Three Grumpy Groomsmen

20. Harrison

CHAPTER 20

Harrison

“Don’t eat that.”

I look up with my bagel halfway to my mouth.

Ford strides across the kitchen floor.

“Why?” I ask. It’s nearly ten and I’m starving. I never sleep this late. Of course, I’ve never had a night quite like last night. I grin as heat seeps through me. Damn, last night was amazing. I’ve been replaying it all morning.

I left Ford, Ivy, and Liam asleep in my bed about thirty minutes ago. They all looked as worn out as I felt. But they all looked happy. Ivy was sandwiched between Liam and Ford, both of them with their hands on her, and all of them fast asleep, looking like they’d been sleeping that way for thirty years.

I’d been on Liam’s other side, spooning the shit out of him.

I love that asshole and if he’s not in love with me yet, then…well, I don’t know what I’m going to do. He said he’s falling but what the hell does that mean? How long does that take? And that probably means I can still fuck it up.

“We need to get them to fall in love with us.”

I look up at Ford. Was he reading my mind?

He’s across the breakfast bar, arms crossed, staring at me, determination in his steely gray eyes.

I set my bagel down.

I am definitely interested in this. “I’m listening.”

“Last night was amazing.”

I nod. “It was.”

“I want more of that.”

“Me too.”

He frowns. “ A lot more of it.”

“Same.”

“I’m talking long term. For good. That’s all I want.”

“Same.”

“Harrison,” he says carefully. “I’m in love with Ivy. I want her forever. And I’m good with sharing her with Liam. And you. For good . I want a relationship with all four of us. Committed. Monogamous.” He frowns. “Or whatever. No one else. Just the four of us.”

I sit up straighter and brush my hands together. My best friend doesn’t believe I mean it when I say ‘same’ and ‘me too.’ Fair enough. I’ve never had a serious, fully committed, lasting relationship with anyone.

If I don’t take anything too seriously, then I can’t be upset when it doesn’t work out. I haven’t given too much of myself away. I haven’t put too much time or emotion or energy into anything, so when I screw it up, it doesn’t hurt as much.

This is different.

“I understand what you’re saying, Ford,” I tell him, meeting his gaze directly. “I want that too.”

“Really? You’re into having a poly-relationship with us?”

“Yes.” Fuck, that sounds perfect, really. Three other people in the mix means less pressure on me. If Ivy and Ford are a part of this, they can help fill in the gaps for Liam that I leave, right?

Ford studies me for a long moment. “You really are in love with him.”

I nod. “And I have feelings for Ivy, too. She’s amazing. I could easily fall for her. Now that I know that’s okay.”

Ford looks mildly surprised. But not upset. “Yeah?”

“Of course. What’s not to love? I haven’t let myself go there because of Brad, and you, and Liam. But absolutely. We have chemistry too. And I need someone to laugh at my jokes and go to armadillo circuses with me.”

Finally, Ford smiles. His shoulders relax. “In that case, she’s your girl. For some reason, she finds you amusing.”

I grin. “She does, doesn’t she?”

His smile grows softer. “She does. And she needs you. Liam is an introvert. I’m over-protective. She needs someone who can be free and fun, more adventurous than either of us.”

I feel a warmth in my chest. That all feels really good. I can definitely be that for Ivy, and I love the idea of it.

I also love that Ford is essentially encouraging this. I’ve never seen him like this over a woman before, and the idea that he wants me to also be involved with her is, frankly, humbling.

“Thanks,” I tell him sincerely. Then it really hits me what we’re saying. “I guess it shouldn’t really surprise us that when it comes to long-term real love that we are going to be bound together, sharing our people.”

He nods. “We’ve shared just about everything else.”

“And I can’t imagine living without you. Or actually having a family unit that doesn’t include you.”

That seems to surprise and touch him. “Yeah. Same.”

“So, you’ll all stay here while they’re in town,” I say decisively. “And we’ll work on convincing them that they want and need us forever, too.”

“Exactly,” he agrees. “We need to date the hell out of them.”

I laugh. “Okay. How do we do that?”

“I’m not completely sure. But I think we need to show them Honeysuckle Harbor. Show them this place we love. Get them to fall for the town, our families and friends, and kind of go from there?”

It’s not a terrible idea. Honeysuckle Harbor is so much a part of both of us that Liam and Ivy really do need to love it.

I’m not sure how it will work out with Liam’s job in L.A., but I want them both here with us permanently. We can make trips to the west coast as often as needed, but I want this to be home.

“So what are you thinking?” I ask.

“Let’s take them to breakfast at Mabel’s,” Ford says. “Introduce them to the town and some of the people.”

I’m already nodding and standing, tossing my bagel. I’ll take breakfast at my aunt’s cafe any day of the week.

“Let’s go wake them up,” I say with a grin, starting down the hall, anticipating how to wake my boyfriend—he’s my boyfriend, whether he likes it or not—and our girlfriend.

Ford is right behind me as I enter the room and crawl up the bed from the foot. I wiggle myself in between Liam and Ivy. Liam is spooning her and it’s a wonder the poor girl can breathe the way he has himself wrapped around her.

But he’s probably just as amazed to have her in his arms now as Ford and I are about this whole thing.

“Okay sleepyheads, I know we fucked you into comas, but it’s time to wake up. You gotta build up your stamina because that’s just the first night of many.”

Liam grumbles, but actually makes room for me between them, rolling slightly and lifting his arm. “Just when I thought I’d seen you at your most annoying.”

Ivy just snuggles up against me with a little smile, her eyes still shut.

I’m surprised by how easily she gets close but I don’t mind it at all. I roll to face her and wrap my arms around her. Yes, I’m very aware the other men in the room have very much staked a claim on her. That just makes it even more fun to nuzzle my face against her neck. “‘Morning, sweet thing.” I run my hand down her back to her ass. “Is your pussy nice and sore this morning? Does it need a kiss?”

She giggles and opens her eyes. “Wow, you’re just right at it, even first thing in the morning?”

“It’s hardly first thing,” I tell her, feeling myself get hard as her soft curves move against me. “It’s after ten. We really wore you out.” Flashes of last night go through my mind, and my cock reacts. “But yes, I’m right at it. With my bed this full of hot people, how can I not be?”

I didn’t let myself think about it too hard when I first got up, but waking with these three in my bed was the most contented I’ve felt in a very long time. And it wasn’t about the sex. It was about not being alone. Being with my people. It felt really fucking good. Right even.

“You did wear me out,” she says, clearly not minding my hands all over her. “And yes, I’m a little sore.”

I squeeze her ass. “Clearly, we need to get you in shape.”

“Okay.” Now Ford’s at the side of the bed and he leans over, wrapping an arm around her waist and dragging her out of my arms. “Let’s feed her first.”

She goes into his arms easily as he lifts her off the bed. She wraps her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

“Morning, Ford,” she says against his neck.

“Morning, Princess,” he says, his voice a little husky. He starts toward my en suite bathroom. “Why don’t you shower, and we’ll take you and Liam out for breakfast at our favorite place.”

“That sounds nice.”

They step into the bathroom and I suspect Ford might be busy for a few minutes “helping” Ivy shower.

I roll toward Liam and prop up on my elbow. He’s on his back, eyes still shut.

Fuck, he’s gorgeous.

“Want to mess around until they’re done in there?” I ask.

“Yes,” he says.

I’m surprised. I reach for him, running my hand down his abs. “Really?”

“I want to mess around with your coffee pot,” he says, opening one eye and trapping my hand before it gets to anything really good. “And the biggest mug you’ve got.”

I laugh. “Mabel has coffee.”

“Is Mabel in your kitchen? Because Ivy and Ford might be a while and I’m several hours past needing caffeine.”

He’s got a point. “Fine.” I give him a grin. “You owe me a blow job.”

He quirks an eyebrow. “Oh, you thought I was going to give you a blow job?”

I push up off the bed. “Well, in that case, you can lean back against the counter, drink your coffee, and let me do all the work.” I pause on my way to the bedroom door. “As usual.”

That gets me the growl I’m expecting and gets his ass up out of bed.

It’s an hour before we leave the house, but everyone is even more satisfied than we were when we woke up, and when we walk into Mabel’s for lunch instead of breakfast, my aunt stops halfway across the cafe to stare at us.

“What?” I ask her on our way to the corner booth.

“What happened?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You haven’t smiled that big since the opening night of Raw.”

I open my mouth to protest, but quickly shut it again. That actually sounds about right. I have a great life. Full of good things. Easy. Privileged. But I’m restless. My life feels stupidly empty.

The night Ford and I opened Raw, I was so fucking happy. It felt like a huge accomplishment. I felt like I was doing something tangible. Something I had worked at and could point to and say, “I helped create that.”

Everyone was impressed. My family told me how proud they were. I saw how happy and proud my best friend was. Raw was the start of the business that was going to keep Ford and me tied together permanently. That really mattered to me.

It was a great night. Probably the best of my life to date.

I glance at the three people who have slid into the blue vinyl booth a few feet away. It’s in the “corner” of the cafe but it’s perfectly positioned so that every person in the cafe and anyone coming into the building can see it clearly.

Wow. They make me smile as big as Raw’s opening night. That’s…huge.

“I’m really happy,” I tell Mabel.

“Did you win the lottery or something?” she asks. Mabel is my grandmother’s youngest sister. Her gray hair with blonde streaks is pulled into a bun. She’s wearing her usual yellow ruffled apron, and carrying a coffee pot, obviously on her way to offer refills around the room.

The cafe has thirty white wooden tables. Twenty-three of them are filled. All have little glass vases full of yellow and white flowers. The windows have ruffled yellow curtains that match the staff’s aprons.

It’s cozy and quaint. Everyone who comes in knows the menu by heart, and has their go-to favorites. And Mabel knows everyone’s usual order.

The fare is simple breakfast and lunch offerings, and while the food is extremely good, people also come for the camaraderie. The usuals know each other and chat from table to table about everything from the weather to what the city council is currently considering to the latest Hollywood scandal.

During tourist season, visitors do wander in, but Mabel’s is one of the places that stays full with more locals than tourists. The tourist area is closer to the water and, well, we like it that way. We certainly appreciate the boost to the economy and are friendly and welcoming, but it’s also nice to have some places that aren’t infiltrated—not my word, since I love meeting new people.

“I did kind of win the lottery,” I tell my aunt, glancing from Ivy, Liam, and Ford back to her. “I’m in love.”

Her eyes widen. “No shit.”

I laugh. “No shit. So make a good impression, okay?”

She studies the booth. “Which one?”

“How about you be nice to both of them?”

Ford already loves Mabel, and it’s reciprocal. She also already knows that he’s going to order her Everything Omelet and extra toast.

She swats my arm. “Well, of course I’ll make a good impression on them both. But which one are you in love with?”

I grin down at her. “How about both?”

She shakes her head. “So selfish. How about you let Ford have one of ‘em?”

I laugh even harder. “You’re right. Maybe I’ll share the pretty blonde with him.”

Mabel nods. “There you go.” She gestures toward the booth with her coffee pot. “Go sit. Coffee for all of you?”

“Yes. And a big mug for the surly one,” I say, watching Liam say something that makes Ford laugh.

“Got it. Soup bowl of coffee for the hot guy.”

“You don’t think Ford’s hot?”

She wrinkles her nose. “I changed his diapers. Yuck.”

Fair enough.

I make my way to the booth and slide in next to Liam, putting Ivy and Liam between me and Ford.

Perfect. Now we just have to keep them there, metaphorically if not literally, until they fall in love with Honeysuckle Harbor.

And both of us.