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“This is not how I thought this trip was going to go,” he says, speaking right to me. “I didn’t think I was going to sit down next to a beautiful woman on a plane and then never want to let her go. I never thought I could be someone’s forever. I never even thought I would want to. But that’s because I’ve never met anyone who made even forever feel too short. Brynn, I want to be with you. I want to fail and mess up and learn and try with you. I want us to figure things out together and give this a real shot. That’s all I’ve got.”

He moves back, and then Callan takes his place.

His eyes go right to me in the crowd, and it’s like no one else is there for him. “You know my story a bit,” he says. “You know that I had to get used to people leaving, and I always tried not to care, so it wouldn’t hurt when I lost them. But I’ve realized these last few days that it’s more important to risk love than to never have it at all.” He pauses and takes a breath. “Even if you never want anything else to do with me, or with any of us, I want you to at least know how we feel. We want you. We want this. For real.”

46

BRYNN

When Callan gets done talking, the reality of the situation comes flooding back in. Everyone—the whole town and all the people visiting, my parents and Ares’—are there, watching and waiting to hear what I’ll say.

My mouth goes dry and my heart is beating so hard I feel like everyone around me can hear it. I lock eyes with all three of the guys, my gaze darting from one to the next.

I feel stunned, locked in place. I can’t believe they did that. They took a leap, and they were brave enough to hijack Ares’ speech to declare it out loud for me and everyone else to hear. Instead of letting the rumors circulate like some salacious thing that we want to pretend didn’t happen or didn’t mean anything, they’ve all taken ownership of it, claiming it and me in the process.

There are so many eyes on me right now, and I find that I can’t move or think or do anything. I’m just stunned trying to process it all while being overcome with emotion and surprise.

Maybe they think I’m still waffling or unsure because the men climb down from the stage and come toward me through the crowd. Everyone parts for them, letting them make their way to me.

When they reach me, they all go down on their knees in front of me. Ares reaches for my hand, looking up at me with wide eyes. “I meant it when I said this is where I belong,” he says softly. “On my knees for you, I mean. But I was wrong about one thing. I shouldn’t be alone here. My best friends should be here with me, all three of us kneeling before the woman who owns our hearts.”

I swallow hard, emotion gripping my chest painfully. I’m so aware of everyone around us, the risk Ares is taking to do this. “Are you sure?” I whisper.

Callan answers before Ares can. “We’re absolutely sure.”

“We’ll beg if that’s what it takes,” Tate adds. “Right here in front of everyone. Please, pretty girl. We don’t work without you anymore.”

I don’t even know what to say, but I realize that maybe that’s okay. They’ve already said the words, so all I have to do is accept them. I lean down, cupping Ares’ face, and right there in front of everyone, I kiss him. It’s a claiming kiss, deep and sure, and I feel him relax against me. Then I do the same to Tate and Callan, letting them feel my answer in it.

There’s a big gasp from the crowd, and someone bursts into applause behind me, but I don’t turn my head to see who it is.

I do recognize the voice that shouts, “Absolutely not!” as belonging to Claudia Thornton, and I’m vaguely aware of her pushing through the crowd to try to get to us. From the other direction, my parents are doing the same thing, and I can imagine my siblings standing there, looking stunned.

But I don’t care about any of that right now.

All three of the guys get to their feet and they pull me in for more kisses, surrounding me like they want to keep me safe and keep me close all at the same time.

All around us are the sounds of whispers and chatter from the crowd, but none of us pay attention or seem to care about that. Ares smiles down at me, pushing hair back out of my face.

“Do you want to get out of here?” he asks.

I grin up at him, nodding. “Yeah, let’s go.”

He grabs my hand, and Tate and Callan fall into step with us as we make our way through the crowd. People are watching because of course they are, but as we head for the parking lot, I see Birdie, who gives a thumbs up to Tate, and then I spot Marnie, standing with her husband and wearing a grin as well as a look that promises I’m going to have to fill her in on what’s going on soon.

And then we’re out of the crowd and leaving the town square behind. We get into the car and start the drive back to the cabin. There’s a tension in the air, full of promise and expectation and possibility, and it makes my pulse flutter because I’m pretty sure I know what it means.

Once we pull up, Callan gets out and opens my door, pulling me into his arms. It reminds me of being back at that motel, when the three of them fucked my brains out, and that just makes my body pulse with need.

I swallow, wrapping my arms around him as he carries me into the cabin.

The door closes behind us, and Callan puts me down, gripping my throat gently. He leans in and kisses me, and it’s just like the motel, but there’s more emotion and intention in it now. It’s not just about it being hot, not just about us wanting to fuck. Now there’s real feeling there too.

Tate and Ares step in, pulling me into their arms and kissing me, one right after the other. My head spins with it, but it feels good.

When they release me, I lick my lips and look at all of them, needing to be sure. “So… this means you want it to be real, right?”

Tate smirks. “Pretty girl, it was already real. We just want to prove to you that we finally get that.”