“You don’t?”
“I don’t care either way.” I roll my eyes, irritated with his answers.
“So,” Ollie elongates the word, “you’re upset Laura.” Ollie nods his head quickly, looking left and right before pulling out of the parking spot.
Milo makes a loud snort. “She’s pissed because I kissed you.” He folds his arms over his chest, but it makes the front seat uncomfortably tight. So, he settles his left arm on the back of the seat behind me instead.
“I’m not pissed because you kissed him, and he kissed you back, by the way.” I watch Milo for a reaction. A ticking in his jaw is his only response. “I’m pissed because you both acted like there wasn’t anything between you, even when I knew there was.” It’s my turn to cross my arms. I stare out the front window, waiting for them totry todeny it.
Ollie takes his eyes off the road to look at me. “I never told you there wasn’t anything between us.” I let my mind wander back all those weeks ago to when I had accused Dante of being a shitty boyfriend, to when I thought Ollie and Milo were a couple.
“You told me it wasn’t like that between you. I remember, because I felt like a total jerk for embarrassing Milo.”
“Yeah, I said it wasn’t like that. What I meant was that we weren’t exclusive. You were acting like I was cheating on him. And I wasn’t. Especially not with you. You’re what holds us all together.” Ollie seems almost mystified that he’s explaining this to me.
Feeling slightly indignant, I bluster, “Well you practically said you were a virgin, never really got close to anyone.”My snarl is directed at Milo this time.
“I am.” His eyes widen as his chin tips toward me.
The burn of regret tightens my throat. I feel my eyesbegin towater. I’m frustrated, with them, myself, and most of all, I’m embarrassed that I’m apparently clueless. Did I misunderstand them, ordid they mean to mislead me back then? Milo acted likehe was mortified when I thought he and Ollie were together. I shake my head, unable to wrap my head around how wrong I was.
Ollie sighs, then turns the car off the busy city street and into a shopping mall parking lot. He coasts the car into one of the outer spots, away from any other cars, and eases it intopark. Dropping his hands from the wheel, he angles his body to face me. “I might have let you believe what you wanted in the beginning,” he admits.
“We thought it was best,” Milo chimes in from the other side of me. I don’t like not being able to see both of them. But I don’t think this is a conversation for a parking lot either.
Pinching my temples between my fingers, the fading evening light dims as my hand covers my eyes. “You were already having a hard time with Delaney and Mia. Wedecided to wait and see if you were okay with us.” Ollie lifts his hand and gestures to Milo.
“And what if I wasn’t?” I snap.
Ollie’s eyes go above my head, and he looks over at Milo with a sad smile turning up the corners of his lips. “Then we wouldn’t have ever touched each other like that again,” he divulges.
I see how much that would have affected him, but because we’re bonded, I can also feel the absolute truth to his statement. “I knew that wouldn’t be the case though.” Ollie grabs my hand and laces our fingers together.
“I didn’t,” Milo confesses, drawing my attention. I lift my right hand and lay it over his. He watches our hands tangle together before meeting my eyes. “I was afraid of you finding out. I thought it might change the way you feel about me… us,” he amends.
The car falls quiet while I think about their motives, and if they reallydid lie. Once I’ve gathered my thoughts, I squeeze both of their hands. “I understand. Itprobably would have been hard for me back then, notfor the reasonsyou’re thinking though. You guys have always had this amazing connection. All four of you, but you two more than the others.” I swivel back and forth, looking between thetwo of them.
“Iprobably would have pushed you both away. Inever would have been able to compete with the connection you share. I would have given up before even trying,” I admit, feeling guilty for my feelings. I wouldn’t have pushed them away so they could be together, no, I was too selfish for that.
“You don’t have to compete Laura. Not with us, it’s notlike choosing between one or the other. We’ve always told you our Infinity is different. There isn’t anyone who hasfeelings for someone that isn’t in the pairing.It took us a long time to realize that we love each other because weare paired too. Not in the same way we are to you, but there’s something between us. I accepted it a long time ago. He’s still fighting it, if you ask me.” Ollie bumps my shoulder, talking about Milo.
Milo huffs, I can almost hear his eyes roll.
“Ares and Dante, they know right?” I pull our hands so they’re folded together over my thighs.
“Yeah, we really don’t keep secrets from each other.” Milo’s face goes sheepish when I raise my brows at him. “Not anymore,” he amends.
Chapter 10
Turns out we didn’t pull into the parking lot just so we could have a real conversation. Shortly after our talk, Milo directed us to a small restaurant a few doors down from the grocery store. As soon as the door opened, I knew I was in for some good food. The smell of onions and green peppers was heavy in the air, along with spicy herbs. A cutebrunette hustled past us with a tray held aloft with one hand, and the sizzle of fajitas leaving a wake behind her. “Grab a seat, I’ll be right with you.”
We find a small table near a window with paper menus already folded behind the napkin holder. Milo hands oneto methe moment we sit down, not bothering to grab one himself. “Come here often?” I ask, unfolding paper to check out my options.
“A few times,” he responds. “The street tacos are amazing.”
“What else have you had?”
“Me, nothing. But Ollie likes the wet burrito and Dante usually orders half the menu. He never complains, but then he rarely does about food as long as it’s edible.”
