Thou Shalt Not(103)

“To April and Marco,” he said, leading everyone in a toast. I didn’t remember toasting anything more than once in my life, and this evening had already provided two. Why don’t we just toast dessert later, too?

Thankfully, no one starting chanting “speech, speech!” and everyone went back to eating.

After about fifteen minutes, Mark stood up one more time. “Oh, and the desserts are on their way out. The coffee will be in the cabana. Help yourselves. Just remember to help me clean up afterwards!”

As Mark sat back down, Marco stood up with plate in hand. He headed back over to the food tables for seconds.

Holly shot up from her chair immediately.

“Do you need anything else?” she asked, but she was already walking toward Marco before I had a chance to answer.

Holly met Marco at the food table, and they instantly started talking about something. They were behind April, who had watched Holly like a hawk when she left my table.

Now, April was trying to look discreet as she turned around to see what they were doing. She kept looking at her plate, taking a bite of food, and then casually turning, hoping to catch them out of the corner of her eye.

When Holly knew she had April’s attention, she lightly grabbed Marco’s arm, and with her other hand, she pointed back to me, smiling. Then she smiled and pointed to April. Marco nodded and laughed.

I had no idea what she was saying to him, but I knew it was making April very uneasy.

Finally, April picked up her plate and walked quickly over to where they were. Holly smiled at her when she saw her coming, and then patted Marco on the shoulder. Holly took her plate and left the food table just as April reached it. I caught April turn and glare at her as she passed, but Holly was all smiles.

Holly took her seat next to me. April and Marco were still discussing something while standing next to the food.

“What did you say to him?” I asked. “Whatever it was, it seemed to piss April off.”

“Oh, I was just pointing out that from a distance, you and April look like you could be related. I told him it was the eyes and hair.”

“But, we don’t look anything alike.”

“I know. I could have said whatever I wanted to him and he would have believed it. Plus, I just wanted to point to you both. April didn’t seem happy though. I’ll have to explain later, I guess.”

More winking, and then Holly was back to eating her food.

After thirty more seconds or so, April and Marco returned to their table. He seemed fine; she did not.

Dessert was brought out, and the coffee station was set up. I waited for the initial rush to die down, and then I went up to get coffee.

I had only been there for a few seconds when Marco spoke from behind me.

“This has been a great night,” he said.

I nodded.

“If we do one thing right at Lakefront, it’s that we eat well.”

I asked him if he wanted me to pour him a coffee, but he declined.

“There is something I would like, though,” he said.

I was hunched over my coffee, trying to perfect the cream and sugar ratio. Marco grabbed my elbow.

“And what might that be?” I said, not turning.

“I’m going to go out front to smoke,” he said. “And, I want someone to talk to.”

He let go of my elbow, and I turned toward him, coffee still on the table.

“And who better to join me,” he said, lowering his voice. “Than the man who is fucking my wife?”





We locked eyes, and I saw dancing fire in his. He could be charming and engaging and full of life, but now I could see in his eyes that the Marco who went nuts on teammates and coaches had finally shown up to the party.

I had known a moment like this would come. And I wasn’t going to back down.

“Just so long as you have enough smokes for two people,” I said, my focus on him not wavering.

He laughed, loudly.

“It seems I am sharing my wife with you,” he said. “So, I don’t see any harm in sharing my cigars.”

“Then, let’s go,” I said.

We walked out of the cabana, and I led him through Mark’s house to the front door. April had been talking to Mark’s wife Vanessa, and hadn’t seen us. Holly saw though. And I couldn’t read the look on her face.

She had mentioned that I could die that night, so her thoughts might have wandered to planning my funeral. I hope she was regretting turning down my last fuck offer.

When we reached the front yard, Marco asked me to wait while he went to his car.

He was either going to come back with cigars, or a machine gun and go Tony Montana on my ass.

Either way, I was ready to smoke or be smoked.

Marco was carrying a box as he returned to where I was standing. I had moved far enough away from the front windows so that whatever was going on wouldn’t be visible from the inside. Mark was most certainly not a fan of smoking.