Page 19 of A Smooth Operator

"And second," I barreled on like Mama's heart had not skipped a couple of beats, "I'd never want a double wedding or any wedding at all with Marina."

The doorbell rang, and I frowned. Lani rushed to open the door, and in walked Marina. Christ on a crutch! This was going to be a fucked-up day.

At least I had dinner plans with Echo. That thought made me feel better. This Sunday was not going to be a total loss. I liked Echo. She surprised me. She hiked. She drank whiskey. She had a good sense of humor. She was smart and witty. She wasn't having sex with my father. I still felt terrible for accusing her of that.

Where did I come off telling anyone how they should behave sexually? I did whatever the hell I wanted. I had found out after the fact that I had slept with some married women. But I figured I'm not the one who's married; I didn't make the vows; it's not my responsibility to maintain the sanctity of a woman's marriage when she's sucking my cock.

"Remi," Marina said softly in her I'm-a-good-girl voice.

Damn it! I had to deal with her before I could even get to dinner.

My mother and Lani hurried to my front door. "Y'all need to talk and sort this out," Mama said sweetly. She kissed Marina on her cheek and whispered something to her. My ex nodded.

"Have a seat?" I waved a hand at the barstools at the kitchen island.

My loft was one big room with just one partition separating my bedroom. The building used to be a warehouse. The floor was polished cement, and the beams were exposed. The apartment had glass walls on two sides. I fucking loved my space. Growing up in a mansion with stuff everywhere, I liked that my loft had very little furniture. I didn't even have a dining table because I had breakfast at the kitchen counter and all my other meals downstairs. My living area had one very comfortable couch, a big screen television, and a few bricks that acted as a side table. I had Sonos speakers all around the loft for music. I had a huge walk-in closet for my stuff. That was it. Besides that, the house was bare. I didn't even have art hanging on the exposed walls because no nails could penetrate that shit. My art was the city of Memphis.

Marina settled on a barstool. She was sniffling. Her eyes were puffy and red. She still had makeup on—waterproof. Smart girl.

"I'm so sorry, Remi," she whispered, her eyes downcast.

"You want coffee?" I asked.

She nodded. "Thanks."

God, she could be so demure when she was pulling a fast one. But I knew Marina. I had known her for as long as she'd been friends with Lani, and I knew this was an act. As I turned on my De'Longhi coffee machine and waited for a cup to fill, I thought about how I also had known Echo for many years, since she moved in with Fern. But I didn't know her. I'd never bothered—why was that?

Marina had always insinuated herself into my business. Coming to my room in her short skirts. Hanging out in our pool in skimpy bikinis. Yeah, I noticed her. Hard not to. She was gorgeous. Had I ever seen Echo in a bikini? I thought back and realized that I hadn't.

Echo was an orphan who was hanging out with her aunt's boss's daughter because the boss had invited her. She could hardly turn down an invitation from my dad. Fern would've beaten the crap out of her if Echo went against my father or mother's wishes. Echo hadn't had a choice but to become Lani's playmate. They were the same age, and I had begrudged her that.

I realized I unfairly called her a hanger-on for years.

Poopy Pants is a fucking leech, Lani.

Why is Poopy Pants always with you?

Ask her to get the fuck out of my space, Lani.

Christ! Why is she staring at me? Ask her to leave so I can swim in peace.

I'd said a variety of dismissive things about Echo throughout the years. I flinched as I realized that I probably didn't even care if she heard me—she probably had. And Poopy Pants? Now, that was fucking juvenile and hurtful. When had I become Echo's bully? Because that's what it sounded like now when I looked back at seventeen-year-old me talking about a fourteen-year-old girl who didn't have much in the name of family.

It made me feel small, and I promised once again to make amends, starting with the dinner tonight.

I set the coffee, along with a carton of milk and sugar, in front of Marina. She added a spoonful of sugar and some milk to her coffee. I finished my breakfast. I was rinsing my bowl when I heard her sobbing. I put my stuff into the dishwasher and turned to face her.

She had her face in her hands, and her shoulders were shaking. I wasn't a monster. I felt bad. But I couldn't comfort her. What she'd done hurt me. Betrayal hurt even if it came from someone who wasn't the love of your life. I thought she cared about me. I thought Alex was a friend. The whole thing made me feel like a fucking fool.

"Why are you here, Mar?" I interrupted her sob fest.

She raised her head, and I tore up some paper towels and put them in front of her. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. I had called it. She was wearing waterproof makeup. There were only a few traces of foundation on the paper towels, and her mascara and lipstick were intact.

"I'm so sorry for what I did, Remi. It was just a one-time thing. I was…I'd been drinking, and I had an edible, so, I was so out of it."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Are you saying that Alex forced himself on you? Took advantage of you?"

Her eyes went wide, and I could see her calculate how she should answer that. She didn't know that Alex had come clean and told me that he and Marina had been fucking for a couple of weeks. He didn't make excuses. He told me she came on to him, and he was more than willing to catch her. Marina flirted with everyone—her goal, I used to think, was to make me jealous. Now I wondered if she was just out for some strange.

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