30. Marcus
30
Marcus
Lauren’s smiling face disappears in an instant as I turn the phone over on the white tablecloth. For some reason, it feels like I just committed a grave sin. Remorse fills my stomach. I try to cancel that sensation by focusing on the woman in front of me.
“Why don’t you answer it? She’s going to keep calling,” Harper says, annoyance filling her face. “This is like, what, the fourth time since we’ve been sitting here?”
“I’d rather not,” I reply simply.
“Why is that?” She cocks her head at me. “Why can’t you answer Gabriel’s little sister in front of me?”
“For goodness sake, Harper, don’t start. We’ve been having a good time reconnecting. Let’s just keep things pleasant, shall we?”
Her annoyance fades, replaced by a soft smirk. “Is she one of them?”
“One of who?”
“The notches on your bedpost.” She smiles outright. “I heard how busy you’ve been. ”
It’s such a pity we just finished the main course. I’m already on the verge of signaling for the check, and not only because of Harper’s audacity. With every minute that passes, my concern keeps rising, inching toward an unbearable point.
Why is Lauren calling so often?
Concerning her safety, I’m sure things are fine. I’d have heard from Gabriel otherwise. It’s definitely personal. What could it be—
“Hellooo…”
“I haven’t slept with Lauren,” I reply, my response coming out as a snap. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
Harper tsks softly. “That must be truly disappointing. For her, I mean. I remember when we started dating back in high school and she used to follow you around with those googly eyes. Even back then, I had a feeling she’d give it up to you in a heartbeat if you wanted her.”
I don’t want to think about Lauren giving me anything. In fact, I’ve only just gotten a handle on controlling the violent temptation to take what I want.
“Mhmm.” She’s staring at me with narrowed eyes.
“What?”
“Just waiting for you to say something along the lines of…” She shrugs. “I don’t know, something like, ‘Oh, please. I’m sure Lauren didn’t feel that way’ or ‘Even if she had a crush, she’s long over it’.”
She stops talking long enough for me to glance at the source of a clinking on the table beside us. An elderly gentleman sits, bored-looking, tapping the wine glass with a spoon while his dinner partner and her friends excitedly drone on about something. Like me, he probably wishes he was somewhere else.
“You can’t even look at me,” Harper grumbles .
With a sigh, I turn my head and stare directly at her. “Why are we doing this?” I ask. We were having a decent conversation before my phone started ringing. I didn’t take the call. Harper heard or saw nothing to explain this odd interrogation.
“Did you know?”
“Know what?” I ask impatiently.
“About her crush on you.”
A server interrupts to clear our table, and the tension gets put on hold. Harper relaxes as another server immediately follows with our second course. His white-gloved hand flicks as he elaborately rests the plates down, then he backs away after a gentle bow. She smiles at his back then shoots that same look at me.
“I forgot to mention how nice this place was,” she comments. “Thanks for taking me here.”
As if she’d settle for any less, especially with all the hints she’d been throwing all week. Ever since I called and asked her out, our chat has been flooded with screenshots of all the fancy restaurants in downtown Manhattan. This seafood restaurant would not be a personal preference, but it has two Michelin stars. With her high standards, I knew she wouldn’t settle for anything less.
It’s already exhausting, trying to please her. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life doing this.
“I’m glad you like it,” is all I say as my cell phone rings again. It’s not Lauren this time. Without even turning over the phone, I know it’s not the ring tone I’d set for her.
Her smile dwindles a bit. “Tonight would be perfect if you’d answer that pesky phone.”
To nip any other tension in the bud, I flip it over then press the button to turn it off. “Happy? ”
“Fantastic.”
“Now, can we go back to enjoying the night?”
A blatant lie. I’m not enjoying the night. Reconnecting with Harper is not fun as I’m letting on. This feels so forced, so suffocating. I can’t even be remotely comfortable now that I see Lauren calling me so much. I’m dying to know what’s going on with her, but I’m a gentleman. I tuck that concern aside and give Harper my undivided attention.
Finally, I pay the bill and try not to hurry Harper toward the coat check. Her cell phone rings as I help her get into her jacket. She freezes with her arm halfway through the sleeve, then, after a beat, she yanks it out again.
“I need to take this,” she says urgently. Without waiting for my response, she dashes toward the restroom.
Her action gives me an unpleasant flashback that makes my stomach churn. The times when she’d disappear off the grid for hours, sometimes days, the weird behavior that usually followed her return, Noah running into her at that resort—it all started with those secret phone calls.
Just like this one.
With my hands jammed in my pockets, I rock on my heels, my eyes trained on the ladies’ room door. Two minutes go by. Three. Four.
Five.
I scrub my face wearily as she finally emerges with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on her. Fuck. She didn’t smile that brightly throughout the entire time we’ve been here. She bounces up to me, looking like a child who has just gotten a bag of their favorite gummy worms.
“Ready to go?” she asks gaily. I nod silently, but she doesn’t even notice.
Oh, Dad. I love you to bits and I’d love to honor your wish, but I’m not sure I can do this. Not with her .
Or anyone.
My heart is finally back in one piece. There’s no way I’m going to risk getting it shattered again.