34. Christopher
Chapter thirty-four
Christopher
Sitting a foot from where I lie, Ari stares at me like I’m a bug he’s studying under a magnifying glass.
“You want to transfer to another dome?” He asks it as if I’m a complete idiot, while running his fingers over Cornflower’s fur. “What makes you think Maria will dump you?”
“Lehm’s back. It’s over.” I flail my arms around, cutting off any smartass reply he has at the ready. “Flash me somewhere else. Take me back to the Hill. I have vacation time coming…”
He crosses his arms and smirks. “Don’t you think you should speak to Maria before making that decision?”
Yeah, like I want to have my heart ripped out when she says she’s choosing Lehm.
Before I can reply, Ari raises his hand to stop the conversation. Someone’s comm’d him. He tilts his head, looking off into the dome’s horizon. “Uh huh. Uh huh.”
“Who is that?”
“Tig. And you’re gonna want to hear what she has to say.”
“I don’t care. Just ask her to assign me to a new dome. Now.”
Ari looks back at me. “You are a coward, you know that?”
I sit up and glare at him. The cats scatter…except for Wolfie. “Fuck you.”
“No thanks.” Ari rolls his eyes, then looks off into the distance again. “Yeah, Tig, I got it. Bye.”
“Wait! You didn’t tell her.”
“Look, Chris, we’ve known each other for a long time. Trust me. Go talk with Maria.” He sets Cornflower on her four feet and stands to hover over me, extending his hand. “Come on. Courage. I’ll even go with.”
I glare at the offered hand. Scooting away from Wolfie, I stand on my own. “You just want a front-row seat when I’m humiliated.”
“You don’t have a very high opinion of me, do you?”
“I guess not. Especially if you’re going to force me to go through…that.”
“Go through what? Actually having a conversation with the woman you said you love? The one you’re engaged to?”
“The one who’s married to someone else.” I scrub a hand over my face. “And has a daughter with him.”
“You mean, the man she calls her husband because she had no other choice. Now she does.” Ari suddenly rubs his hands together and grins so big all his teeth show. “Do you like to bet?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“You know, gamble. Spin the roulette wheel. Put some money on the line. It’s a simple question.”
“Never interested me.”
“Hmm. How about trying it now? If she dumps you, I’ll pay for your next vacation.”
“And if she doesn’t? What do I owe you?”
“You’ll stay here and work things out so I don’t have to find you another job.” He laughs. “And I’ll pay for your honeymoon.”
I scowl at him. “That’s not how bets work.”
Ari throws an arm around my shoulders. “I know, kid. But I’m feeling generous. Now, come on and let’s act like adults, because your disappearing act is driving Maria nuts and she’s driving Tig nuts, and we can’t have that.”
I let him guide me back to the tunnel system, using my t-shirt sleeve to wipe the drying tears from my face. Maria doesn’t need to see how devastated I am. I can’t guilt her into staying with me. It wouldn’t be fair.
When we enter the living area, Maria jumps to her feet and rushes to throw her arms around my neck. “Sweetie. I’ve been so worried. Where did you go?”
I hug her back, although I feel numb inside. “I was with the cats. Hiding.”
“Hiding?” She eases out of the hug and cups my face. “Why would you hide from me?”
Lehm, who’s sitting on the couch, turns his head to look away.
I swallow hard. “I— What’s going to happen now? With Lehm back, if you want me to release you from our bond”—I choke up, and the tears flow again—“and from our engagement… I mean, he was your husband first, and he’s Zinnia’s father. I love you too much to interfere with—”
Her finger lands on my lips, shutting me up. “I love you too, you big doofus. I’m not willing to let you go. And the situation isn’t quite what you think it is.”
“Err?” Yeah, it’s me, the brilliant songwriter, failing at wordsmithing when it matters most.
“Come have a seat, and I’ll explain.”
I stand there, frozen.
So she grabs a chair from the dining table, sets it facing the couch, and, with hands on both my shoulders, pushes me down onto it. “Sit.”
Ari laughs, grabs his own chair, and joins us. “Maria, do you think you can cut to the chase?”
“What?”
I sigh. “Ari, Maria’s too young to know a saying that originated in the silent film era.”
“Ah, right.” Ari turns to Maria. “Just tell him the most important thing first. He’s been catastrophizing while he hid away.”
She takes a seat on the couch next to Lehm and looks me in the eye. “I love you, but you’re an idiot. I would never leave you or give you up just because Lehm is back. I’m angry at you for thinking so.”
Ari starts laughing, but I’m just staring at Maria as she continues.
“We would have worked it out together. All of us. But speaking of that…” Maria touches Lehm’s arm. “Lehm’s gay. Not bi, but gay. He doesn’t want to stay married to me, but he wants to live here to stay close to Zinnia. When your contract is up, he’ll move with us and find his own partner.”
My mouth drops open. I feel as though a whirlwind deposited me in heaven.
The dizziness fades. No wonder my gaydar went off when I got a good look at Lehm.
It didn’t hurt he was naked at the time and reading his, uh, body language when I exited the shower was easier.
I push that memory away and refocus on the best news I’ve ever been given.
Ari is now laughing so hard he bends at the waist. “Dude, you should see your face.”
I growl at him. “You already knew this.”
“Yeah, Tig spilled the beans when she comm’d me.”
“Cheater.”
“Hey, you won the bet either way. I just leveraged the deal to get you to come inside. Coward.”
Maria wags a finger at Ari. “Do not speak to my fiancé that way.”
“Yes, Mom.” Ari chuckles. “My job is done here. Let me know when you want to collect on our bet.” He taps his watch and flashes away.
Maria tilts her head, her eyes narrowed. “What bet?”
“He’s paying for our honeymoon.”
“And what would you have done if you lost?”
“Um, he’d move me to a new dome. You and Lehm would’ve stayed here, and he would’ve paid for my vacation.”
“It’s a good thing for you that you won.” She crosses her arms, that I’m mad but I’m gonna let it go look on her face. “We need to discuss where Lehm will sleep. If you’re okay with him staying.”
“Fine by me. Ari said they can add two bedrooms and a recording studio to this dome.”
“Why two?”
“Each adult would have their own room then. Ari thought we’d all stay together, but I thought… Well, what I thought doesn’t matter. But there’s also the question of Lehm’s maker.”
I’m not sure I want a second stranger living here. Lehm is Maria’s best friend, and he’s Zinnia’s father. She trusts him.
But Diego? We don’t know him at all.
Yet forcing Lehm and his maker to separate would be rude—and unlawful.
I scratch the back of my head and meet Lehm’s gaze. I don’t like the idea. Still, I have to make the offer. “If you want Diego to join you, he can have one of the bedrooms.”