Chapter 53 The Agreement
Veronica's POV:
I waited for Theo to shut this down.
To call Max crazy... tell him this was inappropriate.
"I'm okay with it," Theo said quietly. "If Veronica agrees."
My world tilted.
"What?" The word escaped me as barely a whisper.
Theo turned to face me fully, and the pain in his green eyes was evident. "You need clarity... I'd rather give you the space to find it than lose you... if that is what it takes to be with you."
I felt like the ground had disappeared beneath my feet.
This couldn't be happening. Theo... steady, rational Theo—was actually agreeing to this insanity?
Now the burden of the decision was on my head... The responsibility.
It wasn't just Max's reckless idea anymore... something I could dismiss as impossible.
It was real now. They both agreed to this... and it was entirely up to me.
"I..." My voice caught in my throat. I looked between them, my heart racing. "I don't... I can't..."
"You don't have to decide right now," Theo said gently, though I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands were clenched at his sides.
But Max was watching me with that intense focus of his, waiting, hoping.
God, what was I doing?
"I don't want anything official," I said suddenly. "Like... dates or labels or anything like that. Just... spending time with both of you... like friends... Getting to know... figuring out..."
I couldn't even finish the sentence. It sounded absurd even to my own ears.
Max nodded immediately. "That works for me."
Theo was quiet for a moment longer, then gave a single, slow nod. "Alright."
The simplicity of their agreement to this crazy thing... it felt surreal. Like we'd just decided what to have for dinner instead of entering into the most complicated arrangement I'd ever heard of.
"This is crazy," I whispered, more to myself than to them.
"Maybe," Max said... cockiness returning to his voice. "But at least it's honest."
Theo said nothing, but the look he gave me was full of something that made my chest ache—trust, maybe, or faith that I would eventually find my way.
I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly feeling exposed despite my robe. "I need... I need to go... Process this."
"Of course," Theo said softly.
Max just watched me... something unreadable flickering in their blue eye's depths.
I turned and walked away on shaking legs, feeling their gazes on my back until I disappeared down the hallway.
When I reached my room and closed the door behind me, I leaned against it, my heart pounding.
What had I just agreed to?
And more terrifyingly—why did part of me feel relieved instead of horrified?!
I barely slept.
By the time morning light filtered through my curtains, I'd already grabbed my phone and dialed the one person who would tell me exactly how insane this all was.
"Penny," I said the moment she picked up, not even bothering with a greeting. "I need to talk."
"It's seven in the morning, V. This better be good."
"I'm... kind of seeing both brothers now."
Silence. Then—
"Shut up!" Penny's voice exploded through the speaker, and I had to pull the phone away from my ear. "Are you gonna sleep with both of them now? And you even made an agreement about it? This is crazy!"
"Come on..." I groaned, running a hand through my hair. "This is not what you think. This is completely confusing—"
"Again, V, it's very difficult to feel pity for you," Penny interrupted, and I could practically hear her grin. "You lucky goat... stuck with two hot brothers and crying about it..."
"Penny!"
"What? You have two gorgeous men willing to share you until you figure out your feelings. Do you know how many romance novels start exactly like this?"
"This isn't a romance novel," I hissed, keeping my voice low. "This is my life. And it's complicated and messy and—"
"And you're living every woman's fantasy," she finished. "Look, I love you, but you're not getting sympathy from me on this one."
"Okay... I'll call you back..." I hung up.
God, there was no one even there to empathize with me now. Not my best friend, not my family—definitely not my family.
It all felt so confusing, like I was walking through fog with no clear direction.
Maybe I just needed to see them. See if things felt as weird in the light of day as they had last night.
When I finally made my way downstairs to the breakfast table, I found them already there.
Max was lounging in his chair, looking at a bunch of papers spread across the table, while Theo sat across from him with his coffee, looking annoyingly put-together for this early in the morning.
"I still can't believe you typed this all up," Max was saying, a teasing grin on his face as he held up one of the papers. "What is this, a Terms and Conditions agreement?"
"It's called being responsible," Theo replied evenly, though I caught the hint of defensiveness in his tone.
Max looked up and saw me standing in the doorway. His grin widened. "Morning, Veronica. You're just in time for the best part."
"Morning," I said cautiously, moving toward the table. "What's going on?"
Theo turned to me, and his expression was serious—that focused, analytical look he got when he was in business mode.
He slid one of the papers across the table toward me.
"So look at this contract," he said calmly. "Read this and sign it before we can proceed further."
I stared at the paper, then at him. "A contract? Are you serious?"
Max burst out laughing. "I told you she'd react like this."
"I'm completely serious," Theo said, ignoring his brother. "If we're doing this... and apparently we are... we need clear boundaries. Rules. Expectations."
I picked up the paper, scanning the neatly typed text. Sections labeled "Communication Guidelines," "Physical Boundaries," "Time Management," "Conflict Resolution Protocol."
"Theo..." I looked up at him, caught between exasperation and disbelief. "You made a relationship contract?"
"An arrangement contract," he corrected. "And yes. This way, everyone knows what they're agreeing to. No confusion, no hurt feelings because expectations weren't clear."
And there was Theo again. He never let go of his rules and principles. Even in the most unconventional situation imaginable, he needed structure, clarity, control.
Max leaned back in his chair, still grinning. "Personally, I think it's hilarious. But also kind of... Theo."
"Someone has to think this through," Theo said pointedly.
I looked down at the contract again, my head spinning. This was really happening. We were really doing this.
And somehow, the existence of this ridiculous contract made it feel both more absurd and more real at the same time.