“For fuck’s sake,” Zach mutters. “Why didn’t you ask us about a bed? Or, more specifically, come
to me for help sorting it out?”
I turn slowly, the seatbelt digging into my neck. “I…it’s a bed. I’ve purchased beds before.”
Zach grits his teeth and glares at me. “Yeah, you’re fully capable. I am aware. But is it really that
hard to ask for help?”
My mouth drops open comically as what they’re saying finally hits. “I didn’t know I could,” I say
slowly. “Ask, that is. I’ve never had anyone to ask for help from.” Zach’s eyes close slowly, and he
rubs a hand on his cheek.
“We are overly involved in each other’s lives,” Jonas murmurs. “For us, the idea of trying to
solve a problem on our own is…foreign. I lost a puzzle piece yesterday. I spent twenty minutes
looking for it last night, then called for help. Three of my brothers came, and we found it in minutes.”
“Where was it?”
“Stuck to the rear of my sweats. They had me bend over and look under a few tables first and
laughed at me the whole time.” He sounds annoyed, but he’s smiling.
Men are weird.
Zach makes a choked sound. “Thepointis, we’re always there for each other. Always. And the
idea that you’ve spent all day worried about something is really fucking frustrating.”
“It didn’t occur to me to talk to you about it,” I admit. “Even if I was in the habit of asking for
help…you’re a busy man. Coming to you with a problem like this seems wrong somehow.”
An actual growl comes out of his mouth. “Ok. This shit ends now. I—.“ Jonas whistles a high to
low note, cutting him off. Again, they have some silent conversation, and Zach sits back with a scowl.
“Maya,” Jonas says as he pulls into the underground parking at home. “All of us, but especially
Zach, like to help the people we…care about. So asking any of us for help is like giving us a little
gift.”
He turns off the ignition and clicks his belt, turning to face me. “I have not had a girlfriend. But I
do know that if she has a problem she needed help solving, I would feel privileged to be the one
helping her. Knowing that I’ve done something to make her life easier would be incredibly,” his gaze
drifts out the window, eyes far away, “satisfying.” He smiles and climbs out of the van, closing the
door softly, leaving Zach and me to stare at each other in charged silence.
“So,” I say, breaking the silence. “What you’re trying to tell me is that instead of wasting three
