I stared in confusion as he ran back the way we’d just come, disappearing from sight around a building. A gust of wind came swirling through downtown Chicago, stirring my hair. I pulled my new leather jacket around myself tighter. That purchase was already paying off.
When Cash returned, he held up a plastic bag. “I forgot Riot’s medicine. It was still in the changing room where I dropped it.”
I covered my mouth to hide my laugh. “Yikes. Would’ve been embarrassing if we returned to the hotel and had to explain why we were empty handed.”
“No kidding.” His fingers found mine again and we continued on.
But the pharmacy bag reminded me of Riot, which reminded me that my situation with the band had just become alotmore complicated.
Now I had slept with two of them.
I needed to tell Riot. That was a certainty I couldn’t deny. It wasn’t like we were exclusive or anything, but honesty was the best policy in my experience. Nothing could be gained by hiding this from the lead singer of the band.
“You’re probably freaking out about Riot,” Cash said.
I gave a start. “How’d you know?”
“Because you’re squeezing my fingers so tight I’m starting to lose feeling.”
“Oh. Sorry. I’m not exactly freaking out, but I’m definitely thinking about what to say to him.”
“If it makes you feel any better, we’ve already discussed it,” Cash said casually.
“Really?”
“Sure. Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time he and I have… slept with the same woman.”
“Are you talking about Violet, or some other woman?”
Cash tripped his own foot and stumbled for a second. “How’d you know about that?”
“Violet told me.”
Cash chuckled and scratched the back of his neck with his free hand. “She’s awfully open about that. Not that we’re not, but…”
“But it’s not something you tell everyone you’ve just met?” I finished for him.
“Right. It’s one of those things that people are either super cool with, or really weird about. And you never know which someone will be until it’s too late. How much did she say?”
“Just that the four of you were having hot orgies when your band first started.”
He groaned. “Violet exaggerates.”
“So the four of youweren’thaving group sex?”
“I mean… yeah, we were,” he admitted. “But I wouldn’t call them orgies. We all had sex with Vi, but…”
“But you made sure never to touch each other, because you’re manly men who never do anything even a little homoerotic.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. Milo likes to squeeze my ass after two drinks.” Cash shook his head. “But yes. I’m trying to be very clear that we are all straight. Me, Riot, and Milo, I mean. Violet’s verynotstraight. Now. Back then, she loved having sex with men.”
“You’re rambling. You sound embarrassed.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Sorry. It’s not very often that I talk about this with anyone, let alone the woman I just had sex with.”
I squeezed his hand, then let go and squeezed his butt. “Nothing to be embarrassed about. Thank you for being precise about the kind of relationship you had with Violet. I’m honestly surprised you guys all still get along together after that.”
“Me too,” he admitted. “Obviously it helped that she dumped all three of us at the same time, rather than choosing one of us over the others. And it didn’treallyfeel like beingdumped because she discovered she liked women more. She was dumpingallmen, not just the three of us.”
