CHAPTER 11 OZ
OZ
Sunday morning, I decided waking up with Manny was my new favorite thing. Unless we ended up adding Arch to the mix. That could turn out even better. I pulled Manny close and put my nose into his neck, reveling in his scent that reminded me so much of home. Fuck, this was heaven.
He gave a little groan and wiggled his ass against my half-hard dick.
I wanted him again, but I also wanted us to decide whether we were interested in including Arch in our relationship before we got any deeper.
Myself, I was all for exploring things with him.
But if Manny wasn’t, well I’d still be completely satisfied.
Mostly. Okay, I’d get over the disappointment eventually.
Manny rolled over in my arms. “Huh. You stopped the koala imitation, so I thought you’d gone back to sleep. Whatcha thinkin’ about over here? Is it Arch?” He raised his eyebrows and quirked his lips up in a smirk.
I kissed his cheek. “Guilty. I’m sorry, but I feel a little on edge with our relationship since we haven’t decided about him.”
He ran his thumb over the tip of my ear. “And you’re still in favor of inviting him on a date with us?”
Hesitantly I nodded, searching his eyes for a reaction. He smiled. “Me too.” He jackknifed up to a sitting position and reached for his phone. Waggling his eyebrows, he gave me a wicked grin. “No time like the present!” He started to scroll.
Horrified, I checked the clock. “It’s not even 7:00 a.m.! On a Sunday!”
“He was awake this early yesterday! It’ll be epic!” The phone, in speaker mode, began to ring.
“Manny! We want him to like us, not hate us!” The phone stopped ringing.
He scoffed. “Two sides of the same coin.”
“Manny?” Arch’s voice was urgent. “Is everything okay? Are you safe?”
Manny frowned down at the phone in his hand. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Arch blew out a breath. His voice was calmer, but his tone was desert dry. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because it’s not generally acceptable to make social calls at dawn on the weekend.”
Manny’s eyebrows slammed down over his nose. “Acceptable? Look, Arch, if you want acceptable—"
“And I’m taking the phone.” I snatched it out of Manny’s grasp. “Arch, I’m sorry, but—” It was difficult to speak to him when I was holding the phone as far above my head as I could while Manny tried to grab it from me. “Stop! Manny!”
“Give it back! I want to talk to him!” At least he was laughing, so I knew he wasn’t serious.
I rolled off the bed so I could stand up. I was a lot taller than he was. “No! You’re going to piss him off!”
“Pissing each other off is Arch and my love language!” Manny stood on the mattress and launched himself at me. I had to drop the phone so I could catch him.
“Fuck!” Manny tried to climb down my body, but I clamped an arm around him so he had his legs wrapped around my waist. Manny cackled as I swung him around while I searched for the phone.
“Arch, can you hear me? We lost the phone. Wait, there it is.” Luckily it had landed face up, and I could see the call was still connected.
Arch must’ve been trying to speak for a while, because he was shouting now. “If one of you doesn’t calm down and talk to me like an adult, I’m going to assume you’re being attacked and get in my car. And when I get there, if you’re not in danger, you will not like the consequences!”
Manny and I both froze, staring at each other with shocked faces. Manny fanned himself with his free hand. “That was so fucking hot!”
I stifled a snicker as I put him gently down on the bed again. I leaned over and picked up the phone. “We’re, um, here.”
He gave a deep sigh, and I imagined him running his hand over his head. “And, what, exactly, did I do to earn this kind of phone call so early on a Sunday?”
Manny opened his mouth, but I covered it with my hand. “We wanted to ask you out to dinner tonight.”
The silence stretched uncomfortably long. I took my hand off Manny’s face, and he stared at the phone in concern. “Arch?”
“Um, sorry. That sounded like a date, and I didn’t know how to respond.”
Fuck me. We should’ve rehearsed this. “It is a date. With both of us. To see if you want to date... us. Together.” I looked at Manny pleadingly, silently begging to step in. Based on his smirk, he wasn’t going to help.
Arch cleared this throat. “Uh, this is a surprise. I’m not saying no, but... what made you think to ask me out?”
Manny’s expression made me point at him.
“Let me.” Pouting, he subsided. “Arch, it was obvious to me yesterday that when you stopped by you were hoping to ask Manny on a date.” He didn’t respond, so I went on.
“And I think you’re hot as hell. I’ve got three parents, and your brother has two partners.
It wasn’t a big stretch to wonder if we could have something with the three of us.
After Manny and I talked about it last night, we slept on it, and when we woke up this morning we both wanted to see where things could go with you. ”
Manny leaned over the phone. “And I got a little overexcited, so I called you as soon as we agreed.”
“Oh. Well, I, uh think you’re both very attractive.” My heart squeezed at how adorably awkward he was. The way Manny’s face lit up told me he thought so too.
“So you’ll have dinner with us?” I thought he would, but I still held my breath.
“Yes, um, I’d like that.”
I hesitated. Well, what the hell. “Why don’t you meet us over here, Arch?
Then we can all ride to the restaurant together.
” Manny’s head slowly lifted, and he looked up at me, wide-eyed.
I winked. Yes, I was in fact positioning us to fuck after dinner.
But as Arch’s silence went on, I second-guessed myself.
Shit, we’d kind of blindsided him with all this after all.
“Or if you’d rather, you could meet us at the restaurant. ”
He cleared his throat. “No, no, I’ll come over. What time?”
“Ugh, I think I need a nap now.” Manny put the vacuum away before heading to the living room and collapsing dramatically onto the sofa.
After breakfast, Manny had decided the house wasn’t clean enough for Arch’s visit, even though he’d just been here yesterday.
But I didn’t have anywhere to be, so, after I’d inspected the breaker box, which I’d been itching to do since my first day here, I’d swept the front and back porches and dusted while he’d cleaned the bathrooms and vacuumed.
I leaned into the laundry room off the kitchen and tossed the dusting cloth I’d been using into the washing machine before opening the pantry and grabbing the box off the shelf where I’d stashed it last night. I took it into the living room with me and joined Manny on the sofa.
“Whatcha got there?” He rolled his head to the side to look at me, but didn’t otherwise move.
I handed him the box. “Present for you.”
That had him sitting up, his eyes almost bugging out. “What? Why? I didn’t get you anything!” He held the box out at arm’s length like it might contain a bomb. Didn’t people give him presents?
I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “It’s just a little something I saw that made me think of you.” I shrugged. “You might hate it.”
He clutched the box to his chest. “I will not! Whatever it is, I love it already!”
I stifled a smile. “Why don’t you open it?” I hadn’t had it wrapped, but I had selected the gift option so he wouldn’t see how much I’d paid.
Sticking his fingers under the edges of the box, Manny pried it open, tearing the tape across the top.
He pulled out a plastic-covered, tightly rolled tube of fabric.
With a confused glance at me, he tore through the plastic and pulled out the black t-shirt.
“‘Don’t piss off the healer.’ Omigod, Oz, I love it!
” He reached over and gripped the back of my neck, drawing me in for a kiss.
“Thank you. I can’t wait to wear it.” He cackled.
“I’m gonna video call Jackson with it on. They’ll be so jealous.”
“Hah. I’m glad you like it.”
He laid the t-shirt across the open box and put it on the coffee table. Then he scooted around so he could lie down with his head in my lap. I poked him on the forehead. “What if I want a nap too?”
He nuzzled my thigh. “Mmmm. Just put your feet on the coffee table. You’ll be fine.
” I was about to stand and carry him into the bedroom when his phone rang.
Sitting up, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the screen.
“Mamá!” He clapped a hand on his head. “Shit!” He wasn’t wearing his wig.
He scrambled off the couch and shoved the phone at me.
“Tell her I’ll be right there.” And he vanished down the hallway to the bedroom.
Well, fuck. Gamely I pasted a smile on my face and answered the fucking video call.
“Hello.” At least my voice was working. Manny’s mother peered at me in confusion.
Next to her was an attractive woman of a similar age, taller with bleached blonde hair and broad shoulders.
They were both wearing what appeared to be sundresses, and I thought they were in a hotel room.
“You are Oz, yes?” Manny’s mother seemed like she couldn’t decide whether to get excited that I was close enough to her son to answer his phone or to worry about where he was.
“Yes, hi, Ms. Moreno. Manny asked me to get your call. He’s, uh... he’ll be right here.”
She nodded in understanding. I was certain she was assuming he was in the bathroom, but I wasn’t going to tell Manny. “Thank you, Oz, that’s very kind of you. Call me Carmen. This is my girlfriend, Eloise.” The other woman and I went through greetings.
I struggled to find small talk to make. “Uh, are you still traveling?”
“Yes, we’re in Corfu today.”
Manny, wig in place, sat down next to me, and I handed him the phone with relief. “?Hola, Mamá! Hi, Eloise!” He angled the phone so both of us were on camera.
Both ladies greeted him before regaling him, or I supposed us, with tales of their cruise for a few minutes. Then Carmen said, “So tell me about the two of you? Is this serious?”
I looked at Manny, letting him answer. This was his mother.
I knew I was serious, but we also had an unknown angle with Arch to consider.
Manny slid me a cheeky grin then turned back to the screen.
“Oz and I are serious, yes.” This elicited delighted coos from both women.
Manny held up a finger. “But tonight we’re going on a date with a man to see if we might want to have three of us in a relationship. ”
Carmen and Eloise’s eyebrows shot up, but Carmen nodded. “Like Rory and the boys. Really, Manny, I think that’s a good idea for you. You have so much love to give.”
Under his breath, Manny muttered, “Translation: I’m a stage five clinger.” I chuckled and put my arm around his shoulders. I for one, didn’t mind a little clinging. As long as I could cling back.
“Who is this other man though?”
Manny smiled ruefully. “Uh, remember me complaining about what a jerk Ellis’ brother Arch was last summer?”
Carmen stared for a second, then she leaned her head back and laughed. “That’s perfect. I can’t wait to hear how your date goes.”
“Mamá, Eloise, thanks for calling, but we have to go get ready.” Which was a total lie. We had hours left. “Have fun, and I can’t wait to see you when you get home!”
He hung up and flopped back onto the couch cushions. “Now I really need a nap.”
I pulled him into a hug, then I stood up and hefted him into my arms. “Come on. Nap time.” He wrapped his legs around my waist, shouting a laugh before looping his arms around my shoulders. His magic was stronger today, but I imagined that would only last until his next patient came along.
After gently dropping him on the bed, I stripped my jeans off. Manny did the same, throwing his onto the floor by the closet. His phone chimed with a text. He picked it up, already leaning over to put it on the nightstand, when his eyes went wide and he sucked in a harsh breath.
I lurched toward him. “What? What’s the matter?”
He turned the phone to face me, as if I could read the text at that distance. “Rory invited us to dinner. Tonight. At their house.”
I was about to suggest he just decline when I remembered. Arch was Ellis’ brother. Ellis was Rory’s partner. Fuck.
I sat on the mattress next to Manny. “I have no idea what to tell you to do.”
He crossed his legs and stared at the ceiling.
“Hmmm. Why don’t I just go with the truth?
” He tapped the screen and held the phone up to speak into it.
“No can do tonight. Oz and I are having dinner with Arch. How about another time?” He pressed the screen to send the message.
“There. They’ll think we’re only friends, but I didn’t lie. ”
I grimaced. “Um, aren’t you worried he’s going to—” His phone chimed again.
Manny swore then showed me Rory’s response.
Rory:
Well, I didn’t see that coming. Glad you’re finally getting to be friends. What if we invite Arch to dinner too?”
“Fuck!” Manny fell back onto the pillows.
I nudged him. “You’d better call him before he jumps the gun and invites Arch.” Surely Arch was out to his brother and Rory and Shane. Right?
With a huff, Manny held up his phone and dialed. “You’ve got super shifter hearing, right?” Snorting, I nodded. “Good. I’ll leave it off speaker.”
When he answered, Rory was more upbeat than he’d been at any time during their visit the other day. “Hey, Manny! Ellis was wondering if Arch would reach out to you. Did he apologize for being such a douchecanoe when y’all met?”
“Um, yeah. We had a good talk.”
“Cool. I’ll invite him to dinner then, so we can all get together.”
“No, Rory. Wait. Um...” He stared at me with panic in his eyes. I held my hands up and shrugged. I didn’t know what to say.
Rory waited a beat. “Yes? Um?”
Manny put his hand over his eyes. “We, um, Arch and I, that is, we’re still feeling things out, you know. Trying to be nice to each other. It’ll, uh, be easier if it’s only the three of us.”
“O-kay?” Then Rory sucked in a breath. “Hold it. Wait just a fucking minute! Is this a date?”
Manny flopped back onto the mattress. “Fine. Yes.”
“A date with you and Oz?”
“Yes, Rory! Aren’t you in a throuple? They do happen, you know!
” Manny started to run his hand through his hair but seemed to remember he was wearing the wig at the last minute.
“But this is a first date, so maybe don’t mention this to Ellis yet?
I don’t want to get his hopes up in case it doesn’t go anywhere. ”
Rory groaned. “Seriously? That’s a big ask, Manny.”
“Yeah, well, I’d like Arch to have some privacy while he figures things out.”
Rory blew into the phone. “Okay, fair. I’m not sure what kind of experience he’s had with men, but I’m guessing it never involved public dates.”
“You’re probably right. Their dad sounds like a real peach.”
“Okay, I’ll give y’all some time to figure shit out. But keep me updated, okay?”
“Sure thing.” Meeting my eyes, Manny smirked and mouthed No way.