Attempting to cross my arms makes me look like a dumbass, because Caid is still holding my hand, so I opt for the next best thing. I prop my free hand on my hip and give Ry my best “what the actual fuck” face that confuses him enough that he glances at Caid for help. The man holding my hand knows whose side he’s on, because he shakes his head, signaling the charming hazel-eyed man is on his own.
When Ry turns back to me, I accuse, “What was that? Every man for himself? We almost died.”
Ry looks over my shoulder to the table we were occupying, only to wince adorably when he witnesses the carnage that is still in full swing. When those warm eyes fall back to me, I almost melt. Almost. I’m still trying to rationalize everything in my mind while avoiding the fact that it was entirely of my own doing, my mind too occupied to be suckered by the handsome devil doing his best to look apologetic.
“Okay, in my defense, there were only, what, five of them when I left?” he argues, a sprinkle of amusement infiltrating his eyes as he gazes down at me. “How did a single nacho chip bring that chaos?”
I shake my head, eyes unfocusing as I stare into the distance, replaying the hellish few minutes I spent thinking I was going to die at the feathers of a seagull at a food festival at a park near a beach. Honestly, let me walk up all of the apartment stairs again, because that is a far more humane way to go.
With a whisper that tells tales of my haunted past, I mutter, “It all happened so fast.”
“Oh my God,” Caiden snickers, squeezing my hand and drawing me back to the now.
Ryan is grinning at me like I amuse him, which is actually really nice, and then he asks, “Would it help to know I didn’t abandon you for selfish reasons? I was replacing the food I spilled—”
“The food that actually caused the tragedy I just endured,” I interrupt.
He goes on without a hiccup, “—and I got distracted with the other trucks we didn’t try. I was going to bring it over.”
Oh. Well, now I feel like an ass.
Ryan laughs at the face I pull, waving his hand as though he knew I was readying myself to apologize for thinking he turned his back on us in our time of need. “I can see how it would look like I ran for the hills. I probably should have mentioned what I was doing before doing it, but I needed a second to regain some badass points after startling from a bird.”
I purse my lips to stop from smiling, because that’s actually hella cute. It makes it all the sweeter that he was gathering more delicacies, and I damn near hand over my heart right then and there.
Instead, I propose, “Do we have any objections to rebuying all that we lost before heading somewhere where there are no aviated twats? Home doesn’t have aviated twats, but it has a TV, blankets, and safety if you guys want to watch a movie and pig out.”
“I’m down for that. Movies and chill sounds like a dope way to spend the rest of the day. What say you, Ry?” Caid asks, tugging me closer until he can wrap his arm around my waist, growing more and more comfortable with being touchy-feely after our little chat in my bedroom earlier.
Ry looks around for a moment before he nods. “I’m good with that. Everywhere we went to first is still serving, so why don’t we divide and conquer? Maddie can stay away from the section with the loitering birds.”
“I’m good with that,” I snort, eyeing the winged parasites with every ounce of disgust I possess. “Meet back up at the fountain?”
Both guys nod before we split up, and I smile as I watch them go, enjoying the full feeling in my chest. There have been plenty of times in my life where I’ve been happy to the point of delirium, but there has never been a time where that happiness has been accompanied by the rightness and warmth I feel when I remember this is real. Four men chose me, despite my chaos, despite the drama. They want to be with me, and there’s a sense of surrealism that comes with knowing I’ve bagged four gorgeous, sweet, kind, and warmhearted men who like me exactly as I am.
So, with a pep in my step, I go about gathering the food we lost while they do the same. By the time we head home, the car is filled with far too many containers, too many smells, and a whole lot of food that could almost feed a village.
Not even half of it is consumed by the end of the night, all three of us gorging until we fall asleep in various positions around the living room, the remainder of the food stored in the fridge for the next movie-and-chill night we plan for after work the next day. And with Caiden’s head in my lap and Ryan’s warmth beside me, I etch another day into my memory as one of the best I’ve had in a long time, even if I almost died in the process.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Maddie
Monday rolls around pretty quickly, my wake-up routine flying by in a rush while I get ready for the day, running late after staying awake too late watching horror movies with Caid and Ryan. Thankfully, Ryan decided to tag along to work with me, bringing two cups of delicious coffee and his charming smile that relaxes me better than a Xanax would.
After parting ways at the lounge, me offering him a quick wave after he drops a brief kiss to my cheek, I delve straight into my first shoot of the day. It’s an easy shoot, a campaign for a popular jeans brand where I’m blessed with photographing three beautiful and sweet actresses who’ve been made the ambassadors of the brand for the season.
By the time I catch a break, Ryan is busy on the phone, and I decide not to interrupt. Instead, I head to my office and snack on a fruit cup Zeke brings me before sitting in the chair behind my desk. Jolie is seated beside him, searching through her planner, while Gretchen lounges on the couch near the door with her nose stuck in her tablet, each of us searching for the perfect time to book two whole weeks off for a vacation I didn’t want.
“I mean, we can always shuffle bookings around, right?” Zeke asks, scanning his laptop screen intently and shaking his head.
Jolie shrugs. “Shouldn’t be much of an issue so long as we rebook with enough time in advance.”
“And we need to make sure our schedules line up. If Maddie isn’t here, then there’s no need for us to be here, too, right? I mean, we’re her assistants, so what do we do if there’s noMaddie to assist? We’re spare parts, and if the machine is away, then surely our presence isn’t needed, either. Right?” Gretchen wonders in a flowing rush of words without a single stutter, peering over at me over her tablet.
I already know what she’s doing, amused by her efforts, and I smirk as I shake my head slowly.
“Nice try, Gee, but you and I both know there’s plenty for you all to do while I’m away,” I say, watching as she slumps in her seat after I dash her hopes and dreams of getting a free vacation. Sadly for her and the others, they don’t need me here to be busy. Since they often plan shoots well before their bookings, doing plenty of research and building concepts based on my original plans, there’s too much work for all four of us to take a vacation.
