I stare at my phone as a sly smile curves on my lips. Looking over at Julian, I hand him my phone with the text showing on the screen. Julian leans over on the couch, pausing the foot rub he’s giving me, and smirks.
“What do you want to do, babe?” he asks, running a hand along my bare calf.
It’s the first night we’ve had together in almost a week. Julian is reading some art magazine, and I’m curled up with my newest romance book in paperback. This one is interesting, though, because the heroine falls in love with three men, not just one. Stella had pitched it to me as something calledwhy choose,which is a genre entirely new to me.
Setting my book down, I pull my lower lip between my teeth. “I don’t know. On the one hand, if I say I want to see him, thenwe don’t get a night together. But, on the other hand… I really want to see him. And that makes me feel guilty.”
Julian sighs, setting his magazine down on the coffee table and pulling me onto his lap. “Soph, if we’re really going to do this with him in earnest, then perhaps we should stop thinking aboutusversushim.If you want to see him, don’t feel guilty for admitting it. That’s not how I want this dynamic to work, you know? We should be open, communicate, and let go of what we should be feeling. Because this whole thing isn’t traditional anyway, so fuck what anyone thinks, right? Plus, I’m not going anywhere. Nothing is beingtaken away.Kai just adds to the dynamic.”
I grin as I nuzzle into his chest. He always knows exactly what to say.
“You’re right. And I do want to see him.”
I feel Julian smile as he kisses the side of my head. “I want to see him, too.”
He hands me my phone, and I type out a quick response.
Of course. We’re both here. :)
Climbing off Julian’s lap, I look down at my leggings and tank top. My hair is in a loose ponytail, and I don’t have a lick of makeup on my face.
“Should I change?” I ask Julian, who’s wearing trousers and a soft, light gray jumper.
He shakes his head. “You always look great, pet.”
My phone buzzes.
Malakai
Okay, just grabbed a taxi. Be there in ten.
Excitement courses through me, and I do my best to tidy up the living room as Julian helps. We’d ordered sushi earlier, so I recycle the containers and wipe the countertops off.
“Feels a bit like a first date,” Julian says, opening the bin for me to dispose of the rest of the rubbish lying around.
I huff a laugh as I finish washing my hands. “Feels a bit like a booty call to me.”
My husband walks over to me, pressing his chest to my back. His hands slide around my waist, lips brushing against my ear.
“Well, maybe it’s both. But either way, I’m not complaining.”
Shivers work down my spine as my phone buzzes, and when I look down, I see my doorbell app notifying us that Kai is here.
“I’ll get the door,” Julian says, walking away.
I watch him go, barefoot and casual, and… happy. There’s been a noticeable lightness to him these past few weeks, like something heavy has shifted. And I know exactly when it started.
It’s not just Kai’s company that’s made the difference. It’s also everything he’s been part of. For example, when I picked up the shop keys on Tuesday, I should’ve felt overwhelmed. I mean… what expertise did I have to run a bookstore? However, instead of freaking out, I felt almost excited—because I wasn’t doing it alone. Kai had agreed to help with the renovations without hesitation, and knowing he’d be there to help me made the whole process feel a lot less daunting.
Perhaps that’s why I’ve been smiling more, too. It’s not just about the shop or the repairs—it’s him.
As Julian opens the door, I can hear Kai’s low voice greeting him. The idea of him coming over makes me feel like I’ve been dipped into a warm bath, and I lean against the kitchen counter for a moment, giving myself a minute to let it all sink in.
The thought of the shop finally coming together fills me with a sense of pride, sure, but it’s the memory of how Kai hadimmediately volunteered to help with the shop that warms me from the inside.
The memory of waking up between them, and how we spent all day together watching movies and cuddling up on the couch. It’s soeasywith him. He so seamlessly fits into our life that it’s starting to feel like he was always here.
And for the first time in a long time, everything feels… right. Not perfect, but right. Like the puzzle pieces of my life are finally starting to click into place.
