Page 59 of The Holy Grail

Setting some boundaries

Their first official ‘date’ was at Macaroni’s, courtesy of Jules. She wanted to start off with a simple dinner in a nice restaurant, but had planned it so she arrived last, making Malcom and Evan have to hang out together for a little while.

When she arrived and was taken to their table, she couldn’t help but get a double zap of prideful awe that the two handsome men who got to their feet as she approached were both hers.

It was kind of surreal, honestly, not to mention a bit shocking, as she’d never even thought about being with two men.

She hardly even read books where the heroine was with more than one man, because threesomes weren’t her ‘thing’, as she’d once told Paige.

And they hadn’t been … until apparently they were.

Jules was probably going to get a truckload of shit from Paige when she found out.

Since the night they’d made it official, Jules had found herself giving a lot of thought to how everything would work.

Would it be challenging, and if so, how challenging?

What if there were times when she was annoyed with one of the men, which seemed a likely scenario?

Would the other man take her side, or stand in allegiance with his XY brother?

Or would it be relatively easy, with their lives resembling the opening scene in The Sound Of Music, where Julie Andrews was twirling around, singing on a mountaintop?

More importantly, how did everything fit during sex?

What if Evan and Malcom found themselves more into each other, and she started to become superfluous?

She’d never been superfluous in her life and knew she wouldn’t be able to deal with that if it happened.

Not that she needed to be the center of the universe, but being relegated to the sidelines was not an option she wanted to entertain.

Tonight, both men were dressed casually, but nicely, and while the navy slacks and polo were a step down from Malcom’s daily attire, Evan’s charcoal-gray slacks and button-down shirt were obviously a step up from his daily attire.

As Jules planted a kiss on each of their mouths, she focused all her attention on them and steadfastly ignored the diners at surrounding tables.

When she’d told Malcom she wouldn’t care what other people thought, or feel strange about it because she had a gift for ignoring judgmental people, she’d meant it. However, that didn’t mean she had to go looking for it.

“You two look very handsome,” she told the men, as they all sat down.

“And you look very beautiful,” Malcom said.

He appeared to be mostly at ease, but she could still sense a bit of wariness, as if part of him was anticipating some negativity, in some form. It was in the way he held himself and the way his expression never completely relaxed.

Evan gave her an appreciative once-over, taking in her black pencil skirt and oyster-colored blouse and nodded. “As always,” he added.

“Thank you,” she said. “You know getting double compliments all the time is going to be a lot of fun.”

“Well, don’t get used to me being dressed like this,” Evan told her, motioning to what he was wearing. “This is my ‘funeral’ outfit, so I’m pretty sure it’s full of bad energy.”

“Your ‘funeral’ outfit?”

“Yes. I wear it to funerals.”

“How many funerals do you attend?”

“Two in the last year, actually. They were cousins of my mom’s, so they were like my second cousins, once or twice removed, or something. I’m not sure, but she made me go with her.”

“God, I’ve never even been to a funeral,” Jules mused.

“I’ve been to a few, when I was a lot younger,” Malcom said. “Both sets of grandparents, and an uncle. I don’t remember much, other than the food was pretty good.”

“Well, you look nice in slacks,” Jules told Evan. “So, maybe you should buy a pair that has good energy?”

He made a face. “I hate shopping.”

“You’ll like it when I go with you,” she promised. “Mal can come, too. ”

Evan slowly looked from one to the other, as if suspecting a trap was being laid. “All right … I guess.”

Just then, a waiter approached the table, and as Jules turned, she couldn’t help but smile when she recognized Anthony, who smiled in return—although his smile was a little taken aback.

“I’m not used to seeing you without your friend,” he said.

“I know. It’s a little strange being here without her,” she replied.

Turning to Malcom and Evan, Anthony introduced himself. “Good evening. I’m Anthony, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you started off with something to drink?”

Malcom ordered a bottle of what sounded like expensive red wine, and then Anthony left them to look over their menus. By the time he returned with the wine, they had all decided on Spaghetti Bolognese, and once he’d taken their orders, Anthony left them alone again.

After pouring each of them a glass of wine, Malcom held his up and waited until Jules and Evan followed suit. “Here’s to us.”

“Here’s to us,” Jules and Evan echoed, before clinking their glasses with Malcom’s.

After sharing the details of their day (Jules had started working with a new company, Malcom’s had been boring, and Evan’s had been laundry-oriented), Jules cleared her throat.

“I was wondering about something,” she began, looking at Evan.

Figuring it was directed at him specifically, he replied, “What?”

“I was wondering about boundaries … like in your previous relationships.”

“You mean the triads?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you know what the boundaries were with Mal and Gwen, but most of my other relationships didn’t really have boundaries.”

“Like, none?” Malcom asked, clearly surprised to hear that.

“Yeah. Well, I mean in the beginning there were usually a few—like sex had to include all three people until trust was established—but then it could be just two people.”

“So, theoretically speaking,” Jules said, “once we establish trust, if I were to be working late one night, I might come over to Mal’s place and find you two engaging in fuckery—”

“Here are some complimentary breadsticks for you,” Anthony announced, smoothly placing a wicker basket down on the table. “Fresh out of the oven. ”

“Thank you,” Evan said, immediately reaching over to pluck one of the breadsticks out of the basket.

“You’re welcome,” Anthony said with a smile before adding, “Your meals should be out shortly.”

“Oh, my God,” Malcom muttered, as Anthony headed off to check on another table.

Jules was on the verge of stepping in to soothe Malcom’s obvious distress (not unlike how she did with Paige in similar situations, of which there had been more than a few), but Evan was quicker.

Putting a hand on Malcom’s shoulder, Evan squeezed a little until their eyes met. “Relax, man,” he said. “The waiter’s probably going to hear worse before his shift is over.”

Unconvinced, Malcom shook his head, “I doubt that.”

“Please. Do you know how much shit I hear at the bar?”

“I would imagine a lot, since it’s a bar , where people drink alcohol. This is a nice restaurant.”

“The hospitality venue really doesn’t matter,” Evan replied dismissively.

“Crazy shit gets put out there, everywhere, from bars to nice restaurants—crazy shit might even be said in your restaurant, after you get it opened.” At Malcom’s rather horrified expression, Evan gave a reassuring look in return.

“But trust me when I say it goes in one ear and out the other.” Then, feeling like he’d offered enough emotional support for the time being, he shifted his attention back to Jules.

“Anyway, you were saying something about fuckery?”

“Right.” She grabbed a breadstick of her own and took a bite, giving a quick hum of appreciation as she chewed. “So, if I were to be working late one night, I might come over to Mal’s place and find you two engaging in some fuckery?” she repeated.

“Potentially, yes. And the same thing could apply to me, coming over to find you and Mal in the middle of fuckery, or Mal coming home to find you and I in the middle of fuckery.” Evan paused for a second.

“Although, I’m not sure why we would be at his place getting up to some fuckery if he wasn’t there …

unless his place was designated our headquarters, so to speak.

But then we’d probably have to have a key or something to get in. ”

“You know, that’s actually not a bad idea—”

“To have a key to Mal’s place?”

“Well, a key might be a tad premature, but having Mal’s place being our headquarters is a hell of an idea. It makes a lot of sense, actually, because it’s centrally located, which is a huge selling point.”

“I totally agree.” Evan nodded, then added, “Plus, Dawn Corleone is there.”

“Not to mention, the great kitchen.”

“And he probably has more booze. All I have is George Clooney’s tequila.”

“He definitely has more booze, including a bunch of wine. And a killer coffee maker—”

“Which is off limits,” Malcom broke in.

Ignoring him, Evan grabbed another breadstick. “What about his bed? How big is it?”

“It’s a King,” Jules answered.

“Good, because I only have a double—”

“Same.”

“What about his master bath?”

“It’s pretty big.”

“Decent sized shower?”

“Yes.”

“Like, could we all fit in there?”

“For sure. And we wouldn’t be packed in there like sardines, either.”

“Good, because my shower barely fits one person.”

“So does mine. And my shower head is kind of low, so if either of you were to use it, you’d have to kind of bend down to wash your hair, like I do.”

“I have to do that in mine, and it sucks,” Evan said, only to quickly move on. “Now, what about a bathtub?”

“He has one of those spa tubs, or garden tubs, or whatever they’re called, with some jets on the sides—”

“Oh, my God, yes . That’s perfect.”

Malcom’s eyes were zinging back and forth, like he was watching a tennis match at Wimbledon, while the merits of his house were discussed in great detail. When they were finally done, Evan and Jules were both grinning.

“So, do we agree Mal’s place should be our headquarters?” Evan asked.

Jules nodded. “I wholeheartedly agree.”

Malcom looked from one to the other. “Do I have any say in this?”

“Of course,” Evan said .

“It’s your house, after all,” Jules pointed out.

Malcom knew a done deal when he saw one, so he simply gave in. “Fine. My house is now our … headquarters. I’ll get you both a set of keys this week.”

Jules and Evan both blinked at Malcom in surprise.

“It might be premature,” Malcom told them, “but I like the idea of you two being able to come and go as you please, as we work on … trust.”

“Okay,” Jules agreed.

Evan nodded. “I’m good with that.”

Malcom cleared his throat. “So … back to boundaries …”

The breadsticks decimated, Evan leaned forward, arms on the table. “You have some in mind?”

“Well, I don’t want to have too many, because that seems counterproductive to forward progress,” Malcom said slowly. “But I do think for a while, sex needs to involve all three of us—”

“Here are a few more breadsticks,” Anthony said, before exchanging a full basket for the empty one on the table. “And I promise, your meals will be out shortly.”

“Thank you,” Evan told him.

“You’re welcome.”

As soon as Anthony was out of earshot, Malcom gave both Evan and Jules confounded looks. “Neither of you saw him coming?”

Jules quickly defended herself. “I’m sorry. I was distracted by thoughts of three-way sex.”

“I didn’t see him, either,” Evan replied, then shrugged. “But like I said, ‘In one ear and out the other’.”

Malcom grabbed a breadstick and bit the end off.

“Anyway, I agree with the sex rule,” Evan said, getting the conversation back on course.

“Me, too,” said Jules.

“Okay, good,” Malcom, continued, still slightly unsettled over the second embarrassing moment with the waiter, having barely recovered from the first one. “So, I think it’s fair that kissing is okay, when there’s just … two people.”

“Are you saying if Jules and I are waiting for you to come home from your job at the Boring & Boring Law Office,” Evan said, “we can make-out on the couch?”

“Yes.”

“What about … groping? ”

“Groping?”

“Well, when I’m kissing someone, I tend to get a little handsy,” Evan explained. “Especially when couches are involved.”

“Fine. You can get a little handsy.”

“Over clothing or under?” Jules wanted to know, with faux seriousness. “Because that has a direct impact on the experience of groping—both giving and receiving.”

“It’ll be up to you.”

Jules and Evan looked at one another and said, “Under.”

“And that would obviously also apply to me and Jules, and … you and me,” Malcom told Evan, feeling a bit of a flush rising, which hopefully no one would notice.

“Of course,” was Evan’s quick response. “I’m counting on it.”

Jules picked up her wine glass. “Here’s to making out on the couch and groping one another under clothing!”

Even though it was a ridiculous toast, Malcom and Evan both lifted their glasses and repeated it. “Here’s to making out on the couch and groping one another under clothing!”

As they all clinked glasses, a voice to Jules’ left announced, “Here are your entrées.”

Three pairs of eyes glanced over at Anthony, as he began setting plates down on the table in front of Jules, Malcom, and Evan, with a bit of flair. “Be careful, the plates are still hot,” Anthony warned them.

“Thank you,” Evan said.

“You’re welcome. Is there anything else I can get you?”

“No, I think we’re good for now.”

“All right. Then I’ll leave you to enjoy your dinner,” Anthony said with a little tilt of his head, before leaving.

As soon as they were alone again, Malcom asked Jules, “You didn’t see him that time, either?”

“No, I’m sorry.” She made an Oops face. “I was distracted, thinking about … copious amounts of groping under clothing.”

At the warm feel of Evan’s hand squeezing his shoulder again, Malcom glanced over. He could tell by Evan’s expression what was expected, so with a sigh, Malcom said, “I know. It goes in one ear and out the other.”