Chapter 29
COSETTE
The smell of adobo, savory and sour because of the vinegar, filled the air, and god, did I hope it was enough to take over the tension that was also present in the room with us.
I looked at Nero, eyeing the platter of rice and subtly tilting my head to the side as if I was telling him to offer it to my dad.
Even though we were the ones sitting beside him on the table and I could easily grab it and offer it to him myself, I wanted him to be on my dad’s good side so that I can showcase I’ve chosen great men to be in my whorish harem—
Stop. He won’t think you’re a whore.
You’re overthinking things.
“Here, Hoyt,” Nero said, and I snorted a laugh, immediately straightening my face and sucking in my lips when all the eyes around the table landed on me.
My dad’s narrowed at me as I looked at him with a smile on my face that I hoped he still found cute so he could ease up a little. I was feeling so nervous that I swear my heart was threatening to jump out of my chest.
When he was done putting rice on his plate, I gave him the bowl of adobo after, and he scooped two spoonfuls of the meat and sauce before I signaled the guys to serve food to themselves as well.
“Let me say grace,” I said, before anyone could even take a bite, not wanting my dad to put a point against their favor for eating without praying.
My dad nodded, and I did the sign of the cross before I thanked God for the meal, for putting food on our table, and for bringing all of us together.
“And God, please guide everyone at this table to have open minds and hearts, even in tough conversations that we may have, while we all share this food with each other. Amen.”
Here’s to hoping my dad won’t accuse me of using the word of God when I’m being ‘sinful’ as self-righteous Christians might think.
With a nod and a muttered ‘amen’, my dad began to eat, and so did we.
I normally couldn’t stand loud eaters. Those who chew with their mouths open.
I’m not saying any of us were like that now, but I’d rather that than have so much silence that I could still hear all of us chewing even with our mouths closed.
“So, dad—“
“Finish your food and then we’ll talk.”
I took a deep inhale, nodding before I continued to eat.
It was both the shortest and longest meal I’ve ever had. I wanted to eat more—because damn, I nailed that adobo perfectly—but I just wanted the talk to be over with it.
Patiently waiting for everyone to finish, it was dad who took the last bite.
I watched him take his glass of water and drink from it, and he set it down before leveling me with his gaze.
“How’d you meet them?” he finally asked, and I felt my shoulders relax a bit.
Him being curious and questioning is much better than outright condemnation.
“We all go to school together.”
“Uh-huh, and what do you mean they’re your boyfriends?”
I gulped, fidgeting with my fingers on my lap as I said, “I mean it the way you think it does. Siege, Dex, and Nero. I’m dating all three of them. It’s… We’re not all together. They don’t date each other, they just date me.”
Jesus Christ.
Why do the reverse harem books I read never have this kind of ‘talk with the parents’ scene in them?
They would’ve been really helpful in knowing what to do in situations like this!
“Do they date other women?”
“What? No! They’re all mine.”
I felt Dex squeeze my thigh then, and I realized how possessive I became, my voice becoming too high-pitched.
“I mean, this is an exclusive relationship. It’s not an open one, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“And they’re all okay with that?”
My eyebrows shot up on my forehead, taken completely by surprise that he’s even thinking of the guys in this scenario.
“Yes.”
There was a palpable tension in the air as no one uttered a word after that.
I could hear the plants growing outside, for god’s sake.
“If any of you knock my daughter up even before college—“
“Dad!” I groaned.
“What? It’s a very real concern. That’s like three times the possibility—“
“I have PCOS,” I said, like it’s a surefire way not to get pregnant.
But it was the wrong thing to say, not only because it’s not even factual that I’m 100% safe from accidental pregnancy, but because it might’ve implied that we have been doing the deed if my dad’s eyes narrowed eyes on me were any indication.
“It would be difficult even if we’d been doing… things.”
I was getting distracted by seeing Nero and Siege fight laughs in front of me, and I kicked one of their legs under the table.
“We are getting sidetracked. I just wanted to introduce you to my boyfriends tonight, dad. While I am asking—begging—for your blessing, respectfully, I want you to know that I lo— like these guys and I’m not giving them up whether or not you approve of us. ”
Crap. That sounds too combative.
I put my hand on top of my dad’s then, ready to apologize when he spoke, looking at Siege.
“Good luck handling all of that.”
My jaw dropped as Siege, Nero, and Dex let out quiet laughs.
Did he… Did he just joke with my guys?
I was too dumbfounded, looking at him like he grew a second head as I muttered, “You’re okay with me having three boyfriends?”
“I know you’re a good kid, Cosette. You’re smart, you took after me.
I trust your decisions,” he said, glancing at my guys before he looked back at me and continued.
“Plus, I like the fact that you’ve done all the talking without them uttering a single word.
I think you have them by their necks. I have reason to believe they’re afraid of you. ”
Nero, the smug jerk, raised a glass as if he was doing a toast, and the two guys followed, muttering ‘hear, hear’, making my dad laugh.
And just like that, all the tension left my body, and I could finally breathe as the guys started to say things that sounded a lot like they were ratting me out to my dad.
I thought this night would end dramatically.
I’ve always had a penchant for overthinking things, haven’t I?
Since being in Andy’s shadow, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’ll grow up to be eternally single, dying a hopeless romantic.
But as I looked around the table, my heart felt full because I had been worried about nothing.
Even if I ended up being single for the rest of my life? I have my dad, who loved me more than anything.
I should’ve known the right people would find me, love me, and stay with me.