“Or we just lost count of the seasons. It’s been a while since we’ve had a calendar, I mean. I forgot the days a lot before the apocalypse.” Micah shrugged. “Only difference was then I had a phone to tell me exactly what time of the year it was.”
An arrow whizzed next to my head, and I froze before glancing up at Calix, who had his crossbow pointed behind me. I spun to my side to notice a fresher looking zombie hit the ground with the arrow still embedded in its skull.
I hadn’t even heard it approaching.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I glanced up at Calix and waved. “Thank you.”
He nodded at me before reloading again.
“There’s no sign of whatever made that noise last night,” Micah said as he walked through the clearing. “Not any fur or massive amounts of fresh blood around.”
“And it seems like we got the stragglers,” Nathan added. “Thanks to Calix shooting that one.”
“That’s great. Can we check on the horses? I’m sure they’re freaked out of their minds.” I glanced over to notice Benjamin and a woman coming down from their treehouse.
“Of course, darlin’.”
Just as we started toward the large shed, the other survivors started making their way into the clearing from their treehouses, including my family, and I had to ignore the disappointment snaking through me from being out of our bubble in the treehouse.
It was agoodthing we had others with us, but anxiety spurred in my chest at having to explain our relationship to my parents.
There were two men and one woman that I didn’t recognize coming over from one treehouse, and I remembered Micah had mentioned there was a throuple in the group.
Excitement buzzed at having someone else with an unconventional relationship around.
They made it over the same time Benjamin and the woman with him did.
“How was it?” Benjamin asked me, shooting a look at Micah and Nathan. “I didn’t realize until after the horde started trudging through that Calix may have had an issue with the additional roommate.”
My face heated up as I smiled. “Calix is awesome. We did just fine.”
“Justfine, she says,” Nathan teased, reaching out and grabbing my hand before pulling me into his chest for a hug. “He’s more than fine, and she fits in more than fine with us three.”
Wrapping my arms around his waist, I leaned into him and nodded in agreement.
“I’m sensing something romantic here,” the girl I didn’t know yet teased with a smirk as her two guys pressed further into her, smashing her between them. “Withallof you.”
A snort came from Daisy as my group made it over. “Tori? With three men? She’s never been that adventurous.” The entire group shifted and looked at her, and she ran a hand through her hair. “I mean, she’s usually kind of boring. Not that that’s abadthing.”
“Shut up, Daisy,” Spencer hissed before winking at me.
“While Tori was with us, we decided to explore the romantic connection we had,” Nathan stated. “Meaning Tori’s relationship with me, Micah,andCalix.”
“Calix?” Benjamin’s eyes widened before he looked up to where Calix stood on the porch of the treehouse.
“So itwasa good idea to keep them separated,” the woman with Benjamin murmured as she glanced at me with a nervous smile. “Hi. I’m Sally. I’m Benjamin’s wife and Nathan’s step-mom.”
“I’m Ava.” The woman standing with her two men smiled and swept her red hair out of her face. Even between the two large men, she was tall, coming up to their shoulders. “And these are my boyfriends.” She pointed to the one on her left with dark brown hair and green eyes. “His name is Charles.” She moved her finger to her right, pointing at the man with lighter brown hair, a beard, and brown eyes. “And this is Jack. I’m really excited to see another relationship like ours blooming.”
“Tori. Nice to meet you all. I was planning on telling my parents a different way, but I am excited to see how this goes. The three of them are really sweet.” I gave my parents a shy smile as Micah pulled me from Nathan into his arms and pressed a kiss to my temple.
Dad coughed, glancing around the clearing before leveling his gaze at Calix. “The one up there not want to introduce himself?”
“Calix is a germaphobe, hence the mask. He tries to avoid speaking to many people,” Nathan told him, and Dad nodded before snapping his glower to Micah.
“Tori’s a grown woman who can make her own decisions but do not hurt her.”
“Never,” Micah promised in sync with Nathan.
