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Liam and I were still in the clear, but it was just a matter of time before word got back to Eric now that people were starting to find out.
Mason and Liam came inside, and I had already made good headway on preparing breakfast, stirring the pancake batter.
“Morning,” Mason mumbled.
The skillet sizzled as I poured out the first few pancakes.
“Morning,” I replied.
The cabin was filled with the delicious scent of cooking, and under normal circumstances, this would have been an ideal morning. But the atmosphere was thick with tension, and the worry was evident on both their faces.
Our friendship with Eric meant the world to us. And last night’s revelations, albeit unexpected and forced upon us, raised fears that things between the four of us would never be the same again.
As Liam set the table, Mason broke the silence. “Eric’s not going to take this well, is he? I really fucked up, guys.”
I looked up, wiping my hands on a dishcloth. “I hope we are the ones who get to tell him on our own terms. I am worried that Vivienne knows something is up. She always knows how to stir the pot. I just hope it doesn’t get back to him before we tell him ourselves.”
Mason rubbed the bridge of his nose, frustration apparent in the lines on his face. “The worst part is, if Vivienne is manipulative enough to tell him, she will paint it in the worst light possible. Luckily, she only thinks I am dating her, and he won’t know it’s all three of us. But if she does tell him, Eric’s going to have that twisted version in his head before he even hears our side of things.”
I took a deep breath, placing the frying pan back on the stove. “Look, we’ve known Zoey for a huge part of our lives. We just... found ourselves in this unexpected situation, and it turns out that our feelings for her have evolved into something else—something that could be more than a short-term fling.”
Mason and Liam agreed that they also saw this as something they wanted long-term.
Liam interjected, “It’s not about taking advantage of her. She’s smart, mature, and knows what she’s getting into. We’ve always been transparent with her, and she with us. Eric needs to know that.”
Mason nodded. “He’s our best friend. He deserves the truth. But before we face this, we need to know what Zo wants. Zoey’s happiness is our priority.”
Looking thoughtful, I said, “If this is what Zoey wants, too, I have to believe Eric will eventually understand. Or at least, he’ll try to.”
Just then, my phone buzzed from the counter. A glance at the screen froze the blood in my veins. It was Eric.
Eric:So, Mason and Zoey? And none of you thought I should know?
The seriousness of the text pressed down on my chest. I held the phone up for Mason and Liam to see. Mason’s face lost its color, and Liam’s eyes went wide.
“What do we say?” I whispered.
Before anyone could formulate a response, another text from Eric rolled in.
Eric:Vivienne told me everything. Why the fuck am I hearing this from her? I barely know her, and I’ve certainly never liked her. You guys are my best friends.
Mason exhaled loudly, looking tormented. “I need to call him. Texts are only going to make it worse.”
Liam said, “Agreed. But before you do that, let’s plan our approach. We don’t want to end up arguing or alienating him further.”
A heavy sigh escaped my lips. “This is a mess.”
“Let’s think,” Liam began, taking a more pragmatic approach. “From Eric’s perspective, he just discovered that one of his best friends is dating his sister, and the rest of his us knew about it and kept it a secret. It’s a double blow. We need to acknowledge that we messed up in not telling him.”
Mason nodded, taking a deep breath. “I’ll apologize. I should’ve told him. But I also want him to know that Zoey and I didn’t plan for things to happen this way. We just… we connected. I won’t apologize for having feelings for her.”
I stepped in. “We need to ensure Eric knows this doesn’t change our friendship dynamics. We’re still the same tight-knit group.”
“But how do we break it to him that we all have feelings for her?” Liam added.
The room fell silent for a few moments as we pondered our strategy. I could feel the burden of the situation pressing down on all of us. The thought of potentially losing a friend—who was really more like a brother—over this was heart-wrenching.
The sizzle from the pan broke the silence.
