Page 74 of The Plus One

“A trip to Jamaica for two weeks. All expenses paid.”

Stephen grabbed the phone. “Bro, this is too much.”

“It’s a wedding gift and an apology.”

“We’re already on our honeymoon,” Sierra said.

“Now you get another one.”

She looked at me. “You knew about this?”

“I tried to talk him into a gift card.”

“And then told me to book first class,” Ace added.

I looked at him. “Why would you tell them that?”

“Because you did.”

“We are sorry,” I said, ignoring him.

Sierra stared at us for a few seconds before getting up. I prepared myself for the lecture. Instead, she hugged me. “You didn’t ruin my wedding. Markel ruined his own damn life. Stephen and I still got married, the food was good, and I looked beautiful.”

“You did.”

“And now I’m going to Jamaica.”

I smiled. “You’re welcome.”

She let me go and looked at Ace. “Thank you. But if you fight at another one of my events, I’m calling the police.”

“That’s fair.”

Stephen dapped him up, and I watched the two of them talk. I didn’t know how to feel about Ace doing this for my friends. The fact that he cared enough to fix something because the people involved mattered to me was beautiful.

Calling Ace my man might’ve slipped out by accident. But the more I thought about it, the less it felt like one.

Fifteen

Ace

Our conversation with Stephen and Sierra went better than I expected. Probably because I gave them an expensive-ass apology gift. After leaving their suite, Kema and I walked along the beach. It was our last night in Cancún. I came here as Kema's fake boyfriend and was leaving not wanting anything about us to be fake. Kema had been quiet for most of the walk. And I knew it was because she had questions she needed answered. “I can hear you thinking.”

She looked at me. “How can you hear somebody thinking?”

“I just—”

“Kema, you don’t have to worry about what happens when we get home. I want you. I ain’t coming up off you.”

She stopped. “How you know what I was about to say?”

“Because I know you.”

“You do not know me that well.”

“I know you been thinking about this shit all day.”

She rolled her eyes and started walking again. I grabbed her hand and pulled her back. “Talk to me.”