Presque Vu

Chapter 37

Once they had exited the parking lot and were on their way back to Jared's, Shannon reached over and twined his fingers in with Raina's. "You okay?" he asked her.

Raina gave his hand a squeeze. "Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

"It was a pretty sneaky thing Jared did, springing that interview on you like that. I thought Emma already had you fill out paperwork."

"It was sneaky, but I think he was right. I would have worried about it too much if I had known what he intended to do."

"You know, Raina, just because you guys have an arrangement in the bedroom doesn't mean you have to let him boss you around the rest of the time...."

"That's really not what that was, Shannon...."

Shannon ignored her interruption and continued. "He just does that, just jumps in and takes things over and tells everyone what to do. Like he's always automatically in charge, no matter what the situation, and it's fucking ridiculous."

"Shannon is this about me and Jared or you and Jared?"

"It's about Jared."

Raina gave a sigh and took his hand back. "I thought that we agreed that you and Jared were going to keep your issues between the two of you. Let me decide what is appropriate in my relationship with Jared, okay? Have a little faith in me?"

"It's not you that..." Shannon grumbled and squeezed her hand. "Fine. But I really do hope this doesn't mean you're going to take that job with Moderne."

"Would you be angry if I did?"

"Not angry, no. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, Raina. It's just that I was really looking forward to you being with us on this tour. You can't try to turn me into some villain for being disappointed about you not being there or having to miss you instead of being with you."

"I know. I didn't mean it that way either. I doubt that I'll take the position. I want to be with you guys too, but I'd be crazy not to at least consider whatever offer Kernan has to make."

Shannon returned his hand to the steering wheel as they pulled off the freeway. He focused on the road, drumming his thumb against the leather-bound wheel as he continued to speak. "I know you're right. It just feels like we're finally starting to find our rhythm together and I don't want to start over. I'll support whatever decision you make though."

"Thank you for that." Raina had to admit she was a little relieved to hear him confirm his support. She could tell he was struggling with his own desires versus hers and hoped this whole thing wouldn't veer off into petulant brat territory. Both Letos seemed to have a large capacity for that.

"I'm a little afraid to bring up this next thing," Shannon began, starting to reach of Raina's hand but then gripping the steering wheel again. "But before I do, I need you to know that I meant what I said about being done with other women. I'm not asking for permission to be with anyone else."

Raina returned her hands to her lap and sat up a little straighter. "I don't think I like where this is going."

Shannon continued. "I was just thinking. We'll need to keep up appearances on the road. People expect certain behavior out of me, and Jared too, for that matter."

"Yeah, I bet they do," Raina added drily, deciding she definitely did not like where this was going.

"We should probably be seen with other women occasionally."

"Define "being seen with" please."

"Raina, stop scowling at me like that. It would just be for show. There are women that I know, that I'm friends with in some of these places, I can make arrangements, take them out for some drinks, bring them back to the hotel..."