Page 41 of Our Broken Pieces
I nod again. “Yep. Sabrina seemed apologetic, but honestly, screw her. And then Lewis dropped the bomb that he’s been cheating on me for a year.”
Audrey’s face tightens with anger. “A year? With Sabrina?”
“No,” I shake my head. “Not just Sabrina—different women. He didn’t even seem sorry. Then, he gave me twenty-four hours to move out. First person I thought to call was Marcus. He helped me get my stuff, and now I’m staying at his place. It was supposed to be temporary, but then… I suggested we get married.”
Audrey hugs a throw pillow tightly. “Wait,yousuggested it?”
“Yeah,” I admit, feeling their eyes on me.
Melonie’s brow furrows. “I know you and Marcus are close, but this could get really messy, G. What if his dad finds out it’s fake?”
“He won’t,” I say firmly, hoping to convince both of us
Audrey shifts in her seat. “Okay, so let’s say you two move through this whole plan and everything works. Will it be hard for you when it’s over? I’m worried about how you’ll feel when it’s all said and done.”
I look up at the ceiling. “Marcus is my best friend. I’d do anything to help him, and we’ve both been really clear about what this is—nothing more, nothing less. We made sure there wouldn’t be any hurt feelings. When it’s over, we’ll both be free to find what we really want.”
Melonie’s eyes move from Audrey’s to mine. “We’re just worried because we don’t want you to get hurt. You’ll be with Marcus twenty-four-seven, so it’s going to be different than just hanging out as friends.”
“I know.”
Audrey looks in my eyes. “Our homes are always open if this all becomes too much.”
I nod. “Got it.”
We all sit in silence for a few minutes. I know my two closest friends are aware of my abandonment issues and while they’re right to be worried, I’ve made up my mind. I just need their support now.
Audrey places her head on my shoulder. “I’ll have Jax help Marcus with the proposal.”
I smile. “He already said he doesn’t need help.”
Audrey chuckles. “Of course he did.”
Melonie sighs. “So, when do we go dress shopping?”
The guys walk in from the kitchen, Linc poking fun at the wet spot on Jax’s t-shirt from doing dishes. The tension seems to be gone, thank goodness. Marcus smiles at me as he sits at the other end of the couch. His grin allows me to relax. First step complete, we won over our friends.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Marcus
Two weeks after breaking the news to our friends, I walked into work on a Monday morning with a coffee in hand, nerves firing beneath the surface. Today’s the day I’m planting the seed about Gigi with my father, and I’ve barely slept. I spent the night tossing and turning, rehearsing the conversation in my head over and over again, hoping I wouldn’t stumble when the time came. I kept telling myself that once I got through this first talk, things would get easier, and maybe then, I’d actually get some sleep.
I drop my bag at my desk, grab my laptop, and head to the conference room for our usual Monday morning meeting. But today, it feels different—like everything rides on this one moment. Taking my seat in the usual spot, I open my laptopand try to steady my breathing, taking slow, deliberate inhales to calm my racing heart. Maybe all that coffee wasn’t such a great idea after all.
My father walks in and sits at the head of the table beside me. Opening his laptop, he begins, “I took a preliminary look at the numbers from last week, and Providence is looking good.”
I nod. “Full report on its way to you. It was a good week. Leslie is really strong at going after new business.”
He remains quiet as his eyes move back and forth across his screen. “Looks good, son.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I glance up at him because I can barely believe that he openly offered me praise.
“I don’t have much else to cover. We can get back to work if you’re done.”
I shift in my chair, my heart rate picking up. “There was one thing I wanted to ask.”
He finally looks at me. “Go ahead.”
