Hetter barks out a laugh. “That’s a load of crap. Rainy-day has never been the problem. You four have been in love with each other since you were knee-high to a grasshopper. Shit went down and she left to protect you, to protect herself. Now y’all have a second chance and you’re putting the same old crap on her shoulders. Making it a her problem instead of a you problem.”
I bite out, “She doesn’t want anything more than fun with any of us.”
He sends an amused look to Jackson who arches a brow and says, “Sorry, I don’t speak dumbass.”
“What? What the fuck does that mean?” Rex asks him in annoyance. Hetter leans back and crosses his arms looking at us like we’re a few bricks short of a stack.
“Rain-bow ain’t going to want more from any of you unless you actually offer more. She was never going to choose just one of you. The four of you belong together, all of you.” When all three of us just gape at him, he rolls his eyes with a huff. “It’s 2023 you dumb fucks. Polynomial is a thing, look it up!”
His smug look fades at our bewildered and confused looks. His mouth pulls to the side as his face screws up in thought.
“Polyandries…, polychotomy, poly…uh?
Jackson chuckles as he leans in. “I think you mean polyamory, smart guy!”
“Yeah, that!”
“That’s not what it would be. Polyamory is when there’s multiple relationships within a committed group. This would be a reverse harem.” Luke tells them, making Rex and I turn our heads to look at him in surprise.
I sputter out, “What the fuck is a reverse harem?”
“It’s when multiple men are in a committed relationship with one woman. They all love her and work as a team to make her happy. The whole dynamic works as long as there’s open communication and zero jealousy.” He turns and looks at me. “I can recommend some stellar books about it. I even have a favorite reverse harem romance author.”
I just stare at him like I’ve never met him before but Rex yells out. “Who in the ever-lovin’ fuck are you right now?”
Luke just shrugs and looks back to Hetter and Jackson “It could work. If they get on board.”
I blink my shock away and laugh in disbelief.
“Right, 'cause that’s not going to get tongues wagging in this town. We’d be outcasts!”
Hetter narrows his eyes at me. “Splish-splash their opinions are trash. If other people’s small-minded opinions are more important to you than a future with the woman you love, then you don’t deserve her.”
Jackson leans forward with a thoughtful look. “If love was easy, it wouldn’t mean as much once we had it, right?”
We all ponder his words until Hetter grins and slaps him on the back.
“Fine words, officer! Now, when are you going to stop being dazed by the fairy princess Starbright and make your move?”
A red blush rushes up Jackson’s face straight to the roots of his hairline. I laugh with the rest of them but my mind is busy turning over everything that’s been said tonight. The four of us…together…as one. I’d get to keep my brothers because even though Luke’s my cousin, he’s really my brother in my heart. They’d be happy, Rain would be happy. The only question is if I would be happy with that.
Sharing her with them? My brow furrows as I realize that I’ve been sharing Rain with them my whole life so this harem thing wouldn’t be that much different. Hett stands and raises his glass in the air and lets out a wolf whistle to get everyone’s attention.
“Alright, here’s my final words as a single man to all you unlucky-in-love fuckers, so listen up,” his wide grin flashes, “Life is like a dick. Sometimes, it’s up, sometimes it’s down. It’s not going to be hard forever so just ride it out until you find that special woman that’ll love you even when your dick’s down. That’s the one you keep, fellas!”
Rain
Maggie and Hetter’s wedding was everything she wanted it to be. My eyes get misty when I remember the ultimate jokester bawling like a baby as Maggie walked down the aisle toward him in her simple satin wedding gown.
I was breathless when she handed her bouquet off to me and turned to cup his wet cheeks in her hands. Their love shone from eyes they couldn’t peel away from each other as she said with a soft smile, “I got you, babe.”
An arm bands around my waist, a rough hand tugging on the silver satin of my dress that’s a match to Maggie’s white one.
“You look beautiful, Sunshine,” Luke breathes in my ear, his warm breath on my skin sending sparks down my body. I turn in his arms with a smile.
“You look pretty good yourself, mister.”
Country weddings aren’t so formal that the men need to wear suits but the crisp light blue dress shirt he’s wearing with charcoal dress pants that cling to his strong thighs is sexier to me than any suit he could have put on. The color of his shirt makes his eyes pop a stunning shade of Caribbean blue that takes my breath away. Luke tightens his hold on me and sways us to the music as we watch the bride and groom dance cheek to cheek in the middle of the bandstand. Maggie went with almost my entire idea for her special day. The center square park is lit softly with thousands of white twinkle lights strung through the branches of the oak trees making the park a magical reception venue now that the sun has gone down.
