“I am. All of you bring me so much happiness,” I say. “Even with Stacy’s death, everyone has been so supportive and patient with me. That day in the cabin with everyone… I am so happy that I got to experience that with her. Maybe that’s a weird thing to be thankful for, but she is like my sister. She was so much more than just my best friend. I feel like I lost part of myself with her in that cabin.”
“Stacy is in all of us, Sadie. There is nothing wrong with finding comfort in our company.”
“That kinda sounds like a pegging joke,” I say.
“I love you, but get your mind off pegging,” he laughs.
“Why? It could be therapeutic,” I joke.
Todd smiles and shakes his head before hugging me. “We are going to be okay.”
“I just need to clear my head. I promised her that I would live for her, and I want to do that. I want to let myself be happy that I’m alive and be grateful that she saved my life without the guilt.”
“So, what you’re saying is you need to get out of your head?” he asks with a smirk.
“Don’t tempt me, Todd. I could go for a good blackout nap,” I laugh. Todd grins deviously as he moves me to sit on the bed. “What are you doing?”
“Stay,” he says simply before leaving the room. I sigh and lie back on the bed to close my eyes.
I let my mind wander to Stacy and her smiling face. I remember what it was like for her and me to lie blindfolded and talk before the guys came in. I remember all the times we sat and giggled together while being brats to the guys. I have so many happy memories with that woman that I refuse to let die with her.
I didn’t fully understand what she meant when she told me to live for her, but now I do. She wants me to live my life happily and carefree, just as I did with her. She didn’t want me to let her death consume me or drag me into darkness. I know she wanted me to accept myself and the things I desire with these men. It was the last conversation we had as we were walking out to the car before Leo showed up. She was encouraging me to embrace the fact that I have all of these men who want to share me. She wanted me to be comfortable with not just my body, but my mind as well.
The door opens, and I sit up to find all eight men walking in. “Something tells me I’m not eating dinner right now,” I say with an innocent smile.
“Not at all,” Mason says, pulling me up to stand. Dean and Lance stand to either side of me, and I feel giddy being surrounded by them.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“We want to hear you say it,” Mason says.
“Say what specifically?” I ask seriously.
“How you feel about everyone?”
“I... love them,” I say. “Billy, Del, Ben, Jake, and Todd... I love them, but...”
“But what?” he asks with a smile.
“I’m in love with Todd. Before Stacy died... She told me that he felt the same way,” I say. “I feel like that excludes people.”
“You just haven’t gotten as close with them as you have with us and Todd,” Dean says.
“Exactly,” Mason comments. “Here is what we think and would like to see happen... We want to share you with them. We all have equal rights to you as a whole. We find a place together, and we will collectively be your partners.”
“So, like... I date all of you?” I ask.
“Mhmm,” Lance says, and I turn to him. “Boyfriends. Husbands. Whatever. We all love you so much, and none of us wants to make you feel like you have an obligation to just me, Mason, and Dean. We may have gotten into a relationship with you first, but that doesn’t mean you can’t welcome more people into your heart.”
“Does this mean other women will end up involved?” I ask.
“Not unless you agree to it,” he says. “Everyone has to agree, really.”
“That would make me look like a greedy bitch if I said no while I have all eight of you,” I say.
“No, baby... It’s called boundaries. We are setting them right now. The eight of us are perfectly content sharing you. If another woman comes along that we all think will fit in well, then we will consider it as a group.”
“No one will live up to Stacy,” I say bluntly.
