Chapter 26 ~ #3
I don’t freak out when I pat her and she does it again.
A smile grows on my face as I run my hand up her neck. She turns her head towards me and I rub the thick white stripe down her face. Those almond shaped eyes watch me, her long eyelashes curl when she blinks.
Dom keeps his arm wrapped around my waist as he reaches out to pat Red.
“There you go,” Dom murmurs in my ear and my smile widens.
This is amazing! I internally squeal with excitement.
I take a deep breath and release it along with the nervous feeling.
“Thanks, Dom,” I whisper.
Dom ducks his head and softly kisses me. Red nudges us with her head when we stop patting her. We laugh.
Dom and I continue patting her. Alec comes over to join us but Luc keeps his distance.
“Come on, ya’ll,” Dominic’s mother hollers from inside. “Your lunch will go cold!”
I reluctantly say goodbye to Red. Dom ties her back up to what I realise was specifically built into the raised verandah with big brass rings attached to the wooden railing that the reins are tied to.
Some of the construction guys walk in and out through the kitchen and living room carrying tools. Dom said that some of the rooms aren’t finished so they must be working on the spare rooms.
Luc casually throws his arm over my shoulders when one of the workers looks at me too long. I think he was more curious than anything else but I let Luc turn me away.
John and Alice stare at us like they’re trying to figure out what they’re seeing.
Has Dom told them about us?
“This smells amazing, Alice,” I say, feeling uncomfortable and they snap out of it.
She pushes a plate in front of me, handing Dom, Luc and Alec theirs. Okay, then.
We sit at the huge wooden table. The living room and kitchen are one big space with plenty of room for the seven of us when the twins and Jace join us.
I run a hand over the dark surface. It’s a thick piece of wood with character in the groves and edges. It has some sort of resin over it so it’s nice and smooth.
“You like it?” I glance up at John, surprised by his question.
“It’s gorgeous,” I tell him.
John smiles, mysteriously. Dom clues me in.
“Dad made it,” Dom informs me, looking proud of his father.
My eyes widen and John chuckles at my reaction.
“Wow, that’s amazing,” I tell him, blown away. “Is the wood from around here?” I ask.
John nods. “It’s from our property a few k’s that way.” He points east. “This land backs up against ours.”
“That’s awesome. How did you make it?”
I start to relax talking to John as he explains to me how sanding it down gives it that smooth feel.
Dom’s hand finds mine under the table. I quickly glance up at him and he smiles softly, squeezing my hand.
I hold his hand and eat with the other, listening to John explain the process.
“That’s really cool,” I marvel and John beams.
“I like this one,” John says to Dom, hitching his thumb towards me.
Dom grins, kissing my temple and making me blush.
“Speaking of which,” Alice interrupts. The polite expression on her face is far too fake to be real.
“What’s happening here?” Alice focuses on Dom completely ignoring me. “I thought you wanted to be with Alec. But it almost seems like you and her are together.”
Alec stiffens beside me. I put my hand on his leg and he rests his on top of mine.
We fall silent when one of the workers tells Dom that they’re heading off and gives him a brief update.
No one says anything as we wait to hear the sound of their cars start up.
“You didn’t tell them?” I murmur to Dom, unable to mask the disappointment in my voice.
Dom’s eyes beg me to understand. “I planned on talking to them in person. That’s why I told you not to come over,” Dominic turns back to his parents, “I said that we’d come to you.”
“Son,” John asks. “What’s going on?”
Not wanting to force Dom to tell his parents anything, I rise to my feet. Dom’s hand on mine tightens. I almost sit back down.
“Sweetheart,” Dom starts.
“You haven’t been dismissed, young lady,” Alice tells me sternly. “Sit down.”
I bristle at the sharp order. Panic starts to fill my chest. I don’t know what to do.
“Mama!” Dom says loudly. I flinch, tugging my hand from Dom’s. I take a step back from the table, not knowing what to do or say but I’m not sure I can make myself sit at that table.
Something wet nudges my other hand and Abraxas forces his face into my hand. I focus on Abraxas and use that to steady my breathing.
“Let’s just everyone stay calm,” John interferes. “Will you please sit, Rory?” John asks, calmly.
I stand there for a moment before slowly sitting back down. Abraxas follows me and I pat him to keep my hands distracted.
Every part of me is telling me to get out. Unknown situation plus unknown reactions equals never fucking good.
The way Alice’s looking at me puts me on edge.
Sitting puts me at a disadvantage.
I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t know how to do this.
“I am in a relationship with Rory,” Dominic announces. “But so is Alec, Luc, Jace, Mason and Maverick.”
Alice flinches, taken back. Her mouth opens and shuts several times before she settles on, “No.”
“Yes,” Dom says, irritation irking his voice.
“It’s unholy,” Alice shoots back.
That’s what she’s going with? Ah, shit. Dom’s parents are from southern America. Well, John’s originally from Australia but Alice isn’t. For all I know, they’re probably religious. I know that’s probably stereotyping but Alec’s words confirm it.
“The bible also says a relationship or marriage has to be a man and a woman. You didn’t have a problem when you thought he was with me,” Alec tells Dom’s mother.
“That’s different. You’re still two people. Gender is irrelevant.” Alice waves her hand.
John stays silent as Dom and his mother go back and forth.
“Mama. Dad. I’m not thirteen,” Dom tells them, “I’m not asking for your permission to date someone. Rory is in a relationship with all of us and it works for us. I’m sorry but what you want is irrelevant.”
Alice gapes, her hand flying to her chest.
“Dominic,” John says sternly. “Your lifestyle choices are your own, but do not disrespect me or your mother.”
“Dad, I’m not disrespecting you or Mum. I’m telling you that this doesn’t have to be a big deal. Regardless of what it looks like, it’s a committed relationship between Rory and us.” Dom interlaces our fingers, resting our hands on the table.
Alice looks at them like she could catch something.
I try to help. “I know you’re worried for Dom, but I have friends in a polygamous relationship and so far it—“
“So it’s you making this call,” Alice cuts me off.
Fuck, I shouldn’t have said anything.
“Uh…no. That’s not what—I, um…” When my stuttering doesn’t produce anything, I fall silent.
“Rory didn’t force me into this, Mama,” Dom says, disgusted. “There are many cultures where polygamous relationships are normal. Helen and Devon are fine with it—not that it’s important that they are.”
“I don’t care about other cultures or whatever nonsense Helen and Devon have told you. This is not normal,” Alice tells Dom sharply.
Thankfully Luc saves me.
“Rory and I are going to go for a walk,” Luc announces. “Thank you for the meal, Alice. As for our relationship—for Dom’s stake—I hope you come around.”
Luc isn’t polite or disrespectful as he scoots back his chair and stands. I hurry to follow him. Dom kisses me before I can stand all the way. I squeeze his hand before releasing it.
When I glance up, I make eye contact with John and see the faint glimmer of sadness in his eyes.
“You coming?” Luc asks Alec.
Alec slowly shakes his head. “You guys go.”
I whistle and Abraxas emerges from under the table, following us out. The poor dog shouldn’t need to hear this.
Luc places his hand on my back and leads me out the door.
I suck in the fresh air, feeling like I haven’t breathed since the conversation started.
My feet have a mind of their own. I rush down the steps, needing to get as far away as possible so the tight feeling in my chest can loosen.
“Fuck, Rory.” Luc pulls me into a tight hug once we’re past the porch steps.
I bury my face into his shirt, breathing in his spicy cologne.
“I didn’t know what to say, Luci,” I mumble into his shirt.
“Me neither, Butterfly.” Luc rubs up and down my back. “They’ll come around, baby. They love Dom too much not to.”
“I hope so,” I whisper quietly.
I want Dom’s parents to like me but I’m not willing to change us for people I just met.
To think, Alice went from wanting my first born to thinking I forced Dom into a relationship he didn’t want.
Luc pulls back but not out of my arms to kiss me deeply. His tongue massaging mine does a good job of erasing everything from my mind.
Luc laughs when he sees my dazed look.
“I want to show you something.” Luc grabs my hand and tugs me towards the shed I didn’t see earlier.
He opens one of the big double doors. There’s a few things in here but it looks like it’s supposed to double as a garage.
“Stay,” Luc tells Abraxas who just flops onto the floor.
At the end of the shed is a ladder leading up.
“Ladies first.” Luc flourishes his hand, bowing deeply.
I laugh and shake my head. Halfway up, I realise he just wanted me to go first so he could stare at my ass.
I stop and narrow my eyes on him playfully.
“I never said I wouldn’t look,” Luc reminds me, a twinkle in his eyes.
I keep climbing and into a hay loft type thing that I’ve only ever seen in movies.
“This is cool as,” I marvel, peeking out the huge window with shutters. “Does it have a function purpose?”
“Fuck no.” Luc snorts. “Maybe one day but it’s really just for the view.”
He sits against the window and motions for me to join him.
I sit between Luc’s legs and look out the window as the afternoon sun washes over the mountains. It’s still early—like one o’clock or something.
We planned to be here early this morning but it took a while with our discharge papers and extracting ourselves from Benji and Elsie.
I sigh, everything growing to the forefront of my mind.