ℂ𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℕ𝕖𝕠𝕟 𝔾𝕝𝕠𝕨 ➃

35. What It Looks Like - ✭ Boston ✭

Thankfully, we had been sat with Torey, Adri, and their respective dates. There were a few other children of the wealthy sat with us as well. A table of next generation business tycoons had surrounded me and I was the only one who seemed to want nothing to do with it. They all prattled about the latest deals and parts while I just zoned out for the most part.

I danced with Louisa once. She had to beg me to do it because I hate it. I hate it and I suck at it, which I had proven by accidentally stepping on her twice. Not my smoothest moment but fuck if I cared. I checked my phone repetitively, hoping to hear something from Monica but I'd gotten nothing.

I'm currently sitting outside, smoking a cigarette, the picture of healthy habits when one has a heart condition. Smoking is exactly the kind of thing that will put me in an early grave. I never really cared before now. A picture of Monica lying beneath me makes me flick the death stick away from me.

You don't want to make her a widow just yet. No. No I don't. You should probably quit the habit altogether. Yeah. I probably should. I stand up and make my way over to a garbage can, trashing the rest of the pack.

I take my phone out of my pocket to see texts from Louisa. She's sent me three pictures of her and I. I silently pray that she hasn't posted any of those. Clicking over to social media I see that she has and I curse under my breath. I click over to Monica's page and see her in that skimpy outfit doing a sexy pose with a drink in her hand at some club.

Thoughts of her dancing with another man, one that can actually dance, play through my head and I fucking hate it. I doubt she would do that. She'd told me she was only going to dance with Marcella but still. I was out with another woman. Why shouldn't she be out there dancing with another man? I grind my teeth together and deliberate sticking my hand in the trash to retrieve my cigarettes.

I head back in the building noticing it's nearly midnight. I still hadn't met Monica's brother yet. I was starting to think he wasn't here among the sea of rich businessmen.

A familiar looking red-headed man seems to beeline straight for me upon my reentry though. He looks like a male version of Monica's mother. So I'd assume this guy is her brother Jamie.

"So you're Boston?" He'd said as he came up alongside me. He holds out a hand, "James Anderson, Monica's older brother."

I shake it with, "it's nice to meet you."

"Heard you're dating my little sister. I also heard she broke up with her boyfriend of three years for you. I'm sure you gained points with my step-father over that. He couldn't stand the kid." He gives me a good once over, pinning me harder with his eyes. "I liked the guy though. Made sure she stayed in school and didn't do dumb impulsive shit though, so there's that."

Oh fuck.

I cup the back of my neck with, "yeah, there's that." He's also a douche bag but I don't say that. Instead I go with, "he wasn't good for her though."

He shakes his head slightly from side to side as if he's deliberating. "Maybe not the best but definitely not the worst. So make sure you don't fuck her future up by getting her to do any more dumb and impulsive shit. You hear me?"

"Will do." Actually I already have gotten her to do more impulsive shit but he doesn't need to know that. He already looks like he wants to punch me in the face. Who knows what he would do if he know I'd married her. I run my hand through my hair as we stand there a bit uncomfortably. "I heard you recently had a baby. Congratulations."

His features soften. "Thank you. I believe you know my wife." I nod, not wanting to get into those particulars. "The dynamic is a bit weird, isn't it?"