Chapter Forty Nine

Chapter Forty Nine
Jamie's eyes lingered on Lisa's face, and he could sense something was off. She was smiling, but it was a little too bright, a little too forced. When Marcus showed up, Lisa's shoulders had tensed, almost imperceptibly. It was a subtle sign, but one that Jamie picked up on immediately. 

Marcus, on the other hand, seemed to be in his element. He'd done his research, and he knew there was almost something between Lisa and Jamie. He sauntered up to Jamie, a sarcastic grin on his face, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and possessiveness.

"Well, well, well. Jamie 'The Third'," Marcus said, his voice dripping with condescension. "Long time no see."

Jamie's response was awkward, a mixture of amusement and discomfort. He wasn't sure what game Marcus was playing, but he wasn't interested in playing along. "Hey, Marcus. Yeah, good to see you again…, under better circumstances."

The two men stared at each other for a bit, the tension between them palpable. Lisa shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting between them. She was clearly uncomfortable with the situation, and Jamie wondered if she was going to try to defuse it.

Just as it seemed like things were going to escalate, Mike burst into the conversation, grinning at Lisa. "Lis! Long time no see, girl! How's it going?"

Lisa's face lit up with a genuine smile as she hugged Mike back. "Mike! It's been ages! I'm good, how about you?"

Mike's eyes sparkled as he turned to Jamie. "Hey, man! I need you to meet someone."

Jamie nodded, grateful for the escape. "Yeah, sure, Mike."

As Mike pulled Jamie away, Lisa watched them go, a mixture of relief and worry on her face. Marcus noticed, his eyes narrowing. He turned to Lisa, his expression softening.

"Shall we get another drink, babe?" he asked, his voice smooth, but his eyes still fixed on Jamie's retreating back.

Lisa nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah, sounds good."

As they walked away, Marcus leaned in, his voice low. "So, how do you know Jamie again?"

Lisa's heart skipped a beat. She knew she had to tread carefully. She didn't want to give Marcus any reason to be suspicious, not when she was still trying to figure out what she was doing with him.

"He’s an old friend, from way back," she said, trying to sound casual. "We haven't seen each other in ages."

Marcus's eyes narrowed, but he let it go. For now. He was confident that he had Lisa under control, that she was his. But Jamie's presence had thrown him off balance, and he wasn't sure how to react.

As they disappeared into the crowd, Jamie turned back to Mike, a questioning look on his face. "Mike, wait. Did you notice something off about Lisa and that guy?"

Mike shrugged. "I don't know, man. I just met him tonight."

‘’Lisa really didn’t look good.’’ Jamie pressed.

Mike shrugged again, his expression casual, but a hint of curiosity flickered in his eyes. "What do you mean? She looks good with her new boyfriend, right? I mean, he seems like a catch."

Jamie's eyes narrowed, a flash of offense crossing his face. "That's not what I meant. There's something... off. About their whole vibe. The way he looks at her, it's like... he's possessive or something."

Mike raised an eyebrow, chuckling low. "Off? You're just reading too much into it, Jamie. Maybe he's just really into her, you know?"

Jamie's jaw clicked, his mind racing back to the encounter at his house. "I'm telling you, Mike. Marcus showed up at my house, trying to make it clear he's her boyfriend. It was weird. Like, way too intense for someone who's just 'into her'."

Mike shrugged again, unfazed, sipping his drink. "So? Maybe he's just protective. Don't think about it, Jamie. You've got no stake in this."

Jamie's expression darkened, his frustration simmering. Mike was brushing him off, treating it like he was overthinking things. But Jamie couldn't shake the feeling.

Mike smirked, a teasing glink in his eye. "Besides, man, you had your shot with Lisa. You blew it by friend-zoning her."

Jamie's face tightened. That was a low blow. He shot Mike a look, but Mike just laughed it off.

"I'm serious, Jamie," Mike continued, clapping him on the back. "Let it go. Lisa's got a boyfriend. Move on."

Jamie's jaw worked, but he knew Mike wasn't going to take him seriously. Not now, at least.

The conversation hung there, awkwardly, as they navigated through the crowd. Jamie's mind was still stuck on Lisa and Marcus. ‘’Something wasn't adding up…’’

Mike leaned in, lowering his voice. "Hey, let's catch up with Emma. She's been asking about you."

Jamie nodded, letting himself be pulled away from the thoughts. For now.