Open Marriage (ON HOLD)

Chapter 19

Zac sat alone in his kitchen, a bottle of bourbon sitting in front of him. He started this domino effect of events over three weeks ago now a part of him regretted even suggesting an open marriage.

"Go to bed," Dylan, his younger brother, demanded, entering the dimly lit kitchen.

"What?" Zac peered up from his empty glass at his brother, confused.

"You're sulking," Dylan pointed out, watching Zac fill his glass.

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. I heard your little discussion with Y/N earlier. Real mature," he expressed, removing the bottle from Zac's reach.

"You didn't see what I saw," the other brother spoke.

"It doesn't matter what you saw. You reacted like a crazy man," Dylan told him, placing the bottle back into the liquor cabinet.

"He left so many..." Zac began to explain.

"Bro, stop! You are the one that said all this was okay," he reminded him, leaving the kitchen.

Zac groaned, picked up his glass, walking out onto the patio. He sighed, falling into a chair next to the pool. Zac listened to the sounds of the night, trying to let go of the jealousy that coursed through his body. His wife was doing the same as him, so why did it get to him so badly.

"Stop thinking so much," Zac told himself, reaching for his phone.

Zac to Halston: Hey blondie.

He needed to remind himself why he even was in this situation. Ms. Halston Sage. Dylan had questioned him so many times if Halston was worth the chance of losing Y/N. Zac believed deep in his heart that he would never lose his wife.

Halston to Zac: Hey, handsome. What are you doing?

Zac to Halston: Sitting by the pool with a tall glass of bourbon. What about you?

Halston to Zac: You should off your pool bod? At home about to watch a movie.

Zac to Halston: No one to show my body to.

Halston to Zac: You're alone?

Zac to Halston: Yes :(

Halston to Zac: Come over, baby!

Zac to Halston: You sure? It's late!

Halston to Zac: Come over!

Zac smiled, standing up, leaving his glass by his chair. He sent for an Uber while heading upstairs to change. He knew he shouldn't be driving with all the alcohol in his system.

Zac to Halston: See you in a few, blondie.

Zac collected his keys, charger, and wallet before stepping out of his house. Part of the man wanted Halston to come to him, but Y/N and himself agreed not to allow Sebastian and Halston in their family home. The kids were not to get caught up in the craziness of their relationships.

Zac's Uber waited for him at the end of the drive while he closed up the house. He strutted down the driveway, pushing away every negative thought about his wife and all that she could be doing this evening. He managed to do it with Halston in Australia, he needed to do it now.

"Where to?" the driver asked while Zac entered the vehicle.

Zac rambled off Halston's address, leaning back into the seat, staring out the window.

"You okay, pal?" the driver questioned, pulling out of the gated community, noticing Zac seemed stressed.

"Yeah, just need some peace and quiet," he responded, hoping the driver would leave him be.

"I understand," the man said, letting silence creep over the car.

Zac didn't feel like a conversation. He hoped his baseball cap that he put on before leaving was enough to hide who he was. He didn't need someone recognizing him, and starting asking him about all the recent headlines.

After another glance from the driver, Zac pulled his hat down further over his face, placing his gaze back out the window. He mentally scolded himself for drinking a large quantity of bourbon in a short amount of time. He could be driving himself instead of hiding from his Uber driver.

"Sir," the man expressed, the car coming to a halt.

Zac sighed, "Yes?"

"We are at your destination," the driver answered.

"Oh," Zac smiled, gazing up at Halston's apartment building. So lost in his thoughts, he didn't recognize his surrounding. "Thank you."

The driver nodded as Zac slowly exited the car. The actor quickly paid the man, tipping him well, thanking him once more before turning towards the building.

Zac ran his hand over his face a couple of times, walking toward the structure. He climbed the stairs to the second floor, keeping his hat pulled down and eyes to the floor. Zac didn't want anyone seeing him arrive at Halston's. It wasn't a big secret he was seeing her. He hated having his name in the headlines every day.

It took Zac knocking once before Halston opened her front door, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.

"I've missed you," she mumbled into Zac's neck while he backed them into her apartment.

He laughed, "I can see that." He closed the door, hugging her back.

"You miss me?" she questioned, pulling away.

Zac nodded, cupping her cheek. "I wouldn't have texted if I didn't miss you."

She smiled, pecking his lips. "Good."

He chuckled, allowing her to pull him into her lightly lit living room. "What move are you watching?" he asked, remembering her text from earlier.

"Carrie," she responded with a smile.

"You and your scary movies," Zac expressed, taking off his hat and kicking off his shoes.

"Are you scared, Zaccy?" she laughed, plopping down on the couch, pulling him down next to her.

"No," he answered, wrapping a single arm over her shoulder.

"Well, if you do get scared, I'll protect you," she smirked, gazing up at him.

"Oh, yeah..." he smiled, poking her side. "And who is going to protect you from me?"

Before she could answer, he placed her on his lap, tickling her relentlessly. Halston's laugh echoed through the small apartment. Zac lost himself in this girl that he didn't realize his phone had fallen from his pocket into the crack of the couch. All of this led to him missing several calls from his wife and son.