Page 36 of Love is So Mean
I tap my nose since I’m chewing. Except Yasmeena isn’t my friend and there is much more at play than just a favor.
“Emily was right to be suspicious, then?” Matthew questions.
I understand why it’d be his question because he probably got an earful from Bailey about the past weekend spa debacle.
“No. You two were just at our wedding, does it look like we were hooking up while people were working?”
“No,” they say in unison.
“In all the years Emily and I were a couple I’ve never touched another woman in any way that could be construed as cheating but she just wouldn’t believe me no matter what I said. A three year relationship eroded by one working weekend.”
Matthew frowns. “If Emily was jealous of the time you’ve spent working with Yasmeena, Bailey should be murderous.”
“Bailey trusts you.”
“You spent more time with me than you did Yasmeena,” Jeeves points out with a fake pout. “I guess I’m not hot enough for Emily’s jealousy.”
His bullshit pulls a genuine laugh out of me. “I guess not.”
Now that you two have all the Yasmeena questions out of your system. Please, remember your NDAs.” I stand and button the jacket of my custom suit. “Now, let's go get some heartier food.”
“Okay, if we move away from our shock from thelast event,”Jeeves starts, “then how are you holding up, Enrique?”
I know what he’s asking and for a moment I was happy to be with men because we usually don’t dive into emotions without a good reason. That wasn’t the case with the wedding they just saw.
“Hurting. It’s like I have this weight on my chest that I can’t alleviate,” I respond, honestly.
“Then why this?” Matthew probes. “I love Bailey so much that I cannot imagine leaving her forbusiness.”
There is a tinge of judgment in his tone as he rubs his beard and stares out at the water like I asked him to choose between Bailey and his career. Hell, that’s not the simple thing that happened here. I wish it were that simple.
The part that I cannot talk about is what kept me up at night. I can’t cure cancer but I can help solve some of her issues. Plus, if this doesn’t go well, I know I’m willing to take care of her.
“There are still a lot of details I cannot discuss. I didn’t run off and leave my fiancée just for a business deal. Besides, Emily was jealous of Yasmeena the entire weekend. She lost trust in me where it was unnecessary. By the time I returned from workyesterday,she was gone. Emily packed up, blocked me, and left to take a job in New York. All without consulting with me.”
My hand trembles a little when I grab my drink. The last thing I want to do is break down in public.
“I’m sorry, man,” Matthew says. “That’s rough.”
“Yeah,” Jeeves adds. “It is.”
I don’t say anything for a while as I watch the people move around us at the restaurant. Matthew and Jeeves look at each other after a while, probably wondering if they should change the subject.
“I didn’t know she was even considering an offer.” I mumbled before moving my attention back to them. I’m sure they see the pain on my face but it doesn't matter. “That should help with your curiosity. Let's eat.”
Chapter 20
Yasmeena
Islept all day and all night. That’s not a good sign. Before the diagnosis or rather before I noticed any changes in my body, I could stay up all night working.
That isn’t the reason why I didn’t stay after the wedding. I didn’t see the need to. It wasn’t an event or anything that I was obligated to be involved in so I went home.
My eyes open, viewing everything around me slowly. Was there water on my nightstand before I went to sleep? I can’t seem to remember anything much from the jet to here. Slowly, I get out of bed and check my messages. There are a lot of work messages but those are things I can get to later. A text message has me pausing my next movements.
Amir: Baba wants to have dinner this weekend with the family, you know my kids …and you. Can you make it or will you come up with some excuse again?
Me: excuse? It’s called working, Amir.