Page 423 of Seasons of Love
“No, nothing dramatic happened,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I guess I just prefer to be home near Dad, and he keeps talking about me working with him when I graduate and…I’d like to do that.”
I nodded. I knew my uncle could be a little relentless with his eagerness to get Gabe to take over the business one day.
Most of the time, I wasn’t sure Gabe actually wanted to do it, but then I’d catch him reading up on stuff or listening to Uncle Frank talk about the business with such rapture that I knew the same passion for Silver Resorts ran in his blood.
“Have you told your dad?”
“No.” He went back to inspecting his jeans.
I put my hand on his to stop him from fraying the hem further. “He’ll be okay with it, you know?”
“Yeah, I just don’t want to let him down.”
“You won’t, Gabe. I promise.”
“Okay, enough with the depressing. Don’t think I’ve forgotten about your escapades. Who have you been fucking every night that we haven’t seen you for a week?”
I wasn’t expecting him to change the subject so swiftly. My skin heated, and I didn’t know where to look or what to do that wouldn’t give me away.
Not that he was completely wrong, of course. I had slept with someone, just not slept slept with them…yet.
In the last week, Griff, Mal, and I stole many moments to kiss, touch, and be close, but at no point did we discuss how to handle it if our relationship, or arrangement, or whatever it was, went public.
“I’m not fucking anyone.” The crude words felt wrong coming from me, but also because I wanted nothing more than to be fucking someone. Two someones.
“Fine, don’t tell me.” He shrugged and got up from the bed.
“Gabe,” I called as he got near the door.
“It’s…um…it’s new. I’m not sure what it is yet, but I’ll tell you when I can, okay?”
He nodded and blew me a kiss before disappearing toward his own room.
Sneaky bastard.
I packed some more clothes in a bag and left the house before I bumped into my uncle on his way back from the walk with Jessie. I could handle Marlow Junior, but Marlow Senior had special powers, and I wasn’t sure how convinced he’d be that my absence was because of my increased workload.
A wave of anxiety rolled through my stomach as I pulled up to Mal and Griff’s house.
Was this all a mistake?
Every time I took a step toward their house, I knew we could be on the verge of something that would cause more damage and harm than good.
Equally, every time I looked into their eyes, I couldn’t walk away. Mal with his big presence, sometimes broody but always reliable, and Griff with his calm, welcoming demeanor.
Why these two men?
I’d already decided to forget the strangeness of wanting two men at the same time. Poly relationships were more common than most people thought. Who was I to fight against something I felt so strongly about?
But why Griff and Mal?
They were an established couple, already married and with their own lives put together. I was fresh out of college, trying to prove myself in my first real job. What could I offer them they didn’t already have?
A knock on the window got my attention. I hadn’t even noticed I was still in the car.
I opened the door and got out, meeting an anxious-looking Griff.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, running a hand up my arm and letting it rest on my neck.
