16. June #5
“What, you can’t be serious? You’re not even going to give me two weeks?”
“I’m giving you more of a notice than you gave me, so if anything, you’re welcome. I got a couple hours, you’re getting what, twenty-four?”
“That’s absurd, you can’t?—”
I cut him off. “I can, and I will. I don’t appreciate being taken for granted, Jack.
I understand you have a business to run, but you chose a shit employee over the best one you have, and that’s on you.
I’ll be in Saturday to pick up my check.
” I disconnect the line, not at all bothered by anything else he might have to say.
“That was…badass.” Magnus raises his hand for a high-five.
I slap it back, a smile spreading across my face.
Damn, that felt good. Cutting out crappy people from your life can be hella liberating.
A bit scary though, because I rely on them for money, which in turn is how the world goes round.
Still, I cherish the blip of joy it brings me to basically tell Jack to shove it.
“Come on, princess.” Magnus weaves his fingers around mine and pulls me out of the kitchen and along a hallway I haven’t been yet.
It suddenly dawns on me that there are so many parts of this house I have yet to explore, and here I am, committed to living in it for the next month. I guess I have time to get acquainted with it, especially if I’ll be spending most of my time stuck inside.
He opens a door, flips a light switch, and leads me down a set of stairs. We go around a dimly lit corner and through another opening.
My eyes take a second to adjust, but when they do, I spot the various cream-colored leather chairs and couches arranged around the room. A bar is located in the back corner, fully stocked and neatly organized like everything else in this house.
He reaches for a remote, pushing a button to illuminate the recessed lighting in the ceiling. Bright white beams out, allowing me to fully see the attention to detail that was taken here.
“It’s been a while since we’ve used this room,” he tells me. “Not since, well, you know.”
“The war.”
“Yeah.” Magnus pokes the thing again, turning on the projector. “We’ve been a bit occupied.”
“Do you need to go?” I crane my thumb at the door. “Don’t let me keep you.”
“Nothing pressing needs my attention.” He places his hand on the small of my back and nudges me toward the couch. “You’re stuck with me.”
I let out a chuckle. “I could think of worse things.”
“No kidding.” He plops down next to me. “What do you wanna watch?”
I sink into the comfortable, plush sofa, wondering how much this thing costs. It fits the room perfectly, telling me that either the room was designed for the furniture, or the other way around. “Something funny?”
I haven’t watched a movie in ages. Between not having a television in my bedroom at my old place and my budget not exactly movie theater friendly, it didn’t leave much in the way of catching a flick.
He scrolls through a selection and stops. “What about the new Ryan Reynolds one?”
I shrug, not entirely sure which one he’s referring to. “That works.”
Magnus side-eyes me. “You sure, princess?”
“Mmhmm.” I pull my legs up onto the couch and relax into it. He could put on whatever he wanted and I’d be content. It’s rare that I get to do something like this.
“I think you’ll like it. It’s not out for another three weeks.” Magnus clicks another button and pauses the screen. “Popcorn?” He jumps over the back of the couch and glides across the room to an old-fashioned popcorn maker I’m only now noticing. “Something to drink?”
I sigh and rest my face on the cushion, watching him move around with ease. “I’ll have whatever you’re having.”
He finishes up at the machine and walks over to finger a few of the bottles until he finds the one he’s looking for. “This is no Hawk’s Mark, but it’s pretty good.”
I squint to take a better look. “Is that Tremblan?”
“Yeah.” He holds the thing out toward me. “You ever had it?”
“Once. It’s pretty tasty.” Not as expensive as Hawk’s, but still too rich for my blood.
The room fills with the scent of buttery popped corn as the machine spits out little puffs of deliciousness. Magnus pours two glasses of the brown liquid and brings them over, then goes back to retrieve a bucket of popcorn. He hops onto the couch and tosses a piece into his mouth.
“You ready?” A look of complete contentment settles on his face, telling me that it’s been a bit since he’s found comfort in such a mundane evening, too.
I take a sip of my drink and nod. “Thank you.”
“Of course, princess. Anything for you.” With the flick of a finger, Magnus shuts the lights off and turns the movie on.
It doesn’t take long for the two of us to polish off our snacks, especially with the mini popcorn war we had at the beginning of the show. He refills our drinks shortly after, and settles into the couch with his arm splayed out for me to join him.
I settle into the crook and bring my legs out to the side on the deep seat. I place my hand to my stomach, resting it on top of my aching uterus.