Page 73 of The One You Want

The bright room had turned to shadows.

“See,” Marc said, breaking the silence. “We’re perfect together.”

Almost. Because in that moment, Joel popped into her head.

But they hadn’t been perfect together, either.

Perfect was unattainable and unrealistic.

She’d take almost perfect and the life she planned with Marc and their future kids, and be happy knowing she’d have his love and support for the rest of her life.

Marc rolled out of bed, tugged on his jeans without any underwear, and walked over to the sofa at the end of the bed. Hepulled the bottle of wine out of the ice bucket and held it up. “Can I pour you a glass?”

“Please.” She sat up and stared at him, standing there with the jeans slung low on his hips, chiseled abs, his wide chest and shoulders on full display. She’d messed up his dark blond hair with her fingers but he still looked temptingly rumpled. “You ordered all this for us?”

The coffee table had a very pretty and appetizing charcuterie board with cheese, meats, crackers, and breadsticks. Beside it was a bowl of fruit salad. The swanky Carmel hotel knew how to play up the California vibe for its guests.

“I hoped we could spend the night together. Reset things between us. Remind ourselves that this week and the wedding are about us, not our friends and family, or not having a cake.”

“Gray helped me get a cake.”

Marc went still. “You asked him to help you?”

“No. Rose happened to be on the phone with him and mentioned that we couldn’t find anyone to do the cake. He asked his company’s events coordinator to help us.”

“I see.” He took a sip of the wine, acting casual, but he was anything but.

“Are you upset he helped with the cake?”

“I’m sure he was just trying to impress Rose.” He took another sip of wine. “And you. He is CFO of a big company, makes a shit ton of money, has a big house, and has women tripping over each other to have him. He gets things done with the snap of his fingers.”

“I’m sure he’s worked very hard to get where he is and have the things he has, but I don’t think he goes out of his way to impress anyone.”

“No. He just does it with his mere presence.”

“It sounds like you’re jealous, and you shouldn’t be. You’ll be taking over your father’s business soon. You make good money, enough that we’ll be comfortable and can even buy a house when we’re ready to expand our family. There isn’t anything Gray has that you can’t have, too.”

He scoffed and took a big gulp of wine.

She studied him. “Unless we’re talking about Rose. Is that it? You’re jealous that she’s with Gray now?”

“No.” He shook his head. “Not at all.” He shrugged like it didn’t matter. “Besides, that’ll end when Gray finds out I slept with her.”

Maggie frowned. “You think so? Should I break up with you because of it?”

Marc stopped the wine glass in front of his mouth and stared at her over it. “What? No. It didn’t mean anything. You’re the one I love.”

“If that’s true, then why should Rose and Gray break up?”

“It’s different for men and women. Women have feelings for the guys they sleep with.”

“Wow. That’s an absurd and old-fashioned way of thinking. Even women can have sex just for the pleasure of it without it turning into something more. Rose barely knew more than your name. I’m sorry to break the news to you, but she didn’t,and doesn’t, have feelings for you. She’s head-over-heels for Gray. And he knows that.”

Marc shrugged. “Yeah, well, don’t you think it’s awkward for him knowing I’ve seen her naked?”

“Well, I’m okay with it,” Maggie retorted, though she didn’t like it, but she’d come to terms with it. “But I think it’s strange that we just had sex and are getting married and you’re talking like this. It even sounds like you hope Gray will break up with her.”

Marc eyed her. “Maybe it would be better for all of us if he did. Then there’s no weirdness in the future.”