The Limit to Your Love (18+)

8 | The Plunge

In the lineup at the charcuterie table, I find myself stealing glances at Katrine Amster's hair. Nakabuntot kasi ako sa kanya at hinihintay ang paglakad niya paharap sa tuwing uusad ang pila ng mga bisita.

Her hair—a quintessential Marilyn Monroe blonde—looks like a masterpiece, each strand perfectly coifed as if she's packed a personal stylist inside her travel luggage. She matches that up with a loose red dress that boasts an actual cleavage.

Pumupulot siya ng maliliit na cubes ng iba't ibang klase ng cheese. Habang ginagawa niya ito, inilapit niya ang mukha niya sa'kin at saka ako kinausap.

"I'm not really a fan of cheese," she admits out of the blue. "You know, fat and all. And the lactose, gives me the runs. But I think Gideon likes them. It's all he's been stuffing himself with since we arrived here. He won't even pickup the cold cuts. Do you know why?"

Nalukot nang bahagya ang noo ko. "Gideon's vegetarian," sabi ko. "Didn't you notice that during your yacht date?"

"Oh, he didn't actually eat much that night. In fact, he doesn't eat much at all, from what I've noticed in our previous outings. But he did drink a lot. Your friend seems to have a bottomless stomach for liquor, Bee—oh, sorry—" She claps a hand over her mouth. "Is it okay to call you Bee?"

"Of course, Katrine."

"Kat. Kat is fine with me," she interrupts with a soft, beautiful smile. "So, vegetarian, huh. That'd be easy for me then, 'cause I'm already a pescatarian. I'll just take out the urge to eat seafood then Gideon and I will be the perfect match. Searching for restaurants won't be such a hassle. . ."

The furrows in my brow deepened. So, they've gone and made it official—their dating status is now quadruple-stamped. Las Cuatros Marias (cue the epic voice of Breaking Bad's ultimate badass drug lord, Gus Fring).

Ang tanong, does Katrine Amster know about Gideon's other blondes? I can't help but wonder if he has already come clean, and what her take is on that little revelation.

Pero siyempre, hanggang dito lang ang tanong na 'to. Ang sarap sanang gisahin si Gideon tungkol dito pero talagang nagmamatigas pa rin siya sa pagiging malamig niya sa'kin. Even here on Bob's yacht, he's sticking to his guns, treating me like I'm already a rotting corpse.

Habang hawak ang paper plate na puno ng mga pinagpupupulot ko, naglakad ako't bumalik sa tabi ni Jack. We sat by the long bench attached to the banisters of the yacht, the salty breeze from the sea blowing softly against our face.

At a nearby table, you've got the rest of Bob's birthday guests—wealthy fellows who are part of the Delta Sigma Rho, the frat squad that includes the birthday boy himself, along with Gideon and Jack. I count eight guys in total. And each of them brought along their own partners.

On the opposite side of the yacht's deck, mirroring Jack and me, is Gideon who's busy pouring himself another shot of the Macallan. Kat, as she prefers to be called, is right there beside him, smiling oh so sweetly while presenting her charcuterie offerings to him as if he were some god ready to strike down mortals who fail to satisfy him.

Nagtusok pa si Kat ng isang maliit na piraso ng keso at saka iyon isinubo kay Gideon na napakapinong ngumuya.

Ugh.

I hate them.

Her.

Him.

Especially him.

But oh how they look so good together.

Damn it.

I hate myself.