“Tris, wait. Don’t tell Marion?—”
“Really, J?” I wince at her sharp tone, and Tristan turns. Marion’s face stares back at me on his FaceTime call, and she looks pissed.
“I had to tell someone or I’ll die,” Tris whines. “And she’s your best friend. You should have already told her anyway.”
“Technically,” I say through gritted teeth, “I already did.”
Marcus looks at me sharply. “You did?”
I choose to ignore him.
“Yeah,” she says, “and you said you were going to end it, J. That was the last conversation we had about it.Weeksago. Andnow Tris tells me he just caught your boss fucking you, and you didn’t tell me? I’m offended.”
“Client,” I correct at the same time Marcus pushes up next to me and says, “We’re not fucking.”
Tris raises an eyebrow. “Oral sex still has the wordsexin it. I’d say that’s fucking.”
Marcus’s face flushes red, and I grab his forearm, worried he might actually punch Tris in the face. “The sun’s getting real low, big guy.”
We watchedAvengers: Age of Ultronlast night. Sue me.
He pulls away, staring at me incredulously. “Don’t pull that Hulk shit on me.”
“Aww, you’re so cute,” Tristan’s eyes bounce between us. “So are you guys a thing now?”
“No—” I start.
“I’m not gay,” Marcus interrupts and then looks frustrated with his own outburst.
I roll my eyes.
“Uh, okay,” Tris scoffs. “You had his dick in your mouth. That’s pretty gay. Marion?”
“Sounds gay,” she responds.
Marcus gestures erratically at Tris’s phone. “Who even is this person?”
I sigh. “Marcus, this is my best friend, Marion. Marion, this is my client, Marcus.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Marion says with a smirk.
Guilt twists my gut. I probably should have told her that I didn’t end it that day at the beach. We’ve hung out a ton of times since then, and out of everyone, she would have kept my secret, but I didn’t want to betray Marcus’s trust.
“Funny, I haven’t heardanythingabout you,” Marcus says petulantly.
“This is all irrelevant,” I snap. “Yes, he was sucking my dick. We do that, okay? Now everyone knows. The end.” I turn andgrab my coat and messenger bag from the table and stomp toward the door. “I’m going out for a drink.”
I’m only a block away from the pub when I hear Tristan yell, “Wait up!”
I turn and see him running up the sidewalk with Marcus close behind. I’m not surprised that Tris is following me, but I am a little surprised Marcus is. I expected him to go somewhere to sulk. Or panic.
I don’t pause for them.
Tris catches up to me with an apologetic smile, but I can hear Marcus trailing behind us, most likely glowering.
I glance over at Tristan. “Marion’s coming, isn’t she?” My breaths make little white puffs as I march down the street in my agitated state.
“Look, I’m really sorry, Jeremy. I honestly thought she knew already.”
