her own career and she’s not way clingy,” Luke continued, blasting through a wall in the game. “She considers marriage to be a type of joint business venture. Did you know that she was actually ready to just marry a guy some matchmaker was going to set her up with, sight unseen? She just wants a guy who will be a good dad that doesn’t mooch her money. It was either grab her for myself or let some matchmaker hook her up with some fifty year-old widower or something freaky like that.”
Mike gaped at his friend, knowing that what he was saying must be impossible. Yet Luke was incapable of lying. A woman like Rori entering into an arranged marriage? That made absolutely no sense. Rori was breathtaking, intelligent, wealthy, and apparently talented to boot. All she needed to do was crook her finger to have her choice of men.
“I’m sure the man wouldn’t have been fifty,” was all Mike could think to say.
“But, dude, she wouldn’t care if he was! How freaky is that? Plus she’s always traveling, and I like to travel, and we had a ton of fun in Thailand. She’s way easy to be around and it totally helps that she can communicate and stuff. She’s beyond perfect, so I had to pounce, right? You just don’t let chicks like that walk away with old dudes who have good portfolios. She needs someone young and fun!” A grin split his face. “Like me.”
Mike knew Luke well enough to know that the gravity of the situation hadn’t fully hit him. Marriage—as in actually being married to someone—wasn’t always fun. It wouldn’t always be easy breezy.
“And do you have feelings for her?” Mike asked, totally feeling like a girl when the words left his mouth.
“Like love?” Luke asked, nose crinkling. “What is that anyway? I’m not even sure I know. But she’s hot, she’s nice, she’s fun, and she’s loaded. What am I supposed to do? Nit pick?”
No. At least Mike wouldn’t be if he was in Luke’s position. But he also wouldn’t be in the basement playing Call of Duty if Rori were his fiancée. His hands would definitely be otherwise occupied. Which led Mike to his next question. The one that made his hands sweat enough that he had to swipe them on his pants to keep a firm grip on the controller.
“And I assume she’s good in bed?” And if so, what the hell are you doing hanging with me?
“Haven’t gotten there yet,” Luke said, firing incessantly. “Seemed weird to jump right in, you know? One day we’re just all friendly and touring temples, and the next I’m just supposed to jump her?” He shook his head, with a distasteful look on his face. “Just seemed predatory, you know? We’ve kissed a bit. Her mouth is awesome, but I want her to want it when we go there. Or at least I want to take her on a date first, you know?”
And yet, rather than seducing the woman, Luke was playing a video game. Just the thought of having the possibility of being in alone in a room with Rori made Mike’s mind blank out a little bit. Call of Duty didn’t compare.
“Besides,” Luke added. “What would Kris say?”
“Kris?” Mike sputtered, remembering his sister’s tear-filled confession. He could only imagine what she might be saying if she were a fly on the wall of this conversation.
“Yeah. She’d beat me black and blue if I just jumped in the sack.”
“With your fiancée?”
“Yeah, but…” Luke pursed his lips, switching his character’s weapons onscreen. “You just don’t get it. If I’m in this for the long haul, I don’t want to mess things up by rushing everything.”
It was a very un-Luke thing to say, which had Mike wondering if Luke really did love Rori in his own way.
“Plus—and don’t tell this to a soul, man—but I need a little bit to wrap my head around everything, you know? Once I sleep with her, then it’s all real.”
Ah, and there it was. A reason that made sense amidst all the insanity. Now Mike totally got it.
“Well, I think it’s obvious—” Just then Mike’s phone beeped with a text. Saved by the bell.
“You didn’t turn that off?” Luke complained, glancing at the source of the sound.
“Sorry, man,” Mike said, digging into his pocket and seeing he had a text from his sister. Emergency meeting. Stat. No excuses. My room. Window’s open.
Two-word sentences from Kris? That wasn’t a good sign.