Page 80 of Emeric

“No worries. Only tell us if you want to. All that matters is my boys are okay.”

“We are,” he told her. “Shel is too. All good here.”

“I’m glad. Is Emeric with you?”

“I’m here,” Emeric replied.

“There will be a text on your phone when we’re done with this call. I have a realtor friend who called me today. She said a house had come on the market, and for some reason, she felt the urge to call me. I haven’t seen it, but it’s not for me. I love where we live. This is for you to look into.”

“How did you know I was the one doing the house hunting?”

Oleander cocked an eyebrow at him while I tried to hold my laughter in. He should have known better than to ask that.

Sighing, Emeric said, “Never mind. By the looks I’m currently getting, I shouldn’t be surprised. Thank you. I can’t wait to hear about the house. I’ll call her tomorrow.”

“Today.”

“Okay, today.”

There was no arguing with Oleander’s mom. She said what she did and expected us to do as we were told. I had no desire to fight with her. If my mom were still here, I’d listen to every piece of advice she had to give me. There wasn’t a day that went by where I didn’t miss her. She would have loved Emeric and Oleander. More than that, she would have been overjoyed I was happy. Instead of being sad about her no longer being here, I focused on the sound of Oleander’s mom’s voice as she talked to him about a new meditation she recorded and was going to send over for him and Sheldon to do.

“Sylvan?” she asked.

“Yes?”

“Let these boys take care of you, but also take care of them like you’ve already been doing. Your relationship is a partnership, with no one having a bigger responsibility or contribution than the others. The house you’ll move into will be better than the one you were in. It’s hard to believe, but trust me, you’ll love it.”

Tears welled in my eyes. I missed my home. It was a place I carved out just for me. Every room, every item was special to me. Maybe not the weapons, but they made me feel safe. I had no doubt Jordan planned on outfitting whatever home we moved into, even though it wouldn’t be used by them as a safe house.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“You’re welcome. You three get over here for dinner this weekend. Pick a day and let us know.”

“Will do, Mom,” Oleander replied. Reaching over, he took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Talk soon.” She ended the call.

“Okay?” Oleander asked me after.

I nodded, still fighting the tears. “Your parents are amazing. You’re very lucky to have them.”

“I never take them for granted. After growing up seeing the bruises on Sheldon, then what he went through, I know how bad it can be.”

Emeric wrapped Oleander in a hug, then reached for me so I could join them. It didn’t matter how many times we did this or who held whom. What counted was we were together.

While sex was amazing, so were these moments. The connection to them didn’t matter if we were naked or clothed. There was contentment in being with people I could let my guard down in front of, who would catch me if I fell, and I would do the same for them. Oleander’s mom gave me a good reminder. Sometimes I tried to do it all myself. Not with the house. That was too much for me, but in other things. My default was to handle it unless I was in too deep. I had to remember to lean on them more, not in a way to take advantage. In a partnership, as she’d said. Emeric and Oleander needed to lean on me too. I didn’t want it to be one-sided. We had to grow and learn together. None of us were skilled in serious relationships.

What we shared was nothing I could voice outside of how much I loved them, and even then, I couldn’t find the words to do it justice. I hoped I showed them what they meant to me when words wouldn’t come. That they felt the love I had for them as I did from them.

“I love you both,” I told them as my eyes slid closed. Ever since we moved into Oleander’s home, it had been a lot. The good was what we’d shared and how we fell in love. The bad was losing my home, threats being made, and so much more. I didn’t want to focus on that. There was a lot I was grateful for. That was where my mind belonged.

“I love you both as well,” Emeric said. “My life is better with you in it.”

“Ditto,” Oleander added. “I know. I’m a master at romance.”

Opening my eyes, I caught Emeric pinching Oleander’s side, making him squeak. Oleander tried to squirm to get away. Of course, I had to join in and start tickling him. The laughter that erupted from him was beautiful. It lit my heart with joy.

There was nothing and no one better than these men, no one better for me. I loved them with everything in me. We were going to have an amazing life together. I was the happiest person on the planet.