Page 81 of Rough Fantasy

He said nothing but turned around to find something on the TV.

“I don’t know if I can do that.”

His heart sank. The only hope he had at the start of this was that somehow they might all make it through the week and maybe they could keep it going. He thought it was a long shot until he saw the way Rory and Maura had interacted. Every time the three of them made love that connection seemed to grow stronger. He had been hoping against hope that they would end up together in the end. The interaction he’d seen this morning at the breakfast table had reinforced the idea that Rory was falling for her. There was only one thing that could be keeping Rory from committing.

“You’re afraid.”

“No.” He stood up and threw the remote control down on the couch. “That’s not it.”

Zeke watched the man he’d loved more than ten years struggle. He hurt for him, but Zeke was also glad for it.

“Do you want to elaborate?”

Rory’s frown turned darker and the look he shot Zeke told him he was trying to think of ways of killing him. It made Zeke want to dance.

“I don’t know how I’m going to give her up,” he said, the words seeming to explode from somewhere deep inside him. Rory was good at hiding his feelings but he held onto them so tightly that there was always an explosion of some sort.

Zeke’s heart stood up and cheered.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Zeke put the last of the plates into the dishwasher. Then started in on the skillet. “What was supposed to happen? Just a few fucks and then walk away. I told you it wouldn’t be easy with her. It never is.”

Rory let out a frustrated growl. “I can’t deal with this right now.”

Zeke said nothing although he wanted to. He wanted to push Rory, make him understand that this was supposed to happen. The three of them were supposed to be together, but he didn’t. He knew the worst thing he could do was push Rory. So, instead he nodded. With a curse, Rory turned and headed out to the lanai.

Zeke thought it was another important step. They were slow and he was frustrated but to think there might be a chance that the three of them could come to some kind of agreement...he didn’t know if it could happen, but just thinking about it made him happier than anything in his life had before.

thirty-five

“I think I bought too much,” Maura said when she walked out the door of Lanakai. It was one of her favorite finds in the Kailua area. The Hawaiian made soaps and lotions were some of her favorite things. “But I really don’t care.”

“That’s the spirit,” Jillian said with a laugh. “You worry too much as it is.”

She sighed. “I feel a lecture coming on.”

“Naw, not from me. In fact, there is no way I am going to say that you haven’t learned to stop worrying about things. You’re in a hot relationship with two men.”

An older woman gave them a look and Maura could feel her face heat up. She wasn’t ashamed, but she wasn’t going to go shouting it out on the street. “You are so bad.”

Jillian looked behind them as the older woman muttered to herself and walked down the street. “Hey, these things go on. She’s probably jealous that she hasn’t had as much fun as you. If I didn’t have your brother cleaning my clock every night, I would be too.”

Maura closed her eyes for a second. Jillian had always been willing to share. It had just taken a weird turn when she became involved with Conner. “Jillian, I told you that while I am beyond happy that the two of you are married, please quit sharing things like that.”

“You’re like one of my few girlfriends. That’s what we’re supposed to do, right?” She pointed to a little coffee shop. “Why don’t we grab a drink and gossip?”

“Sounds good.”

They were served pretty quickly, and soon they found themselves sitting at the table on the street. The trades were soft, with just enough to keep her cool.

“God, I love it here.”

Jillian smiled and took a sip of her coffee. “You live in Miami.”

“Yes, and you know it’s different. There is a vibe…a feeling when I am here. Something that just grabs hold of me. I can’t live here, but every time I come, I feel centered.”

“And that’s why I live here. Plus, an ocean between me and the rest of the crazies in my family is good.” She set her coffee down and settled a stern look on Maura. “Okay, so tell me, is everything going okay?”