“Do they date other women?”
“What? No! They’re allmine.”
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 wehavebeen doing the deed if my dad’s eyes narrowed eyes on me were any indication. “It would be difficult evenifwe’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 justjokewith 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.
30
