Better Together: Boys of Talbert Hall #3

by Ward, Quinn

  “They are,” I responded immediately. They were everything to me, which was part of why I was starting to worry about losing them. Every school break felt like another step closer to when they’d graduate, and that was something we couldn’t ignore much longer.

  “It sounds like you have your answer. So, am I taking the next exit or are we still heading to Zach's house?” Jayden tapped his fingers against the steering wheel.

  “I should probably give them a heads up though, right? I thought about surprising them, but that could be too much for Zach right now.”

  “Then text Daniel and let him know what’s going on,” Jayden suggested. “Remember, go with your gut. Getting insecure, all of a sudden, isn't going to do this relationship any favors. Communication is important in any relationship, but even more when there are three of you involved. If Daniel says it’s not a good idea to show up, then we’ll turn around. And you can't get jealous or feel left out. It’s not about you, it’s about Zach, and he needs to know you’re doing whatever is best for him, even if that means worrying about him from Mom and Dad’s.”

  I slumped back in the seat. It would've been easier to argue with Jayden if his words hadn't struck so close. I was the one who insisted on always talking about whatever we were feeling, and now I was the one holding back.

  They'd asked, several times, if I was okay with the two of them heading to Zack's dad's for Thanksgiving while I headed home, and I’d sworn that it was fine. And it was. Mostly. I hadn't anticipated how difficult it would be, thinking about the two of them spending the holiday together without me.

  But this was real life. It would never be easy for us to figure out where we were spending our time, and this was likely to be the first of many times when we couldn't all be together. At some point, it was entirely possible that Zach and I, or Daniel and I, would be together and someone else would be left out.

  “I hate you sometimes,” I complained, kicking the back of Jayden’s seat. “Why do you have to make sense?”

  “Just telling it like I see it. You're a good guy, Colin. And even though I'll probably never understand what you see in them, anyone who's seen you with Zach and Daniel knows how good the three of you are together. I'm not going to let you screw that up.”

  “Thanks.”

  I pulled my phone out of my pocket and stared at the screen, trying to figure out what to say. Finally, I settled with a simple question.

  Are you guys still at his dad's?

  Daniel's response was almost immediate. Yeah. I’m hiding out in Zach’s room.

  That didn't sound good at all. Why are you hiding?

  Daniel: Zach and his dad are still talking.

  Still? Are you sure everything’s okay?

  Daniel: I haven't heard any screaming, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

  Why don't you go check on them?

  Daniel: Because I told Zach I would give him and his dad some time.

  I bet it's boring sitting there all by yourself.

  Daniel: Not really. I’ve been snooping around, trying to figure out what Zach was like as a kid.

  Find anything fun?

  Daniel: No. So far, it looks like he was pretty boring.

  That's not a nice thing to say.

  Daniel: If you were here, you'd understand.

  My heart be faster.

  Funny you should say that…

  Daniel's response was a single question mark.

  I took a picture of the road sign welcoming us to Linwood, sending it without any commentary.

  I wasn't surprised when my phone rang. “Hey. That didn’t take you long.”

  “What the hell are you doing? I thought you were going home with your brother and Jayden.” Not exactly the response I’d been hoping for.

  “Well, hello to you, too,” I teased. “There's been a change of plans. Unless you tell me, it would be a horrible idea, I realized I don't want to be away from you guys this weekend. Maybe it'll be easier by Christmas, but after I started driving Jayden crazy, he turned the car around and said he was delivering me to you guys, so he doesn't have to deal with me.”

  “You are such a liar,” Jayden scoffed. I flipped him off.

  “What about your parents? Are they going to be upset?”

  “No, my mom would be more upset knowing I was there instead of taking care of Zach.” I cringed as soon as the words passed my lips. It sounded like I didn’t trust Daniel to help Zach through whatever happened, which was far from the truth. Daniel was amazing, but I wanted to be there, too.

  “I'm not so sure he is going to need to be taken care of,” Daniel responded. “Things feel oddly calm around here.”

  “Does that mean I shouldn’t come? I don’t want to rock the boat.” I clenched my eyes shut and swallowed hard. I swore I wasn't going to be clingy, but apparently that was a bad habit I still needed to work on.

  “Of course, we want you here,” Daniel scoffed. “But I don’t think it’s worth having your parents pissed off, either. Seriously, things are going better than expected. I know you said your mom would want you here for Zach, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t be disappointed if you’re not there with her.”

  Neither of us said anything for a while. I worried that whatever I said would come across as whiny and weak, and Jayden was right; they were looking to me to be strong. I closed my eyes while I thought about the best way to approach the situation. I didn’t want my brother and Jayden upset for having wasted a good chunk of the day when they could have dropped me off and gone to do their own thing.

  The car rolled to a stop and I opened my eyes. My heart broke as I took in the sight of a house that wasn’t any better maintained than Zach’s relationship with his dad. The front porch slanted to one side, looking like a stiff wind could rip it apart. The lawn, covered in a dusting of snow from earlier, was overgrown, and what might have been flower beds at one point, was nothing but dead weeds sticking out of the ground.

  “You’re here, aren’t you?” Daniel asked. I startled, nearly dropping the phone. I’d been so distracted by the reality of Zach’s less-than-fairytale home life that I’d forgotten Daniel was trying to convince me I didn’t need to change my plans.

  “Yeah, we just pulled up outside.” I saw the curtains in an upstairs window flutter, and then Daniel pulled them to the side. I waved to him, curling in on myself with sudden embarrassment about how I’d overreacted. “If this is going to cause problems for Zach, let me know now. I'm sure Jayden and Chase will forgive me for wasting half their day. Eventually.”

  “No, you're already here. Might as well see for yourself that he's not falling apart.” The silence across line dragged on long enough, I thought Daniel might have hung up. But he was still standing in the window, phone held to his ear. “I’m sorry about how I reacted when you said you were coming. I really do miss you already. This is just a weird situation. I don't want any of our families pissed off for the holidays.”

  “I think that's one thing we can all agree on. But maybe we can talk about it face-to-face instead?” I suggested. Watching one another as we talked on the phone was creepy. It felt like he was locked away and I had snuck over to see him. “Why don’t you come downstairs to let me in?”

  “Yeah. But how are we handling this? I don't know what he and his dad are doing, and I don't want any problems,” he told me. “I’m pretty sure his dad suspects that he and I are more than friends, but it’s going to look weird if even more guys show up when Zach said he’s never had friends hanging out at his place.”

  “For now, I'm cool with just being a buddy. We can say I wanted to stop by and say hey to Zach on my way home,” I suggested. “Friends do that when they all head off to different colleges, right?”

  “I don't know if you noticed, but Linwood isn't exactly a booming metropolis. His dad’s going to know you aren’t a local.”

  “You're getting caught up in the details, Daniel,” I scolded him. “Just open the damn door and we'll go from there.”<
br />
  As I hung up, the front door opened. There was no way in hell that was Daniel, unless he'd figured out the secret to teleportation. My breath caught in my throat as Zach stepped outside. His eyes went wide, and the man I had to assume was his dad plowed into his back, both of them stumbling forward.

  Zach took off at a sprint, whipping open my car door. “What in the hell are you doing here?” he asked as he grabbed my hand and pulled me to him. I was stunned by his reaction. I nearly crumbled to the ground when he threw his arms around me, burying his face in my neck. “I thought you were going to your parents. Why are you here? Is everything okay?”

  “I was about to ask you the same thing,” I choked out. “I was so damn worried about how things were going for you, and then Jayden and Chase thought it might be a good idea for us to turn around so I could spend a little more time with you guys. But it looks like you’ve got everything under control here.”

  “We do, but I'm so glad you're here.” Zach hugged me tighter, pressing kisses into my neck. “You’re not going to believe everything that's happened. Even Daniel doesn’t know yet.”

  “Then you can tell us together,” I suggested when I noticed Daniel tentatively step out of the house. I held out a hand, inviting him closer. That was when I realized what was happening. I pried Zach's arms away from me and took a step back. “This isn't going to cause any trouble, is it? This isn't exactly the way roommates greet one another.”

  “I know. And that's what I wanted to tell you guys. I came out to my dad. Well, I'm not sure it counts as coming out because he confronted me and I didn't deny it,” he rambled. “I was so damn scared, Colin, but I knew I couldn’t lie about the two of you. You said you’d give me as much time as I needed, but I couldn’t do it. I hated pretending you and Daniel don’t mean the fucking world to me. So yeah, I sort of came out.”

  “You said the words, and that's all that matters,” I reassured him. “So, which one of us does he think is your boyfriend? It's going to look awfully funny to him if we’re practically making out on the front lawn and you already told him you and Daniel were a couple.”

  “No, that's what I'm trying to tell you. He knows everything.” My knees went weak at the huge smile on Zach’s face. I was so used to half-smiles that didn’t reach his eyes, seeing him truly happy stole my breath. I wrapped my arms tighter around him, whispering praise in his ear.

  “He does?” Daniel took a step closer, placing his hand at the center of Zach's back. “Is that why you been downstairs for so long?”

  “That's part of it,” Zach admitted. “You guys aren't going to believe everything we talked about. We have a lot of work to do to fix things, but I don't have to pretend to be someone I'm not with him. I never did, but I didn’t realize that. And he feels like shit because… Well, some of the stuff he told me, but I’m still not even sure what to say about all of it.”

  “Don't beat yourself up,” I told him. “It sounds like maybe you weren't the only person keeping secrets. The important thing is, now you can get things back on the right track and maybe have a relationship with him without the hard feelings.”

  “Yeah. Yeah, we can. And I can’t wait for him to meet you.” Zach wrapped one arm around each of us and we hugged tightly until someone clear their throat behind us. Zach stepped away but didn't let go of the grip he had on each of our shirts. “Dad, this is Colin. He's the other one I was telling you about. Colin, this is my dad, Philip.”

  Zach's dad rubbed his palm over his cheek, watching us through narrowed eyes. His expression was devoid of emotion, leaving my mind swirling with what he might be thinking.

  Finally, he gave a curt nod. “Good to meet you, Colin.” I took his outstretched hand, fulling expecting him to try to squeeze my fingers tight enough they hurt. Based on what we’d been told about Philip so far, I’d prepared myself for toxic posturing, but was relieved to come back with my fingers still in one piece. He shook his head, then smirked. “I still don't get how more than a couple can make a relationship work, but I'm going to try. I know you boys probably heard a lot about me. I'd ashamed to admit, most of it’s likely true, but give me time. I'm promising now, that while I didn't do my boy any favors, I’d like the opportunity to make up for that. With all of you.”

  “As far as I'm concerned, as long as you can respect that both of us love your son very much, the past can stay where it belongs,” I promised him. The corner of Zach’s mouth lifted in the faintest hint of a smile. I looked directly into his eyes as I continued. “Everybody makes mistakes. The important thing is that you never stop growing and do your best to be a better person. I've never been as proud of anyone as I am of you right now.”

  “It’s cold out here, and I’m sure you boys have had a long morning. Let’s head inside and get something to eat.” He looked to Jayden and Chase, who were still sitting in the car. “You, too. No one’s leaving until you have a full stomach.”

  “It’s fine, Sir,” Jayden told him. I wondered if they were in a hurry to leave because Philip had a hand in Zach being a complete dick for most of the time he and Jayden had known each other. I hoped not, but I wouldn’t blame them if that was the case. Over time, things would settle. “Chase’s family is waiting for us, and his mom’s already going to be disappointed that Colin’s not with us.”

  “Chase is my older brother,” I explained when I noticed Philip trying to figure out why Chase’s family would be upset if I wasn’t there.

  “True as that may be, you won’t do anyone any good if you don’t take a break and eat something,” his dad argued. “Colin can call home and explain that I won’t let you leave on an empty stomach, and he’ll apologize for his delay. I don’t need the boys here all weekend. They can take my car so he can still see your family, too.”

  “You’d be okay with that?” Zach seemed stunned by his dad’s change in attitude. I couldn’t say I blamed him. Whatever they’d talked about, he’d gone from fearing his dad learning he was gay to having the man making arrangements for us to split the holidays between our families.

  “It’s only right. As long as they’re okay with two extra boys part of the weekend, it’s the way it should be,” Philip insisted. “Besides, if these two eat like you, I’ll be bankrupt having to feed all of you.”

  “But what about the store?” Zach protested. “You always want me there, helping you get everything set up for the holiday sales.”

  “Don’t need you there if you’ve got somewhere more important to be.” Philip hitched a thumb over his shoulder. “Now, let’s eat so these boys can get back on the road.”

  The three of us walked across the yard hand-in-hand, with Jayden and Chase following. Daniel was right; he and Zach would've been just fine if I had continued on to my family's house, but I was glad I’d listened to my brother and Jayden. This was an important day for Zach, and I would have regretted missing out on it.

  By the time Jayden and Chase left, I’d made plans with Mom for us to join them late Friday. I couldn't wait to introduce these men to my family. With any luck, this was the first of many holidays we'd have to juggle, and I couldn't imagine anyone else I'd rather spend them with.

  * * *

  The boys can’t live in Talbert Hall forever. Sign up for Quinn’s newsletter to claim your copy of Off Campus, a bonus scene to find out what happens when Zach and Daniel graduate.

  * * *

  It’s nearly time for DeSires to open! Don’t miss the grand reopening of Annandale’s kinkiest club of all! Maverick’s about to take the biggest leap of his life. Can he prove to the grumpy bouncer that there’s more to him than a pretty package? Find out in Dressed in Desire.

  * * *

  If you jumped right in with Better Together, make sure you check out Rooming Together to find out how Jayden learned his new roommate’s biggest secret.

  Want More of Annandale?

  The fictional town of Annandale currently has four running series. While there is overlap between the different settings, the
books can be read in any order!

  Marino’s - Mama was definitely shocked to learn all of her sons were kinky in one way or another, but she’s proud of the men who are running the family restaurant.

  Club 83 - Eli’s worked hard to build a welcoming bar for the LGBTQ+ community. These daddies and boys will work their way into your kinky little heart.

  The Lodge - As Jayden so astutely pointed out, The Lodge is like a mullet: it’s innocent (enough) in the front, but the party is most definitely in the rear. So far, we’ve only seen the sweeter side, but there will definitely be a trip to The Back Deck in the future.

  Talbert Hall - Rooming Together is the first book set in the kinkiest residence hall on campus. It’s a known fact that those who thrive in Talbert don’t fit in well other places.

  A Note From Quinn

  If you enjoyed Better Together, I would love it if you let your friends know so they can experience the relationship of Colin, Daniel, and Zach as well! As with all of my books, I have enabled lending on all platforms in which it is allowed to make it easy to share with a friend. If you leave a review for Better Together on the site from which you purchased the book, Goodreads or your own blog, I would love to read it! Email me the link at quinn@quinnwardwrites.com

  You can stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and sales by joining my newsletter or readers’ group.

  Sign up for Quinn’s newsletter to claim your free bonus scene!

  Quinn-tessential Readers on Facebook

  About Quinn Ward

  Quinn Ward is a zamboni-driving, hockey-loving parent of two kids who are pretty okay most of the time.