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Story: Seeing Red

“Oh. How was it?” Did they talk about last night? Did they talk about me? Lottie and True had one-on-one time. Why did that make me more nervous than her meeting my parents?

“It was good until Greyson showed up.” There was a dip in her voice that piqued my curiosity.

I turned my head to look at Greyson. He was smiling at his plate but didn’t add anything.

“What happened when Greyson got there?”

Rolling her eyes, she lifted her shoulder. “Whatalwayshappens when Greyson goes anywhere…”

She let the cryptic sentence trail and I bit back my smile.

I loved this. Loved how much they cared about me without having to say it. Loved how much I could tell they loved each other. This felt safe. It felt like home and after last night, all I wanted to do was freeze this moment so I could feel this way forever.

Greyson must have read my mind because he reached over, dropping his hand in my lap while he stared at me before his eyes found True. “Whatever that was last night…we’re not doing it again. Fight as much as you want but I’m not sleeping alone. So figure that shit out.”

He didn’t have to say more, the finality in his voice was enough to get his point across and when True bit her lip with a subtle tilt of her head, I knew she agreed.

Greyson squeezed my leg before his reassuring touch was gone.

We ate in silence for the rest of dinner, the only soundtrack our forks hitting the plate.

Silence usually fucked with me, but I could do it with them. Because silence didn’t equal lonely when they were around.

Later, when I cleared the table, my mind was set on one thing: I couldn’t fuck this up. Not enough people loved me out loud, so I wasn’t going to push away the two who did. I knew that whatever came from this, whether it was good or fucking scary, we would figure it out together.

I loved seeing True in my bed. Not because she was waking up or falling asleep. Just because she wanted to be close to me while she read.

It was Sunday afternoon and we were home alone because Greyson was in Charlotte until later today, taking care of something.

True’s long limbs were spread out like a starfish while she listened to an audiobook on her phone, only one ear of her headphones in because she kept pausing the book to tell me how much she loved the female narrator’s voice.

“I’m gonna shoot my shot when it’s time to cast my next audiobook,” she told me, excitement coloring her words.

Getting on the bed with her, I grabbed her leg, massaging her calf. She hissed and I knew it was because she was sore.

From dancing.

From skiing.

From whatever she did with Grey yesterday.

The past forty-eight hours had been hectic and I wanted to undo some of that. Kissing the inside of her ankle, I smiled when her lids grew heavy and she relaxed deeper into the bed.

“What’s your next book about?” I asked, digging into her calf and massaging the tightness away. “Or is it bad luck to talk about it while you’re still writing?”

I didn’t know how superstitious she was, and I didn’t want to jinx her.

True groaned, inhaling sharply. “No…not bad luck,” she moaned, her eyes rolling when I went over her calf again. “That feels good, Noah. Please don’t stop,” she begged.

Brushing my lips across her ankle again, I laughed dryly. “Tell me about your book, True.”

“It’s a second chance romance…” she closed her eyes, grimacing before the pain gave way to pleasure. “Between college sweethearts who moved to other sides of the world to start their careers after graduation. Now they’re home for homecoming and…fuck, Noah, your hands are amazing.”

I reached her thighs, my fingers manipulating the muscles until she let out a soft sigh.

“How many years has it been since they saw each other?”

“Ten.”