Chapter 143: Chapter Five

Alec

“How do you know when you're ready?” Demetri asked as we drove to the restaurant for the rehearsal dinner.

“It's like this,” Jaymeson interjected. “When she goes, “baby I love you, I want you so much, I need yo”u— that's when you seal the deal.” He gave a smug grin and nodded.

“Yeah.” I licked my lips. “Pretty sure what Demetri was asking had nothing to do with one of your one-night stands.”

Demetri was staring at Jaymeson like he was some sort of alien from Star Trek. “Seriously, how are we related?”

Jaymeson shrugged. “Hey, I was only trying to help.”

“You talking about marriage?” I asked as I took a side street to downtown Seaside.

“No, I'm talking about puberty.” Demetri rolled his eyes as Jaymeson cackled behind us. “Yes, I'm talking about marriage.” He shifted in his seat and started fiddling with his hands.

“What did you do?” I asked. “You're fidgety.”

“He's high.”

“I'm not high!” Demetri yelled. “But I did do something on impulse—”

Jaymeson waved him off. “Happens to everyone. No worries. One time I—”

“—I bought a ring!” Demetri blurted.

I slammed on the brakes, causing the front of Jaymeson's head to smash into the back of Demetri. Both of them cursed blue streaks for a good ten seconds.

“Sorry,” I mumbled. “You did what?”

“Ring.” Demetri rubbed the back of his head.

“Ring,” Jaymeson said slowly. “You mean like a wrestling ring? Or something you do when you're phoning someone?”

“Ring.” Demetri scowled. “As in, I went and dropped six figures on a five-carat piece of work from Tiffany's.”

I slammed on the brakes again. “Are you trying to outdo me? Tiffany's? SIX figures?”

“Tiffany's has badass rings.” This from Jaymeson.

The car fell silent. I finally spoke up. “And the slut in the backseat knows this how?”

Jaymeson looked away and whistled.

“Jaymeson?” Demetri urged.

“Oh look! The restaurant!” Jaymeson pointed. “Pull over! I gotta piss.”

“He knows things,” Demetri mumbled. “He only acts weird when he knows things…”

“The girls?” I guessed.

“They've been talking.” Demetri's eyes narrowed as Jaymeson disappeared into the restaurant.

“And he's been listening.”

“Loyalty.” Demetri nodded. “They have his loyalty.”

“Damn.”