Chapter 36 Demi
Demi
“I’m heading to the store to get stuff for dinner. Want anything in particular?” Dad inquires as he slips his shoes on and grabs his jacket.
I’ve been here about a week and I keep offering to do something, but he refuses to let me lift a hand. I suspect his gay guilt is leading that front right now. I’ve accepted more than one apology already and I’m ready to move on from it, but he clearly is not.
I am looking for work, though. It’s non-negotiable. I’ll work until I save enough money to get my own place. And then? Well, I don’t know what. But honestly, that’s a problem for down the road Demi.
“Nah. I’m all set, Dad. Dealer’s choice.” I offer him a soft smile and just as he reaches for the door, I add, “Maybe not salmon patties again, though.”
“I knew it! I could tell by the way you were twisting your face up that you didn’t like them.”
“Well, maybe if you hadn’t paired it with mac and cheese, I’d be more amenable,” I mumble under my breath, then mock gag on my index finger.
“I heard that. You’re not as quiet as you think you are.”
“I’m sorry, but you can’t handle the truth. I don’t make the rules.” That truth being… the words salmon and patty are two words that should never go together.
Dad laughs and I laugh back for a moment before he shakes his head and leaves, closing the door softly behind him.
Everything has been so easy since I’ve been back, but there’s a part of me that misses Chicago. I miss CeCe, even though we text nearly every day. And I miss–
A soft knock raps against the door. I swear he’s going senile already. This has to be the fifth time in a week he’s forgotten his keys and somehow locked himself out. Once I’m at the door, my hands move to unlock it only to find it’s not actually locked. What the hell?
My jaw drops when I open the heavy door to find Hayes and Raegan waiting across the threshold.
They’re both dressed far more casually than I’m used to.
Him in jeans and a black leather jacket.
Her, also in jeans that sit way too well against her curves and a button up long-sleeve top, but she’s carrying a bag of some sort in one hand.
It’s not all that warm out anymore but it’s not cold enough to need more, but with the leaves starting to fall and more trees naked every day, winter will be here before we know it.
We’re supposed to have a cold front any day.
Looks like they lucked out, not needing something heavier.
“I think we literally shocked all the words out of her,” Hayes jokes, breaking me from my totally unnecessary inner ramblings. “Hey, Little Pixie. Miss us?”
I blink a few times, uncertain if I’ve somehow hallucinated them. When they’re still there, smiling at me like they have a secret they can’t wait to spill, I know I’m definitely not imagining things.
“How did you find me? I didn’t even know where I was going when I got here.”
They shoot each other a knowing look before Raegan points accusingly at Hayes.
“He knows a guy.”
“I know a guy,” they say in unison.
“Okayyyy.” I cross my arms protectively over my chest as I consider them both.
They look… different. He looks lighter and she looks more relaxed.
It crosses my mind that maybe they actually did what I’d hoped they’d do and figured out their shit.
My heart warms for them and what this could mean.
But, if they did, then why are they here?
They should be basking in renewed marital bliss right now. “What are you doing here, then?”
“Can we come in?” Raegan asks, her brow furrowed like she’s worried I might say no.
I outstretch my arm to open the door wider and direct them inside. They make their way in and I’m suddenly very amused seeing them both in this tiny apartment. They’re so fucking out of place, it’s ridiculous.
“We needed to talk to you and it couldn’t wait,” Hayes starts. Okay, I guess we’re past the awkward pleasantries and ready to get down to business. “I told her about my father and we’ve… decided to try again. But we agree things are different now and that’s where you come in, Demi.”
My eyes bounce between them with knitted brows as my brain works to process what the fuck he means.
Raegan reaches out to grab my hand. “What Hayes is not so eloquently trying to say, Demetria, is that we’ve decided that we can’t do this without you.
We don’t want to. But before we get to that, I need to apologize for giving up on you.
I was scared and thought I wasn’t capable of loving you the way you deserve.
” She looks over her shoulder at Hayes and he offers her a gentle, encouraging nod.
“I was wrong and I hope you’ll take me back.
I have something for you. Here, open it. ”
She hands me a gift bag, with a wide, but hesitant grin painted on her gorgeous face. I pull the poorly placed tissue paper from the top and pull the soft stuffed toy from the bottom of the bag. My head snaps up, meeting her gaze and silently asking the question.
“If you’re wondering if it’s a stuffed bottlenose dolphin, you’re right.
After our visit to the aquarium, I went back in and bought it from the gift shop.
I wasn’t sure if I’d ever give it to you, but I knew if I didn’t, at least I’d have it as a reminder.
I know it’s silly, but will you be my bottlenose dolphin, Demetria? ”
Tears well up in my eyes as I squeeze the soft and fluffy toy. “You remembered,” I whisper.
“I’ve never not been yours, Darling Girl. And now, I’d like you to be forever mine.”
“Woah,” Hayes interrupts. “Don’t forget about me. I’d like to be a dolphin, too. But if not, hopefully this could be a consolation?" I didn’t even notice his hand was behind his back, but he reveals it to be holding–
“Is that superman ice cream?” I shout, then cringe because the walls are very thin and it’s not the first time I’ve been too loud. “Is that superman ice cream?” I repeat the words in a whisper.
“It is,” Hayes chuckles. “Can we put it in the freezer before it melts? And before my fingers freeze off?”
Raegan rolls her eyes and scoffs. “Don’t be dramatic.”
I make quick work of relieving his poor fingers from the dangerous delicious treat and sneaking a bite before I stuff it in its new home, where I will find it later.
When I turn the corner back into the living room, Raegan’s arm is around Hayes’ waist and his is draped lazily across her shoulders. They look… happy.
“This is all very sweet of you, but I’m confused.
What do you mean you can’t do this without me?
The whole point of me coming home was so that you can do this without me.
Well… so I don’t have to watch you do this without me.
If you’re trying again, what do you need me for?
” My arms cross protectively against my chest while I internally talk myself down from an anxiety attack.
My pulse is spiking so fast, I can feel it in my throat.
“Demi,” Hayes replies smoothly, pulling apart from Raegan and closing the distance between us.
He cups my chin and sweeps his thumb gently across my cheek.
The sweet gesture has my mouth falling open with a quiet release of my breath as goosebumps erupt across my skin.
Christ this man’s touch sends me into outer space. “We don’t just need you. We want you.”
My eyes bounce between them, unsure of exactly how I’m supposed to respond to their admission. “Both of you?”
“Yeah. Both of us. We both want to be in a relationship with you because we both love you. And we think we can make it work with all three of us.”
I turn my gaze upward to meet his. He’s holding his breath, waiting for my answer. “But… I thought we were just friends.” I realize we’ve done things that are very much not friendly, but we agreed. And he never made me think he felt different.
“And you thought you were a lesbian, yet here we are,” he retorts with just a little more snark than necessary.
He pulls my body into his, jolting my feet from under me and giving me no choice but to fall and let him catch me.
“Babygirl, I want you. In fact, I’m pretty sure I fell for you the moment I caught you eye fucking me in the men’s room at the hotel.
I was just too chicken shit to say anything about it because I didn’t think you wanted me back. ”
Raegan steps toward us, placing her hand gently at the small of my back. “Tell him how fucking bananas he is, Demetria. Anyone with eyes can see how you both feel about each other.”
“She’s right,” I mutter softly, looking back and forth between them. “I’ve been in love with you for a while. Both of you, actually. It’s why I had to leave. So you could figure out you still love each other without me interfering.”
“Well, if you’ll have us both, there will be no more of that,” Hayes states firmly. “Will you come home with us and give this a try?”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” they say in unison. I’m going to have to get used to that.
I nod and Hayes squeezes me tightly. “I’ll have to text CeCe and let her know I’m coming back.”
“Nope. You’ll stay with me and the only acceptable response is ‘yes, Sir’,” Hayes instructs.
I blink a few times and he quirks a brow, waiting for my words to come. “Yes, Sir.”
“Atta girl.”
“What do I tell people? You two are married and I’m… not.” The reality of that specific situation sucks. I know they won’t mean to, but I’m suddenly worried about being a third wheel in their marriage.
“Oh, we’re not married,” Raegan cuts in. My head swings in her direction, because what?
I make a feeble attempt to speak, but no words come out.
“Do you want to tell her or should I?” she asks Hayes with a smile–of all things–plastered on her face.
“Go ahead, Angel.”
“We signed the papers. Aside from the fact that it somehow makes his land deal easier, we agreed that doing this with you meant we needed a fresh start. All of us.”
“We don’t want you to feel like you’re less important to either of us,” Hayes cuts in and my eyes move to meet his again. “This way, we’re all on even footing. Besides, she and I have a lot of time to make up for and you and I have some catching up to do as well. Then there’s the two of you–”
Raegan reaches up to direct my face back to her with her hand firmly on my chin. “I was in a worse place emotionally than I realized when we were together and I plan on showing you exactly how much I regret not giving you all of me.”
Tears fill my eyelids and this time, I don’t bother stopping them. “You don’t have to get divorced. It’s okay.”
“It’s done, Babygirl. We filed the paperwork yesterday, on the way to the airport. I’m meeting with the seller of the back lot next week to finalize the purchase. It’s all done. Now we just need you. You’re the missing piece.”
They really want me.
They love me?
“Yes, Demetria. We really love you.”
“We really fucking do,” Hayes agrees.
“I love you, too. Both of you.”