Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
MARCUS
FEbrUARY
Ismirk down at Jeremy, who’s adorably shifting from one pink Conversed foot to the other.
Sabrina and I had some stuff to talk about, so she told me to come to her place for drinks and to bring Jeremy.
Even though he knows Sabrina and I aren’t actually engaged and that she’s also a lesbian with a girlfriend, he’s still a little prickly, so he took forever putting himself together tonight.
Jealous Jeremy looks hot as fuck in his tight jeans and button-down, so I’m not really complaining.
“What?” Jeremy asks, giving me a playful shove.
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
He stops in the deserted hallway. “Uh-uh. Tell me or I’m not going.”
I shrug. “Jealousy just looks good on you, that’s all.”
“I am not jealous.”
“Right.”
He huffs in annoyance, and we start walking again. Jeremy slides his smaller hand into mine, squeezing so hard our knuckles grind, and a little spark flutters through my stomach at his possessiveness.
When we get to the apartment door, I knock and we only wait a minute before Sabrina opens it.
She’s stunning as always in relaxed jeans and a soft-looking oversized pink sweater, her curly hair loose around her shoulders, and glasses, which I’ve never seen her wear.
She gives me a warm smile and steps forward.
“Roy, darling,” she says in a mocking voice and sweeps me into an enthusiastic hug, which is a little awkward because Jeremy refuses to release my hand. “Hello again, Jeremy,” she says as she pulls back and gives him a kind smile.
Jeremy furrows his brows in confusion. “Roy?”
Sabrina giggles and moves aside so we can enter the apartment. “When we met, I thought he looked like Roy Kent from Ted Lasso.”
At that, Jeremy perks up a little. “I thought that too!”
Before Jeremy can take his coat off, Sabrina sweeps him into a hug so quickly that he drops my hand this time. “I’m really glad you’re here. I know we’ve texted a few times since we met, but I wanted to make sure that everything is okay with you.”
Jeremy’s eyes soften a little.
“I’m so sorry, kid. She’s a hugger.” Laura stands up from the couch, holding a wine glass in one hand as she approaches us. “But don’t worry because I’m not. I won’t invade your personal space like that.” She’s also wearing jeans and a sweater, but hers is rainbow striped.
Sabrina rolls her eyes as she releases Jeremy and goes to the kitchen, opening the fridge to pull out a bottle of white wine.
“You hug me all the time,” she says pointedly.
“That’s different. It’s my obligation as your lesbian lover.”
“True that, I suppose.” Sabrina opens the wine with a fancy wine opener and starts to pour.
“I’m Laura,” Laura says with a small smile.
Jeremy’s eyes drop shyly but he nods in greeting, and I step forward and shake her hand.
Sabrina turns to us with two generously filled crystal glasses. “Is Pinot Gris okay?”
We both nod, and Jeremy picks up the bottle, studying the label. His eyes widen. “Is this actually Gravner?”
Laura gives him a disgusted look. “Yes, we were trying to get rid of it because Sabrina’s father gave it to her as a bribe.”
“Is this really good wine or something?” I ask.
Jeremy nods frantically while Laura shakes her head.
I stare at them in confusion. “So which is it?”
“It’s a two-hundred-dollar bottle of wine,” Jeremy sputters.
“That’s cheap for my future daddy-in-law,” Laura says as Jeremy stares at her slack-jawed.
“He gifted Sabrina the bottle while serving us a two-thousand-dollar French wine during Christmas dinner.” She lets out a giggle.
“Joke’s on him. We nicked another bottle of the French stuff from his wine cellar before we left. ”
“Wow,” Jeremy says, eyeing Laura with something akin to respect. “Rich people are wild.”
I take a sip and look over at Sabrina. “Hold up. You took Laura home for Christmas?”
“It was just one dinner because Daddy Dearest had to catch a flight to London,” she says, her tone condescending. “But, yeah, he thinks she’s my roommate.”
Jeremy chokes on his wine, covering his mouth as he coughs and laughs at the same time. “I’m sorry. Is he stupid?”
Sabrina winks at me. “Probably not, but he’s definitely in denial.”
Laura and Sabrina move to the couch, and we follow suit. Jeremy nestles into my side as I sling my arm behind him. It feels good to be ourselves around people other than Tristan and Marion.
Sabrina leans forward eagerly. “So, I have an interview tomorrow. I guarantee they’ll want the scoop on how we got engaged. Shall we get our story straight?”
I grimace and glance at Jeremy, who’s fidgeting with a thread on his jeans. I place my hand over his and he stills. “Well, it probably has to be boring, considering our audience.”
“Yeah, our fathers would never approve of the way Laura asked me.”
Jeremy sits up straighter. “You’re already engaged?”
Sabrina blushes and Laura nods. “Yeah, it’s just kind of a secret—for now,” Laura says with a smirk.
“How did you do it?” I swear I can see hearts in Jeremy’s eyes as he leans in to listen, and it makes me nervous for some reason, like I can hear the wheels of matrimony turning in his pretty little head.
“At a Taylor Swift concert, of course.”
“Yeah!” Sabrina cuts in, her voice almost a squeal. “She dropped down on one knee just as ‘Love Story’ started.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I ask.
“That’s so romantic,” Jeremy says with a sigh.
“It is?” He elbows me, and I clear my throat. “I mean, it sounds great, but obviously not what we’re going to orchestrate.” I look between the three of them. “Right?”
Sabrina grimaces. “No, you’re right. Our dads are dull, rich assholes, so something more traditional, probably.” She twists a gold diamond-studded band around her ring finger thoughtfully.
“Is that the ring?” Jeremy asks hesitantly.
Sabrina giggles. “Yes, but it’s the one Laura gave me.”
“Oh, can I see?” Jeremy leans forward, his hair falling over his eyes.
Sabrina snuggles in next to Jeremy to show him her finger. He takes her hand, angling it toward one of the table lamps. The piece glitters in the warm light, a large diamond front and center.
“It’s stunning,” Jeremy says, eyeing it appreciatively.
I blow out a breath, feeling a little claustrophobic for some reason.
Why is it so hot in here?
“So, how does a proposal in a fancy restaurant sound?” I suggest. “We could say it happened at Figaro’s.”
“Aww, Roy,” Sabrina coos. “Where we met? How sweet.”
Jeremy snickers, and I continue, “Tell them I dropped it in your champagne glass like a true cliché.”
Sabrina grins wickedly. “I love it.”
Jeremy looks between us with a sigh. “Not to sound like a jealous boyfriend, but have there been any updates from John that might accelerate your timeline?”
Sabrina gives him an understanding but regretful look. “Well, my father is planning to retire in March.”
“Why does that matter?”
She winks at him. “Well, once I’m in the CEO position, I’ll be officially on Skynet’s board, so I can side with Marcus when the time comes. Daddy won’t have the legal power to oust me for my fabulous taste in women.”
Laura’s eyes soften, and she takes Sabrina’s hand, kissing her knuckles. I glance away, feeling I’m intruding on a personal moment.
Jeremy scrunches his nose. “I’m so sorry,” he stammers. “You’re both hiding too. Of course you are.”
“It won’t be forever,” Laura says solemnly. “It just feels that way.”
Sabrina raises her glass. “To fucking over our homophobic fathers.”
“Yes!” Jeremy hisses fiercely, clinking his glass to hers and then Laura’s. “Fuck those guys.”
Sabrina laughs heartily and then gives me a shrewd look. “Has John’s PI cracked that jump drive yet?”
I shake my head and glance at Jeremy. “But despite Ryan’s homicidal tendencies, Jeremy and I believe that he won’t try anything publicly. If we’re caught, I think Ryan will use Jeremy to get me removed from the board—”
“But we’re going to play it smart,” Jeremy interrupts confidently.
Ever since our reconciliation, we’ve talked a lot about what Ryan might or might not do, and I think Jeremy is grateful that I’m no longer playing the martyr without his input.
I knew Jeremy was smart, but he’s clever as fuck too.
“Marcus is going to pretend I’m a whore.
” Sabrina and Laura burst out laughing, and Jeremy grins.
“Ryan will see our feelings for each other as a weakness, so we want to remove that advantage.”
“Fuck,” Sabrina breathes. “I’ve only met Ryan a few times, and I fucking hate him.”
“Amen, sister,” Jeremy growls, his body tense against mine.
When I glance over at him, Jeremy’s looking down, his hair a silver curtain around his face. I feel like he’s been a little off ever since we got back together, but I haven’t really addressed it. I’m still on shaky ground with earning his trust back, and I’m not entirely sure I even deserve it.
We finish the bottle of wine and chat with Sabrina and Laura a little longer, until Jeremy starts to doze off on my shoulder.
“He’s so cute,” Sabrina whispers when she notices him resting at my side.
“I don’t think he’s been sleeping well,” I say with a frown, remembering the way Jeremy tossed and turned last night. “We should probably get going.”
Sabrina nods, and she and Laura stand. I rouse Jeremy gently, and he flushes when he realizes he fell asleep.
“I’m so sorry,” he mutters around a yawn.
Laura waves him off. “Trust me, we’re all tired right now.” She gives Jeremy a knowing look, and I realize that out of everyone, she must understand how he feels the most.
The walk back to Jeremy’s place is slow and full of brief, affectionate touches and breathy giggles. When we arrive, I lock the door behind us as Jeremy toes off his shoes, struggles out of his coat, and stumbles to the bedroom, falling face-first into bed fully clothed.
“Tired,” he groans into the pillow.