At No Time || Bruno Mars

78

"Look, Christine, everything is still new right now. Those kinds of decisions won't be discussed for a long time. I just wanna see what the moment brings to us."

Christine looked at him oddly before shrugging with a smirk, "I guess."

It was Peter's turn to study her for a moment. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes ghosting over her face and watching her countenance become uncomfortable just as she had made him.

"What, Peter?" she finally asked when she could not stand his scrutiny any longer.

"Is there no other guy out there?" he queried, and her brows curled in confusion.

"Huh?"

"I mean, it always seems like I'm your "go-to" guy, and every time I bring up Trystan, it's like your feelings are hurt. Is there seriously no one else?" Christine was a very attractive woman who could get almost any man she wanted, but she seemed to have a fixation on Peter that she did not have on any other man he had known about in the past.

Christine's face transformed from perplexity to humored disbelief. "Who says you're the only guy I'm screwing?"

Peter held up his hands and laughed, "I was just wondering."

She smirked, "Well, no, I'm not about to go crying over you, but I will admit that unlike any other guy I mess around with, you're an actual friend. I can't help that I might've caught some feelings."

"I'm not saying I never did," Peter refuted so she did not feel so alone in the moment. "There was a time where I thought we'd be together officially but, you know . . ."

"Time changes a lot of things," she finished for him, a light grin on her face. "I get it, Peter–you don't have to explain everything to me."

"Thanks for understanding."

"When do I never not understand?" she rose a brow and chuckled.

She was right—throughout the years of their trysts, there had hardly been moments when she did not allow him to live his own life. He never tried to disregard her feelings and she never tried to pin him into a relationship when there was not one. It was a lot more than what other people were willing to offer, and if he could be gracious about anything, it was that.

"Go ahead." Christine waved a flippant hand towards him. "Go ahead and live that little fantasy with her."

"You sound really jealous right now."

"Only because I've still got my eye on her." She winked for emphasis. "You know what I always tell you; you have to be careful of who trust in this crazy ass city."

"I'm so excited to see you! I promise I won't tell Roger you're coming; he'll love the surprise."

The voice of Elle Marie, which had deepened a bit as she progressed further into her womanhood, was on the other line of Trystan's phone. The older woman grinned as she slowly paced about the guest room. Raina was settled on the floor, playing with Jewel for a few more minutes before her mother was to put her to bed. She was curious as to whom she was talking to, but did not question it as she continued to roll a ball around with the dog.

Elle Marie had gotten Trystan's new number from Angelique, and though she had told the youngest woman not to say anything, she could not help but to call Trystan with enough enthusiasm she could feel it through the phone. Trystan had not expected to be greeted so well, and if it were not the growth of maturity in Elle Marie, it would have felt as if no time had truly passed between the last time they had spoken.

"I won't give him a heart attack will I?" Trystan teased, both delighted and saddened at the thought of her disappearing on one of her good friends. Along with Neal, Roger had been one of the first people she had met out in California, and she had abandoned their friendship. She did not think he would be as excited to see her as Elle Marie assured her he would, but she was gladdened that he would not be upset either.