“I wantthis,” Trey said, his words low and guttural. His gaze shifted to her. “I want what we’ve got right now.”
Ava nodded her head so he would know she wanted that, too. But she didn’t say a word. Couldn’t.
“The three of us,” Trey clarified. “But I don’t wanna half-ass it. If I’m gonna do this, it’s all or nothin’.”
Magnus’s voice was trembling when he said, “Meanin’?”
Trey was silent for a moment, his gaze skimming over them both before he took a deep breath. “I wanna get married. I wanna have kids. I want the three of us to sleep under the same roof every night. In the same bed. I don’t even know if we’re on the same page there yet.”
Ava did move then. She reached for Trey, curling her hand under his arm and gently squeezing. “I am,” she admitted. “Wherever you two are, I’m right there with you.”
Trey’s eyes moved over her face, and she could see the fear lingering. Ever since he’d mentioned that he’d been married before, she’d wondered what had happened. And though she didn’t know the story, she got the feeling it had ended badly for Trey. It explained why he kept himself closed off, why he had pretended that what he had with Magnus was only temporary. He was scared to get his heart broken again.
“Then marry me, Trey,” Magnus said gruffly.
The hair on the back of Ava’s neck stood on end as excitement danced down her spine.
“I’ve been married before,” Trey blurted. “It didn’t work out so well for me.”
“I’m not Paul,” Magnus declared.
So that was his ex-husband’s name.
“You’re not.” Trey shook his head. “But you haven’t seen the side of me he said he hated.”
“What side is that?” Ava questioned.
“He called me clingy, said I expected too much because I didn’t want to live separate lives.”
“That doesn’t make you clingy,” Ava informed him, wishing she could punch that man in the mouth. How could he take Trey’s heart and throw it back at him like that? “It’s what the rest of the world calls love, Trey.”
His blue-gray eyes swirled with emotion as he stared between them.
“She’s right,” Magnus said tightly. “And Paul was a fuckin’ fool.”
Ava added, “Anyone who’d willingly let you walk away’s a fool, don’t you know that?”
Her teasing lightened the mood for a moment, then Magnus spoke again.
“I want this, too, Trey. Whatever that looks like for us, it’s what I want. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. As long as I’ve got the two of you…”
Ava squeezed his arm, fighting the tears that filled her eyes.
When she’d woken up this morning, she’d never imagined this was how it would go. They’d reached a good place, the three of them, and the only thing she’d anticipated was moving forward. She was willing to go as slow or as fast as they wanted. These days, the only plans she made were to live. And maybe to smile more. Years of trudging through each minute, hating everything about her life, had changed her.
And she’d long ago accepted she loved Magnus and Trey. She figured as long as her future had them in it, she would be fine. Better than fine, really. She was happy for the first time in her life, and that was more than enough.
“Marry me, Trey,” Magnus repeated.
Another chill tickled her skin as she waited for Trey to answer.
“Are you askin’? Or are you tellin’?” Trey grumbled, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.
“Either,” Magnus answered easily, his expression softening.
“Both,” Ava added.
“How the fuck did we go from lookin’ at land to plannin’ a weddin’?” Trey mumbled, his smile growing wider.
