Secretly Hers (Sterling Canyon)(33)

 

“Or maybe he’s just impressed because he never expected much from you, considering . . .” Mason left the rest unsaid.

 

But Trip knew how that sentence ended. He’d overheard it from Deb many times, always muttered out of earshot of his father. What can you expect from him, considering he’s the son of a whore?

 

It had always astounded Trip that she and Mason liked to blame the entire affair on his mother, who’d been an unmarried girl of twenty-four, instead of on the married man who’d actually betrayed them.

 

“Well, Dad’s little plan is off to a great start.” Trip forced a grin. “How long are you in town?”

 

“Leaving today.”

 

“Guess you don’t have time for a beer and round of pool, then?” Trip’s sarcasm colored his words. He rested his hands on his hips. “Don’t worry, though. I’ll make sure Dad knows you came to see me. And, hey, we didn’t break any windows this time, so that’s progress.”

 

Trip noticed Mason’s uncomfortable reaction to the recollection of the fight they’d had. Mason had walked in on his then-fiancée, Jen, alone with Trip in their dad’s study. It had been an innocent scenario, one in which Jen merely had been trying to learn a little about Trip because they’d never met. But Mason had immediately concluded that Trip had been out to sabotage his relationship.

 

He’d ordered Jen out of the room before barraging Trip with a slew of heated accusations. Naturally Trip’s glib sarcasm had only enraged Mason, prompting him to toss a thick marble ashtray across the room. The projectile smashed through the palladium window, costing Mason a thousand bucks, not to mention his pride.

 

“I should’ve followed my instincts that day and called off the wedding. Could’ve saved myself a lot of aggravation and money.” Mason’s words were full of bravado, but Trip noticed a flicker of real pain in his eyes.

 

From what their dad had told him at lunch the other week, Jen might’ve been unfaithful. The parallel with how the Cutler family had been significantly altered by their dad’s infidelity had probably rekindled all of Mason’s antipathy toward Trip. For one second, he felt a trace of compassion for the insecure bully who’d tormented him for decades. Trip also knew Mason’s girls would now suffer because of the family split—a kind of loss Trip could relate to.

 

“All our shit aside, Mason, I’m sorry your girls have to go through a divorce.” Trip relaxed his posture in an effort to dispel the tension in the room.

 

“Concerned ‘Uncle Gunner’ now?” Mason sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced out the window. In a quiet tone, he muttered, “Like you’d even recognize either of my girls if you saw them.”

 

Trip raised his hands in the air. “I give up. Honestly, I’ve never been able to win with you. Not at ten, not at twenty, and not now. I wish I knew what the hell I ever did to make you hate me so much.”

 

Mason’s incredulous expression stunned Trip. He stared at his brother, trying to read his thoughts.

 

Eventually Mason shook his head, and when he spoke, his voice was oddly wistful. “My parents were happy until you arrived and ruined everything. For God’s sake, my poor mom had to deal with Dad’s garbage while having to help raise you. Imagine how she felt.” Trip refrained from commenting that he didn’t have to imagine, because Deb had never kept it a secret from anyone but her husband. When Mason spoke again, his tone had sharpened with disgust. “And Dad fell all over himself to make you feel part of our family. He just loved that you were so much more like him than I was, and you loved taking him away from us.”

 

“No, Mason. That part was all in your head.” Trip held up his hand to stop Mason’s oncoming retort. “Trust me, I never wanted your life, and I didn’t enjoy living in a house where the resentment was thicker than mud.” Trip glanced at his feet and then back at Mason. “You know, when my mom introduced me to Dad, I was terrified. She was dying, my grandfather was sad all the time. I didn’t know, or care about, this strange new man in my life. Everything sucked except for one thought—suddenly I had a big brother. The way Dad talked about you made me excited to meet you. But you never even gave me a chance to be a friend, let alone a brother. Given your feelings about me, I’d assume my staying away would’ve made it easier on you. Instead, you slam me for being neglectful. At this point I give up. Let’s just go on avoiding each other like always.”