Chapter 18 The General
The General
Harper
I walk into my house with my hair still damp. We spent some time watching a movie in Caden’s movie room with pizza and popcorn. Then we played in the pool some.
The guys cuddled me during the movie and kissed and touched me in the pool, but nothing moved past a boob graze or an ass grab. It was nice. I need a shower though to get the chlorine off me.
Mom’s in the kitchen and turns toward me. Her eyebrow lifts at my wet hair. I roll my eyes and pull on the strap of my bathing suit to show her.
“I need a shower to rinse off the chlorine.” I stop at the island and wait.
“Spent the afternoon with all of them?” She still seems skeptical.
“We watched a movie and then played in the pool for a while.” I set my keys on the island. “They wanted some time to get ready for dinner tonight because they’re all taking it seriously.”
She nods. “Good.”
“Be back in a few minutes.” I hurry upstairs and take a quick shower. After putting on a light dress and forgoing shoes, I walk back downstairs. Voices drift to me from the kitchen.
“How’s your mother?” Mom asks.
“She’s good,” Nico says. The tension eases a little in my chest. I should let go of my anger with Nico since we’re all a team now and he’s one of my boyfriends. It still feels weird to even think that. But he also chose them over me.
If I’d ever hoped he’d protect me from them, he dashed that onto the rocks. It felt like a betrayal of our friendship. Sure, it had been years since we talked, but he’d been my one and only best friend. When he left, it devastated me.
To know he kept in touch with the horsemen but not me was a dagger in my back. But I still thought he was my friend and that’s why he agreed to join them and not oppose them.
I take a deep breath and try to let it go. Just pretend everything is okay. It will come to a head at some point, and we can deal with it then.
“Hey.” I walk in and Nico smiles.
“You look beautiful, Harper.” There’s a little awe in his voice that makes my heart trip over itself.
“Thank you.” I join him at the island and his thigh brushes mine but he keeps his hands clasped on the counter, where my mom can see them.
“You should call my mom if you get a chance. The move back here has been a little rough on her.” Nico nods toward my mom. “Her cell number is the same.”
“I might.” Mom looks over at me. “Does she know about this?”
Nico rubs the back of his neck. “She knows Harper’s my girlfriend, but she doesn’t know that she’s the guys’ girlfriend too.”
Mom nods thoughtfully as she stirs the pan on the stove.
A knock on the door draws our attention. I stand and open it. Jack and Caden smile down at me.
“You look nice.” It comes out of me before I can stop myself. They do look nice, but they always do. Caden has on a green shirt that highlights his eyes while Jack has on a black shirt that clings to his muscles.
“So do you, Harper.” Caden steps into me and hugs me tight against him. He kisses me beside my ear before releasing me.
My cheeks feel like they’re on fire at the realization that my mom witnessed that.
“Harper.” Jack leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead. “My mom wanted me to bring this to you, Jennifer.”
When he holds out a bottle of wine, Mom wipes her hands before taking it.
“That was very nice of her. Tell her I hope I’m back to days soon so I can see her more.” Mom smiles and puts the wine in the refrigerator. She works tonight, so it’s not like she can drink.
“I will.”
I take the seat next to Nico and Jack sits on my other side. Mom watches them carefully as Caden glances at both of them but then stands behind me. I shake my head.
“Dinner should be ready in a few minutes.” Mom stirs her pan again.
“Can I get the dishes on the table?” Jack stands and moves around the island to the cabinet with the plates.
Caden slides into his vacated seat and puts his hand on my bare knee.
Mom nods. “That would be lovely. Thank you.”
“No problem.” Jack smiles and takes seven plates to the table.
When the next knock on the door comes, Nico gets up to let Eli in. He walks over to me and runs a hand over my hair before turning to my mother.
“Thank you for inviting me to dinner.”
Mom’s face flushes a little. “Of course.”
The only one missing is Luke. I rub my fingers together, wondering where he went.
“Wasn’t Luke with you?” I asked Caden softly.
“He had an errand to run.” Caden squeezes my knee. “He’ll be here.”
I blow out a breath and stare at the door. What errand was important enough to do right before dinner with my mother?
Mom pulls some chicken out of the oven. “This is it. Sorry, we’re not super fancy with dinner. You can grab a plate and fill it at the stove. It will save Harper from having to do a ton of dishes when I go to work.”
“We’ll help with the dishes.” Eli hands my mom a plate from the table.
She nods, still overwhelmed with the large guys all in her kitchen. “Well, dig in.”
I bite my lip and look at the door. I grab my phone and check to see if Luke has texted.
“He’ll be here, little nympho,” Caden whispers in my ear.
I search his green eyes, looking for something to reassure me. But why isn’t he here?
Maybe his dad needed something?
When I nod, Caden leans in and kisses me softly before grabbing his and my plate from the table. He hands me mine and I follow him through the line.
“What do you want to drink?” Nico asks.
“Root beer.” It feels weird to have all of them in the kitchen with me as we do something as normal as fill our plates.
When I sit beside my mom, the guys squeeze in around the table on some folding chairs Mom must have pulled out for tonight. They leave the chair next to me open for Luke.
Mom clears her throat. “I’m hoping to understand what you’re doing with my daughter, but I understand you’re adults and can make your own decisions.”
Eli straightens. “We know you might be worried, but we’re all very honest about what we want from Harper. As long as we continue to be open about what we’re doing, we feel there won’t be any issues.”
Mom takes a bite and chews for a second. “So are you guys together too?”
“No, they aren’t, but they’re friends.” I swallow some soda.
“I’m the only one who’s bisexual, but I’ve promised to only be with Harper.” Jack glances my way, and I give him a soft smile. He didn’t have to tell my mom that, but like me, she appreciates honesty.
“Have you decided what to call this? Or is labeling it not something you want to do?” Mom’s gaze goes around the table.
“We’ve had a conversation.” Caden doesn’t drop his gaze. “To clarify to everyone, we’ve decided to call Harper our girlfriend, and she can call all of us her boyfriends.”
Mom blinks and then blows out a breath. “You know, of all the problems I thought you might have in high school, five boyfriends at once wasn’t one of them.”
I shrug. It really wasn’t my call in the beginning, but again red flags bad for parent. “I’m not looking for a relationship to last forever right now. Not when I’m eighteen. I like these guys, and I only want to date them for now.”
I avoid Caden’s eyes because I know he has issues with me saying this will end, but I don’t know how it can realistically continue especially after high school.
The likelihood we find a college to take all of us that I can actually afford is minimal.
Add to that how we would continually have to fight off people who want one of them. ..
This year is going to be bad enough.
“I know you’ve been protective of Harper.” My mom sets her fork down. “I’m grateful she has you to look out for her, but I’m not a hundred percent sure you’ve thought this through. Maybe you’re just dating and it will stay casual enough that no one’s feelings will get hurt.
“But when feelings get involved, what do you do then?” Mom doesn’t drop her gaze from meeting each of theirs.
Caden looks around at the others before he settles on my mom’s gaze. “Feelings are already involved, Ms. Davidson. We didn’t make this decision lightly. Harper is special to us. To all of us. None of us are willing to walk away from her. I’ve told her I want this to keep going after high school.”
My mouth opens, but he keeps talking. My pulse quickens with his every word.
“I’m not looking at this relationship with an expiration date.” Caden’s eyes lock on mine. “Harper is the one who put limitations on our relationship, and that’s fine. But if she’s looking for more, I don’t think any of us would turn her down.”
Mom nods. “As long as you understand that what Harper wants is what’s key to this, I think you’ll do fine.”
I almost laugh at what Harper wants. It’s almost never been about what I wanted. They claimed me. They pushed me into a physical relationship with them. I wanted them to let me go.
But now?
I sigh softly as they talk about school with my mom. The classes they’re taking. The top rankings in our class. The stars of the football field. The guys who are perfect on paper.
The chair beside me remains empty. I can’t help but wonder what’s keeping him.
“Are we officially down one?” Mom asks, acknowledging the empty chair.
“Luke’s dad is in town. He might not have been able to get away.” Eli sounds almost like a politician.
Mom’s lips press together but she nods. “His father isn’t in town often?”
“No. His business usually keeps him busy out of town.” Eli’s gaze flashes to me, and I see the concern lingering in his eyes. My heart stalls. Is he worried about Luke?
“So he’s left alone?” Mom’s fingers touch her necklace. If these guys ever wondered where I got my soft heart, she’s answering the question right now.
“He’s used to it, but when he was younger, he used to stay with one of us.” Eli sets his fork across his plate. “This was an amazing meal, Ms. Davidson.”
Everyone murmurs something about the meal. Mom smiles.
“Thank you.” She glances at her watch. “I need to get ready for work.”
“We’ll help Harper with the dishes.” Nico stands and brings his plate to the sink.
“Harper, come upstairs for a minute.” Mom gestures with her head.
I glance at Nico.
“We’ve got it.” He nods.
“I’ll be right back.” I follow Mom upstairs. What does she want to talk about?
When we go into her bedroom, I sit on the edge of her bed, expecting the worst.
“Are you going to a party tonight?” She goes into her bathroom and yells to be heard.
“Probably.” I don’t know. We really didn’t discuss it, but it’s likely. It is Saturday night.
“I shouldn’t ask this because I’m not sure I want to know.”
My muscles turn to stone, waiting for the question I don’t want to answer.
“Are you spending the night with them? One of them? All of them? You know what? I don’t want to know.” Mom comes out and grabs her scrubs for tonight. Her dark eyes catch mine. “But with all the weird things going on, you’re safe, right?”
Swallowing, I nod. “Yes, I’m safe.”
“You’ll tell me if something changes and you aren’t safe?” She cocks her eyebrow.
“Always.” My heart beat eases a little. “I know you worry about me, but they...” I blow out a breath. “They care about me. They’ve taken responsibility for me.”
Her lips pinch together. “We joked about you dating the football team—”
“It’s not that, Mom. It’s not about just being with anyone because I can.” I sigh. “It’s about them. All of them. They each make me feel differently but it’s all good. They don’t want me to choose, and I don’t think I could if I tried.”
I clasp my hands in my lap. “I’m young, and yes, this might not make sense in the future, but right now, it does.”
She smiles softly. “Okay, but if you need me, I’m here. Anything you need to talk about. I will hold my judgement and listen because I can tell those boys care about you and you care about them.”
I nod.
“Okay, make sure they load the dishwasher correctly.” She shoos me out of her room.
When I go downstairs, they’re all working together to clean the kitchen. Caden has a washcloth and wipes down the table. Jack washes the pots while Eli dries. Nico loads the dishwasher and points out where to put things to Eli.
Leaning in the door frame, I just watch them for a few minutes. The time to back out of this is long past. They won’t give me up for someone new or old. They’re mine and I’m theirs.
But I’m missing one. I pull my phone out and check my texts. The Penny crowd has texted asking about parties tonight, but nothing from Luke.
“He’ll catch up to us, little nympho.” Caden tips my chin up. And I search his gaze for the answers.
“Where is he?” Someone has to know. We spent the afternoon acting like kids again. Hanging out. Laughing. Having fun.
No pressure for more.
Caden tightens his lips. “He said he had an errand to run. He may have gone home.”
“Or?” I blow out a breath.
“His father riles him up, so he might have gone to burn off energy.” Caden looks over his shoulder at the others.
“Doing what?” I’m not sure I want to know. But it better not be a who. My insides tumble over themselves.
“I don’t know, but he’ll find us.”