by K Webster
Mia gasps. “Drew! This is your heart. You can’t ignore it when something is wrong. We could’ve lost you.”
My gaze swings over at her glassy eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“In that case, we’re going to up the dosage. Our initial thought was that you were undermedicated, which can happen. We’re going to keep you here one more night and run some tests, but as long as everything looks okay, you can go home tomorrow. Make sure you follow up with your cardiologist and try to avoid stress as much as possible.”
“Thanks, Doc. Will do.”
With a smile and a nod, he excuses himself, leaving the four of us alone. I’m not sure what the hell to say, but I can’t stand the silence, so I speak up.
“Did I miss anything important while I was out?”
Ashton snorts. Brayden growls. Mia giggles.
“I called my dad,” Mia says. “I was hoping he could fix you.” She frowns and I move my hand out of Brayden’s to cup her cheek.
“I know how hard that must’ve been for you.”
“He showed up. Told me he’s divorcing my mom.” She shrugs. “Apologized.” Her eyes meet mine. “Told me you called him.”
Fuck, I should’ve told her. I did it out of anger one night after she cried herself to sleep, not understanding why she’s not enough.
“Thank you,” she says, smiling. “I’ve never had anyone stand up for me until you three.”
“Are you guys okay now?” As much as I despise the man for choosing his bitchy wife over his daughter, I know Mia would love to have a relationship with him.
“No, but I think maybe one day we will be.”
I lean over and kiss her forehead. “I’m glad.”
“Mom and Dad know about Ben,” Brayden says, shocking the hell out of me.
“They know… everything?”
“Yeah, they said he was sick for years. Refused to let me take the blame.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “You were a damn good brother and he died knowing that.”
Brayden nods in agreement.
“My dad kicked Travis’s conniving, psycho ass back to Ohio,” Ashton remarks. “Sasha the sorority bitch is the one who videoed us the night of the Halloween party, then she gave it to Travis, who shared it with the entire campus.”
Ashton clears his throat. “I knew about the video, but I thought I could handle it. I’m sorry.” He drops his gaze, and I squeeze his hand.
“The entire situation sucks,” I tell him. “Don’t blame yourself for that shit. What’s done is done.”
“I’ve brought breakfast,” the nurse announces, walking in with a tray of food. She sets it down. “I’ll be back later to run some tests the doctor ordered. Until then, eat and rest.” She winks at the four of us, and I laugh that she knows about us and seems okay with it.
The rest of the day is spent with us talking about nothing of consequence. I know it’s because none of them want to address the elephant in the room—me leaving—or risk stressing me out. Occasionally I’m wheeled out for tests, and when I return, they’re still there waiting for me.
Molly and Tim stop by to check on me, and so do Curtis and Wendy. When nighttime rolls around, I insist the three of them go home and sleep in an actual bed, but they refuse, Ashton and Mia taking the couch and Brayden crashing on the pull-out reclining chair.
Maybe it’s because I’ve technically been sleeping for days, but hours after they fall asleep, I’m still awake, wondering how the hell I’m going to leave them.
“Home sweet home,” Ashton says as we walk into the apartment. The doctor came by this morning, and after giving me my new prescription, discharged me. Since the three of them all came in Ashton’s car, we piled into it to go home.
Fuck, home. I need to make a new flight reservation. When I asked the doctor if it was okay to fly, and he said yes, I could feel all three of their glares on me, but I ignored them, thanking him.
The first thing I notice when we get inside is the Christmas tree we decorated. Then I remember tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Our first Christmas. Mia walks over and turns it on and it comes to life. Beautiful multicolored lights with big colorful ornaments. She was never allowed to decorate her own tree growing up, so she insisted we pick everything out. My eyes land on the snow angel ornament. The one Brayden picked out in memory of Ben. The snowman, to symbolize our weekend away at the snow resort. The book for Mia. The hockey puck for Bray and me. The M&M for Ashton. Every ornament means something. My heart clenches in my chest. We’ve only been together for a short period of time, but we’ve already created so many memories. Can I do this? Leave all of the memories—and the people I’ve created them with—behind?
It’s to protect them, I remind myself.
I step into my room, with the three of them on my heels, and see my duffle bag on the bed. I pick it up and set it on the dresser, knowing we’re going to have to have this conversation sooner rather than later.
“I’m leaving,” I tell them, turning around and leaning against the dresser.
“Cool,” Ashton says. “Where are we going?”
“What?” I splutter in confusion. “No. I’m leaving.” My gaze bounces between the three of them. “My stroke and heart attack don’t change what happened. A video circulated around campus of the four of us dancing… of Brayden kissing me.”
“You’re right,” Brayden says. “Your stroke and heart attack don’t change what happened, but the four of us being together changes everything. If you leave, so do we. It will suck leaving with only one semester left of college, but…”
“But we don’t give a fuck,” Ashton finishes, “because this relationship is more important than anything else.”
“I’m only a semester in.” Mia shrugs nonchalantly. “I can transfer anywhere. Where are we going? I hear Colorado is nice this time of year. Oh! Or we could go to Florida, enjoy the sunshine. I’m not really sure about this whole snow shit.”
Ashton snorts and Brayden chuckles.
“You guys…” I’m at a loss for words. These three have become my entire world, but I can’t let them do this. I can’t allow them to fuck up their futures for me. “Maybe after you graduate.” I look at Ashton. “And you get drafted.” My eyes go to Brayden.
“Nope,” they both say in unison.
“We don’t care who knows we’re all together,” Brayden says, stepping over to me. “You’re ours and we’re yours and anyone who gives a shit can go fuck themselves.” He kisses my lips and my heart soars. I’ve missed his touch so much.
“Agreed,” Mia says, walking over to me. “I’ve seen way more scandalous shit in Hollywood.” She kisses my cheek, but when her lips linger, I turn my face, connecting our mouths for a few too short moments. She tastes so good. Like sweetness and comfort.
“So, what’ll it be?” Ashton asks, joining the three of us. “Are we staying or leaving?” Like them, he kisses me as well. On my neck, his tongue darting out and quickly licking my flesh. My dick stirs, and I let out a low groan.
For a long minute, I look between them, all willing to face the fire with me. Because of their love for me. They’re right. Our love is the most important thing and if they’re willing to put everything on the line to be together then I need to fight with them, not against them.
“Leaving,” I tell them. “In six months when we find out where Brayden’s getting drafted.”
“If I get drafted,” Brayden points out.
“You will,” I assure him. “You’re too talented not to.”
“I’m down,” Ashton says. “I can continue school anywhere. It’ll be nice to have a fresh start out of this town.”
“Me too,” Mia adds. “I don’t care where I am as long as I’m with you three.”
“Then it’s settled,” Ashton says. “In six months we’re the fuck out of here.” He glances over at Brayden. “Try to get picked up somewhere fun, like Miami or New York.”
Brayden rolls his eyes. “If I get picked up, I won’t have a choice.”
“Whatever.” Ashton shrugs. “Let’s go watch one of those cheesy Christmas movies Mia loves so much. I’ll make us all some hot chocolate, extra marshmallows.”
“You love those movies too!” Mia slaps Ashton on the arm as he walks out of the room. “I saw you shed a tear when we watched the one with Santa’s daughter.”
“Bullshit,” Ashton argues. “I had something in my eye.”
Brayden, Mia, and I sit close to each other on the couch. Brayden takes my hand in his and brings it up to his lips to kiss it, while Mia drops her head against my shoulder, surfing the channels to find a movie. A few minutes later, Ashton comes over carrying mugs of hot chocolate. He drops onto the couch next to Mia and throws her feet over his legs. I look around and know there’s no way I ever could’ve left these three. Even if I had run the other day, I wouldn’t have lasted without them. They’re my lifelines, a part of me, and I’m the same to them.
I couldn’t survive without them by my side.
I almost didn’t.
Seven Months Later
“Do I season both sides?” I ask Dad, my phone trapped between my ear and my shoulder. “Not gonna lie. It looks like shit. I’m probably going to poison everyone.”
Dad laughs. “It’s raw meat. Of course it looks like shit. Season both sides and let it sit in the marinade for an hour or so. Make sure your grill is nice and hot. You’ve got this.”
When you live with three other people who also don’t know how to cook very well, you have to step up your lessons and fast. Ashton and Drew make a pretty damn good breakfast. Mia and I usually handle dinners using Mom and Dad as our emergency help hotline. Somehow, we’re adulting when it comes to cooking meals.
“Okay,” I say after I season the other sides of the steaks. “We’re good to go. Tell Mom I love her.”
“She sends her love. We both do. Take care of the kids for us.”
I laugh and we both say bye as two strong arms wrap around me from behind.
Drew.
Warm. Strong. Intense.
I never take his embraces for granted. Not anymore. Each one feels like a gift. Now that he’s doing great, having adjusted to a higher dosage of medication, he’s the same ol’ Drew we know and love.
“Can you grab my phone so I can wash my hands?” I ask, trying not to get distracted by the dick pressed against the back of my swim trunks.
He kisses the back of my neck and then sets the phone down on the counter. While I wash my hands, Drew puts the meat back in the fridge.
“It’s boring out there without you. Ashton’s being Ashton and Mia’s sunbathing,” Drew tells me, grabbing my hand and tugging me to him. “At least you’ll play with me.”
I smirk at him, loving the lust glimmering in his gaze. “We’ll convince them to play with us.”
We walk to the back door, hand in hand. Our new house is fucking amazing. Drew technically bought it, but we all pitched in in some way. Because I got drafted to the Minnesota Arctic Lions, I had a nice chunk of cash to buy us some furniture to fill this big-ass house. Ashton poured his money into gaming consoles and televisions, naturally. And Mia? That girl custom ordered us a monster of a bed for our bedroom.
It’s home.
Our home.
And we’re all here. No one left behind.
As we step out into the backyard, I find Ashton and Mia doing as Drew said. She’s in a tiny yellow bikini that barely covers her and he’s flying through our pool like the dolphin he is, swimming laps. Drew lets go of my hand to grab us a couple of beers from the outdoor fridge. After he pops the tabs, he hands one to me.
“I like it here,” I tell him, tipping my beer at him. “What about you?”
“Hell yeah.”
We drink our beers, enjoying the hot June weather in our backyard. Since it’s summer, we get to enjoy ourselves a bit. I have my obligations for summer training and press meets for the Arctic Lions, but my schedule won’t get intense for a few more months. Mia enrolled in the local university to finish her undergraduate degree, already taking some summer classes. Ashton says he’s not doing shit until the fall, but he’s also enrolled, for his master’s. Drew easily got picked up as the head hockey coach at the high school one town over. Everything just fell into place when I got drafted. And, like they vowed, they each picked up their lives to come with me.
“She looks hot, yeah?” I say, setting my beer down.
“Very hot. What kind of boyfriends would we be if we didn’t cool her off?”
We share a mischievous look as we abandon our beers to sneak up on our girl. Her giant sunglasses take up half her face and she has a serene smile on her face. Not for long. Drew prowls up behind her while I head for her feet. Like we’ve practiced it a thousand times, he grabs her hands while I grab her feet.
“Ashton!” she shrieks. “Help!
Laughing, Drew and I pick her up from her lawn chair, carrying her out to the edge of the pool.
“Do not throw me in, assholes!” she bellows. “I just dried my hair like thirty minutes ago!”
“Looks like you’re gonna have to dry it again, MiMi,” Ashton says to her, cracking up. “Toss my girl here!”
“Don’t encourage them!” Her words are drowned out by a scream when we toss her into the pool. She sinks and then comes up thrashing, her dark hair plastered to her face. “Assholes!”
Drew dives in and I cannonball right next to her to splash her again. She tries to kick me under the water to no avail. I wrap my arms around her waist, popping out of the water to grin up at her.
“Love you, babe,” I say, flashing her my most innocent smile. “I was trying to cool you off.”
She rolls her eyes but threads her fingers in my hair to press a kiss to my lips. “Love you too.”
Her legs wrap around my waist as I carry her into the deep end where Drew is playfully grinding into Ashton from behind. They’re both laughing and then it ends with them trying to drown each other.
“Why does Drew even try when we’re in the water?” Mia asks. “It’s like a rubber duck trying to play chicken with a shark. Ashton can hold his breath longer than the three of us combined.”
Sure enough, it ends with Drew giving up, sputtering out water. Once they’re done horsing around, Mia swims over to Drew to baby him. I grab the front of Ashton’s swim trunks, hauling him to me for a kiss. We’re in a heated battle of tongues when a basketball lands in the water beside us with a splash.
Ashton pulls away from our kiss to grab the ball. “I already told you two,” he hollers at our neighbor Eric. “It’s a foursome, not a sixsome. Sixsomes don’t exist.”
Eric climbs over the fence, shaking his head. “Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I’m trying to get my husband to join your orgy shit.”
Ashton laughs and throws the ball at him. “Tell Byron that. I see the way he checks out my boyfriend’s ass.” He shrugs. “Both of them, in fact.”
“You’re a dick. And here I thought the bigoted assholes who lived here before were a problem.”
“Where is Byron anyway?” Mia asks. “We bought enough steaks for you guys to come to dinner.”
“He’s still at the office, but he’ll be home soon.” Eric sits down on one of the loungers. “I pulled out some ground turkey for spaghetti, but Byron isn’t as sold on the diet as I am. He’ll probably race me over here for steak. I need to grab a shower. When are you cooking?”
“We’ll start the grill in about an hour. Seven?” I say, pulling Ashton to me and kissing the side of his neck. “You know we’re shit when it comes to cooking. Maybe bring a salad or something.”
Eric laughs. “I can do that.”
“Any more problems out of your other neighbor?” Drew asks, his tone growing serious.
“Nah, she’s outnumbered now.” He chuckles. “At least we were a normal gay couple ‘bringing down the value of the neighborhood.’ The four of you showed up a couple of weeks ago and really stirred shit up.”
“I tol
d Ms. Greenwood if she has a problem with gays, she should move to… oh, that’s right. Everywhere she goes, there will be gay people.” Ashton shrugs. “She didn’t like that.”
“At least she’s leaving us alone,” Eric says. “The only bright side of your riff-raff assess moving in next door.”
“You love us,” Mia teases. “Your dog does at least.”
“Cinnamon loves anyone who feeds her scraps. Thanks to you, little girl, she shit all over Byron’s laptop bag.” He shakes his head, but he’s smiling. “You guys are all right, I guess. I just use you for a distraction to get Ms. Greenwood off my nutsack and Byron uses you for the steak. We’re hardly friends, definitely not love, and we’ll never be an addition to your fucked-up orgy situation.”
We all laugh. Eric is gruff, but he’s funny. And as much as he likes to give us shit, he’s a cool guy who really is thankful we moved in next door. The neighborhood we got our house in is full of older people who aren’t as welcoming to what they don’t consider traditional relationships. But, since we’re us, we moved right in, not hiding a damn thing. When Eric and Byron walked over, we were tense and ready for battle, but they seemed relieved to finally have potential friends in the neighborhood.
“We only put up with you because Byron is cool as hell,” Ashton taunts. “You’re just the eye candy.”
Eric flips him off before tossing his basketball back over the fence. “See you assholes at seven.”
Once he climbs over the fence, we go back to horsing around. Mia tries to escape, but we never let her. Living with three guys must be hard. She doesn’t complain too much.
“You’re tipsy,” I tease, smacking Mia’s ass as I carry her down the hall to our bedroom. “When you’re tipsy you always want anal. You just weren’t supposed to announce that over dinner.”
She cackles. “Shouldn’t have kept making me margaritas. It’s all your fault.”
I carry her into our bathroom that has a massive shower. Our needs for a house were different than most homebuyers. We needed a huge master bedroom and bath. The guest rooms could be small for our offices, but we all wanted to share a bedroom. Once I get the water started, I strip Mia down for a quick shower since she practically made out with Cinnamon all night. I was glad when they finally left and took that yapping dog home.