Chapter Nineteen #2
“Hardly,” he snorts. “By that point, it’d be the girlfriend’s mother, ’cause Mom had turned thirty. And that’s when the fights started. Dad wanting more kids, Mom wanting to wait a few years, Dad asking me if I want a little brother or sister…”
I inhale sharply. “That’s wrong.”
“It is.” Theo reaches for a sip of his drink. “Which is not what I’m here to talk about. But I’m going to use it to segue into something that may require the rest of this drink. And you might want to take a big gulp of that champagne.”
“Uh…”
Despite his words, he sets down his glass without finishing it. “When Dad took his potshot at me, do you understand what he was saying?”
I mock-glare at him. “I’m not twelve, Theo. He meant you don’t do exclusive relationships.”
“But the way he said it makes me seem like some kind of fuckboy. I do committed relationships, Lil. They’re just not exclusive. By mutual agreement, of course.”
“Okay.” I arch an eyebrow. “Was that the awkward part? If so, I’m wondering how sheltered you think I am.”
“We are about to find out.”
“Uh…”
“I’ve mentioned that Maddox and I don’t compete.” He meets my gaze. “Ever. For anything.”
“Okay.”
He studies my expression. Then his lips twitch. “I really do need to spell this out. Let’s start with a story. Twelve-year-old Maddox and Theo. Cute girl at school who makes it very clear she likes both of them. I kiss her. Maddox kisses her. We compare notes.”
I sputter. “You compared notes?”
“We were twelve. After that, though, she started expecting us to compete for her. Like, who could take her to the best places. Who could buy her the best gifts. But we don’t do that. So we flipped a coin to decide who’d keep dating her.”
Now I’m choking on my laugh. “Seriously?”
He lowers his voice conspiratorially. “We weren’t really that into her. Anyway, I won, and she was furious. She’d read about love triangles in books, and Maddox and I were supposed to fight for her. Instead we shrugged and walked away.”
“Because you don’t compete. Which makes sense. I’ve read those stories, too, and they can be fun in fiction, but in reality, someone is going to get hurt.”
“Which is completely unnecessary.”
“I agree,” I say. “If the competitors are, say, siblings or good friends, she shouldn’t get into a romantic relationship with either of them.”
“Uh…” He presses a thoughtful finger to his lips. “There is another solution.”
I frown. “What?”
He looks me in the eye. Sighs. Shakes his head. “Looping back to what we just talked about. Committed non-exclusive relationships.”
“Ah.” I smile. “That’d work. All parties knowing. All parties agreeing. All parties consenting.”
“Exactly.” A pause. “Would you ever date two guys at the same time?”
I shrug. “Theoretically, sure. I always thought it was weird that kids jump straight into monogamous relationships. My friends would go out with a guy once and suddenly they’re exclusive. I always wondered if it’s a cultural thing or just insecurity—not wanting to share.”
“Don’t look at me. Since I am non-monogamous, I do not expect—or need—monogamy.”
“But it is weird, right? At our age, we’re figuring out what we want in a partner. Or even if we do want a partner. Dating more than one person makes sense.”
“It does. And I’m really glad you think that.”
When I frown, he stares at me. Just stares. Then he thuds his head onto my shoulder and reaches for my champagne flute. “Have some of this, Lil. I think you’ll need it.”
I take a sip to humor him.
“Do you like Maddox?” he asks.
I choke on the champagne. He pats my back and then says, “More is obviously required. Another sip.”
I roll my eyes but do it.
“You like Maddox,” he says. “And don’t do the ‘as a friend’ bullshit. You like Maddox. You’re both doing that cute thing where it’s obvious you’re into each other and you’re both certain the other one doesn’t feel that way. Very middle-school, Lil.”
“Maddox has never given any—”
“You two are practically holding hands when you sit together. Middle-schoolers know what that means. Middle-schoolers.” He waves at the champagne flute. “Have another sip before your face lights on fire.”
I take a sip. Possibly a gulp.
“And me?” he says.
“Wh-what?”
“I think you like me,” he says. “I know I like you. I’ve been very obvious about it. If you only want to be friends, that’s cool. If you only want to be friends with Maddox, then you need to let him know, but also, that’s your choice. Neither of us hangs out with you because we’re hoping for more.”
“Okay…”
“If you want neither of us, we’ll survive. If you want one of us, we could work it out. There is, however, a third alternative.”
I blink at him, my brain swirling from the champagne.
He groans. “By this point in the conversation, please tell me you know where I’m going with this.”
“Date…both of you?”
He slaps one hand on his thigh. “Finally. I thought we were never getting there.”
“I can’t—I mean, I could—” My cheeks burn. “But I can’t just decide that.”
“Sure you can.”
I sputter. “Are you seriously proposing this without asking Maddox what he’d want?” I pause. “Have you asked?”
“Not outright. He’d do what you’re doing, sputter about how you might not want to and how do I even know you like him and…” Theo throws up his hands. “I need to start somewhere, or the three of us will be circling one other until the next century.”
He puts his hands on my shoulders. “You said you can’t just decide you’d date us both. But you can. For you. I can decide it for me, which is obviously a yes. And Maddox can decide it for himself, and if he says he needs exclusivity, then you have another decision to make.”
“I’m very confused.”
His hands rise to my face, cupping my cheeks. “I know. But this didn’t come out of nowhere, Lil. I think you realize that. So take some time and think about it. Can you do that?”
I nod.
“In the meantime, can I kiss you?”