by Piper Rayne
“You’re getting awfully pink,” Jay says to me.
I groan because the last thing I need is a sunburn, but I also don’t want to put my shirt back on over my sports bra, because it’s so hot out.
“Can you spray me down again?” I ask him, stepping out of Ford’s embrace.
He nods and swings his backpack off his shoulder, setting it down in front of him. He makes quick work of locating the sunscreen while I set my bag on the ground. Turning away from him, I tip my neck down and allow him to cover my back and neck with sunblock. His firm hands feel soft on my skin, and I take a deep breath, refusing to allow a moan to escape.
A few minutes later, my back, neck, arms, and chest are covered, and we’re on our way back down the trail to the parking lot.
When I was perusing the binder the day before, I noticed a summer market—Second Saturday—where the locals come together, closing off Main Street for the day. Apparently, there’s live music and vendors of all types, including local wineries and brewpubs, so Jay decided we would stop on the way back to the house to check it out.
We stop at a food truck named Tacos & Tequila for a late lunch, early dinner. Ford and Jameson stand in line to order while I scope out a picnic table. Glancing around, I notice cheerleaders selling tickets for some type of fundraiser and a couple of fun games for kids to play. The local restaurants have their doors open and tables lining the sidewalk.
Jay sets down three margaritas on the table, and Ford places a massive tray of tacos in front of us. Then he slides onto the bench across from me, and Jay sits to my left.
“Are you two planning to feed an army?” I ask them.
“Nope. Just us,” Jay quips. “We’re hungry guys after all.”
I pick up my strawberry margarita, holding it up. “Cheers,” I say, and the guys raise their glasses. We clink them together, then I take a long drink of the icy goodness.
“That is so good,” I sigh out.
Picking up the first taco, I notice they wrapped each one in a napkin and foil to keep the juices from running all over everything.
I chose what I assume is pork based on the cilantro, onion, and pineapple topping. I take a bite, moaning from the flavor.
“Damn, this is a great taco.” Then I take two more bites before finishing it.
“Fallon Marie,” Ford says, “you know better than to moan in public.”
I lean over, laughing at him, before glancing at Jay sitting next to me with a giant smirk on his face.
“You should stop now unless you want the whole town to see us both kiss you.”
“Fine. I’ll keep the moans to a minimum.”
I’m not ashamed of how I feel about them, but I also don’t want to give anyone a reason to call us out. Which is something I need to get over if we’re going to make a go of this for real.
We spend the rest of the afternoon walking around the square. The last stop we make is at a tent with handmade wood carvings. I look at all the unique pieces, picking them up one by one, noticing all the details.
“Fallon, did you see this one?” Jay asks, holding up a small wooden box with a firefly carved in the top.
My eyes light up, and I know I need to have it. I step closer to him, taking the box from his hands and running my fingers through the grooves. I sit the box down on the table, lifting the top. It’s the perfect place for a ring or necklace.
“My granddaughter loves fireflies, so I made one for her,” says the smiling older man from behind the table. “She suggested I make another one to sell. She was certain there was someone in this world who loved fireflies as much as she does.”
I glance up at him and smile back. He has a head full of white hair and is wearing a blue-plaid, short-sleeved button-down with jeans. He looks like the definition of a doting grandfather. I can’t picture my father as a grandparent. The man wears a suit every day of his life, except on Saturday when he wears a polo shirt and khaki pants to play golf.
“Well, she is correct. I love fireflies.” I glance at the guys who are standing slightly behind me. “I’ll take it.”
I pull out the cash I stuffed in the pocket of my yoga pants earlier, but before I can hand it to the gentleman, Jay has already paid.
The owner looks at me and then at Jay. I shrug, place the cash back in my pocket, and smile.
“Thank you,” I say while I watch him wrap the box in paper and place it in a brown paper bag.
“I hope you enjoy it as much as my granddaughter.”
I say thank you again, grab Jay’s hand, and head back to Ford’s truck.
Chapter Ten
Jameson
This day has been intense. Yeah, I knew from the forecast that the sun would be hot and the temperatures extreme. I anticipated it would take everything out of us physically, but what I didn’t expect was the emotional roller coaster of the day.
There were moments when we walked in total silence, oblivious to the surrounding landscape. Fallon’s position on marriage and the question about wanting to get married caught me off guard. Yet, I didn’t think twice before responding.
She’s my Firefly—an effervescent spirit.
The one for whom my heart beats.
Without question, I’ll do anything she asks of me.
Now, all I can think about is how do we make this happen?
Chapter Eleven
Fallon
The million-dollar question is, what are we going to do? It isn’t the first time I’ve thought about spending my life with these men. But it is the first time I’ve asked if they wanted to marry me—or anyone at all.
From the day we came together, this question was inevitable—who would be my forever?
I sit on the giant porch swing, wrapped in a cozy blanket, a glass of wine in my hand as I stare out at the property around me. The crickets serenade me with their mating call breaking the silence. It’s the classic sign of summer, and I love it.
This would be the perfect place for us to live. We’re not that far from town yet isolated enough that we can do whatever we want without prying eyes. I wonder if there is another place around here like this that I could buy? Mentally, I make a note to find a local real estate agent.
“So, are we going to talk about the giant elephant in the room?” Ford asks, leaning on the door frame.
I glance over my shoulder at him and blush. Twisting around, I situate my body in the corner of the swing, watching and waiting for Jay to join us.
“Are we?”
He nods and then grabs a chair from the other end of the porch, bringing it closer to me. Jay comes out and hands Ford a beer before sitting on the other end of the swing. He immediately pulls my feet into his lap, and I smile.
“Let’s talk,” Jay states, his voice steady and full of conviction.
“I’ve already made it known I want to be with you guys, but now I need to know how you feel.” Pulling the blanket up closer to my face, I realize how nervous I am. My insides are quaking from the uncertainty.
Usually, Jay is the more contemplative one, but this time, it’s Ford who sits back, watching, eyes darting from Jay to me.
Instead of jumping in to start the conversation, I wait, allowing them the opportunity to speak when they are ready.
“Look, Firefly,” Jay says. “You know I love you. I can’t imagine a day when I won’t love you, but I’m somewhat uneasy about this.”
He pauses, and I know he’s trying to find the right words.
“So am I,” Ford comments.
Honestly, I’m relieved that they are thinking this through. The last thing I want is for Ford and Jay to agree to something just to make me happy. We all deserve happiness, even if it’s not together.
“Look,” I say, then stop and close my eyes, trying to hold back the tears. “I know you guys love me, and not once have I doubted that. But I can’t continue this way. I can’t live waiting for one weekend a year when we can all be together. Praying that you guys aren’t with someone else in the meantim
e.”
I wipe away the first tear that drops, and Jay pulls me to him, kissing away the others that fall. Ford moves from the chair to the other side of me. I’m wrapped in a cocoon of their love, yet I can’t help but wonder if this will be the last time.
“Firefly, you’re the only one I’m with—the only one I want to be with.”
I say nothing, just nod.
“Fallon,” Ford says, leaning into me and tipping my head up to make eye contact. “As Jay said, I love you. You’re my forever. But this isn’t a simple decision to make, and you know that.”
Ford is correct. It is the most difficult decision we’ll ever make.
“I know, but I don’t want to look back in twenty years and wonder if I stopped you from falling in love and having a family. Nor do I want that for me.”
Wiping at the tears streaming down my face, I don’t know what the right answer is. This is the first time I’ve acknowledged the conflict I feel about this whole situation to them.
“Do you guys love each other or just me? Am I the thing that makes this all work?”
They look at each other, and I can see the wheels turning in their minds. “There isn’t a right answer. Just tell me the truth,” I say.
“Jay is my best friend. He has been since the first time we met. We had an instant brotherly like bond. But no, I’m not in love with him, although I do love him.”
I turn slightly and look at Jay.
“Same. There is a bond between us that I can’t explain. But no, I don’t love him like that,” he says, then points at Ford. “But we both love you.”
“He’s right. But I should point out that I’m totally fine with you loving both of us, most of the time. However, if I’m being honest with myself, there are sometimes when I want you all to myself,” Ford admits.
“Jay, do you feel the same?” I ask, my voice sounding fragile and shaky, much like my body.
He doesn’t answer, just looks at Ford, then nods.
And we’re back to square one. “What the fuck do we do now?” I blurt out.
The guys laugh at my brash comment, and I’m thankful for the moment of levity during this crazy conversation.
“If it were up to me,” Ford begins, “we’d buy some property where we could live together for a while and see what happens. However, with us all living in different locations, that’s a bit difficult. So maybe we work on getting us all in one place first.”
Jay takes a moment, and his response catches me off guard. “I like that idea. I can be a cop anywhere. The challenge is finding a place we might all want to live that Ford can transfer to.”
We each nod in silence, the wheels turning. “I’m not married to my job, and one day I’d like to have my own business, but I can do that anywhere.”
“Well, it’s decided. We will find a place where we all want to live. Any ideas?” Jay asks.
“Austin isn’t a bad spot,” Ford says. “Houston isn’t horrible either. Then, Fallon, you wouldn’t have to move.”
“But what about Jay?” I ask. “Would you be okay with either of those spots?”
“I’d rather be a small-town cop, but if those are your choices, then I’m okay with it. Small towns, though high on drama and Nosey Nelly’s, tend to be light on the major crimes, which would allow us to have a better life.”
“Houston is fine, but I’m not sure I want to be that close to my parents, long term. Plus, the city may be large, but it seems as if everyone knows everyone there, and they are a bunch of . . . what did you call them? Nosey Nelly’s?” I chuckle. Ironically, more often than I’d like, my parents’ friends will see me in public and want to talk to me even if I don’t know them all that well.
“I think it would be easier to live on our own terms if we start fresh in a place that’s new to all of us,” Ford comments.
He’s not wrong about that. Then we’d all be on the same foot, and one person wouldn’t have the advantage.
“I like it here. Maybe not this house particularly, but out here. The town is small, but we’re close enough to Austin. We could go into the city, and it’s not a major ordeal. Plus, I’m fairly certain there is a DEA office there, too, and maybe Ford could transfer.”
“It is nice here,” Jay says, “but before we go looking at property, we need to determine what the time frame is going to be for us to try to get jobs in the area.”
I watch Ford as he stares into the woods at the other end of the patio. “Is there the chance that there is an opening around here?” I ask him.
“There is always a chance, but even if I transfer, it would be at least six months before I could get here.”
Shifting in my seat, I hand Jay the empty wineglass to place on the table next to the swing and curl my legs under me, leaning into Jay. That’s not so bad.
“I’m totally on board with this. Next summer, if all the pieces work out, we could celebrate being together forever, instead of just a weekend. What do you think?”
“That works for me,” Ford says, smiling at me.
“Me too,” Jay responds.
“Then that’s it. We have a year to get things in order and find a place we’re all comfortable with.”
“Deal. Now, I don’t want to talk anymore,” Ford says, wiggling his eyebrows at us.
He unfolds his long limbs and straightens up to a stand in front of the swing. Then he pulls me to my feet and squats in front of me. I jump on his back like I used to do years ago and laugh while he gives me a piggyback ride into the house, Jay hot on our heels.
We’ve done so much talking today, and now all I want to do is feel.
Skin to skin.
Heart to heart.
Breaths intermingled, fingers exploring.
We make our way through the house, Jay turning off the lights the as we go. Ford doesn’t stop until we reach the bedroom. The door clicks closed behind us, and I pull off my T-shirt, tossing it to Jay. His face lights up before he dives for the bed—and me.
Tonight, we celebrate us. Our love. Our way.
Chapter Twelve
Ford
When she asks for something, I’m hard-pressed to tell her no. Especially when she asks me to love her forever. Even if it means I spend the rest of my life sharing her with Jay. I know that he’ll always be gentle with her heart, and if something were to happen to me, she wouldn’t be alone.
From the moment she walked into our lives, it was inevitable we would have to decide what our forever looked like.
Now we’re there.
Loving Fallon has always been easy. She’s the other half of me that I didn’t know was missing, and I don’t want to imagine life without her.
Here’s to forever—our way.
Chapter Thirteen
Fallon
“What’s up, Buttercup? How was your kinky weekend with the guys?” Piper asks the minute she answers the phone.
“Seriously, Pipe?” I respond, laughing at her. “As usual, it was a fabulous weekend.”
“Nice. Are you going to spill all the deets, or do I have to wait until we have drinks this week?”
I chuckle because Piper is the best friend a girl could have. We met when we were teenagers and have been thick as thieves ever since. At fourteen, I never could have imagined we’d form a lifelong bond over our love of No Doubt and all things Gwen Stefani. But alas, we did, and she’s the only one outside of the guys who knows anything about my annual weekend away.
“If you really want to know—” I begin until she butts in.
“Hell yeah, I want to know all the things. Now.”
“Fine,” I sigh out. It’s not that I don’t want to share what transpired with her. My heart beats a bit fast because it’s the first time I’m sharing this much of myself with anyone outside of Ford and Jameson.
“Well, we made some big decisions this weekend.”
“Oh, what kind of decisions? Tell me everything,” Piper says.
I can hear her rummaging around in the fridge. That girl
has the metabolism of a cross-country runner, though I don’t think she’s ever run—except to the fridge for a snack.
“The guys are going to look for jobs around Austin and Miller Creek. We loved the house we stayed at this weekend and have decided that we all want to be together in one place.”
“Omigod!” Piper screams, and I immediately turn the volume down in my car. I should have expected it, but man, is her voice shrill when she gets excited. “What exactly does that mean? Are you moving? Are you getting married?”
I interrupt her, or she’ll spend the next hour asking questions.
“It means I’m going to be moving to wherever the guys can get jobs in that area. We want to be together, and I am not living close to my parents with two men. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not their business, but I don’t want to deal with the drama that will come when my dad figures out I’m not marrying the man of his choice.”
The traffic in front of me slows down, and I consider pulling over for a soda, but Piper is still peppering me with questions.
“So, who are you going to marry?”
Oh shit. I knew this was coming.
“Look, we don’t have all the details worked out yet. We are planning on being in the same place within six months. That means, next year, instead of hiding out for a weekend, we’ll be together every night.”
“Buttercup, I know this will not be easy for you, but I’m so freaking excited! You’re going to have the life you’ve been dreaming about.”
“Thanks, Pipe. It means so much to have you in my court. You know this news will not go over well with my parents, but I’m determined to make it happen. Plan to be available with tissues and alcohol for afterward.”
