Driving back to the city, I had to use the GPS to find the place. I wasn’t familiar with Petra’s neighborhood, but I was pleased to see she didn’t live in a shit hole. There were coffee shops and clothing stores, a few drug stores, and even a Walmart. I parked on the street and locked up my vehicle. You couldn’t be too safe in the city.
Cory and Donovan were already there when I walked in, sitting in the back with a bowl of peanuts in the middle of the table. Patrick was suspiciously absent. I looked at Petra, astonished when she got up out of her chair to give me a hug.
I hadn’t realized we were on a hugging basis, but maybe that was just because Patrick was always with us. Petra’s body molded to mine so naturally, I almost forgot we were in a crowded bar. Her hands went around my shoulders, rubbing up and down my back for a brief moment. I closed my eyes, just enjoying the sensation. There wasn’t anything overtly sexual about it, but it wasn’t entirely friendly either. Our energy combined into something better, more spectacular than either of us alone.
I let my palm rest against the small of her back, dismayed when it came to an end so quickly. Petra grinned, taking her seat again. I chose the empty one, glancing at my co-conspirators. Cory didn’t look pissed that I had just moved in on his territory. And Donovan didn’t seem to mind, either. It was almost as if we were all on equal footing when it came to Petra. She was quite obviously the chair of this particular meeting, and it showed.
“Would you like to order?” she asked politely.
“Yes,” I said. “Have you ordered?”
“No,” Donovan said. “We were waiting for you.”
I signaled to the waiter, and he arrived a moment later. I didn’t have to look at a menu to know what they served. It was a pub, I figured they would have sandwiches and chips. “I’ll take a Reuben and a Brown Ale.”
“I’ll have a ham and cheese,” Cory said.
“And to drink?” the waiter asked.
“A water.”
“May I have a chicken salad with dressing on the side?” Petra ordered. “And I’ll have a beer please.”
“Very good,” the waiter approved.
Donovan placed his order as well and a moment later, the waiter returned with our drinks.
“Where’s Patrick?” I asked.
“I wanted to talk to you guys alone,” Petra admitted. “It’s really our project, not his.”
I wondered if she meant the bakery or something else. She had that friend who dated three guys at once. Was that an option here? Could we share her love between us like we shared the investment business? The more I thought about it, the more rational it seemed. I wouldn’t have to be jealous of Cory or shut out in the cold just because he was making love to Petra. We could all have a turn and live happily ever after as one big family.