Page 122 of Secrets (The Sins Trilogy 2)
Chapter Forty-Six
Anthony
If it were up to me, Iris and I would never leave the place or let anybody visit. But late Sunday afternoon, she stretches lazily in bed and says, “Yuna’s coming over for dinner.”
“She is?” I wrinkle my nose, pulling Iris closer, not wanting to get out of bed yet. It’s not even five. We ate a few times to keep our strength up, but otherwise, we’ve spent the last two days entwined with each other in bed.
“Uh-huh.” She rubs her eyes. “She wanted to visit yesterday morning, but I held her off as long as I could.”
I try not to make a face because Iris adores Yuna and I owe her one. But damn. I even forced Bobbi to take the weekend off.
She pokes my ticklish spot. “Can you be a little less enthusiastic? She says she’s going to bring food and drinks.”
Whatever. It isn’t like I can’t afford to feed us. But Iris looks too happy, and I guess it was bound to happen. After all, don’t all women want to admire engagement rings? Iris’s finger sports the pearl, and it’s a stone to be proud of.
She holds up her left hand in front of her face. “I seriously love this.”
“Really? In what ways?” I ask, not fishing. Okay, very much fishing. But I deserve that after a week of hell.
“You’re very traditional.”
“Me?” I’ve been disowned by my family and made my money with clubs, where people drink and gyrate away until dawn.
“Yup. Protective. Insist on paying for everything when you don’t have to. Indulge me even when you don’t want to. I think you let me get away with a lot of things because I’m a woman.”
I grin, but don’t correct her. How I treat her has nothing to do with her gender. She gets to get away with murder because I love her. “I see.”
“So I knew you’d go that route, but the pearl was unexpected. And I like it better than I would a diamond.”
“Do you?” I ask, happy I got it just right and pleased she’s so thrilled with it.
She shifts and turns so she’s facing me. “Yes. Everyone has a diamond. This ring is so us—different, but somehow we work really well.”
“We do.” I link our fingers and kiss her knuckles. “So let’s not have guests over.”
She laughs. “Don’t be bad. If I cancel, Yuna’s going to show up here anyway…and probably sooner than tonight.”
I let out a theatrical sigh. Iris probably tried her best to hold her friend off as long as she could.
“And we both need to get out of bed and get ready. I do not plan to greet Yuna naked,” Iris says, hopping off the mattress and starting toward the shower.
I stay in bed, enjoying the view, then finally get up when she shuts the door. I should be gracious. Yuna hasn’t just been supportive of Iris; she probably helped me stay on this side of sanity with her text updates. It’s just unfortunate Yuna doesn’t have the patience to wait a month before barging in on us.
She shows up at five till six, dressed fashionably as usual in a soft orange fitted tunic, white cropped pants and chunky sandals. Mr. Kim’s in a suit, of course. I don’t think he has anything else in his wardrobe. I almost blink when I spot Julie, too. I could swear Iris didn’t mention Julie. Or was I just so distracted I missed it?
“Welcome,” I say, remembering my manners. “Come in.”
“Congratulations! Oh my God, you’re going to be like my brother-in-law!” Yuna hugs me.
Mr. Kim gives me a bland smile that says in no way am I going to be anything like a brother-in-law to Yuna.
“I’m so happy for you,” Julie says when Yuna’s finished with her enthusiastic embrace.
I look at her, gauging her emotion. She doesn’t like me that much, and isn’t she on Team Byron?
“Oh, come on! You don’t have to look suspicious,” she says. “If Iris agreed to marry you, then she must really love you. I’m big enough to say I’m fine with you as long as you make her happy.”
“It’s my life goal to make her happy.”
