Marcus snorted again.
Reese pivoted and stalked toward the pool, his back prickling with the certainty that at least two sets of eyes were on his ass. He couldn’t unclench his butt muscles to save his life. He reached the edge of the pool, raised his right hand above his head, middle finger lifted in salute, and dove into the water.
The relief was instant, and not just because he was no longer the subject of so much scrutiny. One lap and the restlessness under his skin was gone. Ten and his mind was blank, his anxiety and worries forgotten. He didn’t even notice when Mati and David departed for the gym. He swam for thirty minutes before hopping out and dressing quickly.
He was pleased to find the yoga studio empty and no longer hotter than the surface of the sun. He turned to Marcus. “I’d like to make a phone call and would like privacy.” He gestured through the plate glass windows. “Is this okay?”
Marcus surveyed the empty studio. “Yeah, just stay where I can see you.”
Reese went in, closed the door, and dialed Rupert.
“What the bloody hell do you mean there’s a man?”
“That’s an interesting way to answer your phone,” Reese observed.
Rupert made several very rude noises before finally managing, “Yes, hello, Reese, my old friend. How nice to hear from you when it’s not a vague middle-of-the-night text.”
Reese laughed. “Don’t be rude. And it’s good to hear from you, too. I’m sorry it took me a while to call. How are things in Moncton? How are the kids?”
Rupert growled.
Perhaps Reese had pushed his luck far enough. “Yes, there’s a man,” he said. “His name is David.”
“So you mentioned. And you want to…what? Do his taxes? Sell him a car? You’re going to need to explain, or my imagination will do it for you,” Rupert warned.
“Your imagination might not be that far off.”
That was met with silence, then, “Use your words, Reese.”
Reese had never lamented Rupert becoming a father until now. He took a deep breath. “Mati and I met David when we arrived here. He’s a friend of Chance’s. And…I’m attracted to him.Veryattracted...”
Rupert let out a huff of laughter. “That’s great. Amazing, really,” he added, perhaps sounding a littletooincredulous. Then he asked, in a far gentler voice, “Are you okay?”
Reese had known Rupert would get it. How big it was. But Reese didn’t expect to be overwhelmed by the concern in Rupert’s voice. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he said, clearing his throat when his voice came out hoarse. “Mati being here has made it…easier.”
“She’s your rock.”
Most people would say that was Rupert, actually. “Yeah, she’s great.”
“And she’s been encouraging you?” Rupert asked.
The memory of coming in his own pants popped into Reese’s mind. “You could say that.”
“I know you don’t like to talk about it,” Rupert began carefully, “but you’ve had feelings for her for ages, and now she’s witnessing all this. That must be strange for you.”
Witnessingwas one word for it. “Actually, it’s…the three of us? Mati knows how I feel now.”
There was a long pause. “What the fuck.”
“Your own sister-in-law is in a similar relationship,” Reese pointed out.
“My sister-in-law and her partners are notyou.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’ve spent the better part of five years pretending you didn’t want to tear your clothes off every time Mati came into the room, and now you’re telling me you’ve raced off to Boston—which is unlike you—confessed your feelings for her—which you’ve resisted doing for years—discovered you’re, in fact, bisexual—which I’ve been trying to get you to consider for more than a decade, you inveterate flirt—and now you and your prim assistant Matilda, are embarking on some kind of threesome fling?”
“Well, when you put it like that…” Reese muttered. He hated the term “fling”, which was idiotic, since that wasexactlywhat this was.
