Chapter 77 AFTERGLOWS AND POPCORN
AFTERGLOWS AND POPCORN
Daphne
We’re on the couch after a leisurely and orgasm-filled shower, Oliver stretched out with his head in my lap, a cooking show playing softly while I peruse houses on my phone—truly, apartment living won’t fit Oliver, not when he needs a backyard for both himself and the dog he’s definitely getting to play in—when the door clicks open softly.
Bea pokes her head in, Angelina Juliana Priestly in her hands, and she’s about to set the polar bear on my favorite giraffe end table when she spots me.
Her face telegraphs what she doesn’t say out loud—I thought you’d be naked in the bedroom—and I give her a brow wiggle of been there, done that a few times already.
She tries to stifle a snort of laughter and fails.
“Can I borrow your computer?” I wave my phone at her. “Better for seeing pictures.”
“Of course.”
“I won’t go on your socials.”
“I didn’t think you would.”
“I would’ve gone on Hudson’s socials after the way he used all of the hot water all summer, so I wanted you to know I wouldn’t do it to you.”
“I mean, fair.” She heads into the kitchen, which is on the other side of the entry door, then returns with her computer while Simon slips in the door too. She nods to Oliver. “Asleep?”
“Happy,” he mumbles, tightening his grip on my leg.
Bea smiles at me.
My eyes go misty as I smile back at her. “Turns out he’s not so boring after all,” I say.
Zero reaction from Oliver, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s smiling.
“Well, enjoy him not being boring. I’m staying with Simon tonight.”
“Whenever we get there,” Simon grouses, which is unusual enough that I lift my brows at him.
“Is someone holding your time ransom?” I ask. He’s pretty free to go and do as he likes when he doesn’t have the boys, and I know Lana has them tonight.
“There’s no one else to run the drive-in tonight, so we’re up,” Bea tells me.
Oliver lifts his head. “Drive-in?” he says.
“Simon bought and reopened the old drive-in theater a few weeks ago,” I tell him. “I’ll show you tomorrow. Or the next day.”
He looks at Simon. “You’re short-staffed? At a movie theater?”
Oh my god.
I start to laugh, then try to squelch it while Oliver sits all the way up.
“Yes?” Simon replies.
He and Bea are both looking at us like we’ve lost our minds.
Understandable. I’m laughing my ass off, and Oliver looks like a puppy being teased with a bone.
“What’s the job?” Oliver asks. “I’m unemployed. Looks bad on loan applications for houses.”
Simon and Bea share a look.
“I’m not sure it pays well enough for the kind of house you’re probably looking for,” Bea says.
“Whatever. I don’t need a loan to buy a house. What do you need? Someone to pop popcorn? Run the reels? How many shows a night? How many shows a week? Any benefits?”
“Oliver,” I say between peals of laughter. “I work during the day. When will we see each other if you work every night?”
He stares at me, dead serious, without blinking. “Popcorn maker at a movie theater is on my bucket list.”
“Show starts in two hours,” Bea tells us. “Wanna ride along and learn the ropes? See if it’s for you?”
He grins. “Hell, yes. But I have to have Daph home before eleven. She has a boring day job.”
“I hear she’s dating a guy who needs help putting a massive fortune to good use,” Bea replies.
“Heard she’s pretty good at giving money away to good causes,” Oliver agrees, like they’ve planned this.
Like I’m not already halfway to agreeing to quit my job and help Oliver manage a charitable foundation.
I’m not afraid I’ll depend on his money and then lose it someday.
He’s Oliver. Not my family. He wouldn’t rip the rug out from under me.
And even if the very, very worst happened, if someday, somehow, we ran completely out of money—I’ve survived before. I’d survive again. Especially with him by my side.
But I’ll miss my coworkers at Beeslieve.
That’s the hesitation.
“Make her take you out for pizza and show you the video game with its own trust fund for upkeep sometime soon,” Bea says.
I look between them, then at Simon. “You gonna join in this pile on too?”
“Certainly not. I can’t take notes while I’m participating in the conversation. By the way, could Bea and I write a screenplay loosely based on your life? Very loosely. You won’t recognize yourself in the final product.”
“Dude.” I glare at him.
“Or not,” he says hastily. “Learned my lesson. That’s why I’m asking. I know no means no. I’ll find my inspiration elsewhere.”
“If you’re going to make a screenplay based on my life, I want everyone to know it’s about me,” I tell him. “Do not mask a single thing if you want me to say yes.”
“Our parents would despise it,” Oliver agrees. “You definitely have to make it obvious.”
“But you have to make Margot look good.”
Oliver nods. “Nonnegotiable.”
“And I’m only in if Bea thinks it’s a good idea.”
“I wouldn’t argue with that even if I wanted to. Which I don’t. Daph’s favorite people are my favorite people. Our favorite people should be happy.”
My stomach growls.
Oliver winces.
And Simon starts to laugh. “You ate both burgers, didn’t you?” he says to Oliver. Then he grins at Bea. “May I use an I told you so, my darling?”
She kisses his cheek. “Yes, you may.”
“Forget later this week. Who wants pizza?” I say.
I do.
I want pizza with all of my favorite people.
My best friend.
Her boyfriend.
My boyfriend.
The man I’m going to marry someday. The man I’ll probably even have kids with someday.
Because this Oliver?
He’s everything I never knew I wanted, and so much more.