Violet blushes bright red and shakes his hand. Her embarrassment quickly morphs into a giggle as he spins her around in a circle.
So everyone is in a bubbly mood but me...Got it.
Chuckling, I shoo them away from the door and into the kitchen. Mom and Violet are chattering happily, barely looking at their stools before they seat themselves at the island. I pour my mom and Violet a mimosa, and when I go to offer my dad a glass of water, my stomach tightens with worry.
He's studying the dining room and—I don't know how I didn't think about this—-but he's looking at the photos of Nate and Ellis scattered around.
Maybe in the back of my mind I knew they would see and ask questions. I knew it would happen, but I didn't hide anything, except for the men themselves. What am I waiting for? Was I hoping Dad would twist my arm into telling him the truth?
"This is a very nice home," Mom compliments out of the blue, taking in the nice appliances around us. "Is this yours?" she asks Violet.
My girl glances at me and twists her lips with uncertainty. "Um, no. I'm slowly moving in though."
Smiling at her, my heart swells as she acknowledges how our relationships are progressing. Her openness and excitement over the fact that she's taking the next steps boosts my confidence.
What we have with Nate and Ellis isn't just some silly fling. We're not just fuck buddies or friends. I never thought this would be my future, but we're becoming a family. This is going to be our home.
Mom cocks her head at Violet, then glances at me. "Oh, who lives here? Jamie, did you move out of your apartment?"
"I'm slowly moving out, yes..." I reply, my words slow and cautious.
Mom raises an eyebrow and leans forward on the counter. "Spill the beans, Jamie Murphy."
Blowing out a breath, I feel my throat tighten. Violet has her phone in her jeans pocket, ready to call Nate and Ellis in here if I ask her to. When I look to her for guidance, all she does is smile and nod encouragingly.
"They look nice," Dad comments, nodding to a picture of my guys. That particular photo was fairly recent...Violet is between them.
"Dad—"
Dad turns and studies my tense posture. "Jamie, when have we ever not supported you? You've been keeping somethingfrom us, which is fine and normal, but not if you're scared of how we'll react. We'd never shame you."
As if his words are all I needed, my truth comes tumbling out. "Their names are Nate and Ells. Violet and I, well we'rebothin a relationship with them."
They're both silent, and Violet's gnawing on her lip. Mom's eyes fill with tears, and Dad steps forward. What are they thinking? Did they guess this? Or did I have it all wrong? Maybe he just thought Violet was with them too.
"Do you want to meet them?" I croak. Fuck, I've never felt so uncertain in my life. I'm a scary tattoo guy with a leather jacket, dangerous friends and long hair...this isn't like me.
"I want to meet them," Mom chirps, still looking at me funny.
Violet pulls her phone out and, after getting a nod from me, she taps out a message. While we wait, Dad stands next to me and asks, "How long have you been with them too?"
"Since January," I reply, thinking it's best not to tell them about the issues we've had. All they know is Violet was hurt on her hiking trip and spent some time at her mom’s. I never told them about Nate and Ellis.
Mom sucks in a breath and murmurs something about how long that is. Dad nods and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Alright. And all of you are one hundred percent aware of what is going on? There's no lying or cheating?"
"No, definitely not!" I'm immediately horrified by the thought of it. So much so that I don't hear Nate and Ellis entering the kitchen. "I love them. I love Violet. They love us together and separately. We're a family."
Violet's eyes are wide and her hand is up to her mouth like she's watching a soap opera, but she's not looking at me or my dad. She's looking past us, and immediately my heart leaps to my throat. Nate and Ellis stand a few feet away with theirmouths parted in surprise which quickly morphs into happiness and relief.
Nate clears his throat. "Mr. Murphy. Nice to meet you. I'm Nate and this is Ellis."
Ellis snaps out of his trance and shakes my dad's hand. I can hardly breathe. I just told them I love them for the first time in front of my parents. Nate looks like he's holding himself back from devouring me on the spot. Ellis looks ready to run giddy laps and I'm thinking Violet would join him.
"My goodness," my mom gushes, jumping from her chair. "This is the best day ever," she squeals and hugs both Nate and Ellis at the same time.
I think I'm going to pass out. Dad's smiling, telling Ellis to take a breath and shake out his hands. Pride blooms in my chest over the fact that my dad noticed Ellis' rising energy.
"Hey," Violet whispers. When I glance down, she's peering up at me with tears on her lashes and a smile on her lips. "I love you."
