Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
Amy
“So, you’re rebounding with both of them?
” Amy’s mom asked her, her voice and expression thankfully free of judgment, though Amy’s dad seemed to be taking things a little harder.
He’d kept his mouth shut and his hand over his eyes while he listened to her explanation of what was going on with her housemates and why she’d moved into their bedroom instead of moving out.
“If it’s a rebound, I hope I don’t ever get back up again,” she responded truthfully.
The past few weeks had been a dream. A really good one.
It was just like before except she was sleeping with Kincaid and Zach in the main bedroom every night, all of her things had been moved in there, and the sex was no longer confined to the club.
When she’d complained that her vagina was getting sore after the first few days together, Zach had taken her mouth while Kincaid slowly fucked her ass instead. It had been hot as hell.
It wasn’t just all the amazing sex and orgasms, though, because that really would have been just rebound material.
It was everything else. The way they listened to her.
The way they remembered things about her.
When she’d had her period, instead of having to suffer through it without complaining—while listening to her boyfriend whine about how ‘moody’ she was despite her silence—they’d gone into caretaker overdrive.
Midol and hot pads when she was cramping, Kincaid had made sure every bathroom in the house had every menstrual product known to woman.
They’d stocked the freezer with three different kinds of ice cream, and Zach had brought home a different candy bar every day.
Not one word of judgment about any of her cravings or her pain.
With that kind of treatment, she’d had the least ‘moody’ period of her life. It was amazing what a difference a little support made.
Zach also helped her figure out how to block Noelle’s number because she’d started calling again.
Amy didn’t know why, and she didn’t care.
At least Jeremy had gotten the hint—or maybe he was just afraid of Kincaid.
Or maybe he’d looked Freddy up as a lawyer.
Regardless, she was glad not to have to deal with him, and she’d like the same from Noelle.
She’d gotten past the anger. Getting dumped had been the best thing to ever happen to her because it had led her to where she was now.
She didn’t wish any ill upon Noelle, but that didn’t mean she had to forgive her, and that didn’t mean she wanted Noelle in her life ever again.
She hoped Noelle lived a very nice life somewhere else, far away from her.
The fact that she’d been kicked out of the club was a relief because that was the only place they were likely to run into each other. Otherwise, Amy didn’t expect to see Noelle anywhere.
“Are you sure you can’t choose just one of them?” Her dad asked, finally lifting his hand from his eyes. “Or choose a guy who doesn’t come with a boyfriend?”
“No,” she said firmly. “But don’t worry, I’ll be the one to tell Grandma.”
His sheepish expression gave away that that was exactly what his biggest hangup was.
“No, you won’t,” her mom said, making Amy’s dad groan. “He can handle telling his mom, and I’ll handle telling mine.” She glanced at her husband. “Maybe we’ll wait a bit, though… put it on the family Christmas card rather than making a phone call.”
“Oh, I like that idea,” Amy’s dad said, brightening.
“However you want to handle it,” Amy said, amused.
Her mom tapped her finger against her lips. “I think I’ll suggest one of the Bliss books for the next book club. That might help, too.”
“Have you read the Trinity Masters?” Amy asked. Her mom gave her a scornful look that halted anything else she might say.
“Of course I have. I’m no newbie. Have you read Bianca Sommerland’s Dartmouth Cobras?”
“No, but I’ll put that on my list.” She grinned. Bonding over smutty books was not something she’d expected to happen with her mom.
Wait a minute… her aunts and grandma were all part of the book club her mom was referring to. Shit. Nope. She didn’t want to know what they were all reading. She could handle her mom going all fifty shades of kinky books; she wasn’t sure she could handle her grandma.
“Just don’t get ideas,” her mom said, glancing at Amy’s dad again. “I don’t think he can handle more than two boyfriends.”
“Definitely not. And I’m starting to think that I should be paying closer attention to what you’re reading,” he said with a scowl.
“Oh, as if you don’t benefit,” her mom scoffed. “Last time I checked, you love it when I read these books because it gets my motor running and then—”
“Hey, hey, hey!” Amy put her hands to her ears. “I don’t need to be hearing this!”
“Don’t be a prude, dear. You should be glad your parents are… active. Life doesn’t end at fifty, you know.” Her mom winked at her dad.
“I’m glad you guys are… doing whatever it is you’re doing, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear graphic details about it. I promise I won’t be sharing any graphic details about my sex life.” Talk about awkward. Especially when her mom looked a little disappointed.
“Well, we’re very happy for whatever makes you happy. And, I have to say, I liked those two boys much better than I did Jeremy,” her mom said, reaching over to pat Amy’s knee. “Can we have them over for dinner sometime to get to know them a little better?”
That put the grumpy expression back on Amy’s dad’s face, but he didn’t protest.
“I’m sure they’d be happy to,” Amy said.
They’d actually wanted to come over for dinner with her today when she’d told them she was going to tell her parents, but she’d said no.
She’d had the feeling her parents would take it better if they weren’t confronted with two boyfriends face-to-face immediately.
Giving them time to settle into the idea before she brought her boys over had seemed like the prudent decision, and she wasn’t regretting it. It would give her parents time to let it all sink in before she made the formal introduction.
She also had the feeling that Jeremy’s shitastic treatment of her on their wedding day and the way Zach and Kincaid had stepped up at that moment also helped with her parents’ acceptance. The contrast was pretty stark.
Kincaid
Dinnertime without Amy was odd. They’d gotten used to having her around. It didn’t help that they were waiting to hear from her on how telling her parents had gone.
“Is it weird that it feels lonely here with just the two of us?” Zach asked suddenly, breaking the momentary silence. There’d been a few lulls in the conversation already. “It was just the two of us for a long time, and it didn’t feel lonely then.”
“It does, and it’s not weird,” Kincaid reassured him. “We’ve gotten used to having her around.
“I think I’m also freaking out a little that she’s going to come back and say her parents couldn’t accept her dating two guys and that she’s moving out and leaving us,” Zach admitted.
He’d gotten a lot better about sharing his feelings and fears over the past weeks, something Kincaid really appreciated.
He might not be able to do anything about them, but he was glad Zach wasn’t keeping it all bottled inside anymore.
“I doubt she’s going to do that, but even if she did, I’m not going anywhere.
We’ll just be lonely together for a little while.
” He reached out his hand to take Zach’s, making the other man pause in eating.
Not that he’d been eating much, to begin with.
“But I really don’t think that’s going to happen. ”
Zach took a deep breath.
“I don’t either, but I can’t stop thinking ‘what-if?’ And I know, Mistress Julie said to do exactly what you just said and actually answer the question, not just leave it hanging. You’re right. We’ll be okay. Just… sad.” Zach sighed. “If she does, I don’t want to go looking for another third.”
“No, I don’t either. I think if we’re going to be a trio, Amy is it for us. It only works with her,” Kincaid agreed. He and Zach would make it on their own if they needed to, but he hoped they wouldn’t have to. Being with Amy made them feel even more complete.
His phone buzzed, and he released Zach’s hand so he could pull it out and check the text. He frowned as he read it.
“What’s wrong?” Zach asked, concern and some confusion laced through his voice. He probably assumed it had to do with Amy, but it didn’t.
“Don, Cassidy’s ex, seems to have disappeared,” he said grimly. “He hasn’t been at his job for a few days or any of his usual places. Patrick wants me to see what I can find out.”
He’d also text the information to Lincoln and David. If Cassidy was in danger…
Maybe they’d gotten lucky, and the asshole had gotten arrested or something and was out of their hair for good. Kincaid didn’t believe in that kind of luck, though. He looked up at Zach.
“Sorry, I don’t want to interrupt dinner, but do you mind if I make a few calls?”
Zach’s expression was as grim as he felt.
“Do it. I’m not that hungry, and neither of us is going to feel like eating while you’ve got asshole Don hanging over Cassidy’s head.
I can make some calls, too, and see if anyone knows anything.
” The gossip train at the club wasn’t just for the fun stuff; members had been keeping tabs on asshole Don, which was probably why Patrick knew the jerk hadn’t been to work.
Nodding, Kincaid got up from his seat while Zach pulled out his phone and started texting people.
Half an hour later, they knew that no one had seen him since Wednesday, the lease on his apartment had ended, and he was in the wind.
Not the news that he wanted to call Cassidy about, but she needed to know.
It was even worse when she answered the phone with a chipper tone that indicated she was having a good night.
“Hey, Kincaid! How are you? I was going to call you tonight!”
“You were?” He blinked in surprise.