Page 40 of Project: FU (Longwood U #3)

TAVIS

I slide the tote to the end of the truck bed and wedge it tightly between the two already there. Orion sets another on the tailgate, and I slide it up to the others.

“One more,” he says, “then we’re onto suitcases and bags.”

I look around the bed. “That’s fine. We still have room.”

Orion places the last tote up as Skye and Nolan come out of the building with suitcases and duffel bags. There’s a chance we’re going overboard with packing here. It’s not like we won’t find a hotel somewhere along the way and can throw some loads of laundry in, or even a laundromat.

It’s not just clothes, though. There are camping supplies, hiking supplies, swimming and snorkeling supplies, clothing for all seasons, and a ton of water.

School ended last week, and we’ve been talking about what to do this summer. Orion took a leave from work at the end of the school year. I think the combination of being unhappy at work and knowing that he doesn’t need to pay so much in bills while living with me gave him the courage to quit.

“The tent is still at Mom’s,” Orion says. “The chairs are, too.”

I nod, making a mental note to ensure there’s room for everything. The goal is not to have anything but space in the cab of the truck, so the boys are comfortable as we drive.

We’re taking a road trip. One month to start with, but we’ll see where we are and how we’re feeling at the end of the month. We have all summer.

Nothing has progressed since my conversation with Nolan at the show the other night. That’s fine. I’m not in a hurry to rush things. Nothing needs to change if it’s not going to. But if it’s going to, this tight proximity is going to be what makes it happen. We’ll go from there.

Either way, at the end of this trip, I think the lines in our relationship will be drawn. We’ll know what our future holds. Only Nolan and I—which really is fine. I can see that future and I’m definitely in love with it.

Or me, Nolan, and one or both of my sons, with Nolan as well. That future isn’t quite as clear, but I can still see hints of it. It’s just as beautiful.

Maybe somewhere in my mind, I think I need to make up for my daughter’s treachery in how she broke Nolan’s heart. I need him to have all the love he deserves. Maybe that means many hearts to love his.

There are times I think I want one future over another, but when I try to decide which I want, I’m at a loss. They’re both perfect. They’ll both be filled with happiness that I’ve never known.

There’s a possibility that perhaps I’m manifesting this future between Nolan and my boys because I don’t want my sons to be far from me.

Not now. Not in the future. Maybe I’m afraid of them growing up and the distance between us growing until I rarely see them and only talk to them a bit more often than seeing them.

If they’re also with my boyfriend, it means they’re close.

Is that why my subconscious has decided that this is okay? Is that why I’m so into it? Why I’m so ready for it to happen?

I study Skye as he laughs at something Nolan said.

I’m not sure that’s why, but I won’t lie to myself and pretend it’s not a possibility.

What’s true is that I love the relationship my kids are forming with Nolan.

My boys, especially, but I watch Hannah interact with Nolan, and my heart feels full.

Nolan seems to produce just as many stories as Hannah, which keeps Hannah glued to her seat as they exchange drama.

Orion sets a duffle on the tailgate. “That’s the last one. There enough room for what we need to pick up at Mom’s?”

“Plenty of room. Is the condo locked?”

“Yep,” Orion answers. “All the lights are off. Stove is off. Everything is shut down.”

“Good. Then climb in and get settled.”

He and Skye head to the cab, but Nolan waits. He watches me with his beautiful brown eyes. The corner of his mouth is curled slightly in the barest hint of a smile.

I hop down and take him in my arms, turning us so his back is pressed to the open tailgate, and kiss him thoroughly. He grunts, his fingers digging into my sides.

I smile against his mouth and soften our kiss until he sighs into me. “Love you,” I whisper.

“Love you,” Nolan responds.

“Ready for our first vacation together?”

“You just want to fuck me in the bed next to the one your boys share,” he accuses.

“Well, not right away, but yeah. That has its appeal.”

In reality, we’re likely going to be relegating fucking to the shower. My boys insisted that double rooms are fine. I don’t always need to pay for two rooms. My boys will pretend they’re little kids and share a bed when one of them has a nightmare.

For real though, we’ll likely get separate rooms often unless my kids get real comfortable watching me and Nolan. Behind a mostly closed door is one thing. It’s a very different scenario when we’re in the wide open with nowhere to escape to.

As much as I think the three of us with Nolan is going to happen, I’m not about forcing it. No awkwardness. This trip is about spending time together. Making memories.

My boys tried to back out, insisting that we didn’t want them with us. I figure we have a whole lot of time for trips where it’s just Nolan and me if the poly thing doesn’t work out. And I will never complain about having my sons with me.

Nolan sighs. “Let’s go to Rachel’s and get what we need. I’m excited to put my hands down your pants while you’re driving.”

I give him a bemused look, but neither of us misses the way my dick jumps in excitement.

After another quick squeeze to his ass, I let him go.

He rounds the side of the truck while I close the tailgate.

Rachel only lives down the road, so I’m not going to bother with the tonneau cover until we’re all loaded.

“Did we decide Joshua Tree was the first stop?” Skye asks when I climb in.

“We didn’t make a plan,” Orion says, likely for the eighth or tenth time.

“Direction we take makes a plan. Are we going north or east, or northeast? South?”

I chuckle. “Let’s pick up the rest of our gear, and we’ll decide once we’re on the road. Okay?”

Skye sighs. “Fine.”

Rachel and Hannah are outside, leaning against Rachel’s car, when we pull up. They’re heading out for a week on the beach where they’re staying in a cute little cottage for some mother-daughter time.

Unsurprisingly, we haven’t heard from Kelsey. Nolan was able to find out from Elijah, who’s on Kelsey’s cheer team, that Kelsey is spending the summer with a friend at their lake house. I assume she’ll be taking all her stuff with her.

Part of me thought she’d have reached out to one of us to store her furniture and shit from her dorm over the summer. But it’s been silent.

I’m not that surprised. We always knew Kelsey was going to take the news the worst. Nolan said he thought that Kelsey actually likes that we got together because it gave her more ammunition to convince people she’s a victim.

It’s sad to think that he’s right. As the days go by, and none of us hear from her, my gut twists more and more. Regardless of the type of person she is, she’s still my daughter. I love her. I want her safe and happy. I want to know she doesn’t need anything.

Right now, I’m going to need to be satisfied with what we learn through the grapevine.

“Hey, Daddy,” Hannah greets as we climb out of my truck. The younger boys gather the items Rachel set out for us and haul them to the bed of the truck.

“That’s why you fall in love with young muscle,” I say, nodding in Nolan’s direction.

Rachel snorts.

Hannah laughs, her eyes twinkling. I give her a hug and hold her tightly for a minute. “Have fun, baby doll. Make lots of memories with Mom.”

“We will. You too, though it’s weird you’re taking Ry and Skye on a romantic trip with you and Nolan.”

“Everyone needs some romance,” Orion calls. “Dad’s generous to share his, since Skye and I are in a dry spell.”

Predictably, Skye gives his brother a harassed look. Nolan tries his damnedest not to smile. Hannah just laughs.

“Pray for patience for me,” I murmur and kiss her head. “Seriously, though. Have all the fun, baby. When we get back, you and I will do something fun. Okay?”

“Okay.” She leans up on her toes and kisses my cheek. “Love you, Daddy.”

“Love you, too, baby.”

She bounds away to say goodbye to her brothers, leaving me with Rachel. Her hands are in her pockets as she leans against her car. “You all packed? Ready to go?”

Rachel nods. “Yep.”

“Be safe. Have fun.”

“Yes, Daddy,” she says, raising a brow.

Grinning, I wrap my arms around her shoulders and rest my chin on her head. My smile widens when her arms wrap around my waist.

“This is how we always should have been,” Rachel whispers. “I actually missed you the other day. I missed my best friend. I haven’t missed you in ages, Tav.”

“That’s not as complimentary as you think it is,” I tease.

She laughs. “I mean it. I actually wanted to share something with you. Do you know the last time I felt that way? I don’t.”

“I know. I’ve been refraining from calling you to gush about the good dick I’m getting.”

She laughs again. “Ohmygod, I remember those calls.”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t call me with the same news,” I huff.

Her arms tighten. “More than once.”

“I like this,” I say quietly. “I think we’re finally heading in the direction we were always meant to.”

“Yep. But now we have some amazing kids to share our adventures with, too.”

“Okay, but if you want to talk about dicks, I think you should keep those conversations for me. Not sure our kids are going to appreciate those talks.”

She slaps my back and I laugh. I kiss the top of her head, getting a whiff of her floral shampoo. A burst of nostalgia washes over me. I think she’s always smelled like this shampoo. I’m glad that some things never change.

“Be good,” Rachel warns. “I can only imagine the trouble Ry is going to try to convince you to get into. Don’t give in to peer pressure to be the cool father.”

“I’m already the cool father,” I counter. “Just ask them.”

“Of course you are, dear,” she says.

I shove her gently, and we share a smile. I turn my attention to my kids to find all three boys squeezing the life out of little Hannah. She laughs as she tries to wiggle away.

“I love our kids,” Rachel says.

“More than anything,” I agree.

We proceed through a far lengthier goodbye than necessary when my boys hug their mom. I finish in the trunk, stealing peeks at them and trying not to grin stupidly. I lose the battle when Nolan hugs Rachel, too.

Then we’re piled back in the truck. We wait until Rachel locks up her house, and she and Hannah are in her car. We follow them toward the highway. Whichever way they’re headed, we’ll turn in the opposite direction. Look at me finally making a decision on which way to drive first.

We’re barely heading north on the highway when my phone rings. Edin Levine’s name flashes across the dash, and I hit the button. It’s not Edin. It’s Mo. She’s screeching into the phone.

At first, my stomach drops when I think something’s wrong. It’s unlikely that she’d call me in that scenario, but I don’t hear her scream like that often. Then I realize she’s screaming in excitement.

“Mo?” I ask.

“Coach!” she squeals. “My daddy was drafted. He’s drafted and going to play hockey for people who are going to pay him money. We’re moving to Canada and he’s going to play hockey.”

I grin, a moment of peace settling over me. “I’m so happy for your daddy, MoMo. That’s some exciting news. Tell him congratulations for me.”

“I will. I wanted to call Coach Raymond, but Daddy doesn’t have his number. But I wanted to tell him that maybe his manifesting worked. I imagined every single day that my daddy would play hockey, and now he’s going to.”

“That’s the best news. I’ll pass it along to Raymond.”

“Thanks, Coach. Will you come to a game?”

“Definitely. And I’ll watch him on television as much as I can.”

“I’m so excited. Me and Eli are going to throw him a party. Will you come?”

“Text me the details and I’ll see what I can do.”

“Awesome. I have to go. Bye.”

The line goes silent.

“Was that a little kid?” Orion asks.

I chuckle. “Long story, but yes. Her father has been on my team for the past couple of years. In case you missed it, he was just drafted.”

“Is that what she was screaming about? I couldn’t understand her. The register she hit with that voice, man.”

“Edin, right?” Nolan asks.

“You know Edin?”

“Yep. Remember—Eli is in DIK. Mo spent a lot of time at our place when Edin was at hockey this year.”

“Ah. Yep, I remember. Eli graduated this year with Edin, didn’t he?”

“Yes. He and his twin. I wonder what they’re going to do next. All they want to do is compete in cheer. That’s why they’ve remained students at Longwood for like six years.”

“We can call Mo and find out,” I suggest.

He grins. “That’s okay. I’ll text him myself at some point.” He pushes the center console up and then unbuckles so he can slide across the seat. He buckles again and rests his head on my shoulder. His hand lands on my thigh.

I smile, letting my head fall back against the headrest. This trip is going to be amazing. I can already feel it.

Then again, maybe that feeling is caused by Nolan’s hand sliding up my thigh to cup my cock through my pants. This is going to be a very good trip. No matter what comes of it, we’re going to make memories that the four of us will forever look back on.

Even if it’s because I have to pull over while he sucks my cock. We’ll all remember that.