Chapter 4
ALEXIS
Laying in the extremely comfortable bed in this giant house, trying to figure out my life, is definitely not what I thought I'd be doing tonight when I left Brody's apartment this afternoon.
I think I'm going to have to move back to Maryland, with my tail tucked between my legs, to my parents, who said that Brody wasn't going to last—that he was too good for me. Maybe I can pull the condo off the market.
Fuck.
I am grateful that Holden and Ethan have been so cool about this. I have no clue what their dynamic is. Who owns this place? Are any of them brothers? I have no freaking idea, but I'll have to unravel that mystery.
The guest room feels like entering a small studio apartment or a luxurious hotel suite. The spaciousness immediately captured my attention. The walls are painted in a soothing light slate gray, accented by crisp white trim along the floorboards, door frames, and crown molding.
A king-size bed with a grand, square-post, slatted headboard dominates the space to the right from the hallway door, yet there's still ample room for an entire living room set between the door and the bed. Soft gray bedding adorns the bed, along with an array of plush pillows that call to me.
Past the bed, a large picture window offers a picturesque view of the back patio, its sheer white curtains filtering in soft, natural light from the moon. A desk that matches the headboard is positioned in front of the window, creating a cozy workspace, which I imagine becomes bathed in sunlight.
The room boasts not one but two closets—a smaller one with shelves located on the same wall as the headboard and a larger walk-in closet to the left of the desk.
The ensuite bathroom is a true retreat in gray and white. It features a luxurious five-piece layout complete with a spacious soaking tub, a dual-head walk-in shower, and two elegant sinks.
After I climb into bed, I take a few minutes to text my best friend, Georgia. She's really my only friend, but she is the best.
Me
I will need to call you tomorrow, but you will never believe the shit that happened today
Georgia
Spill the mother fucking tea, I am riding the super bowl winning high
Me
lol - well, one of the hosts of the party caught Brody fucking his girlfriend in the middle of the fucking party
Georgia
Shut the fuck up - what are you going to do?
Me
I don't know
I threw my ring at Brody, they gave me a guest room here, where the party was
Georgia
What about all your stuff?
Me
A couple of the guys that live here are going to help me get my stuff tomorrow
Georgia
Lex, you vixen, are you in a house with a bunch of guys?
Me
lol, five I think, I don't even know, I'll find out tomorrow
Georgia
I'm sorry - keep me posted - sorry if I’m not a great friend right now
Me
I will - and you deserve your party time, I’ll be alright
It takes me a while but eventually, I lay down in this oversized T-shirt Holden gave me. It smells like him—clean and crisp—like how he smelled when I buried my face in his chest, crying.
How fucking embarrassing was that?
I cry a little more as I lie there alone, thinking about the day.
But it dawns on me relatively quickly that I don't feel broken-hearted, just betrayed. Maybe Brody was more convenience than love. The tears taper off, replaced by a strange sense of clarity. I realize that what I had with Brody was built more on routine than passion, more on habit than genuine connection. As I think about this new understanding, the sting of betrayal starts to fade. Maybe Brody did me a favor—I probably shouldn’t have been engaged to him in the first place.
***
When I wake up in the morning, I’m not sure exactly what I should do, but I slip back into my jeans and knot Holden's t-shirt around my waist, just above my tailbone. I decide to venture to the kitchen, as I assume that's where people are likely to congregate.
When I get there, I find Carter and Ethan already in the kitchen with coffee hot and waiting.
"Hey, how are you this morning?" Carter asks with genuine interest.
I caught a glimpse of Carter last night, even talked to him, but my thoughts were scattered, and I didn't fully register all of him.
He's certainly attractive, like all the men in this house, as if they've all been drinking from a fountain of sexiness.
He and Holden definitely look alike enough to be brothers.
Carter has the same chiseled jawline and piercing eyes as Holden, their resemblance uncanny which brings back the question of how they all came to be living together.
It's hard not to wonder about the bond that ties them together and what led them to share this space.
Sporting basketball shorts and a simple white T-shirt, Carter exudes a toned physique.
His arm muscles are defined even during mundane tasks, like putting dishes in the sink.
Those arms are also adorned with vibrant tattoos, extending beneath the fabric to his chest, barely visible through the thin white material he's wearing.
His blonde curls remind me of a few celebrities, but it's the eyes that really get me; they're sky blue and mesmerizing.
"Better," I sigh. "Probably better after coffee." I wrinkle my nose.
"That I can do," Carter offers, "How do you take it?"
"You have any flavored creamers? Otherwise, milk and sugar is fine."
Ethan, already dressed in jeans and a green polo shirt, opens the fridge. "We have these two," he says, placing a vanilla and caramel creamer on the counter.
"Oh, I love you guys," I exclaim with probably too much enthusiasm, "Caramel is my favorite."
"Love Holden then because it's his favorite too," Carter teases.
I feel the heat of my blush as Ethan pulls out his phone and starts typing.
"Alexis, we're going to have a little roommate meeting here with you," Ethan warns. "We're just trying to figure out how best to help you."
"You guys have already done too much," I acknowledge. "I'm probably just going to move back to Maryland."
"You don't have to necessarily do that if you don't want to," Carter says.
As soon as he finishes speaking, voices draw my attention, and Jeremiah, Holden, and Shawn enter the kitchen.
Holden's sandy blonde hair, tousled from sleep, gives him a casual charm as he enters clad in basketball shorts, a hint of his boxer briefs peeking out.
Shirtless, his sculpted muscles draw my gaze, and I find myself swallowing hard as I admire his physique.
The 'v' leading down toward his shorts leaves me biting my bottom lip involuntarily, and his piercing blue eyes hold me captive.
Jeremiah, on the other hand, presents a more polished appearance.
He is dressed in khaki pants and a red polo shirt that hints at his readiness for a work day ahead, like Ethan.
His neatly styled, dark blonde hair shows hints of red and complements his light brown eyes, bordering on gold, which hold a captivating allure of their own.
They introduce me to Shawn, whom I hadn't met, but had seen the night before.
Shawn's attire is more relaxed, sporting gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt with Squirtle on it.
His long hair pulled back into a small man-bun gives him a laid-back vibe, while his dark eyes seem to hold a hint of mystery.
When he smiles, revealing adorable dimples, all that sense of mystery melts away.
Despite their varying appearances, all five men clearly show signs of fatigue from the night before, yet each possesses a unique charm that draws me in.
Part of me thinks maybe I should be more anxious or nervous surrounded by these five tall, built, and sexy men, but I feel at ease, almost at home.
I position myself next to Ethan on one side of the island while Jeremiah takes his place across from me. Carter settles across from Ethan, and Holden and Shawn stand side by side at the end of the island to my right, between Ethan and Carter.
"Okay," Ethan starts, "we all talked last night. Holden and I filled the other guys in on your situation, and we have some solutions if you want them."
"Okay?" I say tentatively, my voice laced with uncertainty and trying my best to avert my gaze from the sight of Holden's bare torso.
"First, you can stay here as long as you need to or want," Ethan proposes. "All of us, except Holden, are going to help you get all your stuff from Brody's today."
My eyes meet Holden's. He smiles softly at me.
"Next," Carter continues, "what kind of job are you looking for? What is your experience or degree or whatever?"
"My degree is in marketing with a minor in graphic design. I was a marketing executive for a tech company in Baltimore," I answer immediately and confidently.
They all laugh, and then Jeremiah looks at me. "You're kidding, right? Did Holden or Ethan tell you to say that?"
I shake my head. "Uh, no. You want to see my resume?"
"Probably," Jeremiah responds, pushing buttons on a tablet that had been resting on the kitchen counter before I had come downstairs and swiveling it in my direction, then asking, "Think you can handle that?"
The tablet screen displays a posting for a marketing director position at a small software company. As I skim through the job responsibilities, I realize they're all tasks I've handled before.
Swallowing nervously, I respond, "Uh, yeah, I've done all of that before." Ethan and Jeremiah exchange glances. "Do you know which company this is for? Is it someone you're familiar with?" I inquire.
Jeremiah takes the lead, explaining, "It's actually my—our company. I'm the CEO, Ethan serves as the CFO, Shawn leads IT and software development, and Carter is sales."
My eyes meet each one of theirs while he talks about their job titles. Then Jeremiah says, "Our current open positions are for a marketing director, graphic designer, accountant, and executive assistant to work under Ethan."
I swallow again, processing this newfound information. "So, you all work together?"