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Thirty-Four
DELILAH
I returned more than an hour later, after crossing the beach with Stephen and saying our goodbyes. I hugged him for what we both knew would be the last time. It was sad in a way, but also a relief.
The long ride home had been quiet, with no additional calls or messages. My anticipation grew as I pulled up to the house, whose windows seemed to flicker with a strange new light. I killed the engine and took a long, deep breath.
Then I opened the front door… and covered my mouth.
Oh…
The source of the flickering light became apparent immediately, as the foyer was lit up with nothing but candles. There were literallydozensof them set high and low, bathing the normally stoic chamber in a cozy, orange glow. It was like something out of a movie, really. Only in real life it was much, much more impressive.
What the—
Below my feet things were even more dramatic, because the floor was scattered with red and white rose petals. There were hundreds of these, trailing away in a path from the front door. They led me downward in the direction of the hallway, through an arch and into the living area I knew so well.
All three guys were there, lounging around in shorts and T-shirts only. Their perfectly-formed bodies looked even more buff in the candlelight. I could see every sculpted ridge of their big legs, their powerful arms, their impossibly wide shoulders…
“Welcome home.”
Liam did a sit-up off the loveseat he’d been stretched across, and I watched his abs dance as he stood up to greet me. Julius turned off whatever sporting event they were watching on TV. Duncan took my empty hand in his without saying a word and kissed me on the cheek. When I looked down again, my hand was no longer empty. There was the stem of a wine glass in it.
“That’s a neat trick,” I smiled, raising my glass to him.
“Trust us,” he winked back. “You’re gonna need it.”
It was all happening so fast, so simultaneously, as they led me to the couch. And I still didn’t know what it was. I only knew it was important.
Gently they sat me down, then stepped back so they were standing before me. My heart was racing. The rose-petal trail had come to an end at this room, where the remainder were scattered all over the furniture as well as the floor.
“So…” I said into my glass of wine. “What exactly are—”
“Let us talk first,” Duncan interjected softly. Smiling, he added the word “please.”
Breathing the fragrant vapors in my glass, I let my shoulders relax as I took an emboldening sip of wine. “Okay.”
Liam was shifting back and forth a bit, and Julius had his arms crossed. I could see them all fidgeting in their own way, as if nervous. Which was strange, because they were usually so cool and confident.
“First, thanks for coming home in the middle of your date,” said Duncan.
The date was pretty much over,I thought to myself. But I nodded anyway.
“But we’re thinking it’s the last blind date you’re going to need.”
“Oh?” His words made me snort a little. “Is that right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because wehatethe idea of you out with someone else,” Duncan said. “Anyone else.”
I stared back at them silently, trying to figure out where they were going with this.
“So I don’t need to date anymore?” I asked glibly, scanning each of their hardened expressions. “Foryoursake?”
The guys glanced at each other, all three of them. A look of shared understanding passed between them.
“Oh you’ll still date,” said Liam. “You’ll actually date a lot.”
Then, after a beat of silence:
“You’ll just be datingus.”
