AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Come on. I have more cookies. Tell me everything."
She grabs my suitcase, shoves the door shut, then rolls my bag to the doorway of my old bedroom. I toe off my shoes, then take a seat on the couch.
She comes back over and tosses me one of our fuzzy, soft throws. She’s in loose pajama pants and a tank top. Her hair is up and she’s without makeup. I look around. The coffee table has cookies and a mug of tea. Two used tea bags lie on a plate. An old rom-com,French Kisswith Meg Ryan, is paused on the television.
“Why aren’t you out?” I ask.
“Didn’t feel up to it,” she says.
“You’ve been flirting with Alexsei,” I tell her. As if I didn’t notice. As if I haven’t told her repeatedly, I need to know more about that whole situation. As if she hasn’t been avoiding that subject and further conversation every day in the shop.
“So?” She climbs under her own throw blanket and reaches for her mug of tea.
“So, what’s going on there?”
“Oh, no.” She turns to face me, leaning against the arm of the couch. “You show up on my doorstep with asuitcase, crying?Youhave some talking to do.”
I blow out a breath. She’s right.
It only takes me a few minutes to tell her the whole story. Which is surprising. The biggest heartbreak of my life seems like it should take longer to recount.
Her eyes are wide when I’m done. "Those fuckers.”
I shake my head. "They're not."
"Oh, but they kind of are,” she insists. “Every single one of them messed up tonight.”
“Michaelproposed,” I say.
“Yes. Knowing the other guys would be pissed.”
“He shouldn’t have to ask permission to have his feelings and to move our relationship forward,” I argue. But the words feel weird even as I say them.
Luna pulls her knees up, wrapping her arms around her legs, and leans in. “But he does, Dani. You areallin a relationship. It’s not just you and Michael.”
I feel tears threatening again. "I know. But Michael had a point. Why does he always have to be the reasonable, rational one that considers everyone else’s feelings first?"
Luna laughs softly. "Because that's who he is. That's what he does. I mean, he could still want to express every desire he has for you, ask you to be his wife, make a big declaration, and lock you down. But he has to respect the other guys and their feelings about it. And Michael knows that as well as anyone.”
I think about that. It's true. And I don't know what exactly got into Michael tonight. I like to think he was just overcome with love and passion.
“I want that,” I finally say softly. “I want the proposal. The engagement. The wedding. The husband. Kids. The house.” I sigh. “Our new house is a dream. It’s more Michael and me than it is Nathan and Crew, but I thought them going along with it meant they were on board. I guess I just thought we were all moving in this direction. And..." I take a deep breath. “Maybe I thought Michael’s proposal would push the other two in that direction. Instead, I think it pushed them away.”
"You know they love you, right?" Luna leans over and takes my hand. "I have no idea how or why you want to live with three men. But if you're going to, you have three really great ones. They, appropriately, think you walk on water. They adore you. They take really good care of you. Every one of them fills a place in your life that has made you into an even warmer, more open, more confident, happier person."
My tears start again, but I nod.
"You're good for them too, Dani. They are all better with you than they were before you. You all can figure this out."
"I hope so."
"Well, they will. Or you will. But maybe some time away is good. They’ll figure out what they really want. So will you. But yeah, Nathan and Crew need to come around. Michael needs to figure out that he can't just go off half-cocked like this. That’s not him. That throws everyone off. And that's okay. Everybody has a part to play in this. There are four of you. You're not just trying to figure out how to deal with and respect one other person's feelings, you all have three other people to consider."
I nod. Then I ask the question that I've most been dreading the answer to. "What will I do if Nathan and Crew don’t come around?”
“I thought you said Nathan already said he wants to get married.”
“But does he?” I ask. “Or is he just competing with Michael? Did he say it because he can’t imagine letting Michael have me to himself?”
