My face falls.
“It was… horrendous. Poor Robyn and Bart.”
“Robyn?”
“Bart’s wife.”
“You know her?”
He nods. “Not something I’m proud of.”
Hell, this story is a doozy.
“Heidi nearly died. It was touch and go. She spent two weeks in intensive care. Thankfully, she survived, but when she got out of hospital, all she wanted was for Bart to move home to be with her.”
My heart drops.
“And he did what any father would do. He moved home to be with his daughter.”
“God, Jeremy.” I sigh.
“Bart told me it wouldn’t be for long—that he wanted me to go and work for him so that he could spend his days with me because we couldn’t be apart.”
“Where do you live now?”
“I’m still in our apartment with all our things. He comes over most nights for an hour or so, when he’s at the”—he holds up his fingers to air quote— “gym.”
“Fuck.”
“He keeps telling me that he’s still there because of Heidi, and I believed him. I mean, I spend more time with him than anyone. All day, every day, every night, we make love, and on the weekends, we often go away. But a few weeks ago, I went to a function with a friend and Bart didn’t know I was there. He was there with Robyn.” He pauses. “I was watching them from the shadows.”
“And?”
“The way she was looking at him. Their body language.”
“What?”
“They’re sleeping together again. I know it.”
“Hell.” I drag my hand down my face.
Jeremy smiles flatly and holds his champagne glass up. “So, there you have it. My fucked-up love life. I’m in love with a married man who I sleep with most days and swears his undying love for me. One who is going away to New York with his wife next week for his anniversary without his kids. You can figure out why I’m upset.”
“How do you know he’s going away with her? Maybe it’s a mix up.”
“Robyn called me to see if I had any ideas on what she could buy them for their anniversary. Told me all about the romantic weekend away that Bart had organized for her.”
“Fucking hell,” I whisper, wide-eyed. “This is a nightmare.”
“Right?”
“What are you going to do?” I ask softly.
“What I always do.” He sighs. “Give him an ultimatum. Tell him that’s it. He will leave, and I will miss him so much that I will nearly die from a broken heart. In a few weeks, he will tell me how he can’t live without me and beg me to come back. I will believe him, even though I know nothing’s changed.” Jeremy twists the stem of his wineglass and stares at it.
“You deserve better than this,” I tell him.
“I know.” His eyes meet mine. “But have you ever loved someone so much that you would literally die to be with them?”
My eyes rise to Sebastian. He lifts the cigar to his lips and smiles sexily at the woman he’s talking to. “Maybe,” I admit quietly.
Jeremy’s eyes follow my line of sight. “What’s going on with you and Garcia?”
“Nothing.”
Hearing Jeremy’s and Bart’s miserable story has given me a reminder of what my life will be like in six years if I stay.
“Sebastian has issues, and I can’t save him, as much as I wish I could.”
Bart and Sebastian laugh out loud, and Jeremy and I look over to their group.
“Do you want to get out of here?” I ask.
Jeremy pushes his chair out. “Where do you want to go?”
“Anywhere but here.”
My phone rings, waking me. I’m disorientated. It’s dark. I sit up in a rush and glance at my clock. It’s 5:35 a.m.
“Hello,” I answer.
“April, I need you in the function room immediately,“Bart says firmly.
I wince because I’m still half asleep. “What’s wrong?”
“Theodore has escaped from rehab.”
“W-what?” I snap, is this a bad dream?
“Just get down here. We’ve got a fucking disaster of epic proportions going on.”
I push the blankets back in a rush. “Okay, on my way.”
I hang up and walk to the adjoining door. Sebastian didn’t knock last night. In fact, I didn’t even hear him come home. I put my ear to the door.
Silence.
He’s probably already downstairs with Bart.
I quickly shower and make my way down to the function room we are currently using as an office. Already there are Bart, Jeremy, a few security guards, three police officers, and Kellan.
“Hi.” I throw my laptop bag onto the desk and look around. “Where’s Sebastian?” I ask.
“A car is just picking him up now,” Bart says, pulling out a map. “So, Theodore was last seen here.” He points to the map. Everyone leans in to take a look.
I frown. “What do you mean, a car is picking Sebastian up?”
“He didn’t stay here last night. I’ve spoken to him; he’s on his way,” Bart replies distracted.
Jeremy’s eyes meet mine.
Where the fuck did he stay?
“April, get on the phone to the CEO of the facility. I want the security footage.”