“How? How is it more than that?”
I take a breath. This is the moment. The explanation he couldn’t hear two days ago because he was too angry to listen.
“Because we love her,” I say simply. “All three of us. And before you lose your mind again, hear me out.”
He doesn’t walk away. That’s progress.
“You know me, Jake. You know Cole. You know Marco. We don’t do anything halfway. We’re all or nothing, always have been.” I keep my eyes on his. “When we realized we all had feelings for Rachel, we could’ve competed. Could’ve made it a mess. But we didn’t.”
“You decided to share her instead? That’s your solution?”
“We decided to work together. To make sure she’s taken care of from every angle.” I push off the railing, moving closer. “You know what I’m good at? I make her laugh. I lighten the load when things get heavy. Cole? He’s the steady one. The protector. He makes her feel safe. Marco reads people, anticipates needs, handles the details she doesn’t see coming.”
“So, what, you divided her up like a project?”
“No. We complemented each other. The same way we do on calls, the same way we’ve always worked together.” I meet his eyes. “Our friendship makes us better at loving her. Not worse. We share the responsibility of her happiness instead of putting it all on one person.”
Jake’s quiet. His jaw is still tight, but he’s listening.
“Derek put everything on her,” I continue. “Made her responsible for his happiness, his failures, his ego. She was drowning in that. With us? The weight is distributed. When she needs someone steady, she has Cole. When she needs to decompress, she has me. When she needs someone to handle the hard stuff, she has Marco.”
“And what does she need right now?” Jake’s voice is stern. “I know she needs her brother. But I don’t know how to be that when I can’t even look at the three of you without wanting to—” He stops, jaw working.
“Without wanting to punch us? Go ahead. I’ll let you take one shot if it helps.”
“It won’t help.”
“Probably not.” I shove my hands in my pockets. “Look, I get it. This isn’t what you pictured for her. It’s not conventional, it’s complicated, and it involves your three best friends. But Jake, she’s happy. Actually happy. Have you seen her smile lately? Heard her laugh? She’s not just surviving anymore. She’s living.”
Jake’s quiet for a long moment. The sun’s almost gone now, the sky turning that deep purple that comes before full dark.
“Ryan Williams’ trial started yesterday,” he says finally. “His lawyer’s claiming a mental health crisis. Gambling addiction pushed him over the edge, made him desperate. They’re arguing he never meant to hurt anyone, just wanted to scare Dorothy into giving him money.”
The subject change throws me, but I follow. “You think it’ll work?”
“Prosecutor is confident. Three counts of arson, one count of attempted murder for the home fire. Even with mental health claims, Ryan’s looking at serious time.” He turns to face me. “Anyway, I’ll be there for the custody hearing. I’ll testify. I’ll do whatever she needs.”
“Thank you.”
“But I’m not doing it for you. Or Cole. Or Marco.” His eyes are hard. “I’m doing it for her. And for Tommy. They come first. They always come first.”
“Agreed.”
“And after the hearing?” He moves toward the door. “After we get through this and she has full custody? We’re going to have a long conversation about boundaries and what the hell you three think you’re doing with my sister.”
“Fair enough.”
He stops at the door, hand on the handle. “I’m not okay with this yet. I might never be okay with this. But I love her more than I’m angry at you. So, I’ll show up. I’ll support her. And we’ll figure out the rest later.”
“That’s all we’re asking.”
He goes inside without another word. I stay on the deck for a minute, letting the solace settle in my chest.
Chapter thirty-three
Chapter 33
Rachel
