it had personally offended him.

Audrey noticed his dark look. She walked over to him.

"Mason, I only stayed here temporarily after the breakup," Audrey gently reminded him. "Now that we are officially back together, I don’t want to immediately move in. I want my own place."

Mason listened to her. He didn’t interrupt.

Then, he simply asked, "Why?"

Audrey blinked. "Because I think it’s better if we have our own spaces. I don’t want us to rush."

"We have plenty of space," Mason countered smoothly, gesturing to the massive, empty penthouse around them. "There are four bedrooms."

"That’s not what I meant," Audrey sighed.

He knew exactly what she meant. She was trying to protect them. She was trying to make sure their relationship didn’t move too quickly this time, to ensure they built a solid foundation.

Mason respected that. He genuinely did.

Unfortunately, respecting her logic did not mean he actually liked it.

Mason uncrossed his arms and took a step closer to her.

"You don’t have to move in permanently," Mason reasoned quietly. "But you can stay for a while."

"Mason, this is exactly how people accidentally start living together," Audrey pointed out. "You leave a toothbrush, then a few shirts, and suddenly you never leave."

"Then don’t accidentally do it," Mason challenged smoothly.

Audrey raised an eyebrow. "Mason."

"Stay because you want to," Mason said, his voice dropping slightly.

That completely stopped her.

She looked up at his face. He wasn’t trying to trap her. He wasn’t trying to control her independence. He genuinely, simply wanted her there.

After losing seven years with her, the thought of watching her pack a bag and leave again suddenly felt ridiculous to him.

When logical arguments didn’t immediately work, Mason’s quietly clingy side completely came out.

He started listing entirely reasonable, highly calculated reasons why she should just stay.

"You already have clothes in my closet," Mason pointed out, holding up a finger. "Your toothbrush is already on my bathroom counter. You know exactly where the coffee mugs are."

Audrey crossed her arms. "I can buy a new toothbrush."

"My kitchen has the food you actually like," Mason continued, completely ignoring her. "I know exactly how you take your coffee. You already know my work schedule."

He stepped right into her personal space. He looked down into her eyes, completely dropping the casual banter.

"And," Mason murmured softly, "I like waking up and knowing you’re here."

Audrey stared up at him. Her heart did a massive, heavy flip in her chest.

"That’s emotional manipulation," Audrey accused quietly.

"I’m stating facts," Mason replied smoothly.

"You’re trying to convince me."

"It’s working?" Mason asked, a tiny, arrogant smirk touching the corner of his lips.

Audrey bit the inside of her cheek. She tried so hard not to smile.

She completely failed.

Audrey took a breath and asked the real, heavy question that was bothering her.

"Do you just want me to stay because you’re afraid I’ll leave again?" Audrey asked softly.

Mason’s smirk vanished. He became entirely serious.

He looked at her for a long moment. He didn’t lie to her.

"Part of me probably is afraid," Mason admitted quietly. "But that isn’t the only reason."

He reached out and gently tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered against her warm cheek.

He wanted her there because he simply liked having a life with her. He didn’t want her to stay because he was desperately trying to replace the seven years they had lost. He wasn’t trying to rush her into a hasty marriage to lock her down.

After all the chaos, the heartbreak, and the massive corporate responsibilities, he just wanted the incredibly ordinary things.

He wanted to eat breakfast together in the quiet kitchen. He wanted to come home from a stressful board meeting and see her sitting on the couch. He wanted to argue over what movie to watch on a Tuesday night. He just wanted the simple peace of knowing she was in the next room.

"I spent seven years without you, Audrey," Mason whispered, his thumb brushing her cheekbone. "I don’t want to spend another night pretending I don’t want you beside me."

That completely got her. Her defensive walls crumbled into dust.

Audrey leaned into his touch for a second before stepping back. She still needed to establish a boundary, even a small one.

"I am not ready to officially move in," Audrey told him strictly.

Mason slowly dropped his hand. He accepted it. "Okay."

But then, Audrey looked at her suitcase.

"I can stay tonight," Audrey offered quietly.

His entire face instantly changed. The heavy tension in his shoulders completely evaporated.

"Tonight?" Mason asked.

"Don’t look so happy," Audrey warned, pointing a finger at him.

"I’m not," Mason lied effortlessly.

He was absolutely, entirely happy.

Audrey laughed. It was a bright, warm sound that filled the massive penthouse.

"And maybe tomorrow," Audrey added casually.

Mason raised a dark eyebrow. "Maybe?"

"Don’t push your luck, Calloway," Audrey shot back.

"I’m being patient," Mason defended himself.

"You are terrible at being patient."

"I’ve been waiting seven years," Mason pointed out logically.

Audrey opened her mouth to argue, but completely closed it again. She had absolutely no comeback for that.

They ordered takeout for dinner.

There was no dramatic setting. There was no huge, tearful romantic declaration. It was just the two of them, sitting at the kitchen island, existing in the exact same space again.

Audrey picked up a piece of chicken with her fork. Before she could eat it, Mason casually reached over and stole it right off her plate.

Audrey gasped. She immediately reached over and stole a large handful of his fries.

Mason frowned. "Hey."

"You’re lucky I let you eat anything at all," Audrey told him, popping a fry into her mouth.

Mason complained, but he was smiling.

Audrey noticed exactly how natural the entire moment felt. It was a tiny callback to their early college days, when he used to sit in the newsroom and steal her terrible cafeteria food just to annoy her.

This time, though, there was absolutely no fake relationship. There was no campus gossip forcing them together. There was no pretending they didn’t care.

They were simply together. And it felt perfect.

When it was time for bed, Audrey grabbed her small overnight bag and walked toward the hallway.

She opened the door to the guest room.

Mason stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall, watching her.

"You’re seriously sleeping in there?" Mason asked.

Audrey dropped her bag on the bed and turned around. "Yes."

"We’re dating again," Mason reminded her.

"Exactly," Audrey smiled.

He raised a dark eyebrow. "That doesn’t make sense."

"It makes perfect sense," Audrey countered.

She stepped back and grabbed the door handle. She pulled the heavy bedroom door shut, cutting off his entirely unimpressed face.

She stood alone in the quiet guest room for three seconds.

Then, she reached out and pulled the door open again.

Mason was still standing in the exact same spot in the hallway. He hadn’t moved an inch.

"Goodnight," Audrey said softly.

His annoyed expression completely softened. The deep affection in his eyes was undeniable.

"Goodnight, Audrey," Mason replied.

She hesitated, her hand resting on the wooden doorframe.

"Mason?" Audrey asked.

"Yeah?"

She smiled softly. "I’m not leaving tomorrow."

His smile was tiny, but it was absolutely devastating.

"I know," Mason murmured.

Audrey lay in the large bed in the guest room, staring up at the dark ceiling.

For seven long years, she had spent countless nights imagining exactly what it would feel like to finally have Mason back. She had always expected massive fireworks. She expected wild, overwhelming drama and intense passion.

Instead, lying in his quiet bedroom, it just felt strangely ordinary.

It felt comfortable. It felt completely safe.

She closed her eyes and smiled into her pillow.

Meanwhile, across the penthouse, Mason was lying on his back in his own bedroom. The room was dark, except for the bright glow of his cell phone screen.

He was looking at the list of apartments Audrey had saved earlier.

He scrolled through the small, overpriced city apartments. He tapped on one. He looked at the tiny kitchen.

He closed the browser page.

Two seconds later, he opened it again.

He sighed and tossed the phone onto his nightstand. He knew she wanted her own place. He knew she needed her independence, and he would absolutely respect her boundaries out loud.

But internally?

Absolutely not.

Mason had waited seven years to get Audrey back. He knew she needed her independence, and he would give it to her.

But wanting her beside him every morning?

That, apparently, was something he had no intention of getting over.