Triple Major

by Lana Hartley

“Thanks, man,” I say and beam at him. “I’m just looking out for the greater good of the group.”

  “I think you’re forgetting one thing,” Dylan says.

  “What?” I shrug.

  “We still have to propose the idea to Krista. Ultimately, we have to allow her to make the final decision.”

  “Absolutely,” I agree and nod my head. “It will be totally her call.”

  As we leave the university that night, I can’t help but feel nervous butterflies in my stomach, hoping that Krista will embrace our idea.

  I can’t imagine not seeing her every day, even after such a little amount of time knowing her.

  Chapter 15

  Krista

  “So, are you really saying we can’t research today?”

  I’m trying not to fucking panic, but as I look into the guys’ eyes, I know they sure as hell are not bluffing.

  At all.

  Nope, they are dead fucking serious.

  Well, this is just fucking perfection.

  What the hell am I supposed to do now? I can’t afford to get behind on my research. Because if I do, then the inevitable train wreck begins, and everything collapses.

  I promise I’m not being a drama queen. It’s just…well…maybe I am slightly overreacting. I better calm down before the guys think I’m a total fucking basket case.

  I take some deep breaths to calm the hell down. There’s no sense in panicking and winding up the fraying ball of nerves I already have to deal with internally.

  “How exactly did this happen again?” I ask the guys.

  “Well…” Dylan begins and then shrugs, looking to the guys for obvious search and rescue.

  “We don’t know exactly,” Simon interjects, bouncing on his heels with his hands in his pockets.

  He chuckles slightly as if this whole situation is fucking comical.

  “So now, what?”

  I want to scream and throw a tantrum, all the while jumping up and down and shaking my fists. Of course, I can’t really do any of these, so I scream internally and plant a believable grin on my face.

  “We need to get to the root of the problem,” King states as if that’s not the obvious answer.

  I use all the willpower I have inside of me to not shout out ‘Duh’ or ‘Tell me something I don’t already know.’

  “We need to go to the management or the maintenance,” Simon adds, looking charming and sexy as hell in his glasses.

  “That sounds good to me. We need to get lit in here!” Dylan exclaims, and we all stare at him.

  “What?” he states defensively. “That’s funny, right?”

  When none of us retorts with a positive response, he rolls his eyes and dismisses us with a wave. “Whatever. Excuse me for trying to put a lighthearted response on a shitty situation.”

  “I think it’s funny,” I whisper to him, appeasing his ego.

  “Next time, maybe admit it to the peanut gallery,” he winks at me with a little nudge.

  The four of us walk down to the maintenance office, which is tucked away in a basement that smells like mildew and a grandmother’s mothball infested closet.

  “Knock, knock,” King raps on the door and lets himself in, so we all decide to file in behind him.

  “Can I help you?” the middle-aged man asks. He has balding hair, and he wears a gray jumpsuit with the nametag ‘Ronny’ sprawling on a label interwoven into his shirt.

  “Yes, Ronny,” King chimes with friendly enthusiasm. “You are just the man we need to see. One might say, you are our hero.”

  “Excuse me?” Ronny looks equal parts irritated as confused.

  Wow, the comedy club in our group is taking a serious hit today.

  “Our research facility has no lights,” Simon cuts to the chase as if Ronny is beneath him and he’s trying to explain the alphabet to a five-year-old.

  “Okay…” Ronny looks between us.

  “So, can you help?” Dylan pleads.

  “I can take a look with some of my guys.” Ronny shifts his weight. “I can have an answer for you by the morning.”

  “By the morning!” I shout instinctively, then immediately recoil. “I mean…um…thanks.” I end on a slightly sheepish note.

  “Thanks, man. We really appreciate it.” King moves in to give Ronny a solid handshake, and we leave the area.

  All the while, I try not to harbor an infestation of a nervous breakdown and hope for the best.

  * * *

  The next morning, I wake up bright-eyed and bushy tailed, ready to conquer the day.

  Okay, that’s an enormous fucking lie, but I want to make myself look good sometimes.

  In reality, I climb out of bed as every muscle in my body protests. I walk to the bathroom to pee and yawn while stretching.

  I rub my groggy, sleepy eyes and stare at my reflection in the mirror. My hair is in complete disarray, and I look like I’ve been mugged by a herd of wild street cats in my sleep.

  I grab my coffee, because for one, it’s essential for my life to proceed from here on out, and two, yeah…what I just said. I need the damn coffee for survival.

  I get dressed and meet the guys back at the research facility where Ronny and his crew promised to be waiting with the news in the morning.

  When I scurry in, racing to beat the clock, I find everyone already there, and the expressions I see are sullen, disappointed, and overall gloomy.

  “Don’t everybody look so delighted to see me at once,” I joke, but Dylan merely gives me a warm smile.

  “We have the reason for the blackout,” Simon begins.

  “Please tell me it’s just a few blown out light bulbs,” I extend the playfulness, but it’s no use. The news isn’t good, and that much is obvious.

  “It looks like some rats have chewed a few of the cables,” Ronny states affirmatively.

  “Shit,” I mumble under my breath and look at the guys. They shrug and appear as frustrated as I am.

  “So what’s the damage?” I ask. “How long will it take to fix everything back to normal?”

  Ronny sighs and props a no-nonsense elbow against the wall as his tool belt rattles with his movements. “It’s looking like two days, ma’am. We’re really sorry for the inconvenience.”

  “Well, that’s not good,” I whine, but it’s no use complaining about something I can’t control. For whatever reason, I decide to have a change of heart with good ol’ Ronny.

  If I’m not nice to him, he’s going to make the situation worse and deliberately delay the work. “Thanks for your help, Ronny,” I give him a warm, genuine smile. “We are at your mercy now.”

  It’s the fucking truth.

  Ronny leaves and tells us he’ll be in touch when we’re up and running again.

  King takes a deep breath and places his hands on his hips while glancing at us. “Well, that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”

  I roll my eyes. “I need to get to class now. I’ll catch up with you guys later, okay?”

  King reaches over to plant a soft kiss on my forehead. “Try to keep your chin up. Two days is a drop in the bucket.”

  “If you say so,” I call out behind me.

  * * *

  After my last class of the day, like clockwork and as if on cue, all three guys are waiting for me outside the engineering building.

  “Do you guys have a tracker on me or something?” I tease them, all in good fun.

  “That depends. Do you want a tracker?” Dylan grins slyly as the guys playfully punch his arm.

  “Ow!” he yells and rubs the wound. “Fuck you, guys.”

  I laugh, shaking my head at them. “So, what’s up?”

  “Well, we are wondering what your dinner plans are,” Simon beams at me.

  I take a deep breath. “Let’s see. I have huge dinner plans,” I begin. “I’m going to be sitting in front of my couch watching reruns of Friends while eating Chinese takeout directly out of the box. I know, I know. Don’t be jealous. It’s a red carpet kind of life.�
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  The guys erupt into laughter, and I feel a twinge between my legs.

  Fuck. They are all so damn gorgeous.

  “Why don’t you join us for dinner?” King gives me his million-dollar, pussy-creaming smile.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” My heart races at the thought of anyone seeing us out together.

  “We can’t do any research,” Dylan shrugs.

  Damn, he makes a valid point.

  “I guess that’s true…” I chuckle and trail off, biting my lip flirtatiously.

  “We love your company.” Simon grins, and he looks positively adorable.

  “It’s not a bad idea,” I state as a thought comes to me. “If we are all together, nobody will suspect anything is going on because we will all be going,” I enforce again.

  “You nailed it right on the head,” King grins.

  “A group date,” I grin. “Yeah, why not.”

  Dylan jumps up in the air and shouts “Woohoo!” before we all depart together.

  When we arrive at the restaurant a few minutes later, I sigh with relief that the guys already have a reservation, which means we won’t have to wait an eternity to get a table.

  One thing I have learned about living in the great city of Manhattan is that if you want to have dinner in a restaurant before ten o’clock at night, then you have to make a reservation at fancy, upper-class types of places at least a week in advance.

  We chat through dinner, just getting to know each other a little better while we enjoy a delicious, savory meal.

  I order the shrimp scampi and secretly admit to myself that I can probably eat my body weight in this stuff. It’s literally my favorite pasta dish.

  “This is our treat to you, so enjoy tonight because we want you to relax and not stress about the research,” Dylan says as he pours more chardonnay into my glass.

  “Thanks, guys,” I admit with gratitude.

  “That’s not all,” King adds. “We want you to always be treated like a princess.”

  “Really?” I act surprised as I take a refreshing sip of the wine.

  “We have a proposition for you,” Dylan offers.

  “Another one?” I tease and grin.

  “We are full of tricks up our sleeves.” King winks, flashing his baby blue electric eyes at me, and the penetration gives me chills of pleasure.

  “Hear us out,” Simon leans across the round table, and I take notice of his expensive watch. “We think that the best way to approach our little situation and budding relationship is if you date all three of us.”

  He pauses for a reaction, and my first instinct is to, unfortunately, burst into laughter. When I can see the guys are taking offense, I quickly wrap up my cackling.

  “Oh, are you guys serious?” I whisper.

  “Think about it,” Simon licks his lips and dives in to plead his case. “It’s the perfect crime.”

  “Dude, don’t refer to it as a crime,” Dylan comments.

  “Fine, whatever,” Simon continues. “We just think if you date all three of us, then nobody will catch on because no one will ever suspect you’re actually dating three guys at once.”

  I take a moment to reflect on this proposal and digest it along with the noodles in my belly.

  “Hmm,” I say after a few seconds, “it’s not a totally terrible plan.”

  The guys exchange proud glances as if they are puppies getting praised.

  “The chance of getting caught decreases significantly,” Simon lays out all the facts.

  “Can I think about it?” I ask, needing to weigh the options, along with the pros and cons.

  “Sure, of course,” they all say in unison.

  In my mind, I’m nearly one hundred percent on board with it, but for now, I need to sleep on it.

  I glance down at the phone in my lap, blowing up with calls and texts from Brandon that I’m deliberately trying to ignore.

  It’s going to be a rough night, but at least, I can think about the guys in my dreams.

  Chapter 16

  Dylan

  I’m scribbling the note onto a piece of paper, frantically scrambling to place it on Krista’s table in the faculty room before anyone else comes in.

  Mainly, I’m doing this to avoid any shit show teasing from King and Simon. Those fucking assholes really like to bait me when it comes to my feelings, telling me all the damn time I think like a chick.

  I take it all in stride, though. Those fucking clowns are my best friends, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without their presence in my life.

  Alright, enough with the sappy bullshit.

  Going back to the business at hand, I re-read the note I have jotted in front of me.

  Good morning, beautiful.

  I grin just thinking about Krista finding the note and the way it might brighten her day.

  Oh, yeah…I almost forgot one vital tidbit to place on there—a clue—so she’ll know it’s me who wrote the note because I want all the credit.

  I swiftly write in my initial, D, before hastily throwing the note on her table just in time before she walks in, chatting with the guys.

  The first thing I notice instantly is Krista’s demeanor. Sure, she’s been through an awful fucking lot, but I can tell by the way her eyes are downcast that she’s sad, frustrated.

  That’s where I come in, swooping in to be the knight and shining armor to rescue her. I don’t know why I always have this thing about being the superhero.

  The guys give me a hard time about it. But seriously, have I mentioned it before? Fuck them.

  I don’t need anyone else’s opinion. I am really starting to care about Krista. All I want to do is brighten her day.

  If I can accomplish that with a simple note of kindness, then you can bet your ass I’m going to give it a solid effort.

  I rise to the top by fighting for what I want in life and going after it, not by being a pushover or a little pussy bitch.

  Competition is out there, and the sharks will eat you if you allow yourself to bleed all over them.

  So much for these damn metaphors.

  I want to wager Krista’s reaction when she reads my profoundly gentle and thoughtful note.

  She arrives to the desk and immediately notices the note, looking around before opening its edges. I grin like a giddy little kid who has just seen Santa at the mall or some shit.

  Watching Krista is my favorite hobby. As fucking creepy as it sounds, I happen to have a fondness for her astounding beauty, and I view her as a work of art.

  I study her as I observe her frown turn into a bright and joyful smile, her lips twisting from a scowl to a peaceful serenity.

  She scans the room, then she finds me at last. As our eyes meet, my heart flips.

  Fuck…she’s sexy, and I can’t believe I’ve seen her naked.

  I’m a lucky bastard, if I do say so myself.

  She gives me the happiest smile I have ever seen from her as she mouths the words thank you. I give her a nod, a gesture of understanding.

  She begins walking over to me when I am completely blocked by an old windbag of a professor who approaches me at the same time as Krista arrives.

  “Hello, Krista,” he greets her immediately.

  “Professor Smith, what a pleasure to see you this morning.” Krista shakes his hand and gives him a friendly smile because she’s the politest person I’ve ever met.

  Or, perhaps her change in mood stems directly from my thoughtful note. I’d rather believe the latter, so I take that idea and run with it.

  “How is your research coming along?” he asks her as I stand there like a carrot, listening to their conversation.

  I place my hands in my pocket and shift my weight awkwardly. Krista catches my drift and gives me a glance. “Um, Dylan here and his team are being so gracious in helping me.”

  I grin at Professor Smith, the wrinkly old douchebag. “The lady speaks the truth indeed.”

  “I see,” he says gruffly.

&nbs
p; “We hit a bit of a snag, however,” Krista adds. “Nothing catastrophic or anything.”

  This time, the professor addresses me directly. “What happened?”

  “There’s been a blackout incident,” I admit. “We lost power to the research facility. We are having maintenance fix it as we speak. They say that the damage comes from rats who have chewed through the wires.”

  “Oh, that’s terrible,” Professor Smith sounds conflicted. “Is there anything I can do to help?” He actually looks genuinely concerned.

  I decide to give the sad sack the benefit of the doubt. He seems to have been on Krista’s support team since day one, and I know he has some experience in the field as well.

  “Thank you, sir. That’s very kind of you,” I note to him with a smile. “It’s a relief to know that Krista here is getting the tools she needs in order to succeed.”

  The professor beams at my compliments. “Not at all. I’m happy to oblige you all in anything you need help with.”

  If he only knows that I’ve been balls deep in Krista more than once, I bet he won’t offer his services then.

  The secret lives and dies with me as far as I’m concerned. Having it be a private action between us makes it even more taboo and exciting to me. I’m always on the hunt for a new thrill, and the chase never subsides.

  “I know how passionate Krista is about the clean coal project,” Professor Smith adds as a side note.

  “There’s no doubt about it,” I give her a wink as she listens to us talk gallantly about her.

  “The field of study is one that has needed addressing and restructuring for a while now,” Professor Smith admits.

  “We have to agree with that,” Krista chimes in, not afraid to speak her mind. She has a fiery spirit, and I respect her immensely because of it.

  Another colleague approaches our table and asks to speak to Professor Smith, who bids us a farewell.

  “My offer still stands, and my door is always open. If there is anything I can do to help you all, please let me know.” He calls out over his shoulder and casts us a tiny wave before disappearing.

  “Well, he’s a sweetheart,” Krista says and smiles up at me.

  “Sure, if you like that type,” I tease.

  “Oh, don’t get jealous,” she toys with me.