Chapter Twelve
“What time areyou meeting Richard today?” Bryce asks me from his side of the kitchenisland.
“One o’clock,” I answer, before taking a bite of mytoast.
“Where? I’ll drop you off, pick youup.”
“You can come if you want. I’m sure Richard would love to meetyou.”
Bryce considers me a moment. “You sure? I don’t want tointrude.”
“Intrude? What’s going on?” Hudson asks, stepping into the room. Max follows behind. Both look equally gorgeous with their messed-up hair and sleepysmiles.
“Bryce is dropping me off to meet Richard for lunch. I just asked if he wants to come too. You’re all welcome to join me,” I say, my cheeks colouring a little. Even though Richard is not my dad and they’re not my boyfriends, it feels like I am asking them to meet my father for the first time. It’s an oddfeeling.
“Totally. I’m up for it,” Max says, giving me a hug before pouring himself a cup of coffee. “I’d like to thank the man who’s looked out for you these last few years. He sounds like a goodbloke.”
“He is,” I say. “Hudson, Bryce, would you like to come too?” I look at them both. Hudson looks undecided. Bryce nods hishead.
“Of course, but I hope he’s openminded.”
“Open-minded?” I ask,frowning.
“Yes, meeting all three of yourboyfriends.”
I choke on my tea. “Boyfriends?” Isqueak.
“What would you call us then?” Bryce asks. “I mean, frankly, you can call me whatever you like, but I guess that’s the acceptableterminology.”
Noticing the look on my face, Bryce walks around the island, stopping in front of me. “Louisa, you’re my girlfriend. You are the only woman I want to spend my time with, it’s as simple as that,really.”
“I…” My heart does a stupid flip-flop and I find that I’ve lost all control of my faculties. Did Bryce just say that I’m his girlfriend? That Max and Hudson are my boyfriendstoo?
“I can get down on one knee if that’s what it will take for me to show you I mean it…” he says, about to benddown.
“One knee? No, shit, don’t do that,” I say, feeling both panicked and stupidly happy at the sametime.
He laughs. “Okay, perhaps that’s a bit too much rightnow.”
Right now? Oh, my giddy heart. I shake my head from the rogue thought of being their wife, which of course is entirely against the law and would make me abigamist.
Bryce holds his hands out to me. “This is me. Louisa, I am offering myself to you. Will you be my girlfriend?” he asks. There is a hint of trepidation in his voice and I find my own throat constricting. There really is only oneanswer.
“Yes,” I say. Bryce pulls me into his arms and I find myself melting into his touch. His heart beats wildly, I can hear it pounding beneath myear.
“Hey, put Louisa down,” Max says with a light laugh. “There’s something I want to saytoo.”
“Go ahead, bro,” Bryce says, steppingback.
Max grins at me. His smile is infectious. I can’t help but smileback.
“Icy, you are a fucking miracle. I want nothing more than to call you my girlfriend.Ourgirlfriend. Bryce and Hud are my family. I want you to be my family too. Will you be my girlfriend?” Maxasks.
“Hmm,” I say, tapping my finger against mycheek.
For a second, Max’s facedrops.
“Of course I will,” I respond with a delightedlaugh.