6. A Real Deal #2
“And you both think this three-way relationship will work beyond a couple of hookups and won’t bite you in the ass and eventually destroy your friendship?”
Jamie’s confidence makes me feel hopeful that he’s right. “It won’t if we don’t let it. We’re a team on the ice; we can be one in this, too.”
“Jesus Christ.” Keene rubs one hand over his face. “Maybe you two got hit by too many pucks in the head too. Because this? It’s insane. Open relationships aren’t my thing.”
Jamie shakes his head. “Who said this is an open relationship? We are sleeping with Bex only. We aren’t interested in anyone else. Or at least, that’s how I feel. What about you, Con?”
“Yeah. What you said.”
Keene looks bewildered. “Well, fuck me. As long as you guys are sure that this won’t ruin your friendship and affect our team, I guess you’re all consenting adults.”
There is something in his expression that gives me pause, though. Anger is one of Keene’s default moods. But if I didn’t think it was totally crazy, I would say that he isn’t just angry. I would say that he’s jealous.
Jamie nods. “We are. Besides, after what happened last night and what Ares said, it’s good that we both care about Bex. Together, we can protect her better. Actually, you should join, too.”
Keene barks out another laugh, louder this time. “Join you? In what way? To watch over Bex, or should I join your other shenanigans?”
The corners of Jamie’s lips curl in the beginning of a smile. He looks at Keene as if something had just dawned on him. “Would you want to be anything more than Bex’s roommate?”
I’ve never seen Keene blush before. If you had asked me two seconds ago, I would have said it wasn’t possible.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Keene chokes out, his face redder than after a shift on the ice. “I don’t even like Bex. And even if I did, she fucking hates me.”
“Really?” I intervene. “Judging by the way you were holding her in your arms and you were looking at each other when we came home earlier, you two looked quite cozy.”
I know I nailed it when Keene’s face grows one shade darker. “She was upset about that post and those nasty comments. I was just trying to make her feel better.”
“With your body?” Jamie chuckles.
“Shut up, Hart.” Keene snaps. “We agreed on a truce last night. You were there. Remember?”
He’s arguing way too much for someone who hates our new roommate.
“There’s a difference between not biting each other’s heads off and cuddling.” I smirk.
That’s the last straw for Keene. “Fuck you, Demychuck.”
I don’t let his tone bother me. “Just admit that you think Bex is hot.”
He rolls his eyes, exasperated. “I’d have to be fucking blind not to notice that she’s hot.
That doesn’t mean that I want to be a part of whatever it is the two of you are getting into.
I’m not looking for a relationship. My last one ended with my wife riding another guy’s dick in my own bed when I came home for a break from my deployment.
Every time I look at any of my friends or teammates getting involved with a woman, I can tell how it’s gonna end.
I’m not going to let anyone cheat on me ever again. ”
The crazy part is that I understand exactly how he feels. Until Bex appeared in our lives, I felt exactly like Keene does.
I still don’t know if I can handle another relationship, if I can let myself be vulnerable again like I was with my ex. But I like Bex. She isn’t just beautiful. Luke’s sister is kind, compassionate and generous. And in some crazy way, dating her with Jamie makes me feel safer.
“No one talked about cheating.” I say. “This is what makes this whole thing possible. Bex has been honest with Jamie about feeling attracted to me. So was I. I didn’t lie to my best friend about how I feel about his girlfriend.
We aren’t doing anything wrong by exploring the attraction between us.
We have Jamie’s blessing. There are no lies, no hiding. We all want to see each other happy.”
The more I think about it, the more I think that we can make this work.
“So that’s it, then.” Keene’s eyes bore into me. “It took one fuck to have you begging Bex for more. To the point that you’re going to share her with Jamie.”
I don’t owe Keene an explanation. But since he joined the team for summer training, he and I have developed a bond.
We’ve been there for each other, and I consider him one of my best friends.
“I haven’t fucked her. Not yet. We went down on each other while Jamie was fucking her.
I haven’t even kissed her on the lips yet, even though I wanted to since the night she found us at the pier.
I’ve been holding back. That’s why I voted against letting Bex move in.
I was scared of getting hurt again. But when she and Jamie got together, something in me started to change.
I’m done being scared. I want to be happy, and I want Jamie and Bex to be happy, too. ”
I can see the way he feels through his eyes. Keene has erected high, impenetrable walls around his heart. That might protect him, but is it making him happy? I know the answer is no, and I wish I could help him see it.
“I hope this works out for you.” He says, looking between me and Jamie. “If this goes south, you aren’t just going to lose your girl, but one of your best friends, too.”
“He isn’t going to lose me, dude.” Jamie squeezes my shoulder to reassure me. “I’m proud of Connor for taking a risk. He’s been in denial since his last relationship ended, but he’s done hiding what he really wants. You should do the same.”
Jamie’s words struck a chord.
There’s a flicker in Keene’s eyes, and maybe the walls around his heart aren’t impenetrable after all.
“Even if I wanted Bex,” he bites out. “And I don’t… I don’t know if I could see myself playing sister wives with the two of you.”
“If anything, maybe brother husbands.” Jamie argues. “Since there’s one woman and three of us.”
Keene rolls his eyes. “Whatever. I don’t know if I could share the woman I love. It’s just too weird.”
“Think about it.” Jamie insists. “Like this, you wouldn’t have to worry about not having enough time for her.
There would be three of us taking care of her.
You would know exactly who she’s texting, who she’s with when she isn’t with you.
Besides, we need your help to protect Bex.
At least until we know who attacked her last night. ”
Keene has no hesitation. “I can help you with that. Bex is Luke’s sister. I don’t want anything bad to happen to her. I can protect her and keep it in my pants at the same time.”
“Fine. But if that changed, if you finally managed to dislodge the hockey stick that’s up your ass, and admit that you like her… I would be ok with you shooting your shot with Bex.”
I nod in agreement. “Yeah, what he said.”
“You know what I don’t understand?” Keene glares at Jamie. “How can someone go from fucking anything with a nice pair of tits to looking like a lovesick puppy? If I had to bet on which one of us would get a girlfriend this year, I would have put my money on Con.”
That isn’t meant as a compliment, and I take offense. “Jeez, thanks.”
“Sorry, dude.” He doesn’t sound sorry at all.
“But Jamie looks like a different person. He changed overnight. At first, I thought he was just trying to get into Bex’s pants.
I was surprised he would do that to Luke, but I’ve seen Jamie turn on his charm to get what he wanted and then move on too many times.
But then I saw the way he looks at Bex, and now this…
arrangement with you, too. I just don’t get it. ”
Jamie’s reaction surprises me. He doesn’t dispute what Keene just said.
“In the spirit of full disclosure,” he says, looking at both of us. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
Then it all makes sense.
Jamie hooked up with the Dean’s daughter, and that put him in a difficult situation.
“The Dean and Coach gave me no choice. They said the entire team looks up to me, and the entire school wants to be like us. He basically blamed me for our party school reputation and for fucking up our national rank. They said I had to turn over a new leaf. Settle down and show everyone that my wild ways were a thing of the past. Luke thought we could help each other if I dated Bex and allowed her to stay with us in exchange for her help to get the Dean off my back.”
Keene shakes his head. “So that’s why you two ignored our vote?”
“Yeah,” Jamie confirms. “I’m sorry. I know changing my vote and ignoring what you wanted was a douche move.
Dating Bex was the only way to fix this situation.
And to be honest, I didn’t mind helping Luke, too.
My reasons for voting no on letting Bex move in weren’t exactly selfless.
I was attracted to her from the second I saw her, but I thought that if I even tried to touch her, Luke would have killed me.
I care about Luke; he’s my best friend aside from the two of you.
So I thought it was better not to have that constant temptation living under my roof.
But Luke was equally desperate to find Bex a place to stay.
Pretending to be her boyfriend was the perfect solution. ”
It’s hard to wrap my mind around it all. Not the quid pro quo between Luke, Jamie and Bex.
“So you’re telling me that you and Bex aren’t real?” I ask, struggling to understand what’s going on between Jamie and Bex and what the fuck I just agreed to be a part of.
“Kinda?” he groans.
My fists clench to the point that my knuckles turn white. “The fuck, dude? So this is all a game? Is this why you don’t have a problem if I’m with Bex, too?”
“No. It started as a fake relationship, but the more I get to know her, the more I care. It isn’t just physical.
We’re becoming friends. And she confided in me that she likes you, too.
I’m falling for Bex, Con. I want her to be happy.
If she needs you to be happy, I’m not going to stand in her way.
As long as I get to be her real boyfriend. ”