Chapter 36
The morning sun casts a soft light across my tidy room. There”s something about keeping everything in its place, especially when the rest of my life is feeling a little out of control.
I sit at my desk, coffee mug in hand, staring out the window but not really seeing anything. The apartment is quiet, a calm settling after the chaos of last night.
I think back to the laughter and easy banter from the evening before, and how effortlessly Dylan fit into our little group. Her smile lit up the room as we shared stories and inside jokes. It was different than our usual nights out together.
And then when we got home, most definitely different from our usual nights in as roommates.
More than just fun—it was genuinely enjoyable.
Dylan clicked with us so naturally, it was like she”d always been here. Could there be something more than just… whatever last night was?
I remember how she teased Jayden when he tried showing off during our rugby scrimmage, matching his competitiveness with her own feisty spirit.
The way she made Noah laugh heartily with that ridiculous impression of our coach, the way I hadn”t seen him laugh in years.
And when we locked eyes across the living room, sharing a private smile at the guys” antics, some kind of circuit in my mind that had blown long ago seemed to fuse back together, making me feel all was right with the world.
Dylan is unlike anyone we”ve ever known. She challenges me—challenges us—in new ways. Makes me think about taking risks I”ve never considered. Exploring something extraordinary.
Because maybe there”s a chance we could all care for her, in our own way.
And maybe, if we”re brave enough, she could care for each of us, too.
I grab my journal, scribbling down these swirling thoughts and feelings. If we”re all on the same page, we need to talk openly and honestly. Figure out if trying for something real with Dylan is a leap worth taking. A relationship like we”ve never had before, but could build together.
As I close my journal, resolve settles within me. Along with a spark of anticipation.
It”s time to find the guys. No more wondering about what if—we need to look our future in the eye. A future that might just include Dylan as our shared love, if we”re willing to embrace the unexpected. To ask the right questions rather than just regurgitate all the conventional answers that have been hammered into us relentlessly by our parents, teachers, the media, and whoever else has an opinion on what a relationship should look like.
Because maybe Dylan herself is the best thing we could have ever imagined would enter our lives. She”s abundance personified, and if there”s someone with enough generosity and kindness and spirit to go around, it would be her.
And maybe, just maybe, we”re ready to explore the possibilities she represents. For all of us.
I find Noah in the kitchen, sipping his morning coffee. His broad shoulders are tense, his forehead creased in thought. But when I enter, he glances up with a smile.
”Morning. Sleep okay after last night?” His voice is light, but there”s an undercurrent of something else.
I pour my own coffee. ”Honestly? I was up thinking.”
Noah raises an eyebrow. ”About Dylan?”
”Yeah, what else?” I chuckle wryly. ”It”s a little hard to focus on rugby at the moment. She”s not like anyone we”ve met before.”
Noah nods. ”She”s one of a kind. Tough yet so damn vibrant.” Affection warms his tone.
”Exactly. And it got me thinking...” I hesitate. Noah”s protectiveness could make this conversation tricky. ”Wondering if we should talk about...possibilities.”
Noah stills. ”Possibilities,” he repeats carefully.
I forge ahead. ”Look, we all care about her. And she fits here, with us, so easily. Almost like...”
”Like she belongs,” Noah finishes quietly. ”And when I say ”belongs”… there”s something she brings to each of us individually, and then collectively as a group as well.”
I”m relieved he understands my meaning. ”Right. So do we just ignore that? Or actually discuss it?”
Noah is silent, mulling it over. Then he meets my gaze, resolve in his eyes. ”Yeah. Let”s talk.”
Just then, Jayden wanders in, yawning. His hair is mussed from sleep, his eyes bleary.
Noah clears his throat. ”We were just talking about Dylan.”
Jayden perks up instantly. ”Yeah? What about her?”
I exchange a look with Noah. No going back now.
”About exploring something real. The three of us, with Dylan.” I watch Jayden closely. ”If that”s something we all want.”
Jayden glances between us, then grins slowly. ”Hell yes, let”s talk.”
Relief floods through me, along with a hum of anticipation. This conversation won”t be easy, but now we”re facing our future head-on. Embracing the unexpected with brave hearts and open minds.
A future that just might include Dylan. In a way we never imagined, but are willing to build together.
I take a deep breath as Noah and Jayden settle in at the table, mugs of coffee in hand. This is uncharted territory for us all.
”So...” I begin slowly. ”I think we need to lay everything on the table here. Talk through how each of us feels, and what we want. Really figure this out. To see if this could actually work, or if it”s just a silly idea that could never really happen in practice.”
Noah nods. ”You”re right. No assumptions.” He meets my gaze. ”I”ll start. Dylan is special. Strong, passionate, beautiful. Being with her just feels...right. But it”s more than that.” His voice softens. ”She makes me want to be better. For her, and for us. I admire her strength and tenacity—the way she”s overcome hardships in her real life and faced some pretty tough challenges head-on. But she hasn”t lost her softer side, her generous side. She”s already taught me so much about balance and not letting the shit stuff that happens harden us forever.”
I”m touched by his candor. Now it”s my turn. ”Since she got here, it feels like everything has changed. In the best way. With her, it”s easy, comfortable, but also challenging… and if I”m honest, which we need to be here, at times, even infuriating. There”s a richness in our lives that didn”t exist before. Forget all the fangirls and the nights out on the town making poor decisions that feel good for a fleeting moment. I can”t imagine her not being here.” I take a breath. ”And I don”t want to.”
We turn to Jayden. He rakes a hand through his hair. ”You know me. Not one for talking about feelings and all that.” His mouth quirks up. ”But yeah, she”s got under my skin, too. In a big way… I tried and tried to hate her, and to push her away. But she kept coming back and now I”m the one who can”t stay away.”
I lean forward intently. ”So we”re all on the same page here. We care about her, a lot. We all want this to work.” I meet each of their gazes. ”But we have to be smart. Talk through the challenges. This doesn”t sound simple just talking about it, and it”s only going to get more complicated in practice.”
Noah frowns. ”Well, I”ll admit I”m pretty protective of her. Just like I am with all of my things. Not sure I”m cut out for sharing.”
”Same here,” Jayden grunts. ”I don”t like thinking of her with anyone else.”
I nod slowly. Their territorial instincts could be an issue. ”Right. But this only works if we”re all equal partners. No jealousy, no possessiveness. Dylan deserves better than that.”
Jayden exhales sharply. ”Yeah, you”re right. It”s just...new. But we can figure it out. For her, I would make this type of exception. Especially if you guys were the ones I had to share her with.”
Noah murmurs his agreement.
”And me?” I prompt them. ”What are your worries there?”
Noah considers me. ”That your desire for monogamy might make this difficult. Sharing intimacy, affection. I”ve never even seen you rotate between short-term flings. You have a shitty reputation for being a player, but you”re actually a really loyal guy, and this type of arrangement is going to challenge your sense of which way is up.”
I rake a hand through my hair, uneasy but knowing he”s right. ”I”ll admit, it won”t be easy at first. But Dylan...” I trail off, then continue resolutely. ”She”s worth challenging myself for. Worth trying for.”
Jayden nods firmly. ”Yeah. She”s worth everything.”
A new sense of possibility settles over us. This won”t be simple, but together, we can build something extraordinary.
I meet their eyes, voice steady. ”So we do this. Together.”
Noah”s mouth curves. ”Together.”
Jayden grins crookedly. ”Together.”
”Okay,” I say, convinced we at least need her to hear us out. ”Let”s continue to talk this through. To really think about it. We might be open-minded now, but I have a sense that feelings might change if and when things start to get real. Plus, we should really involve Dylan in any future conversations about this. I know I was the one to bring it up, but I”m starting to feel like we”re talking about her as if she has no say in any of this. When really, she”s the person who matters most.”
The others nod.
It”s time to bring Dylan on board, and to hold her up like the queen she is.