Any Given Sunday (16 page)

shrugged lightly. “I don’t know. I’ve been with Justin and K for years now. I think my colleagues were probably a bit shocked at first when they realized I was living with two men. I have no doubt I was the subject of gossip for a while. However, human nature

always wins out in the end. Those who were appalled pulled away, and those who

were indifferent accepted it and ultimately forgot to be shocked. It hasn’t affected how I do my work, so my bosses don’t mention it.”

“Are your neighbors okay with it?”

Lily nodded. “We’re very good friends with our neighbors. Occasionally we babysit

for Jules.” Lily pointed to indicate Jules lived to the right. “She’s going through a tough divorce and sometimes she needs a break. Gonna be hard for her, raising three

rambunctious boys by herself, but that was a welcome alternative to doing it with an

abusive alcoholic.”

Lauren nodded. “And she’s okay leaving her kids here? How does she explain there

are two guys living with you?”

Lily laughed softly. “Her kids are all under the age of eight and I’m fairly certain

she doesn’t go into much detail about our sleeping arrangements. Besides, as I said,

they’re all boys and they love it here because they have two grown men to pitch them

baseballs, toss around a football and wrestle with. Those boys love Justin and K.

They’re kids, and kids tend to like adults who are genuinely nice.”

“Yeah,” Lauren said. “That’s true. And your family is okay with it? I mean, I know

Killian’s pop understands, but do your parents?”

Lily took a sip of her wine and frowned. “Do my parents understand?” Lily shook

her head. “No. I don’t think they do. However, they love me and so they’ve accepted it.

As I said, time has made things easier. Justin and Killian have gone with me to visit my folks and, well, what’s not to love about my guys? They golf with my dad, watch sports, hang out. My parents know I love Justin and K and as time passes, I think they’ve come to love them too. They’re part of the family now.”

Lauren sighed. Everything Lily said made sense, but there was one nagging concern

that wouldn’t let go. “No one has ever said this is wrong? Weird?”

Lily looked at her for a very long time before answering. “Yes, Lauren. There have

been some snide, rude comments, some hurtful remarks. I’ve learned to ignore them.

There are some people in the world who simply cannot accept anything that doesn’t fit 86

Any Given Sunday

into their perception of normal. But I love Justin and K, and they love me. When I

remember that, the cruel comments sort of lose their sting. Can I ask you a question?”

Lauren waited for the inevitable, nodding slowly.

“How long have you been sleeping with my brother and Sean?”

Lauren looked down at her wineglass. “Since Sunday.”

Lily laughed. “Funny. I would’ve thought the three of you would have given in to

your feelings a long time ago.”

“Nice to know I’ve been so good at hiding my feelings.” She was starting to feel like an open book to everyone she’d ever met.

Lily smiled kindly. “You’re actually better at hiding the vibes than Chad and Sean.

It was the way they acted around you tonight that clued me in to the fact the status quo had changed.”

Lauren couldn’t repress her true anxiety any longer. “I’m studying to be a

psychologist. So is Chad. Who’d come to see a doctor of mental health who was living

in a committed threesome?”

“I would,” Lily said. “I don’t want doctors who are perfect. I want doctors who are

human.”

Lauren blinked quickly as tears filled her eyes. Lily’s words flowed through her like salve on an open wound. “Really?”

“Lauren, I told you. My bosses know about my home life, but they also know I’m a

good employee and that I know my stuff. When all is said and done, that’s the bottom

line. Not how many bodies are in my bed at night. Is there anything else stopping you from continuing to explore this relationship?”

Lauren considered the question. She didn’t mention Sean’s feelings for Chad. She

knew that until those emotions were discussed and resolved, there
wasn’t
a relationship.

But that wasn’t her secret to reveal.

Instead, she lied. To Lily and to herself.

“Nothing’s holding us back,” she replied with a feigned smile. “Absolutely

nothing.”

God. If only that were true.

* * * * *

“Mother fucker,” Chad yelled. “What the hell is wrong with that goddamn goalie?”

Killian slammed his fist against the arm of his recliner. “Jesus Christ. They need to pull the inept asswipe outta the game.”

Sean glanced at Justin, who rose from his seat laughing. “Shit. This isn’t going to

end well. I’m gonna head outside and check the spark plugs on my truck. It was making a funny noise this afternoon.”

“Need any help?” Sean offered.

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“Sure. If you don’t mind. It’s cold as a witch’s tit out there.”

Sean looked over at Chad and Killian as they cursed the goalie, the coach, the refs

and pretty much every resident of New York City. It was a foregone conclusion his

wager was lost. “Cold sounds pretty good right about now.”

Justin hit the front porch light then rummaged around in the garage for some tools

and a flashlight. “Mind holding this so I can see what I’m doing?”

“No problem.”

Justin popped the hood and started digging around. Sean had been looking for a

way to pull Justin aside since they’d arrived for dinner. While he loved his brother, Sean knew this wasn’t a discussion he could have with Killian. Justin was the more

liberal-minded of the committed threesome and he hoped Justin could give him some

badly needed advice without freaking out over what he was about to reveal.

“Um, listen, Justin, I was hoping to have a chance to talk to you. I’ve sort of got a problem.”

Justin looked up. “Sure thing. What’s up?”

“When you and Killian and Lily are in bed—” Sean began.

Justin cut him off. “Jesus. You don’t need the sex talk, do you?”

Sean gave him an annoyed smirk. “Very funny. I’m twenty-four years old, asshole.

I’m pretty sure I know what goes where.”

Justin chuckled at his joke. “Just making sure. Continue.”

Sean swallowed heavily, wondering if talking to Justin was such a good idea. He

was too much like him. Too impulsive, with a wicked sense of humor. Maybe his advice

wouldn’t work on a regular guy like Chad. “Have you and Killian ever touched?”

Justin had been loosening a spark plug but paused in mid-twist at the question. He

put the tool down as his gaze traveled to Sean’s face. “Touched how?”

Sean shrugged. “Intentionally. Sexually.”

Justin leaned against the truck and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, that’s a

hard question to answer, Sean. I mean, obviously when we’re all in bed together, it’s inevitable that K and I are gonna bump into each other occasionally.”

“Bumping into each other isn’t intentional.”

Justin nodded. “You’re right. It’s not. No. We don’t touch.”

Sean fought the unexpected disappointment that washed through him. He wasn’t

sure why he’d needed to hear differently. Maybe he was looking for validation. If Justin and Killian touched, than there was no reason why he couldn’t touch Chad. Because

God help him, he’d never make it through another Sunday without touching him.

“Okay,” he answered weakly.

Sean was ready to change the subject but Justin didn’t seem content to let the

conversation die. “You slept with Chad and Lauren, didn’t you?”

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Any Given Sunday

Sean nodded. He was finding it hard to talk about this—a new experience for him.

Usually his life was an open book, especially with his family.

“And you wanted to touch Chad?”

Sean looked away. He couldn’t answer that question. He’d never said the words

aloud to anyone in his family.

He was bi. He’d known it forever. Usually he preferred women, but that didn’t

mean he hadn’t experimented with other guys. A few kisses, some touches, a couple of

quick blowjobs with a gay friend.

“Sean?”

He nodded quickly, hoping Justin would get the message without having to say the

actual words.

“I see.”

Sean turned to face him. “You’ve never wanted to touch K? Never?”

Justin shook his head. “No. We’re just not wired that way.” He quickly raised his

hands and imitated Seinfeld, a typical Justin habit. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

Sean laughed. Justin was an expert at breaking the tension.

“Does Chad know about this?”

“Fuck no,” Sean replied.

“Don’t you think he should?”

Sean ran a weary hand over his face. He’d spent four sleepless nights since Sunday

trying to figure out what he was supposed to do next. “I can’t…not again.”

Justin stood quiet for a long time. “Not again?”

Sean fell mute, refusing to reveal the ancient secret.

Justin seemed to understand his silence. “Okay. What if you planned a bit of a

sneak attack?”

“A what?”

“What if one night, in the middle of,” Justin waved his hands around, “doing it,

you just sort of snuck in a little kiss or touch or something?”

Sean laughed, long and loud. “I think that’s the worst advice anyone’s ever given

me.”

Justin grinned. “Maybe so, but it’s the best I’ve got. You’ve kinda thrown me for a

loop here, man.”

Sean put down the flashlight, tucking his hands under his arms for warmth. “Yeah

well, unfortunately it’s also the
only
advice I’ve gotten.”

“So you’re taking it?” Justin asked.

“God help me,” Sean sighed. “I think I am.”

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* * * * *

As the commercial break began, Killian relaxed in his recliner. “Tris is gonna gloat

over this one for a while.”

Chad agreed. “Yep. Asshole got you. Definitely sets him up for bragging rights.”

“Since you avoided the bet, I was thinking…what if I just give you my payoff

tonight? You could deliver it for me next time you’re at the pub.”

Chad laughed and shook his head. “No way. Chicken shit. You make the bet, you

pay the piper.”

Killian gave him a wounded look Chad knew was all show. “We’re practically

brothers, man. I’d take a bullet for you.”

Chad rolled his eyes, though the idea that Killian considered him a brother made

him feel better than he would have imagined. He’d always been jealous of Sean’s close relationship with his brothers. Much as Chad adored his sister, he’d always wanted a

brother growing up.

As he looked at Killian, Chad realized that was something else Sean had given

him—brothers. He certainly considered Sean a brother, and by extension, Killian, Tris and Ewan. Lily had added Justin to the mix.

“Yeah, well, much as I appreciate the sentiment, you’re gonna have to save that line

of bull for the next sucker. The ass-kicking Tris would give me if I deprived him of his gloating would feel worse than a bullet.”

Killian gave him a sullen hmpf, muttering, “You’re probably right,” before turning

back to the TV.

Chad glanced over his shoulder. He could hear Lauren and Lily chatting quietly in

the kitchen, and every now and then, their light laughter drifting out. He looked at the front door. Chances were good Justin and Sean would be in soon. It was freaking cold

and, busted truck or not, there was no way they’d stay outside much longer.

“Killian,” he said.

“Yeah.”

Chad ran his hand through his hair. “I was wondering something.”

“Yeah,” K repeated. “What?”

“When you and Justin and Lily told the family you were an item, what did your

pop say?”

Killian looked at him. “You know what he said. You were there.”

Chad shook his head. “No, I don’t mean what he said right away. I know your pop

and I know he pulled you aside at some point to talk to you alone. What did he really say?”

Killian grinned. “He caught me about a week later. J and I were celebrating sweet

Thursday at the pub. He pulled me upstairs to the apartment to look at some problem

he was having with a kitchen drawer.”

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Any Given Sunday

“Let me guess, no broken drawer.” Chad smiled. When Sean’s pop set his mind to

speak his piece, he could employ devious means to get his victim alone.

“’Course not,” Killian confirmed. “We get to the kitchen and he sits me down. Asks

me how things are with Lily and J.”

Since sleeping with Lauren and Sean, Chad had seriously started thinking about the

long-term. One of the main things holding him back was the reaction of their families.

His folks and Sean’s pop would no doubt take it better than Lauren’s parents because

they already had one working threesome in the family. Regardless of that fact, he was still nervous about announcing their unconventional relationship to the world. Part of him was hoping Killian would give him some excuse that would give him a justified

out.

Killian continued talking. “I told Pop things were great and then he asked me if I

was happy. Really happy.”

“That’s all he cares about, isn’t it?” Chad asked, wondering if there was a better

man on earth than Patrick Collins.

Killian nodded and smiled. “I told him I was in love with Lily and lucky enough to

be able to share the most beautiful woman on earth with my best friend.”

“What did he say to that?”

“Said what you just said. The only thing he ever wished for his kids was love and

health. Said if I was happy, he was happy.”