The Beach House • JB

CHAPTER NINE

"Justin goddamn Bieber. . .I didn't think I'd see the day."

"The day we'd be under the same roof?"

"Well yes. . .but sharing my most expensive Champagne!" Mr. Baxter shouted as a hardy laugh came out afterwards making Justin laugh as well as Iris playfully rolled her eyes.

"It's an honor, sir."

"Call me, Mike."

"Well, Mike, don't tell my father I'm here. He just might have a heart attack."

Mike laughed softly and shook his head. "Old bastard was always trying to one up me in the business."

"What happened when you guys were about to sell with each other?"

"Another story, another place. . .for now, goodnight you two."

Both Justin and Iris told Mike goodnight as he headed for the gold and white staircase and made his way upstairs to head to bed leaving Justin with Iris.

Iris cleared her throat and sat her glass down onto the coffee table and Justin's making him smile and crease his eyebrows. "Why don't we move this party upstairs, hm?"

"Can we talk first?"

"Sure."

"Listen. . .I know you still have feelings for Winnie. . ."

"What? I never—"

"Justin, stop. . .just listen, I know you do, you know you do. The only way we can make this work is for one thing."

"What?"

"Well, you're with Winnie more than I'm with you, so all I ask is that you just cut Winnie out completely."

Justin creased his eyebrows and momentarily paused. "I. . .don't follow, you want me to leave?"

"No, I want you to stop having any type of relationship with her. She's a distraction, Justin."

"Iris, think about this, Winnie and I aren't exactly friends—"

"Justin who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?"

Justin had took the time to process Iris's words. Was he really trying to convince himself? It didn't feel that way, all he knows was he wanted Iris and he couldn't unless Winnie was around.

"Okay, I'll do it."

Iris rose her eyebrows and let out a small laugh before leaning back over to Justin and grabbing his cheeks and pressing her lips onto his making him smile into the kiss and hold her by the waist.

TWO HOURS LATER. . .

Justin sighed heavily and ran his hands down his face and shook his head as he walked back over to his bed and plopped down onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.

Before he knew it, his phone vibrated in the pocket of his jeans making him huff and pull it out to see it was a text from Iris.

Iris: see you tomorrow at daddy's fundraiser brunch?

Justin: of course, goodnight

Justin puffed out a small breath and licked his phone back and tossed it to the side and rubbed his tired eyes and before he knew it, he was drifting off to sleep.

˚˚˚

The next morning, Justin walked into the kitchen and stopped himself once he saw Winnie, she was trying to reach for the box of cereal on top of the fridge — the problem was she was too short to reach.