11
Marcel spent the early afternoon handling his day job, sorting messages at the small desk in Wayne’s suite when Wayne wandered downstairs barefoot. “You’re not coming this evening.”
Marcel looked up. “What?”
“To the rehearsal dinner. You’re not coming.”
“I always go with you. The one time I didn’t, you got sloppy and allowed dozens of strangers to take photos of you that are now viral on social media. The paparazzi are already camping out at the cruise terminal in LA awaiting your return.”
“Yeah.“
Wayne paced the length of the suite. “That’s sort of what I’m saying.” He looked at Marcel for a long moment. “You know I’m fine, right? I’m a grown adult. I got my own drinks before I got my big break, and I can get them now. I can also deal with the fallout when I cut loose.”
Marcel stared at him.
“And,“
Wayne said. “I can find my own—fuck toy, vacation fling, boyfriend, whatever, without stealing yours.”
Excuse me.
Marcel didn’t know if his face had gone bright red with embarrassment or green with nausea, possibly both, but Wayne laughed either way.
“You really thought I didn’t see you and Leo taking each other in at dinner the first night? Celly—“
He stopped. “Marcel. Sorry. I saw it. And yeah, I shot my shot because I’m an ass. You, of all people, know that. He wanted no part of it. He’s yours.”
“I—”
“You’ve apparently neglected to let him know you’re also his. Get on that.”
Wayne reached over and lifted Marcel’s dropped jaw.
“You are officially off the clock for the rest of the day. Go enjoy Cabo.“
Wayne pressed a printed excursion ticket into his hand. “Winnie will handle the rehearsal dinner and any last-minute wedding issues if I have to pour every drop of coffee on this ship down her throat.”
Marcel was still bemused when he nearly walked into Leo on the gangway, looking equally dazed. They blinked at each other.
“Are you going to be annoyed about this,“
Leo asked, “or are you getting to work?”
“I—what?”
“You said your job is to give Wayne everything he wants. Apparently, he’s decided he wants this.”
Marcel started laughing until he feared he wouldn’t be able to stop.
“Let’s get to work.”
Leo reached down and entwined his fingers with Marcel’s.
“Leo—”
“Later. Right now we’ve got places to go.”