by Sophie Stern
“It’s so amazing. I thought the view from my apartment was good,” she chuckles. “But this is incredible.”
“Where in Morris do you live?” I ask.
“29th Street and Pearl Avenue,” she says. “Do you know it?”
“Yeah, that’s actually really close to where our offices are.”
“Oh really?” She asks, looking back up at me. “Where do you and Keagan work?”
“We own our own company,” I tell her. “McQuaid Technologies.”
A flicker of recognition flashes over her face and then Melody goes completely pale.
“Are you okay?” I ask her, grabbing her shoulder to steady her. Suddenly, she looks like she’s going to faint. “What’s wrong? Melody?”
“I, um…fuck.” She pulls away from me and goes to the couch, where she quickly sits and drops her head in her hands. “Shit,” she groans.
“What’s the matter?” Keagan asks, coming into the room. He sets down the mugs of cocoa he’s carrying and quickly hurries to Melody’s side. “What is it?”
“I work there,” she finally gets out. “Fuck. Am I fired? I really can’t be fired. I just paid off my student loans and I really need to start saving up so I can buy a house and I mean I have a little bit of savings but I really need this job, and I’m good at it, and-”
“Melody,” I cut her off, crossing the room and dropping to my knees in front of her. “Calm down.”
“Why would you be fired?” Keagan looks as confused as I am.
“Because you’re the owners of a multi-million dollar company,” she looks surprised at my words, like she can’t fathom why we’re being so calm.
“I don’t really know what you’re talking about,” I explain. “Why would we fire you because you work for us?”
“Because we had sex,” she says. “We had dirty, nasty, freaky sex. Is that the kind of behavior you want from your employees?” Her eyes go wide. “Probably not, I bet. You probably want employees who can behave themselves, who know how to be decent and good. You don’t want people working for you who are dirty, naughty freaks.”
“I’m pretty sure we’re just as dirty as you, love.” Keagan’s eyes twinkle.
“Dirtier,” I agree. “Shall we just fire ourselves, then?”
“You aren’t…you aren’t mad?” She asks. “I swear I didn’t know who you were when I got stuck outside of your cabin. This wasn’t an elaborate ruse to get a promotion or anything.”
Keagan and I erupt with laughter. That’s what Melody is worried about? She’s worried we’ll think she came up with a ridiculous plan to get a promotion? Not only are Keagan and I not directly in charge of sales, we also have so many people working for us we likely never would have realized who she was unless she directly told us. We haven’t even met most of our distract managers. That’s how set apart we are from the rest of the company, especially the call center.
“Don’t worry, love. I don’t think you planned an accidental snowstorm.”
“Don’t forget the boulder blocking the road,” Keagan adds.
“And I don’t think you planted the boulder.”
Melody looks up at us, her eyes bright. Even now, even when she’s worried, she’s still so darn beautiful.
“I didn’t,” she says very seriously. Keagan grabs the cocoa and sits next to Melody. Then I sit down on the opposite side of her.
“We know, baby,” Keagan kisses her cheek before offering her a steaming cup of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows.
“Just the way I like it,” she says with a contended sigh.
“We know,” I kiss her nose and wonder if it makes me a bad person that I don’t want the roads to be cleared. I don’t want that boulder moved. I don’t want any of that. All I want is to stay here with Keagan and Melody and let the world pass us by.
All I want is an eternity with these two people who make me feel more complete than I’ve ever felt in my life.
All I want is for this moment to never end.
12
Melody
Keagan, Eli, and I spend an entire day making love, cooking, and drinking cocoa by the never-ending fire. While Keagan and Eli are not, as they keep reminding me, lumberjacks, they certainly know how to swing their axes and they are both expert wood-gatherers. Several times, they make trips to the little woodshed beside the cabin which seems to be fully stocked with small logs that are perfect for keeping the fire going.
By the time evening rolls around, I’m completely wrapped up in the fantasy that’s unfolded around me.
I’m not dumb.
As much as I think I am, I know that in my heart, I’m not naïve. Not anymore. So there are no expectations that tomorrow, they’re going to ask to date me or see me again. That simply won’t happen.
And that’s okay.
There’s no cell service at the cabin due to the tall mountains, but the break from social media, texting, and phone calls has been nice. It’s been a nice reprieve, a nice change. It’s been a good way for me to silently recharge my batteries, so to speak. It’s been a nice way for me to just focus on me.
It’s been a good vacation.
That’s the problem with trips, though: they always come to an end, and for me, that end is tomorrow morning.
Monday.
Keagan used the landline to check when the roads would be clear and was given an estimation of 9:00 tonight. I offered to leave as soon as the roads are open, but Keagan and Eli both asked me to wait until tomorrow when I’ll have sunlight on my side. Driving in the mountains is pretty tough in the dark. Add in icy patches, and it can be deadly.
Part of me wants to save my pride and just go tonight. That way, I won’t have to spend one more wonderful night beside them. That way, I won’t have to spend one more magical evening wrapped in their arms. I can go now and spend all night crying alone in my tiny apartment so I’ll be ready to face the day tomorrow. I won’t walk into work with my eyes all swollen and my hair a mess. I can walk into the office a woman who had a lovely weekend, but who accepts that it’s over.
That’s me.
I’m that woman.
Only, the offer to stay is just too tempting, and against my better judgment, I give in and agree to spend one more day nestled between them. Only this time, when we go to bed, we don’t make love right away. We don’t spend hours fucking or kissing. Instead, we cuddle up and we talk about everything.
I tell them all about my childhood and they talk about theirs. Keagan wanted to be a fireman when he grew up and Eli wanted to be a cowboy. They compromised when they decided to start their own business. A portion of their proceeds go to a fireman’s fund they set up to help men and women who are injured in the line of duty. Similarly, they set up a rodeo scholarship for cowboys and cowgirls who want to do what they love but go to college, too. This way, they can start their own businesses and launch their own careers while still participating in rodeo sports.
Part of me feels jealous of their relationship. Mandy and I have never been close. Even when we were girls, there was this huge divide between us that held us apart. She was always interested in the Barbies and I wanted the baby dolls. She wanted makeup and men and I wanted books. Despite the fact that we’re close in age, we never had any sort of relationship resembling what Keagan and Eli have.
To be honest, I never knew a sibling relationship could be like this, could be so wonderful. Until this week, the idea of having kids hasn’t crossed my mind, but now I wonder how fantastic it would be to have kids who could bond the way Eli and Keagan have bonded. How fantastic would it be to have kids who love to play outside and explore and just be themselves?
I can only imagine.
I don’t think for long because soon my eyes grow heavy and I drift off into a restful sleep filled with wedding bells and grooms, and when I wake up, I realize I’m in way over my head.
13
Melody
“Good morning, darling,” Keagan hands me a steaming cup of coffee.
“We all have to get an early start.”
“No telling how much traffic there’s gonna be after that storm,” Eli agrees, entering the room. He’s toweling his hair and his beard after a quick shower, and I sort of hate how pretty he is. Men shouldn’t be allowed to be quite this beautiful. They should have to be dark and broody. Their eyes shouldn’t light up an entire room.
“What are you thinking right now?” Keagan asks, watching my eyes.
“It’s not fair how pretty you both are,” I say, and they chuckle before pinning me to the kitchen island and kissing me from both sides. Keagan sucks on my neck and bites me while Eli claims my mouth, reminding me once more just how much I’m going to miss these two guys. The McQuaid brothers might have walked into my life on accident, but I’m never going to forget the weekend we’ve shared together.
I’m never going to forget how they made me feel or how they made my heart soar.
There’s that old saying that all good things must come to an end, but somehow, knowing the truth of the words doesn’t make me feel any better.
“I won’t lie,” Keagan says. “I’ve never been accused of being pretty before.”
“Nor I,” Eli adds.
“You’re both beautiful,” I assure them, and we continue our make out session for a few more minutes. Then, sadly, it really is time to get going. We shower together and dress. I don’t have back-up clothes, but Eli washed my outfit from Saturday for me, so I have something clean to wear to work. I don’t think I’m going to have time to go by my apartment, so my reunion clothes will have to do.
I fix my hair and apply a little bit of makeup, thankful I kept spare mascara in my purse, and then it’s time to go.
It’s time to say goodbye.
And I will not cry.
I can’t.
Keagan and Eli walk me out to my car, which seems to be in good condition despite being buried in snow for a couple of days. Apparently, one of the guys got up early and scraped my windows and cleared the snow off the car, so it’s ready to go. The boulder is still blocking the road, so I’ll have to retrace my steps and take another road home.
That’s fine.
It’ll give me a few more minutes to get my thoughts together before I have to be at work.
“I had a wonderful weekend,” I say.
“We want to see you again,” Eli tells me.
“What?” I must have heard him wrong.
“Have dinner with us tonight,” Keagan says, nodding.
“You guys, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I shake my head. This couldn’t work. It could never work. They’re incredible and rich and handsome and fun. They’re interesting and smart and amazing, and me?
I’m just me.
I’m just normal.
I’m just plain ol’ Melody.
I don’t really think I have anything to offer guys like Keagan and Eli, but they aren’t about to let me get away with that sort of thinking. They aren’t going to let me sabotage our relationship before it even starts. They aren’t going to let my insecurities be the reason we don’t even try.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Eli says plainly.
“I do, too,” Keagan agrees.
They surround me, getting close to me, kissing my cheeks in the cool air. When they’re this close, I can’t think straight. I can’t make rational decisions. When they’re this close, all I can do is give in to the way they make me feel.
And what they make me feel is fucking sexy, amazing.
“It’s such a bad idea,” I say, but my words sound hollow, even to me.
“Why? Why is it a bad idea, Melody? And you better be specific, baby, because I can’t think of a single damn reason you shouldn’t eat dinner with us. It’s just one meal. Just one.” Eli strokes my cheek and I groan. I’m wet again, already ready for them again, already wanting them again.
I’m already thinking of what it would be like to finish a long day at work and come home to them, to come home to a wonderful meal with two great men, but I still surprise myself when I open my mouth and the word that comes out is “yes.”
Yes.
Yes, I will give them a shot.
Yes, I will give us a try.
Yes, I will get out of my comfort zone for these two amazing men.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
14
Melody
As soon as I’m out of the mountains and in Morris, my phone goes crazy. Because I didn’t have cell service all weekend, I didn’t get a single text or phone call, but they’re all coming through now: loud and clear.
Great.
I know right away who the calls are from. I know right away who sent me messages and I have a pretty good idea of what they say, so I don’t rush to open them. Is that wrong? Probably. I don’t really care because I’m on Cloud Nine right now and I don’t want anything to ruin that.
I made my decision.
I walked away from my family and chose myself. I chose my future. I chose these incredible men and now? Now I’m choosing to keep moving forward.
Somehow, I manage to navigate the remaining patches of ice on the roads and make it in to work. I probably should have asked Keagan and Eli if I could just follow them into town, but they’re working out of a different office than usual today and don’t have to leave until later, so I’m on my own right now. That’s okay. It’s a good chance for me to think about everything that’s happened and everything that’s going to happen.
It’s a good chance for me to take a moment and breathe.
I walk into the office with a smile on my face.
“Hey,” Carmen, my assistant, comes up to me. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“I was stuck in the mountains all weekend,” I tell her. “I didn’t have cell service.”
“Yeah, well, that’s kind of an issue because your mother has been calling for two days and giving everyone mad shit. I threatened to call the cops on her and she stopped, but something tells me the reprieve won’t last long.”
“What?” My face pales. She wouldn’t. My business? She’s going after my place of business? The look on Carmen’s face tells me that it absolutely, definitely is for real. This is really happening and I need to do something about it and fast.
“I’ll handle this,” I tell her. I drop my stuff off in my cubicle. Our office is big, but it’s important for me to be on the floor as much as possible. With 30 representatives in our office, it’s vital that I’m available when questions or concerns come up.
The first thing I do is unlock my phone and look at my missed calls and messages.
47 missed calls. Not that bad. They’re all from my mother and Mandy.
Then there are the texts. I open the first few, but then I just do a mass delete and remove all of their texts. There’s no reason for me to put myself through that today. Not right now. No thank you.
With a deep breath, I steel myself. Then I pick up my office extension and dial my mother’s number. I know it by heart; there’s no need to look it up. She answers on the first ring and begins screaming expletives. I wait patiently for her to stop and then I speak.
“Mother,” I say. “You might be interested to hear that I was stranded in a snowstorm all weekend, but instead of considering I might be in trouble or hurt, you simply assumed I am, what was it you said in your texts? Oh yes, a ‘rabid bitch.’”
“You-”
She starts again, but I cut her off. This ends now. I’m a new woman and I’m pursuing a new life with new men. Somehow, knowing Keagan and Eli believe in me and have my back makes this a little easier. Somehow, knowing I have something to go to after this makes it easier.
Standing up for myself on Saturday was difficult. Hard. Devastating.
Today, standing up for myself is much easier.
“If you call my office again, I will file harassment charges and have you arrested.
Do not contact me again. Our relationship is over, effective immediately.”
Then I hang up the phone.
A million thoughts race through my head, but most of all, I feel an overwhelming sense of peace. This is it. It’s over.
It’s finally completely over.
I shoot out a message to my employees and let them know to reroute any calls from my mother to me, but that they most likely won’t be hearing from her again. I also apologize for her behavior and for anyone who was hurt by her. Then, in a gesture of goodwill, I order pizza for the entire office for lunch today. Even if people are annoyed with my family drama and unprofessionalism, at least they’ll have pizza.
It’s hard to be mad when you’re eating an extra-cheesy double pepperoni pizza.
It’s hard to be mad when you’re in love.
There’s no telling where things will go with Keagan and Eli. There’s no way to predict whether we’ll settle into a happy ménage relationship and live this fairytale life together. Who knows if those things ever exist?
But I do know that I’m braver now, and happier now, and more hopeful now, and I do know that I’m ready to take a chance now.
And I’m ready to take a chance on them, on us.
Monday flies by and when I get home, I’m more than ready for dinner with my men, with my guys. It’s strange to think that just a few days ago, I was a woman who didn’t have anything going for her. I was a woman who was struggling to be loved, who was struggling to give love. I was struggling to find my own self-identity.
And now?
Now the only thing I’m struggling is to find the self-control to make it to dinner without masturbating ahead of time because just thinking of Eli and Keagan gets me excited and wet. Just thinking of all the naughty things they’re going to do to me turns me on more than I can imagine.
Just thinking about all the ways we’re going to spend time together brings me peace, brings me comfort.
And for the first time in a very long time, I believe that the future is bright and filled with hope, and everything is going to be okay.