Katrina Johnson

I rubbed my eyes as I let out a big yawn before resting my head on the kitchen counter. I wasn't even that drunk but still, I woke up with a stupid headache and lots of remorse. I should have come straight home when my plane landed instead of asking Noah to drop me at Mason's firm. That was a huge mistake.

"So, a white boy huh?"

I looked up at Noah and glared "Your girlfriend is white. Since when do we speak like that in this household? White and black?"

"We don't. You do." He smiled giving me a plate of bacon omelet and a glass of orange juice.

It was true. I must have been the only one with a complex in this house. Noah had a steady girlfriend for a few years now, and even Scarlet didn't care about a person's race or ethnicity, she just looked at their souls. But me? I only tried dating black men. That was sick, right? I guess I was messed up in my own kind of way. I wasn't racist at all, I was just protecting myself. Gregory Carson taught me that I would never belong.

"Eat your food before it gets cold." Noah sat across from me and started eating his breakfast.

"How is Tory anyway?"

"We broke up." He said flatly and rolled his eyes "She was sent to our Australian office as a chief editor. She was so happy and I was so proud of her..." He shook his head "But next thing I know she's breaking up with me because she can't do long-distance relationships! Funny huh?"

"Not at all. that's... sad, cruel, inconsiderate. I can't believe she would break up with you after four years!"

"It's no big deal really. What matters is she's living her dream. I'm happy for her."

"Wait, how are you being okay with this? You're taking it so well!"

"I wasn't okay with it. But I can't force anyone to be with me or love me, Kat, that's not who I am. Of course, it was painful, it still is in a way. I miss her so damn much but being sad won't change anything. She made up her mind so..."

"Yeah, she did. How long has it been?"

"Almost a month." He downed his orange juice and smiled at me. "Don't worry about me, I promise I'm fine."

"I know you are, Noah. You're probably the strongest person I know but I'm sad you didn't tell me sooner, I could have been there for you."

"You have enough on your plate. Working for Williams and his brat of a daughter isn't easy."

He chuckled shaking his head. Noah had met the Williams family on many occasions and had to work on an article with Natalie about all the charity they did. He went through hell and came back a few times due to her bitchy attitude. I always thought she had a crush on him as she kept asking about him for a while.

"Williams is a good man, his daughter though..." I laughed "Don't worry though, payback is a bitch" I winked and he laughed heartedly.

"What about the golden boy?"

"Mason?"

"Oh... no, I wasn't talking about your boyfriend. I meant Williams' son, I forgot his name."

"Benjamin," I said with a smile "He's away on business, and he's a real sweetheart."

We talked for a while longer until Noah had to go to the office. It was nice spending alone time with him. Before he moved out for college, he was my best friend. We did everything together. I missed those days of innocence and ignorance. After college, mom made him move back in, saying it was too much for her heart that her three kids were away. He still owns a pad in Manhattan but only stays there when he works too late or needs some privacy.

Lingering around the house with nothing to do, I kept checking my phone wanting to see a text or call from Mason, but nothing. I went on the gossip page on IG and saw the posts were deleted. HE deleted them and didn't even bother telling me. I didn't know what being friends with him meant, I knew that I talked to my friends on a daily basis, so shouldn't he call or text? I carefully locked my phone in a drawer and got comfy in bed binge-watching my series on Netflix just to keep my mind occupied.

"Kat? We're home!"

I stretched in bed looking at the time, it was already 6 PM. I sat up looking at all the snacks scattered around and jumped out of bed to clean everything before my mom saw this crime scene. She would give me an earful. Cleaning everything including myself was successfully done in only ten minutes. I was so proud of myself as I walked out of my room and into the kitchen where mom was already starting dinner and dad was sitting on a barstool working on his computer.

"I missed you so much!" I ran to my dad and gave him a bear hug. When I got to the airport, Noah dropped me at Mason's firm so I didn't get to see my parents until this very moment. And it felt so good to be in my dad's arms, feeling loved and safe.

"Kitty, it's a pleasure to have you home. I wish you could come more often!"

"I'll do my best daddy." I turned to face mom and hugged her tightly, she was the most beautiful kind-hearted human I ever knew. She wasn't just a mother to me, she was my role model and my closest friend. "Are making me my favorite?"

"Oh come here you precious thing!" She gave me a bone-crushing hug before pecking my cheek "I'll have a talk with Mr. Williams, he has to let my baby come home more often."

I smiled and took a seat next to my dad. This was my happy place, here in this room with these people. I vowed to myself that I'll do my best and come home more often because, in the end, there was no better place than home and family. Noah joined us soon after and we had a nice family dinner in our backyard. All was going fine until Noah had to be an ass and mention Mason. I rolled my eyes and hoped they'll just let it go but that wasn't what they had in mind for me.

"Mason Walton..." My dad smiled "I knew his dad. We were together in high school. Zachary Walton was the big bad boy of them all. He had all the girls swooning... Even as an adult he was known as the biggest playboy and always ended up in the tabloids."

"Yes, but he fell in love with his assistant... He fell pretty hard" Noah interjected.

"Isn't he the guy you had an interview with the other day?" My mom asked Noah as she set the strawberry cake on the table.

"The one and only. He's a very nice man, he loves his family and..." Noah glanced at me "He is kind of hard on his son, not wanting him to make the same mistakes." We held each other gazes "He's kind of a playboy as well, that's what I've heard anyway."

I looked away not wanting them to notice it kind of hurt me to hear that. Deep down I kind of knew he was a playboy and only wanted to spend a night with me, but I just didn't want to believe it. I wanted to believe that I was special and he really liked me for who I was and not how I looked. Mom must have picked up on my mood swing and changed the subject swiftly talking about Scarlett and telling us all to manage to be here on Christmas in a couple of months. I was grateful and sent her a thankful smile.

The next morning I was pulled out of bed by Noah who wanted to have coffee with me before work. I complained nonstop but he wouldn't have it. He drove us to our favorite coffee shop by CP. We used to go there all the time when we were still silly irresponsible kids. I smiled when we went inside and saw how they changed the décor but kept the same spirit.

"Thank you," I whispered and he smiled.

"I knew you'd like it, it's been so long hasn't it?"

"It has and I miss home so damn much."

"Maybe you should come back?" It was our turn to order so he moved closer to the counter while I took a look around my eyes landing on a very handsome familiar man. I froze looking at Mason sitting with a woman sipping coffee and smiling. It felt like someone jabbed at my heart with a pointed stick. I took a step back with a frown, not liking how I was feeling. I shouldn't be feeling all these things. I looked up again and our eyes met. I didn't need to look into a mirror to know my eyes were accusing, while his were full of guilt.

"Your coffee my lady," Noah gave me my cup and frowned when he noticed the look in my eyes, "What's going on?"

I turned around to face him with a smile plastered on my face, "Nothing. Thanks for the coffee Noah,"

He didn't believe me and looked around only to find Mason sitting there and still looking at us. Noah scoffed and grabbed my hand in his before pulling me outside.

"I thought I was clear enough last night. He's a playboy Kat!"

"And you think I don't know that? There's nothing going on between us Noah, we're just friends!"

"Bullshit! I saw you the other night. You were so drunk you couldn't see the way he was looking at you!"

I shook my head not wanting to fight with Noah. "Maybe, but I made it pretty clear that I didn't want to be in a relationship with him. I told him we were just friends and he agreed."

"I don't quite believe he agreed, but I have faith in you. I know you'll do the right thing."

Noah gave me a hug and left for work leaving me standing there all alone like an idiot. I looked back at the glass window but saw Mason's table empty. Letting out a sigh, I was ready to leave when a hand grasped mine tightly.

"Katrina Johnson, what an honor." He smiled and the woman beside him was sending daggers my way.

"Good morning, Mason. I didn't want to interrupt your date, so I just stepped outside." I smiled back ignoring the brunette giving me all these weird looks.

"Date?" He raised an eyebrow and looked beside him "Kat, this is Eloise. She's the daughter of my mom's best friend. It was the first time I meet her. Eloise, this is Katrina, my... friend."

"Nice to meet you" Eloise mumbled barely looking at me.

"Likewise. Anyway, it was nice seeing you. Have a good day!"

"Not so fast!" He caught my arm again and pulled me back to him before I had the chance to flee. We were nose to nose and his arm was wrapped securely around my waist. I could feel the warmth of his body even with all the layers separating us. I looked at him and saw a triumphant smile draw itself on his lips as he leaned closer and closer. I didn't want this... but I didn't want to stop him either. I could push him away, but my brain didn't want to order my body to move.

Mason's lips were barely touching mine, "Gotcha..." He whispered before dipping his head and capturing my lips with his. Kissing me ever so softly, taking me to another world. A world where there was no one but us. Mason Walton and Katrina Johnson. No one else.