Page 93 of Constantine: Britain's Story: Part 2
Britain
I wake up early, and roll over to watch Liam sleep. I’m tempted to burrow into him, but I don’t. I just want to enjoy this moment. His muscular arms are wrapped around the pillow, and even just seeing his bare back makes me appreciate how beautiful he is. And he is the most beautiful man, inside and out. I sneak out of bed quietly, pulling on his sweatshirt and some biker shorts, then head downstairs.
Jess and Eden are already up, playing on the living room floor.
“Hi,” I say, coming to sit down next to my best friend. She seems worn out today. Maybe she’s just tired?
“Hey babe, everything okay?” Jess asks. “Kinda worried about you yesterday.”
“Everything is just fine. It’s a long story, but it’s all okay.” I bounce my shoulder off of hers. Eden squeals when she realizes I’m there, too, reaching up for me to take her, so I do, setting her on my knees.
“I would be soo happy if we never had to talk about my dramatic lifeeveragain. I would much rather talk about you. I’m sorry I haven’t been a good friend these last couple months.”
She shakes her head at me. “No, you’ve been a great friend. Your dramatic life has been the perfect distraction. And then I flew on a private jet to this fancy-ass cabin, where a private chef cooks for me, there’s a crew of people to clean, and I have Caroline and Elodie for on-demand babysitting. Honestly, my life is a fucking dream because of you.”
I laugh. “Well, that sounds like a start, but maybe I could be the listening kind of friend now?” She looks down at her hands where she’s pulling her wedding ring up and down, on and off, over and over.
“I don’t know, Brit. I thought Tommy wasmyLiam. I thought he wasit, but apparently he thinks someone at his office isit,too.”
“Wait, what? I thought you said he wants to open your marriage up. Did he already…”
“He’s been having an emotional affair, I would call it, for…awhile now.A long while.”
“Wow, I’m so sorry, Jess.” I know firsthand how damaging an emotional affair can be, and I don’t mean Damian, I mean me. I was in love with someone else most of my entire marriage, even if it was just the idea of that person.
“The only reason it probably hasn’t been more is becausetheywork at the firm’s office in Taiwan.” Ahhh, okay.
“I see. But he’s not there right now, is he?” I haven’t even asked about Tommy, I’ve been such an asshole. She looks at me and I know. “He left the day you were being salty with me?” She nods her head up and down and I pull her in tight, wrapping my arms around her.
“Should I send Alex his coordinates?”
Jess laughs at my question. Even though she’s crying, she genuinely laughs. “No, I don’t know that we’re at that stage yet. I just know I’m in NO hurry to go home. Do you mind?”
“Not even a little bit. Like move here. Stay here. Whatever you need. I can make your salary full-time and start paying you to a different bank account, if you know what I mean?” She laughs at me again.
“Not necessary, but I will take a roof over my head, though, and some good company.”
I release my hold on her. “I can do that. We’re team Jess, okay? You don’t need him. I know he felt like the one, and maybe he’s not, but either way it doesn’t matter, because we’ve got you.”
“Thanks, babe.”
“Love you, JJ,” I say.
“Love you, too, but I fucking hate that nickname,” she says back when I notice a bare-chested and disheveled Liam standing at the top of the stairs, like he ran out of our bedroom looking for me. I smile at him, and he gives a wary smile back.
“I promise I’m not a flight risk,” I call up to him and he laughs. As I watch him come down the stairs, I literally salivate and lick my lips.
“Maybe wearen’tgetting you a new car today,” he jokes, coming over and picking Eden up off my lap. He tosses her into the air and she coos and squeals with delight before settling her on his hip.Me next?
“What happened to your car?” Jess asks frantically. “Did you get in an accident?”
“No,” I stand up, laughing, “not at all. Let’s just say, we are very anti-Matthias at the moment.” Jess looks between me and Liam. “Come on, I’ll tell you all about it over coffee.”
“So you think Matt was just like trying to be with you this whole time because of the business share?” I shrug my shoulders.
“I mean, why else would he have wanted to date me?” Liam and Jess both give me a death glare when I say this, but I just sip my coffee. It’s the truth. Why else would he have pursued me? I mean, it all makes sense. Even at the picnic, he didn’t want to take no for an answer. He knew who I was and what that meant, and that’s why he asked me out. I’m sure of it. I’m not bothered by it because I met the man of my dreams that same day. He didn’t know me and I didn’t know him, but the connection was there, instantaneously.
“Shut up,” Jess says. “He might be stupid hot, but if he’s that big of a dick, it’s not surprising he’s been single all these years.”
