Chapter 40

“Should we do it now?” Dale looked at Lee and an unspoken conversation seemed to pass between them. Kate, who had been trying to find her place in her book suddenly placed it on the sunbed beside her and turned her attention to them.

“Well, this is intriguing.” She smirked. “Do Dale and Lee have some juicy secret to tell us?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it a secret.” Lee shrugged as Dale reached for his shorts that he’d left resting on the head of his sunbed.

I watched him pull a small box out from the pocket and shook my head. “Oh, no there’s no way I am accepting anymore jewellery from you guys.”

“Then you’ll be pleased to know that it isn’t jewellery.” Dale beamed at me. He held out the box to me and I reluctantly took hold of it.

“You guys know I hate surprises, right?” I scowled at them.

“Just open it already,” Lee insisted with a scowl of his own.

I held my breath and popped open the box. Instead, resting on the velvet cushion was a key. It looked oddly familiar but I couldn’t quite place it.

“What’s this for?” I asked as I picked up the key and turned it over in my hand. It wasn’t a usual key. It had been wrapped in a floral pattern in my favourite colours; orange and purple.

“It’s a key to our place,” Lee announced.

“I already have one,” I reminded him.

“You can give that one to Kate as a spare in case we ever want her to cat sit.” Dale glanced at Kate who smiled as though she was not shocked by his words. “We’d like you to move in with us Rhea.”

My entire body suddenly began to fizz with excitement.

“You mean like, for real?” I gasped at him and looked from Lee to Dale and back again.

“Well you are the mother of our child and our girlfriend. It seems like the logical next step,” Dale pointed out. “It doesn’t feel right having you all the way across town in that dingy little apartment. No offense Kate.”

“None taken.” She raised her hands. “You guys have given me the push I need to find a new place. Who knows, maybe I’ll move closer to you.”

“Just not too close.” Lee laughed. “We don’t want you popping around too often and spoiling all our fun.”

I loved the new found humour between my friends. It appears that all the tension between them had melted away with our newfound relationship status.

“But if you do, make sure you bring those amazing bottles of wine you always manage to pick up from your suitors.” Dale winked.

“Of course,” Kate promised.

“So, what do you say Rhea?” Lee asked, looking at me intently. There was a slight tension in his shoulders and a nervous set to his face that told me he was worried I might decline.

“I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than with the two of you.” I smiled back at him, remembering the heaviness in my chest every time they left me. “Of course I’ll move in with you! On one condition?”

“What’s that?” Dale asked and he glanced at Lee as though he thought his husband might have already guessed my meaning.

“For God’s sake, you have to learn to put the toilet seat down!” I chuckled. “My pregnant ass doesn’t want to get stuck in it!”

We all burst into laughter then and I knew that no matter where my life was going, I was going to be happier than I had ever been before. Everything was finally falling into place and I’d found where I belonged.

“I think I can attempt that.” Dale nodded. “What about you?”

The two men looked at each other and nodded.

“Just don’t expect it to happen from day one,” Lee joked. “Us men need a little toilet training after living together for so long.”

“I’ll buy a spray bottle.” I screwed up my face in an expression that I hoped looked cute.

“Oh, kinky.” Dale gleamed with his perfectly white smile.

“We love you, Ree-Ree.” Lee leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. The scent of him mixed with salt water was enough to drive me wild and I suddenly wanted to head back to the cabin.

“We love you both too.” I placed my hand on my stomach to show my meaning and both men began to smile their brightest smiles.

“Of course, we didn’t forget about you little guy.” Dale leaned down and pressed his lips to my bare stomach. “We never would.”

Just like that my stomach surged with butterflies and I wondered whether I would ever get used to the feeling of being so loved.

I had the rest of my life ahead of me to find out.