It's You

I could see it, the hesitation flickering in his eyes. He mulled it over, jaw slightly clenched, hands slipping into his pockets.

“I don’t think it’s a very good idea, Monique,” he finally said, his voice gentle but firm. “How about we just meet tomorrow for breakfast and talk more?”

I tilted my head, my heart sinking a little. “Oh no,” I whispered. “I’m all alone… and I really, really need the company. I don’t think I should be by myself tonight.”

He didn’t move. His eyes were locked on mine, steady but unreadable.

So I added, more softly now, “Who knows what I might do? Who I might call…”

He let out a slow sigh, and I knew I had him. I reached for his arm, slipping my hand through the crook of his elbow and then down to his pocket, gently tugging him toward the elevator.

We walked into the lift together. A hotel attendant was already inside. I gave her the floor number. As the elevator rose, silence wrapped around us, but it wasn’t awkward. Every now and then, we glanced at each other, neither of us fully smiling, but fully aware of the tension rising like the numbers above the elevator door.

When we reached our floor, the doors opened with a quiet ding. I stepped out first, leading the way down the hallway, scanning the room numbers until I found mine. I swiped the keycard, the lock clicked green, and I pushed the door open.

But Marcus didn’t follow. I turned back to find him standing still just outside the threshold.

“Come on,” I said, surprised. “Get in.”

He didn’t move.

“Come on,” I urged again.

“I can’t,” he said, voice lower now like he was trying to convince himself just as much as me. “I just… I don’t think I should be in your hotel suite.”

I smirked. “Please don’t tell me you’re a vampire.”

That made him laugh, shaking his head. “No, I’m not a vampire. But I still don’t think I should be here.”

“Oh, come on,” I said again, this time stepping out, wrapping my fingers around his jacket lapels. I pulled him gently but firmly across the doorway and into the room.

Then I closed the door behind us and just like that, we were alone.

“So,” I said, gesturing toward the sofa, “what would you like to drink?”

He didn’t answer right away, just watched as I walked over to the minibar tucked neatly into the corner of the room. I opened it, my eyes scanning the tiny, neatly arranged bottles. I picked a whiskey, figuring it was strong enough for whatever this conversation was going to be. Back at the table, I set two glasses down, poured one for him, and one for me, and picked mine up.

“Cheers,” I said, raising my glass and leaning it toward him.

He just stared at me for a second before straightening, slowly taking the glass out of my hand.

“Hey,” I protested, reaching out to take it back.

“You were drinking wine earlier,” he said calmly. “If you’re going to drink, I think you should stick to the wine.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Wow. Look at you... trying to control my drink again?”

He smirked but didn’t reply. With a slight huff, I stood up.

“Okay, let me see if there’s any wine in there.”

I walked back to the minibar, fished out a bottle of red wine, uncorked it, and returned to the table. I poured myself a glass and raised it again.

“Cheers,” I said, smiling.

But Marcus didn’t move. Two untouched glasses sat in front of him.

“Hey,” I said again, the edge in my voice softened by a smile. “We’re celebrating, aren’t we?”

His expression didn’t change. “What are we really celebrating?” he asked.

I blinked, setting my glass down slowly. He was right, what was I thinking?

“I thought you brought me out here so we could talk,” he said. “We did come to talk, right?”

“Well, come on then,” I said, nudging him gently. “Drink with me.”

“I’m driving,” he said, his tone calm and measured. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to drink.”

“Yeah… you’re probably right,” I murmured, swirling the wine in my glass.

There was a pause before I spoke again, softer this time.

"So tell me, what were you thinking?"

“I think before I tell you what my plan is… I have to know where your head is at.” He looked at me, curious.

“What do you mean?” I asked,

“With Ryan,” he said. “What have you decided? Are you going to divorce him?”

That word… it sat in the air like smoke.

“Divorce?” I repeated, a frown tugging at my lips.

I hadn’t really thought about it, not out loud. But maybe I should have. I mean, what even was left of our marriage? Ryan was already with another woman. They were expecting children. He had built a life without me in it.

“There’s nothing between us anymore,” I said slowly. “But then again… I can’t seem to picture a life without him. Isn’t that strange?”

I looked down at my wine, at the soft ripples moving in the glass from my trembling fingers. Then I looked back at Marcus and decided, just this once, to let the honesty spill out.

“I really don’t know,” I said. “But I think that’s what makes this so hard. He’s already moved on.... he’s building a new family. And I’m still here, stuck.”

My voice dropped to a whisper.

“Divorce would be the right thing. It’s what I should be thinking about… right?”

I looked up at Marcus, searching his face for something.... reassurance, clarity. Because part of me already knew the answer.

I stared at him, really stared, five seconds after those words left his mouth.

After everything with Ryan, after all the lies, the manipulation, the betrayal... how could I just trust someone new? A stranger, no matter how kind his eyes looked or how soft his voice sounded. I wasn’t going to fall for words again. I couldn’t afford to.

I took a slow breath and said, “And how can I trust you, Marcus? What are you getting out of this?”

He didn’t flinch, just held my gaze.

“You don’t know me like that,” I continued, the edge sharpening in my voice. “You have no reason to help me. So why would you? Why would you do all of this for me?”

Marcus leaned back slightly, then took a second sip of his drink before answering.

“Well, for one,” he said, his voice calm, “I have some things to settle with the Bennetts.”

His eyes met mine again, and something unreadable flickered in them. “And the second reason,” he added, his tone dropping just a little, “which is becoming more and more enticing… is you.”