Misadventures in a Threesome

by Elizabeth Hayley

  Had Jaz known it was an invitation to her mother’s wedding, she wouldn’t have even opened the envelope. But there it was:

  Please celebrate the marriage of Anna Mathers and Jethro Busch on the seventeenth of October. More details to come.

  Then, at the bottom, as a kind of personal touch, her mom had written:

  Hope you can make it :)

  Jaz shut her eyes as if the inability to see what she’d just read would somehow make it less true. Her mom still had Greg’s last name, and here she was already sending out an invitation to what would be her fifth wedding…to this…Jethro guy. For all Jasmine knew, her mom was still paying off her third wedding, which she’d spent about twenty grand on because she insisted that Pete was “the one.” Nothing like having your fourth husband help to pay off the debt from your marriage to your third. Anna Pritchett/Williams/Scott/Mathers/soon-to-be-Busch was an interesting woman.

  Against her logical judgment, Jasmine picked up the phone. “I’m definitely not getting you a present this time,” Jaz said when her mom answered.

  “Oh good! That means you’re coming! And I’m glad it made it there.”

  “Why wouldn’t it make it here? And more importantly, why am I getting an invitation to another one of your weddings?”

  “You’re my daughter, Jasmine. It would be rude for me not to invite you. And anyway, it’s a save-the-date. The invitation probably won’t come for another month or so. We still need to pick them out.”

  “Is the place giving you a discount this time since you’re a frequent customer?”

  “Very funny,” her mom said. “I’m hoping you girls will be in the wedding.”

  Jasmine laughed. “I wouldn’t want to ruin our streak.”

  “Why can’t you just be happy for me?” Her mom didn’t sound nearly as hurt as the words led her to seem.

  “Because I’m still working on being happy for you and your last marriage. Which was only like…a year ago. You still have Greg’s last name, Mom.”

  “Well, it’s pointless to change it back to Pritchett when it’ll be Busch soon anyway.”

  Even Jasmine could admit that it was a valid point, but her mom should probably just consider not changing it from Pritchett at all. Jasmine would never say that out loud, though, so she sighed instead. But she knew her mom probably recognized it for what it was: a nonverbal concession of sorts. Her mom would always be a serial wife. Anna Pritchett jumped from one relationship to the next, though to Jasmine’s knowledge, her mother had never actually been unfaithful. It was more that she got bored—or maybe disinterested would be more accurate. What excited her initially about a person—what she fell in love with—eventually wouldn’t hold the same intrigue it once had. It was like watching the sun rise and fall. And when the appeal faded, her mother’s love seemed to fade with it until eventually it dissolved completely.

  It was a vicious cycle but one that Anna seemed so okay with she almost embraced it. And that was something Jasmine never thought she would be able to understand. Jaz tried to tell her mom that the novelty of a relationship wearing off didn’t mean that the relationship itself needed to fall apart, but since Jaz hadn’t even had what her mom considered a “steady boyfriend,” Jasmine’s opinion was basically the equivalent of a kindergartner’s.

  “So how’s your new place?” Anna asked, causing Jasmine to look at her surrounding apartment. It didn’t have much furniture to speak of because before she moved here, she’d donated much of her old furniture in lieu of moving it. She figured the move would be cheaper that way, and she could use the money she saved to buy some new stuff. That would be another plan that would have to come to fruition once she got an actual paycheck. For the moment, her priority was getting a car.

  “It’s nice. Still getting settled in. I should probably get some more things unpacked,” she said. “It’s getting late.”

  “It’s a quarter to nine.”

  “I’ve been up since four thirty.”

  Her mom gasped in a way that was much too excessive for the situation. “That’s an ungodly hour, Jasmine.”

  Jasmine smiled, thinking that she agreed but would happily do it the next day. So far, she loved her job at Transform, and she was just getting started. Sure, the hours could be long, but not only would the money be worth it, she had a feeling the friendships would be too. “It is. I do much better going to bed at that time than I do getting up. Although I don’t technically have a bed yet,” she said, thinking of the mattress on the floor of the bedroom.

  “Oh my God, honey. I hate thinking of you in a strange place without a bed. You know you can come home.”

  Jasmine sighed, but her heart warmed at the offer she knew she’d never take. It was important for her to make her own way in the world, no matter how difficult it would be. She didn’t want to have to depend on anyone but herself, and she looked forward to finally being able to grow roots somewhere. “I know. I’m fine. Really. I’ll call you next week?”

  “Okay, I’ll talk to you then. Good luck getting settled.”

  “Thanks. And Mom?” she said. “Of course I’ll be a bridesmaid.”

  Her mom was silent for a moment, and Jaz suspected she was crying. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

  Jasmine knew it did even before she said it. It was the reason she wouldn’t miss being part of her mom’s wedding. No matter how many there might be.

  Chapter Seven

  “Here’s to finally finishing the renovation from hell!” Wilder yelled to the corner of the bar they’d commandeered about thirty minutes ago. He couldn’t deny it. He was relieved to have everything finished. Despite his insistence on getting the gym where they wanted it, he had also worried it’d be a disaster, which would’ve resulted in Mad never letting Wild make any business decisions ever again.

  Okay, maybe that was a slight exaggeration, but he definitely would’ve given Wild a hard time for the foreseeable future, and who had time for that shit? Wild raised his beer glass higher. “And to all our new hires. Thanks for boarding the crazy train.”

  Hoots and hollers erupted all around. Thank God they knew the owner of the bar, and Wild could be fairly confident they wouldn’t get tossed out for being too rowdy. “Speech!” Dan, one of the experienced trainers, yelled.

  “From me?” Wild asked, but he continued before receiving an answer. “All right. It all started when I was a boy—”

  “Not you, you asshole.” Dan laughed. “The newbies.”

  Wild looked around at everyone. “Oh. Yeah, okay, that makes more sense. Have at it, guys.”

  Jaz, a young guy named Thad who they’d gotten to teach kickboxing, and a new woman named Yohanna who’d just graduated from college and would be helping out at the front desk all looked at one another with wide eyes and alarm written clearly across their faces. After a few seconds of a discussion held completely with their eyes, Jaz spoke up.

  “Okay. I’ll say…something. Thanks for this awkward moment, Dan.”

  Dan smiled, looking pleased with himself.

  Jaz stood, looking great in a white racerback tank and black tights. Not that Wild was thinking about how she looked or anything.

  “It’s been great getting to know everyone and getting to be part of this certifiably insane group of people.”

  Everyone laughed at her words, and Craig, another trainer, yelled, “Hell yeah!”

  Jaz smiled widely, the only way Wild had ever seen her smile. She was one of those people who always smiled with her entire being, and it made Wild’s own lips quirk up at the corners.

  “So thanks to Wilder and Maddox for giving me a chance to work at a great facility with a great group of people.” She held her glass up, and they all followed suit.

  When they were done, all eyes turned to Thad, who stood up halfway before saying, “Yeah, uh, what she said.”

  “Coward,” Maddox yelled, which made Wild laugh. He looked over at Mad, who looked relaxed and happy, which Wild enjoyed seeing. Mad carried the
weight of the world on his shoulders sometimes, and it was good to see him loosening up.

  “I’m punking out too,” Yohanna announced.

  “You’re all lame. Who the hell hired you?” Wild asked, bursting into laughter when they both glared at him.

  The night progressed in raucous fashion, with people sharing stories about nightmare clients and gym mishaps.

  “I have a good one,” Jaz, who’d ended up sandwiched between Mad and Wild, said. “Maddox, remember that time you came in and Wild and I were installing the new floor? Ah, memories.”

  “That was only like a month ago,” Mad grumbled.

  Everyone burst out laughing. “I’m just teasing,” Jaz said through her laughter. “Though your face was pretty epic.”

  “I thought you morons were going to cut your hands off and bleed all over my new flooring.”

  “Is it sad that I’m not sure which you would’ve been more upset by—us losing our hands or ruining your precious floor?” Wild joked.

  “The fact that you have to ask shows how little you know me. It took me a month to pick out that wood.”

  “You’re such a dick,” Wild said with more affection than the words typically warranted.

  Mad smirked as he lifted his beer bottle to his lips and took a swig. Wild couldn’t help but return the smile. The stress of the past couple of months seemed to slough off him, leaving in its wake a steady thrum of contentment Wild wanted to bask in. He leaned back in his chair and watched the people around him, taking in their happy faces and the easy way they interacted. He’d helped create this. He and Mad.

  He felt Jaz lean back in her chair as well, putting her flesh up against his bicep. Tilting her head back, she said in a low voice, “You guys have built an incredible thing here, Wild Man.”

  Wilder felt warmth rush through him, both at her words and at the nickname she’d bestowed on him after the flooring incident. And maybe her proximity had a little to do with it as well. He took a deep breath before turning to look at her, their faces mere inches apart. “Yeah, we have. Thanks for helping us make it even better.”

  An adorable flush spread across her cheeks as she held his gaze. “You’re welcome,” she said softly.

  They both smiled at one another before Jaz broke eye contact. Though Wilder noticed she stayed where she was, her arm firmly pressed against his. As far as he was concerned, the night couldn’t get any more perfect.

  Based on the goofy grin Wild kept shooting everyone, Mad could tell he was drunk. He was also a touchy drunk, and Wild currently had his arm draped around Dan’s neck while he rested his other hand on Thad’s shoulder, telling them some story they’d most likely heard before.

  “Get it?” Wild asked loudly. “The mom is also the sister.”

  Yup, completely wasted.

  “Good luck getting him out of here,” Jaz said as she plopped down on the chair next to him. She’d gotten up for a while to circulate, but Mad was glad she was back. There was something…comfortable about her. Maddox typically didn’t like being stuck talking to people he didn’t know well, but he enjoyed Jaz’s company.

  “It won’t be so bad. He tires out quickly.”

  Jaz laughed at that. “Like a toddler?”

  Maddox joined her in her laughter. “Exactly like that.”

  Taking a sip of her water, Jaz sat up straighter. “I want you to sit in on my first yoga class.”

  Maddox slowly panned his head so he was looking at her. “Does this frame look like it bends easily?”

  “Not particularly,” she said with a wide smile. “I think it’ll be fun getting you all tied up like a pretzel. But that’s not why I’m asking.” She took another sip of her water before setting the glass down and turning her body completely toward him. “I don’t have a ton of experience, which I know you know because you saw my résumé. But I want to be good at what I do. Really good. So I need someone to tell me what I can be doing to improve.”

  Maddox took in the earnestness in her expression and became even more impressed by her than he already had been. “I think having that attitude is already a step in the right direction,” he said.

  Jaz’s answering eye roll told him that wasn’t the answer she was looking for.

  Mad tried again. “I think Wild would be better suited to…” The shaking of Jaz’s head caused him to stop speaking.

  “Wild is too nice,” she explained.

  “Gee thanks,” Mad replied dryly.

  “Shut up. You know what I mean. And please ignore that I just told you to shut up. That was inappropriate. Anyway, Wild will try to figure out the nicest way possible to tell me I suck. And that doesn’t do me any good. I need someone who will just come out with it, feelings be damned.”

  Maddox sat and digested her words for a second. He wasn’t sure he liked being someone she thought didn’t care about other people’s feelings.

  Something must’ve shown on his face, because she added, “I just think your feedback will be more constructive than his. I’m probably saying this all wrong, because I mean what I’m saying as a compliment. I trust you to tell me what I need to know to be the best I can be.”

  Her words hit a weak spot in his armor. There was a time when he’d been that guy for a whole unit of men. Then, for a long time, he’d only been that guy for Wilder. He tapped into it while training clients, but it wasn’t the same. The trust they put in him didn’t feel as heavy as the trust Jaz was putting in him. “You better not make me look like an asshole,” he grumbled.

  The bright smile that lit up her face made it impossible for him to hold on to his grumpy exterior. “You don’t even have to participate if you really don’t want to,” she assured him.

  He smiled back at her, feeling himself get a little lost in the moment, but thankfully not so much that he didn’t notice Wilder rounding the table toward them. His drunk best friend threw an arm around each of them and leaned heavily. He really must’ve been plowed. Wild was usually good about not startling Mad from behind. If Maddox hadn’t noticed him coming, his reaction likely would’ve needed some explaining. But as it was, he was able to relax under the weight of his friend. “Feeling good there, buddy?”

  “So good. Tequila is the best,” Wild declared.

  “I’ll remind you of that tomorrow morning.”

  “Oh, speaking of tomorrow,” Jaz said. “Now that I have a car, I was thinking of driving out to Canyon Falls and hiking around there. Have you guys ever been? I wanted to know if it was worth the drive or not.”

  “Oh man, I haven’t been there in forever,” Wild said, his voice almost coming out like a whine, as if someone had told him Disney World had closed down.

  “We were just there last summer.”

  “Like I said—forever.”

  Maddox shook his head and looked at Jaz. “It’s great there. They have a bunch of trails to choose from, depending on your skill level, and the views are breathtaking. It’s definitely worth the trip.”

  “We should go with her,” Wild said to Maddox before turning to Jaz. “We should go with you. You’ll have so much more fun with us there. And we’re all off tomorrow. It was meant to be.” It was less serendipitous than Wild was making it out to be. They both always had off Sundays, and since they didn’t run any classes, there’d be no need for Jaz to be there either.

  Jaz laughed. “You sure you’re going to be up for it?”

  Wild let out a “Pfft” and turned to Mad. “Does she know who she’s talking to?”

  “Clearly not,” Maddox said.

  Wild moved his hand from her shoulder and pointed to himself. “I am a hiking afician-aficio-afiscin—goddamnit, Mad tell her the word I mean.”

  “Aficionado?” Mad supplied.

  Wilder nodded. “That. I’m that.”

  “Good to know,” Jaz replied, still looking skeptical.

  “He’ll be fine. He typically bounces back from nights like this pretty quickly.”

  “In that case, I’d love the company,
” Jaz said.

  “You sure?” Maddox asked. “I don’t want to intrude on your personal time.”

  “No way. I’m a social creature. I’d much rather have you guys there than be alone.”

  “Okay, then. It’s almost a two-hour ride out there. Want us to pick you up? Say around eight?”

  “Sounds perfect. I’ll pack us some lunches.”

  “Great,” Maddox said. With that, Wilder groaned and put more of his weight onto Maddox. “Okay, big guy, how about you not fall asleep right now?”

  “Sleep good. You bothering me bad.”

  “You’re such an asshole. Come on, hold it together for the five minutes it’ll take me to get you to the truck.”

  Wilder groaned again but stood on his own. “See you tomorrow, Jazzy Scooter.” Then he walked away from them and toward the exit.

  “Jazzy Scooter?” Jaz asked Maddox.

  “You better hope he forgets that nickname by morning.” Both of them laughed. “We’ll see you tomorrow. Call if anything changes.”

  “Will do. Good luck with him.”

  Maddox quickly said goodbyes to everyone else as he tried to catch up with Wilder, who was probably passed out in the truck by now. Once he got outside, he saw Wild leaning against the passenger door. “Forget you have keys too?”

  “I left them in the glove box. Such a bad decision.”

  “You have to move so I can open your door,” Maddox said as he hit the unlock button on his truck’s key fob.

  Wild didn’t step forward but rather slid toward the back of the truck so he wasn’t blocking the door. Once Mad opened it, Wild practically fell inside and curled up as best he could on the seat.

  Maddox shook his head at his friend before closing the door and walking around to the driver’s side and climbing in. As he steered them toward home, Maddox found himself anticipating hiking with Jaz the next day. She had a sincerity to her Maddox couldn’t deny being drawn to. It didn’t hurt that she clearly liked to hike, which was one of Mad’s favorite downtime activities.