They all look at me.
I lift my chin. “Yes. Complete honesty and I’ll start. I’m struggling with my business. I know you all already know this but I want to fully admit that’s what’s going on. I’m not asking for help, but you need to know that I am going to put everything into trying to save my studio.”
“Whatever you need, please let us know, Lola. We want to help you succeed as much as you want to stand on your own. Part of this needs to be you asking for help when you need it. You have all three of us to lean on. Don’t shoulder everything alone, okay?” Jude says.
The emotions that rush through me are intense. I need this kind of support so much but it still scares me.
Jude continues. “So…boundaries? What do you each want?”
“No one else—just the four of us. I know that’s asking a lot since I’m not exactly monogamous here, but I can’t do this if you guys are with other women.”
Jude gently brushes the back of my hand. “You’re not asking too much, babe.”
“I have no desire to be with anyone else anyway,” Miles adds. “That ended the second you kissed me.”
“I haven’t touched anyone else since I first touched you, Lo-lo. I don’t want anyone else. You’re…you’re it for me.”
The relief fills me. What did I do to deserve this?
“Thank you.”
“You’re ours,” Jude says quietly. “We’re yours.”
I sigh. There’s something else I need to say.
“This thing with Gigi…” I glance at Reid. “It’s going to blow up.”
Reid’s jaw tightens, but he nods. “Yeah. I know.”
“She already warned me off you. She’s not going to just let this slide.”
“I’ll handle her,” he says. “It’s my mess.”
“You sure?” Miles asks.
“I should’ve cut it off sooner. I didn’t. That’s on me.”
“And if she takes it out on Lola?” Jude asks.
“She won’t get the chance.”
Reid seems super confident that he can make this go away. But I know Gigi and I’m not so sure. I’ve seen her in situations like this in the past and she shredded anyone that got in her way.
“And then of course Wes is also an issue in all of this,” I say.
All three men nod solemnly.
“I’m pretty sure he’s not going to be happy about any of this, but I’m a grown woman. He’ll have to accept it.”
All the guys nod but I know they’re worried about that part more than anything.
Eventually Jude reaches for another dumpling. “So we’re doing this, then. For real.”
“We’re doing it,” Miles confirms.“One step at a time.”
I nod. “One conversation at a time.”
Reid lifts his water glass. “To us.”