“Then just say it’s a possibility,” I argue. “Don’t say ‘might could make it to the barbecue on Saturday.’ Say that you can’t commit.”
James shakes his head. “You don’t get it.”
“I really don’t. But anyway, back to Grayson and Caroline. How do you feel?”
Grayson wipes his mouth. “I guess you could say I’ve been sowing my oats on Saturday night and praying for crop failure on Sunday.” He can barely get the sentence out before he’s full on smirking.
James laughs. “I know the feeling.”
I glare at both of them. I just want to know if he wants more with Caroline or not, and he’s talking in riddles to mess with me. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means, yes, I have feelings, but I’m worried about what happens after all the sex. Caroline is leaving in less than a month.”
“Are you in love with her?”
“There he goes again,” Grayson says to James. “Just bold as can be.”
I sip my wine and wait for them. I’m not going to drag them to the obvious conclusion.
James knows me well enough to understand that, and he steps in. “Cas and I have been talking. We know Caroline is planning to leave and if that’s what she wants, we will respect that. But I think we’ve all gone way past casual. We’re all catching feelings and developing friendships and hell, blending our families. How do you feel about that?”
Grayson’s eyebrows lift. “What, like the four of us, long-term? In a relationship? I mean, hell, yeah, would be my first thought. I don’t want Caroline to leave at all.Ever. Followed by, that would be the solution to all my problems, frankly. I respect and like both of you. I’m falling for Caroline. I trust you guys with my daughter. I’m very fond of your son. It would make my life easier and more fulfilling to not do this single dad thing alone. Or single.”
I nod. This kind of logic I understand. Grayson thinks with both his heart and his head. Oh, and his dick. Which aligns with my approach to life.
“That’s what we want too.” James looks at me for confirmation.
I nod. “Exactly.”
Grayson lets out a breath. “But what does Caroline want?”
“I don’t know. But I think we need to spend time with her that isn’t just about sex. One on one time with her, each of us. Show her this goes beyond sex for the two of you.”
“And you?” Grayson asks.
I’m not sure exactly how to answer that. “I like her,” I say simply. “This isn’t something I anticipated, but I’m fully on board with this moving in a direction we never anticipated.”
I am, because of James. And because of Caroline. And Grayson.
This isn’t really about me, which for a man who likes to get what he wants, that might seem confusing, but it’s cut and dry to me. I want this for a variety of reasons, and so I’m going to do my best to make sure the people I care about are happy.
“Where is she right now?” I ask.
“She’s with my daughter. Because she loves her.” Grayson’s jaw tenses. “I’m not going to use that to my advantage though, however tempting.”
“Of course not. Caro wouldn’t be with you for that reason anyway,” James says. “She’s independent and knows her own mind.”
“So just…show, but not tell, her what we could be? Together and one on one?” Grayson asks. He looks thoughtful.
“Yes. Like I said, if she wants to leave, we wish her well.”
“We have to let her come to that conclusion on her own,” James says. “I know her. She’s a free spirit. It has to be her idea to stay in Honeysuckle Harbor.”
Grayson chuckles. “I agree with that. She does know her own mind.” He sips his beer. “Hell, that’s half the reason I’m falling in love with her.”
I don’t think he even realizes what he’s said aloud.
“Just so we’re clear—no sex when any of us are alone with her.”
