“It’s almost like you’re a professional photographer or something!”
The elevator dinged, and the doors whooshed open.
“Oh shit!” I muttered hastily, turning off my tablet, as Chris walked out of the elevator.
I started to sweat. My friends and I were all guiltily silent, seeing as how we’d just been talking about Chris’s admittedly magnificent manhood.
“So…uh…” Ivy said, tapping two index fingers together. “About those invoices…”
Chris’s mouth was turned town, the skin around his eyes tight.
“Apologies for the interruption,” he said as we all stared at each other.
“I...” He looked around almost as if he was confused about where he was. “I’ll just go.” He turned.
I ran after him and put a hand on his arm.
“Chris, it’s okay. We were just finishing.” I reached up to caress his cheek. “What’s the matter?”
He leaned into my touch like he was starved for it.
“I think my life’s falling apart,” he said bitterly.
“That’s okay,” I told him cheerfully. “I’m totally an expert on how to deal with a crumbling life. Pro tip, you need lots of fried food and chocolate.”
“Maybe I’ll pass on the chocolate,” he said with a slight smile.
“Then a fast food buffet in front of the TV with a bunch of Disney movies also works pretty well,” I joked.
Chris’s face went dark. “I don’t think that’s going to be possible.”
I face-palmed. “My grandmother didn’t co-opt the living room, did she? I’ll tell her to leave. I thought she was out all day at her senior citizens club. They claim they’re volunteering, but they just go barhopping to various nursing homes and do shots with the residents and tell dirty stories.”
“No, she didn’t. My parents did...” He looked away from me.
“Your parents?”
Chris gazed up at the high sloped ceiling of the office space.
“They just showed up.” He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I couldn’t make them leave. They just ignored me. Why can’t I just not let them railroad me?” he snarled.
I stroked his arm.
“And now they’re in my house.” He glowered. “I’m going to have to buy a new one.”
“Oh,” I said breezily, “I thought you had a real emergency.”
“It is!” he protested.
I winked at him. “Don’t worry about your parents. I’ll have Gran handle it!”
49
Chris
My father called me for the sixth time that afternoon. I sent it to voicemail and buttoned my suit jacket before I helped Grace out of the car. She was dressed in a formfitting black dress that had an asymmetrical neckline.
“Your tits look amazing in the dress,” I whispered to her, my hand sliding up the side seam.
She laughed softly then rubbed her hand on my crotch.
“And your dick looks fantastic in those pants.”
I grinned and nuzzled her neck.
“We should skip this dinner.”
“I think we’re contractually obligated to be there,” Grace said, wrinkling her nose.
“Too bad.” I offered her my arm.
“Here goes having to spend the next three hours watching all the other couples be oh-so-in-love,” she said in a falsetto. “As if you can really just be in love with someone you met at the altar.”
“Yeah,” I said, feeling strange. “Glad we are honest with ourselves.”
“Absolutely!” She gave me a brilliant smile. Fireworks went off in my chest.
I think I’m in…
Nope. What Grace and I had was just a sexual relationship so that I could win an inheritance.
Eyes on the prize. I cleared my throat and straightened up.
Rainbow and Priyanka greeted us as we walked in.
“So glad you could join us!” Rainbow said as I tried to ignore the cameras hovering around the room.
“Do you like Indian food?” Priyanka asked, waving us to the table.
“Probably not great for making out right after you ate!” Teddy joked as he and Linneah took their seats.
“A blessing in disguise,” Linneah muttered under her breath.
“Trouble in wedding paradise?” Grace said out of the side of her mouth. I bit back a snicker as I poured each of us some wine.
“Here’s to a happy divorce,” I whispered back, clinking my glass to hers.
I rested my arm on the back of Grace’s chair and surveyed the other couples. I had expected them to practically be in each other’s lap like they had been at the last group event. But there was a noticeable tension in the air.
“How are the marriages going?” Priyanka asked.
A short brunette with a tomboyish haircut crossed her arms.
“This is the first time I’ve seen my husband in weeks.”
“Ooof,” I said aloud then tried to disguise the exclamation with a cough as Grace poked me in the abs. I grabbed her hand, rubbing my fingers over