Kristen and I both laugh.
We sit down and eat, and in spite of the confusing feelings I’ve got for the two of them, I can’t help but feel comfortable. Like I’m at home with them. Like I’m where I belong.
The food helps sober me up some, too, and by the time we’ve finished, I’m not much more than a little tipsy.
“Thanks, guys,” I tell them both as I finally push the plate away, stuffed, “I’m lucky to have such amazing friends. Can’t even spend one night sulking and being lonely," I laugh.
They both chuckle, but Kristen’s watching me. “You know, maybe while Judy’s with her grandma, the three of us should go out some. Let the two of us play wingman for you, set you up with someone,” she suggests.
I smile. It’s a kind offer, especially from her. I know she doesn’t like the typical “nightlife” scene much.
“Can I just clone one of you guys?” I sigh, “I’ve never met anyone in my life who I clicked with like the two of you.”
I realize a little too late that the words are more than just flattery; they’re a confession. Fuck. Maybe I’m still a little more tipsy than I thought.
I glance at them both, and to my surprise, they’re both blushing, and avoiding each other’s gazes. What’s that about?
I catch Joel’s eye first and his face turns even redder. “Sorry, did I…was that too much?” I ask.
“No,” they both say, then exchange a glance.
Joel stares at his girlfriend for a long moment, then sighs. “You’re not so bad, yourself,” Joel admits, “I uh, I’ll admit, I’ve been a little confused lately.”
Kristen’s eyes widen and at first, I’m expecting her to freak. To scream, cry, rage at him in jealousy. But she looks almost…relieved?
He looks at her again, and the two seem to share some psychic conversation before they turn back to me. “I thought I was crazy,” Kristen admits, “But especially since that moment in your kitchen with the wineglasses, I thought I felt something there.”
“And I’ve felt something since the beginning, I just didn’t understand it at first,” Joel admits.
“So what does all of it mean?” I ask, “What do we do?”
Chapter Seven
Kristen
WhatDOwe do?
I can’t think straight. My heart is pounding, and the whole world feels like it’s flipped on its head. Not only have I basically just outed my little crush on Stephen, but my boyfriend essentially just came out of the closet and admitted the same.
I try to process the information, but my brain feels like a bunch of gears trying to move through maple syrup, slogging and churning at a speed that even a snail would find embarrassing.
So when Joel looks at both of us and shrugs, smirking and suggesting that maybe we make the most of it and have a little fun, I can’t make heads or tails of what he means. He can’t possibly be suggesting-
But then he kisses me, really kisses me, with the kind of fierce passion he normally reserves for our bedroom, and I realize that he’s dead serious. He looks into my eyes. “If that’s something you want, I don’t want to push you into anything,” he murmurs.
All I can do is nod, I can’t piece together any kind of coherent sentence. We both look at Stephen, who looks just as shocked as I am. He lets out a little laugh of disbelief. “You’re not…you really want to-”
“Only if you do,” Joel says quickly, “If everyone’s on board, I mean…I’m in.”
“You don’t exactly have to twist my arm,” Stephen laughs.
They both look at me and my face flames. “Yes,” I whisper, sealing my fate.
Joel kisses me again, then turns to Stephen. The two men share a kiss that’s a little awkward at first, but gradually grows more confident, and all I can do is watch and let arousal overtake shock.
Stephen had mentioned in passing that he’d dated men before, and honestly I hadn’t thought much of it. But Joel? Joel had never once given me any inkling that he might lean that way. I never once suspected that he might be into men.
But the kiss they’re sharing definitely looks like he’s into it, especially when he starts to peel off Stephen’s clothes.