by Caia Daniels
Alec holds out his arm, ushering me to go ahead of him.
I step in, and they follow behind me. It’s a dimly-lit hallway leading to an open space just a few feet ahead.
We reach the end and move into an open floor plan apartment. It is very classy yet cozy at the same time.
Voices are ringing through the room. Low, sexy voices and Summer.
There’s a living area off to the side that’s connected to a dining room slash kitchen area. We walk closer and get around the corner. A super long dining table stands majestically with five to six men sitting around Summer, who sits proudly at the head of the table.
She’s got her dark hair up in a messy bun today, and she’s casually dressed. Jeans and a sweater. Dark lip gloss.
Daylight streams in through huge glass doors leading to walk-out deck overlooking a Hamptons’ beach and the ocean.
Summer and all the hot guys sitting around her are smiling. Talking. They seem happy. Wonder who all the guys are?
Alec squeezes my hand tighter as he feels me shaking a little. Not sure why I’m nervous but for some reason, I am. This whole thing is a little intimidating. Especially being only one of two women around all these hot as hell men.
Luc grabs my other hand and squeezes, leans in and whispers into my ear. “It’s okay, babe. They’ll love you.”
Summer looks up and nods at me. “Good morning, darling. How did you sleep?”
“Great. Thank you.”
I look beside her to see my escort from last night, Lucian, sitting beside the Madam. He has his hand on her knee, and she’s leaning into him a little. Wonder if they’re dating?
“So, Merlot.” Summer starts. She looks beside her to one of the guys sitting there, nods her head, and he gets up and moves. “Come sit. You must be starving.” She looks at the man who just stood up. “Would you go fetch her some food?”
He nods then disappears into the kitchen.
Two more guys get up and walk over to Summer, take turns giving her kisses—on the lips— then nod at us and disappear through the kitchen and down a hallway. No clue who they are or where they went. But I’m extremely curious now. It takes everything in me not to ask questions. That’d be rude. Don’t want to risk her not liking me now.
“Come. Sit, your girl needs to eat.”
Alec and Luc lead me to a seat beside Summer, then Luc sits beside me, and Alec moves to sit across the table beside Lucian.
A minute later, the man brings me a plate of food and sets it in front of me. “Coffee, juice? Tea?” He asks.
“Um, tea?”
“Orange Jasmine okay?”
I nod. “Sounds great. Thanks.”
He smiles, then disappears into the kitchen once more.
Luc sets his hand on my knee beneath the table as I look at the plate and dig into the bacon. That’s my favorite breakfast food, although the scrambled eggs and side of pancakes fall in my top five. I was hungrier than I thought as I eat nearly everything on the plate.
“So, tell me about yourself Merlot.”
Swallowing a bite of pancake, I take a drink of Luc’s water he’s handing me, set it down, then wipe any food residue off my lips.
The guy who went to make my tea returns, bearing a steaming mug. Accepting it gratefully, I breathe in the delicious aroma.
“I just finished a musical tour. I was the lead. Now I’m auditioning for gigs around town so I don’t have to leave New York. Had a ton of auditions this week and one call back yesterday.”
“Call back for?” She asks.
“Another musical tour. Envy, my favorite play.”
Luc purses his lips and Alec lets out a sigh.
“I know they don’t want me to leave, though so I’m going to try some new tactics and see if I can find something not so far from home.”
She tilts her head to the side and narrows her eyes for a moment, pulling her lips up.
“What was your degree in, darling?”
Another bite of pancake swallowed, and I grab a quick sip of delicious tea to wash that down.
“Double majored in public relations and journalism. Minored in theater.”
“Did you ever work in either of those markets?”
“A short time after college. I was a freelance writer for a while. I like to write. Had an internship in a PR firm. That was a lot of fun.”
“And you’re currently looking for work. Ever consider getting back into PR?”
With a shrug, I consider her question. I love acting. Not sure I’m ready to give it all up yet, but I had considered just getting a regular job. “I wouldn’t discount the idea.”
“I’ve been looking for a PR firm. We have some… problems we need fixed. And to be honest, with what I do here and what I try to accomplish, I need to keep most of that work in the family, if you know what I mean.”
“I’m not entirely sure what you do here, Summer.”
“Alec hasn’t told you?” She glances to him and gives him a look.
Alec looks almost ashamed. I’ve never seen him so intimidated before. I can’t help but laugh.
“Well, to understand that, first, I need to tell you a story.”
For the next half hour, Summer tells me her story. The greatest scandal to hit the New York Elite society in ten or so years.
Long story short, she started the business to put her sons through college. Today, she uses Scandal income to give scholarships to those who work for her.
So in a way, she truly does run a non-profit. Scandal is the epitome of doing wrong for all the right reasons.
“Elitist men have been cheating the system for years. Scandal gives the woman scorned a chance to get even.”
Damn. Now that’s a story.
What Scandal does. What she does for people like Alec. How they each receive scholarships for working at Scandal.
“I hope you’ll consider my offer. It would be a year-round position. Even in the off-season. That’s when we need the PR the most.”
Smiling and nodding, I consider her offer. “Thank you, Summer. Let me see how these call-backs go, and I’ll let you know.”
“Fair enough.” She smiles. “Now, I hear you introduced Alec and Luc. And that you moved out for them. That must have been devastating for you.”
“Yeah,” I say quietly. “It was.”
“Well I’m very happy they got their heads out of their asses because last night was beautiful. You look well this morning, I take it you enjoyed your fantasy?”
A smile overtakes my face. Couldn’t stop it if I tried.
“Very good. That’s what we do here at Scandal. Women deserve to be treated like the goddesses that they are. I hire men to help me do that. And another season is coming up. If you take me up on my offer, I promise, it will be worth your while. You’ll also start immediately. My employees get a fabulous benefits package. One that includes stakes in the company.”
“Well, I’ve seen how Luc and Alec live. When I asked how they afforded all of it, they said ‘summer work.’ I guess now, I know what that means.”
Summer let out a laugh. “Yes, indeed.”
I sit quietly for a minute, considering her offer. Working for a company like this, one that takes it profits and gives back to the world. What better job to have than that? And I have to admit, after last night, I’m certainly up for more of whatever Scandal has to offer me and my boyfriends.
Boyfriends. Plural.
In one sense, the idea is so strange but after last night, it just feels right.
“I’ll put together an offer for you. When it’s ready, I’ll give you a call. Couple of days, tops.”
“Sounds good.” I smile. “I have one condition, though.”
Summer lifts an eyebrow. “Negotiating already?” She grins. “I like strong women.” She glances over to Alec. “She’ll fit in perfectly here.” She winks then looks back to me. “Go on.”
As I prepare to speak, I take Luc’s hand and hold it, then glance across the table at Alec. �
�If you hire me, you have to give up Luc and Alec.”
Alec grins.
I turn to Luc, and he smiles just as brightly.
“How about a compromise?” She asks.
What the hell kind of compromise could she possibly make? They worked together giving women threesomes. I can’t possibly allow that any longer. But I’m curious, so I let her continue. “What do you have in mind?”
“You listed voyeurism on your list of interests. And also, others watching you. I can use exhibitionists. And if you ever get the guts and want to play with others, I always have women looking for more. More for themselves, and often, even other men and women. Is that something you would consider?”
My eyes pop open and my lips are parted enough to give her my what the fuck expression.
Definitely wasn’t expecting that.
“Um… maybe?”
Summer smiles. “That’s good enough for me. And believe me, I understand. If you three are going to make this work, and I mean really make it work, you’ll need to make your triad a priority first. So anything pertaining to Scandal is secondary.
“I can always find two other men to give women the ménage experience they crave, but exhibitions are always helpful in selling that fantasy. After watching you three together last night? You’re an exhibitionist, my darling. A natural. I think it would fulfill those desires, the ones you meet through acting, and you would still enjoy working here for me. Just think it over, that’s all I ask.”
“I will. Thank you.” A second later, my phone rings. “Excuse me a minute?” I grab my phone and stand, walking over by the glass doors for a little privacy.
“Miss LaRue? This is Delilah of the Forest Production Company. On behalf of the directors, I’d like to offer you the lead role in the upcoming musical tour of Envy.”
My heart drops into my stomach.
Envy. The first musical I ever saw on Broadway.
A tear falls down my cheek – why, I don’t know. I should be happy, right?
Only how can I be happy when I’m supposed to choose between two men I’ve loved all my lives and the lead role in a musical tour that could tear me away from them?
“Miss LaRue?”
“Yes, sorry. I’m here. Can I get back to you?”
“This is an amazing opportunity, Miss LaRue.”
“I understand, thank you. I just need a little time to decide.”
“We can give you until Friday. That’s all.”
“But that’s two days from now.”
“I’m sorry, but we need to get the cast set by then. Friday. We look forward to hearing from you.”
I drop my hands by my side and stand there, staring out at the waves rolling up onto the beach. Never been here in winter. The sky is dark and brooding today. Perhaps it knew what I’d be facing.
“Everything okay?” Luc asks, standing.
“That was a job offer,” I say.
“That’s great.” Alec smiles.
“It’s for the tour. Envy.”
Both Luc and Alec’s smiles fade quickly.
“What the hell do I do now?”
11
Merlot
The next night, I’m sitting at a bar in Brooklyn with Addie, crying in my booze.
One more day, and I need to give them my answer.
“Worst fucking luck. What do I do? I mean, it’s fucking Envy. Do you know what that means? The lead. I love that play.”
“You love Luc and Alec more.”
“That’s not fair.”
After shooting her a dirty glare, I down the rest of my beer then raise my hand to get the bar chick’s attention for another. This time, something stronger.
“It is fair. Besides that, how long is the tour?”
“Prep is about six months here in New York, then the tour is another six. Tentatively. Though if it’s a hit, there’s a chance they may add more dates.”
“Luc and Alec love you. And it’s not a terribly long tour, I’m sure they’ll understand. It’s not like you’d leave right away. Maybe this time, one of them could come out and see you. It’s only six damn months.”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you want to do?”
“That’s the thing. After Summer’s offer…”
“Wait, what offer?” Addie grabs my shoulder and pulls a little.
“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you.”
“Summer, as in Madam West?”
“The one and only. She offered me a job. She’s looking for a new PR rep. Oh, and she thinks I would make a great exhibitionist.”
“You know, in all of this, you haven’t told me how last night went.”
“It was the single most amazing night of my life.”
“Hmm. I can certainly understand your dilemma, then.”
“Right?” I let out a sigh as the bar chick brings us two shots of tequila and leaves me a tall glass of something fruity that warms my belly the second I suck it down through the straw.
As I down my drink, Addie’s girlfriend starts singing on stage.
Kearney is another Broadway girl, only she stays put because she gets enough local gigs she doesn’t have to leave town. The girl’s got a great voice. And she’s pretty sexy, if I’m being honest.
Today, she’s got long, straight blue hair with hot pink streaks. Every time I’ve seen her, it’s a different color, so I have no clue what her natural color is. I always assumed Addie experimented on her like a doll. The two are adorable.
“So, tell me about this poly thing. If I’m going to choose between love and money, I think I should at least know what I’m getting myself into.”
“First of all, you’re not choosing. Summerlan West offered you a job. At Scandal, and you have two men who love you and would do anything to support you. You’ll clearly not be giving up either to be with Luc and Alec.” She takes a drink, looks up at Kearney and smiles, then sets her drink down on the counter. “And being Poly is amazing.”
“Do you guys ever get jealous of anybody?”
“Sometimes. But it’s always been worth it to me.”
“I don’t want to choose. I want both. Actually, I want all three. The tour, the job at Scandal, and my loves.”
“Then why can’t you have all three?”
“I don’t know.”
“You know, I find it kind of odd that the night before you’re supposed to make this big decision, you’re here drinking with me and not spending it with Luc and Alec.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s what you do when you’re in a relationship. I mean, Luc and Alec have as much to gain or lose from this as you do, yet here you are with me, and not them.”
As the words leave her mouth, I’m about to beat myself over the head. What a fucking idiot.
Addie’s right. “Why am I here?”
“I’ve only ever been in dysfunctional relationships, how am I supposed to know what normal people do? And this is a poly relationship. It’s far from normal.”
Addie leans in and grabs my shoulders. “From what I know of you, Merlot LaRue, this poly relationship is the most functional one you’ve ever been in.”
“Fuck.”
“So?” Addie stares hard, eyes narrowed. “Why are you still here?”
“I have no idea.”
“Go. Jesus.” She shakes her head, smiling.
I chug down my drink then grab my coat and turn to Addie. “Thank you.” I lean in, kissing her cheek. “You’re the best.”
Within minutes, I’m outside the bar jumping into a cab, and heading to see Alec and Luc.
I’ve been an idiot today. I need to make this right.
Two blocks from Luc and Alec’s place, I get a text from Addie. It’s an article from NYC Playtime, an entertainment magazine about up and coming plays. A second later, Addie calls and I pick up.
“Did you read the article?”
“Not yet, what’s it about?”
“Open it up. Was just talking to Kearney abo
ut Envy. Look at who’s producing the tour.”
I scroll through the article, but my internet is sketchy, so the stupid page won’t load.
“It’s not loading,” I say. “Who is it?”
“Jamie.”
“What about him?”
“He’s producing the play.”
“No. No fucking way.”
“What would you do without me?” Addie clicks her tongue. “Guess you know why you got offered the job now.”
“That fucking son of a bitch.”
“Well, what do you say now?
“That definitely makes my answer easier.” I’m relieved, disappointed and pissed all at the same time.
“Good. Now go get those men of yours and for goddess’s sake, take that damn job at Scandal. I need an invite.”
The cab stops and I pay, then practically sprint inside the building, reaching the elevator. It’s one of those uppity buildings with doormen and everything, so I have to announce my arrival. I never even considered that they could be out, or working, or something.
Given the situation, they were nice enough to give me space today to think, which is exactly what I needed. Only me being a total asshole, I didn’t even give them a chance to see what they thought about any of it.
I’m a terrible person.
The doorman lets me go, and in a couple of minutes, I’m in the elevator riding up to their floor. When the door opens, Luc and Alec are standing outside their apartment door waiting for me.
They both look terrible. This decision has definitely weighed on them as much as me.
“I’m so sorry,” I say walking toward them.
“Sorry for what?” Luc asks.
“That instead of spending today with you two, I’ve been out pouting. I mean, I agreed to us. To try this relationship thing, and here I was, running from that all day. I’m very sorry, this is all new to me. And Addison pointed out something.”
“Wait, you did?” Alec asks as Luc holds open their apartment door.
“See? I didn’t even tell you, did I. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m a terrible girlfriend already.”
“Come inside.” Luc chuckles as he puts his hands on my shoulders and walks me inside.
Alec follows close behind.
