Page 100 of Good at Being Alive
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I wake late in the afternoon, blinking in surprise. Something…crashed? I pad from the bedroom to discover LJ and Sean playing a game that involves throwing a beach ball from the pool into the kitchen sink. I’m not sure if they’ve gotten it in, but theyhavemanaged to knock over a bottle of tequila.
“Guys,” I call, holding the broken bottle aloft. “Your game is done.”
“Sorry, Mom!” callsLJ.
They laugh like naughty schoolboys. I’m muttering as I search the kitchen for a broom and…
What the fuck is happening right now? Am I theresponsibleone here? It is, perhaps, the first time in my life when I haven’t been the idiot in the pool with too many margaritas in my system, making the bad decisions.
Which isn’t to say I’m done making bad decisions. But perhaps I’m done committing to that as my entire persona. Nobodywins if I stay small now, but somebody definitely loses. I’m tired of it beingme.
I walk down a palm-lined road into town for snacks, then join the crew for a catered dinner out on the patio as the sun sets. The mood is celebratory—Madeira is our final shoot, aside from the marathon a few weeks from now. A relief for everyone here butme.
Between then and now, Theo won’t really have much of a reason to see me, and I’m not sure what happens to us then. I already miss my fake husband, who no longer feels fake at all and won’t be my husband much longer, so what’s it going to be like when there’s nothing left to pretend?
Slowly, people disperse. Only Sean and LJ remain by the time it’s dark. We close the doors and sit in the living room to keep out the bugs, and LJ is scrolling through Hulu while Sean closes the blinds, which must mean they’re planning to stay.
“Have you watchedThe Ring?” asks LJ. “It’s scary as shit.”
“I’m not sure if I want to watch a movie that’s scary as shit when I’m sleeping in a new house by myself,” I reply.
“We can make it a sleepover,” he suggests and then holds up his hands. “I wasn’t being creepy. I just meant there’s another bedroom. Don’t need your husband kickingmyass next.”
Sean laughs. “That was not on my Paris bingo card. Theo always seemed so chill, and suddenly he wasn’t. We should post some of that footage to shut Baby Makes Three up.”
My head jerks toward him. I haven’t been letting myself watch their reels ever since that last mini-tailspin they induced. “Is this something new?”
Sean rolls his eyes. “Theoretically their source says Theo’s had somebody on the side for, like, decades. Which is crazy on so many levels. Mostly because he’s only in his thirties now and you guys just got married a few months ago so he didn’tneedto hide someone. Ignore it.”
Itiscrazy. The burst of worry comes and goes faster than it did the last time. “They’re grasping at straws,” I conclude. “But I don’t know about the movie, guys. I was awake during the entire flight and there’s a lot going on tomorrow.”
“You sleptallday,” LJ counters.
I’m about to reluctantly give in when the front door opens, and Theo steps inside. He’s in a suit minus the jacket, the tie tugged loose, a bag over his arm. There’s never been a lovelier, more welcome sight in my life.
“Hey, man,” says LJ. “We thought you couldn’t get here until tomorrow morning.”
“I canceled some meetings,” he says, his gaze entirely on me. “I didn’t want to miss out on the fun.”
I’m trying so hard not to smile but I just can’t help it…I’m thrilled that he’s here. I want to press my lips to his unshaved jaw, finish removing that tie, make quick work of the shirt…
“Perfect timing,” says Sean. “Let’s watchStep Brothers.Have you seen it?”
“Would you all mind if I speak to my wife alone?” he asks as if Sean hasn’t spoken, never looking away fromme.
The guys nod but are slow to realize he doesn’t meanwe’llleave but thattheywill. They rise and file out the back door and Theo flips the lock behind them before stalking towardme.
My jaw falls. “Did you just—”
But he’s already here, pulling me against him, and my arms slide up over his shoulders. It no longer matters that he just locked them out.
His mouth lands on mine as he lifts me up, wrapping my legs around his waist and walking toward the bedroom.
“I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow.”
“Did you really think you could strip in front of me on camera while telling me to picture you on your knees and have menotarrive early?” he asks.
