She shook her head to push the image away from her mind. None of that, now.
“Even though you made me work this weekend?” Jay looked genuinely abashed by that. Mara shook her head. “Kidding. I like being useful. I’m happy I get to help Alex.”
“And this?” Jay asked, using his pursed lips to point at their clasped hands. “This is okay?”
Mara nodded. She didn’t quite have her thoughts together to express how she felt about starting this with him. She was comfortable but still a little nervous. She was relaxed, but there were still some boundaries she wasn’t ready for Jay to cross. It was a good place to be. Somewhere new, but still comfortable.
“I should go back to my room,” Jay said. “Flower thieves are notorious for acting at night. Also there’s a despedida de soltera for the girls at the hotel. Oh god, I just remembered there was a despedida de soltera for the girls at the hotel.”
“You mean the entire reason you went to Boracay?” Mara giggled, fully getting up to go to the bathroom herself to clean up. “I admire your dedication as a best man.”
“Do you want to come? I’m sure Alex would love to catch up with you.”
“Nah. Let them enjoy the evening with their guests. There’s a Thai restaurant near D’Mall that my sister recommended that’s supposed to be really good,” Mara said from the bathroom, running the sink to wash her hands. Then she’d brush her teeth. Pee.
Just hygiene things after you sort of, kind of give someone a half a hand job.
Mara put a clean hand over her mouth to cover up her sudden fit of giggles. God, they did that, didn’t they? She couldn’t believe it. It felt good. Really good, to have someone else touch you. To have someone warm and kind, and make you feel desirable, and beautiful. Mara could do all those things herself, certainly. But it was different, having Jay there, too. A shared pleasure.
“And I wanted tom yum!” she added.
“Can I come with you?” Jay yelled, presumably from the bed, still. “We can practice your date skills! I can give you a flirting lesson over pad thai.”
Right, Mara reminded herself as she finished brushing her teeth. Admittedly it did make her happiness dim just a little, like a lower setting on a lightbulb. But she shook the feeling away, because she was a big girl, and this was all part of the agreement they made with each other. And to be fair to Jay, she was learning quick.
“I think we should take a little school break tonight,” Mara said, leaning against the wall to face Jay as he lazily lifted his head from the pillow. “You’re here to be a friend to your friends. I’m here to eat Thai food. We can reconvene tomorrow at the wedding?”
It was the smarter thing to do, surely? Yes, of course Mara wanted to spend more time with him, but that was a selfish desire she didn’t want to give in to. And if Jay was hurt by the suggestion, she didn’t see it in his face.
“Sure,” Jay said, leaping off of the bed (wow, energy) to wrap his arms around her, squeezing her tightly while making a small high-pitched noise. Hay. He was caught by gigil. Mara made a little “hmph!” sound and turned around, only for Jay to wrap his arms around her neck, pulling her back against his chest. He rested his temple on the back of her head. “I’ll allow you a night off.”
“Allow, allow,” Mara snorted, rolling her eyes. “Suddenly I regret everything.”
His hold loosened on her, like he was afraid she would slip away. “Do you?”
Mara smiled and pulled his hands back down on her shoulders. “Definitely not. We’ll see each other tomorrow, okay? I’ll be the random wedding guest in the back.”
“Not just any wedding guest,” Jay murmured. “My favorite kind. My plus-one.”
Mara giggled and lifted her gaze. There was a mirror hanging on the back of the door, and she could see herself in it. Her hair was a dry, post-beach, wavy mess, her skin had just started to get dark, and the beginnings of a bit of sunburn were already starting on the tops of her cheeks and the tip of her nose. Her dress was wrinkled, and Jay’s arms were long. She could see him smiling as he cuddled her, that happy, satisfied look on his face.
She could get used to being a plus-one.
ELEVEN
The following morning saw Mara having breakfast at the restaurant on the first floor of her hotel. It was a gorgeous spot with creamy white walls and a tiled floor; the table was cool under the breeze of several ceiling fans working so hard they all looked like they were about to spin out of their axes. The space was made even more chill by rattan furniture and warm wood tables, blue rattan place mats and a bar to the side that had a cheeky mermaid that winked at you from under a nipa hut awning.
Mara sat facing the ocean. And having that same image as the backdrop on her tablet while paying her bills…well, it was a bit sad, but it helped greatly to bask in the real-life version.
Dinner last night was amazing. But admittedly Mara felt a little lonely enjoying authentic tom yum goong by herself. She sent her family photos of her food. Certainly this wasn’t her first time eating by herself—it was still there, though, that feeling of something missing. Of wanting someone by her side.
Jay: Good morning, sunshine!
I’ll be the handsome one in the best man barong later.
Save me a dance?
Mara: Are you…sliding into my DMs?
