Chapter 164: The Little Things

Chapter 164: Chapter 164: The Little Things

Audrey hit the spacebar and stared at her glowing screen. A tall shadow fell across her desk, blocking the overhead light. She looked up and narrowed her eyes.

Mason was walking toward her. He wore a sharp charcoal suit and looked far too relaxed for a man navigating a chaotic newsroom. He had a legitimate reason to be in the building. Calloway Football Group was renegotiating a press access deal with the sports editor, Marcus. But the sports desk was on the far side of the floor.

"Why are you coming over here?" Audrey asked.

"I am saying hello to my girlfriend," Mason replied.

"You could have said hello from over there."

"I could have."

He reached her desk anyway. His hand settled right on her waist. He did not make a show of it. It was just a quiet, grounding touch that felt as natural as breathing.

Audrey looked down at his hand, then back up at his face.

"You are at my workplace."

"I know."

"People are watching."

Mason glanced casually around the bullpen. Dozens of reporters were typing, talking on phones, and drinking stale coffee. "They are journalists. They are always watching."

Audrey rolled her eyes. But she did not push his hand away.

Mason was naturally affectionate with her. He didn’t make a show of it. His hand simply stayed at her waist as she worked, his thumb occasionally brushing against her side..

Audrey continued typing an email with one hand. "Are you going to let go?"

"No."

She looked at him. "Why?"

"I like holding you."

Audrey pressed her lips together, fighting a smile. "You are clingy."

"With you."

That shut her up for approximately three seconds. She went back to her keyboard. "You are still annoying."

Mason leaned down and kissed her temple. "You like me."

"Unfortunately."

"You keep saying that while smiling."

She dropped her smile instantly. She stared blankly at her monitor. "I am not smiling."

"You are."

"Am I interrupting?"

Audrey looked up. Greg from the copy desk was standing a few feet away. He held a manila folder and looked awkwardly between the two of them.

"No," Audrey said.

"Yes," Mason said at the exact same time.

Audrey turned toward him. "Mason."

Mason offered Greg a polite, innocent smile. Greg cleared his throat, dropped the folder on the very edge of her desk, and practically sprinted back to his own cubicle.

"You terrify my coworkers," Audrey noted.

"I just said yes."

Mason looked down at the chaotic pile of folders, sticky notes, and empty coffee cups covering her workspace. He frowned.

"Have you eaten?"

Audrey did not answer. She clicked another tab on her browser.

Mason narrowed his eyes. "Audrey."

"I am fine."

He reached over, picked up her phone from the desk, and checked the screen. "It is almost three."

"I know."

"You haven’t eaten."

"I was busy."

He sighed. He placed his hand against the back of her chair. "Come on."

"I have work."

"You can work after lunch."

"Mason, I have a strict deadline."

He bent down and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Please."

Audrey stared at him in disbelief. "Did you just use a kiss to manipulate me?"

Mason smirked. "Did it work?"

She let out a frustrated breath. She closed her laptop with a firm click. "I hate you."

"No, you don’t."

They walked down the street to a small cafe on the corner. The afternoon lunch rush had died down, leaving plenty of empty tables. When they found a booth in the back, Mason did not sit across from her. He slid into the curved leather seat right beside her. He draped his arm along the back of the booth.

Audrey ordered a turkey sandwich. The moment the waiter walked away, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and started scrolling through her inbox.

Mason gently took the phone right out of her hand.

"No work," Mason instructed.

"Give it back."

"Five minutes."

"Mason."

He slipped the phone into his jacket pocket. "Talk to me."

She stared at him. "You are unbelievable."

"And you are ignoring your boyfriend."

Audrey laughed. She gave up the fight and leaned her shoulder against his chest. He kissed the top of her head.

"How was the meeting with Marcus?" Audrey asked.

"Boring," Mason said. "He wants more exclusive locker room access. I told him he can have it if his reporters stop asking my players about their dating lives."

"Good luck with that. Gossip pays the bills."

The food arrived. Audrey grabbed a napkin and started eating her sandwich. Mason had only ordered a black coffee, but he immediately reached across the table and stole a French fry from her plate.

She swatted his hand. "Order your own."

"Yours taste better."

"They are just potatoes."

"They are stolen potatoes," Mason corrected. "It enhances the flavor."

He popped the fry into his mouth. Audrey just shook her head and kept eating.

"Anything new?" Mason asked, stealing another fry.

He was asking about the investigation. He kept his tone casual. He did not lean in and whisper. He just asked a normal question.

"Not yet," Audrey answered honestly. "Ben and Daisy are running down a lead on Adrian Cole. We are waiting to see what pans out."

"Okay."

He did not interrogate her. He did not give a long speech about Miles or his father’s expectations. He did not tell her to be careful or warn her to stop digging. He simply reached over and squeezed her hand.

"We will deal with it when there is something to deal with," Mason said.

Then he stole a third fry.

Audrey pushed her plate an inch to the left, guarding her food. "You are a menace."

"I am starving."

"Then order a sandwich."

"I prefer yours."

They spent the next thirty minutes arguing about fries, office politics, and dinner plans. It was normal. It was easy. Audrey realized she hadn’t thought about 2019 financial records or corporate cover-ups since she left her desk.

An hour later, they walked back toward the newspaper building. The afternoon sun broke through the clouds, warming the pavement.

Mason kept his arm firmly around her shoulders. His thumb drew lazy, comforting circles on her coat.

"You are going to make everyone think you are incapable of walking without touching me," Audrey complained.

"That is because I am," Mason replied easily.

She laughed, bumping her hip against his as they walked.

They reached the glass doors of the newspaper lobby. People were rushing in and out, carrying coffees and briefcases. Mason stopped her before she could walk inside the building.

"One more," Mason said.

"One more what?"

He kissed her. It was quick and sweet, a soft press of lips in the middle of the busy sidewalk. Then he released her.

Audrey looked up at him. "Happy?"

"Very."

She shook her head and walked inside. Mason followed her through the security turnstiles. They walked toward the elevator banks. Her desk was to the left, and the sports department was down the hall to the right.

Just before she reached her desk, Mason reached out. His hand briefly caught hers. Their fingers tangled together for just two seconds.

She looked back over her shoulder.

He smiled.

She smiled back.

Then he turned toward the sports department, and Audrey sat back down at her desk to get to work.