16. Liam
16
LIAM
B ianca invited us to breakfast at some trendy café downtown. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon fills the air. Alex is cracking jokes, as usual, but I can tell Bianca’s not her usual self. Her eyes keep darting around, and she’s barely touched her food.
“So, what’s the plan for today?” Alex asks, taking a bite of his avocado toast.
“Got a few meetings lined up,” I say, keeping an eye on Bianca. “You?”
“Same. But I’m more interested in what Bianca’s got planned,” he says, nudging her playfully.
She forces a smile. “Just work, you know. The usual.”
“Right,” I say, drawing out the word.
Alex nudges Bianca again, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Come on, Bia, spill. You’re not fooling anyone with that ‘just work’ line.”
She laughs, but it’s forced. “Seriously, guys. It’s nothing. Just busy.”
I sip my coffee, letting the bitterness anchor me. Something’s off with her today. Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes, and she’s fidgeting more than usual.
“So, about that property meeting tomorrow,” I start, trying to steer the conversation somewhere more comfortable. “We need to finalize the layout plans.”
“Right,” Bianca says, her fingers tapping an erratic rhythm on the table. “I’ve got some new sketches I think you’ll like.”
Alex grins. “New sketches? You’ve been holding out on us.”
She shrugs, avoiding eye contact. “I wanted to make sure they were perfect before showing them.”
I lean back in my chair, studying her. Her usual confidence is buried under layers of something I can’t quite name. It gnaws at me.
“You alright?” I ask, keeping my tone light.
“Yeah,” she replies too quickly. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Alex looks between us, sensing the tension. “You know you can tell us anything, right?”
Bianca’s eyes flicker to mine for a split second before darting away. “I know,” she says softly.
The waitress comes by to refill our coffees, breaking the momentary silence. I thank her and take another sip, the warmth doing little to thaw the chill in my gut.
Bianca sets down her fork and takes a deep breath. “Actually, there is something I need to talk to you guys about.”
Alex and I exchange a look. His eyebrows lift slightly, a silent "Go on" that mirrors my own thoughts. Bianca takes another deep breath, her fingers twisting the napkin in her lap.
“So, James gave me an ultimatum,” she begins. “He found out about... everything. About you two and me. He said I have to choose—him or you guys.”
Alex leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. “And?”
“I can’t choose,” she says, her voice steady but her eyes pleading. “Because this isn’t just sex for me. My feelings for you, for all of you never went away.”
I lean forward, my elbows resting on the table. “Are you saying you want to date all three of us again?”
“Yes.” She nods, eyes darting between us. “Either we all date again, or I don’t want to date any of you.”
“Bianca,” Alex starts, but she holds up a hand.
“Let me finish,” she says. “I know this is complicated. But if you can’t accept this... arrangement, I’ll drop your account and let someone else from my company take over the job.”
The café's background chatter fades into a dull roar in my ears. We sit there, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a dense fog. I glance at Alex; his face is unreadable. Bianca pushes her chair back, the screech against the tile jarring.
"Thanks for breakfast," she says, voice tight as she grabs her bag.
As she turns to leave, something inside me snaps. I reach out and wrap my fingers around her wrist, the warmth of her skin grounding me. "Sit down," I say, my tone leaving no room for argument.
She freezes, glancing at Alex before looking back at me. Her eyes search mine, trying to read the emotions that I’ve buried deep. Slowly, she sinks back into her seat.
Alex leans forward, elbows on the table. "Alright, Bia," he says, his voice calm but firm. "Let’s get this straight. You’re asking us to go back to how things were? All of us together?"
She nods, biting her lower lip. "Yes."
"And what about James?" I ask. The name tastes bitter on my tongue.
"He said he’d try if you two agree."
Alex chuckles, shaking his head. "This is insane."
"No kidding," I mutter. But the idea of having her again... It's like a live wire in my brain, sparking and crackling.
The ultimatum hits me hard, making me realize that all this time, I’ve been convincing myself that things between us could stay casual, that we could keep it strictly physical. But hearing her say she has feelings for all of us, that she wants this complicated arrangement to work, makes me also realize I’ve been fooling myself.
I turn to Alex again, lifting an eyebrow in question. He meets my gaze, there’s doubt, confusion, but also a flicker of something else—hope? Maybe he’s as messed up by this as I am. Still, he nods slowly, giving me the go-ahead.
I turn back to Bianca. “Okay,” I say, my voice steady. “We’ll do it.”
Her eyes widen in surprise, then soften with relief. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Alex adds, leaning forward. “Or we'll try at least."
A small smile tugs at her lips. “I can handle that.”
The tension in the air eases slightly as we all take a moment to absorb what just happened. The café’s ambient noise seeps back into focus—the clinking of dishes, the hum of conversations around us.
“So,” Bianca says after a beat, her voice lighter now, “does this mean I’m not fired?”
Alex chuckles. “Not yet.”
I shake my head at him but can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. “You’re not off the hook that easily.”
She laughs softly, the sound easing some of the tightness in my chest. This isn’t going to be easy—hell, it might blow up in our faces—but for now it seems we’re on the right track.
“Alright,” Bianca says, her eyes steady on mine. “You’re sure?”
“Yup,” Alex replies, leaning back in his chair. I nod, even though I'm not fucking sure at all.
She nods. “Okay, well thanks for... being open to this.”
“Don’t thank us yet,” I mutter, still processing the whole situation.
Alex shakes his head, a grin spreading across his face.
The tension at breakfast shifts to a strange kind of relief. Bianca’s shoulders relax, and she finally picks up her fork to finish her pancakes. But while she’s visibly easing, my mind is anything but. What the hell did we just agree to? This has disaster written all over it.
Alex leans back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table. “So, Bia, what’s your next move?”
She shrugs, her smile tentative. “I guess I’ll talk to James and let him know you guys are on board, and then the four of us can set up a date.”
“And how do you think he’ll take it?” I ask, unable to mask my skepticism.
She bites her lip, considering. “I think he’ll be okay with it. He said he would try.”
Alex snorts. “Try being the key word.”
Bianca rolls her eyes but doesn’t argue. She knows as well as we do that this is a powder keg waiting for a spark.
“Alright,” Alex says, standing up and stretching. “I’ve got to get going. Meetings won’t attend themselves.”
“Yeah, me too,” I add, not looking forward to the day ahead.
Bianca stands as well, gathering her things. “Thanks for listening, guys.”
“Anytime,” Alex says with a grin.
We walk out together, the sun bright and the air filled with the sound of people bustling around downtown San Diego. Bianca gives us a small wave before heading in the opposite direction.
“You sure about this?” I ask Alex as we watch her walk away.
He shrugs, a smirk still playing on his lips. “Not even a little bit.”
“That makes two of us,” I mutter. “This could blow up in our faces,”
“Could? It probably will,” Alex replies, not missing a beat.
“Then why agree?”
“Because I’d rather take a chance on something that might make me happy than spend my life wondering ‘what if.’”
I sigh. He’s got a point, damn him. But that doesn’t make this any less risky.
“Let’s just take it one day at a time,” Alex says.
“One day at a time,” I echo, trying to convince myself that’s enough to keep this whole thing from falling apart. But inside, I know that’s easier said than done.
And as much as it unnerves me, part of me is excited to see how this all plays out.