Epilogue

Marcus Sul ivan watched the waitstaff circulate through Chase and Chloe's San Francisco loft with trays loaded with some of his best vintages.

They'd announced their engagement a month ago, and tonight they were sharing their joy with the entire Sul ivan clan.

Everyone had cleared or changed their schedules to be here tonight. Even Smith had flown in for the weekend from Italy, where he was shooting a big-budget thril er. Chloe's parents were clearly overwhelmed, not just from meeting a big movie star, but by the entire Sul ivan clan, minus Lori, who had gotten caught late at a video shoot for some hot new pop star. His mother, Mary, had been by the side of Chloe's folks nearly the entire evening, working overtime to make sure they were comfortable.

Standing off to the side of the group, Marcus was happy for his brother. Chase had picked a good woman. A perfect woman, real y.

Marcus downed his ful glass without tasting it and took another from the young waiter before he could walk away. He never drank to excess. Drunk had never been his style, and given that he was in the wine business, a predilection to over-imbibing would have been more than a health issue, it could prove to be bad for business, too.

Tonight, however, Marcus, didn't give a crap about business. Or remaining sober.

How could Jil have let him walk in and find her with -

Fuck.

His second glass went down just as fast as the first and he was reaching for his third when he realized his mother was coming toward him.

Just a handful of minutes ago, she'd told the entire crowd how very thril ed she was to final y see one of her brood take the plunge. What she hadn't said was that she'd always thought her oldest would have been first to the altar.

Marcus had thought that, too. Now he knew better.

Now he knew that the past two years of waiting for Jil to be "ready" for the next step had been nothing but a lie.

Working to head his mother off at the pass, Marcus said, "They're great together, aren't they?"

His mother looked at the happy couple with a smile. "She's perfect for him. Strong, creative, lovely."

Too soon, her eyes were back on him, just in time to watch him down his third glass. His tolerance was higher than most, but he didn't usual y drink that kind of volume that quickly.

"What's wrong, honey?"

"Nothing."

But they both knew he was lying.

Marcus needed to get out of there before he ruined the party. "I'l be back in the city next weekend. I'l come by to see you then."

His mother put her hand on his arm. "Wil Jil be with - "

Lori flew in through the front door just then, stil wearing her dance clothes, before his mother could finish her sentence.

"Oh my freaking God, I never thought I'd get out of that studio!" In an instant, she zeroed in on the happy couple, exclaiming, "My new sister-to-be!"

as she threw her arms around Chloe. "We need to do a big group shot!"

His mother happily went to give her camera to one of the staff to take pictures of the Sul ivans and Petersons. Marcus stood stiffly on the edge of the group, and as soon as the picture-taking was done, he left before anyone could stop him.

He hadn't had a one night stand in two years, hadn't taken a beautiful, wil ing stranger to bed for twenty-four wasted months. Like an idiot, he'd given up hot sex for the false promise of love.

Wel , Marcus was a hel of a lot smarter now.

And, tonight, he was going to make up for lost time.

~ THE END ~