Riley returned with the food. “Eat,” was all she said as she put the steaming bowl of cream of crab soup in front of him, along with a basket of fresh-baked rolls. His mouth watered just looking at it.
“Damn,” he murmured appreciatively, which appeared to be all the thanks Riley needed. She patted him on the back and laughed before walking back to the kitchen.
Gavin made a mental note to get up early Saturday morning to fix her outlet for her. Doing construction, he’d had plenty of opportunities to work with the electricians they hired. He’d even considered doing a full-time apprenticeship to become a journeyman after high school, but Oliver was determined the two of them were going to take over the construction company together once Justin, Killian, and Sean retired. They needed to “keep it in the family,” Oliver liked to say.
Gavin dug into the soup with gusto, savoring every single bite. Emmy continued to type away, her fingers racing over the keyboard the only sound besides the quiet chatter of the patrons scattered throughout the pub. As he ate, he realized he was no longer stressed out, and he knew exactly why.
No matter how long he remained with the Collins family, welcomed as one of their own, there was a part of him that simply never stopped being awed by their kindness. He’d spent too many of his formative years with a mother who fluctuated between abuser and taker.
His mother, who was fragile on good days, had been truly terrifying when in the midst of one of her black rages. It had taken years of being away from her before he realized that she’d never—not once—given him anything truly resembling what others considered motherly love. No hugs, smiles, or even a damn bowl of soup.
While his mom told him she loved him, it was always wrapped up in subtle controlling phrases like, “you’re all I have” or “there’s no one else to take care of me.” And Gavin had soaked up those phrases, believing they were genuine professions of love, when in truth, they were simple manipulations to ensure Gavin cooked and cleaned—and even stole money when they were broke.
Too many times, he’d been moved out of the house when a teacher caught sight of his bruises. Some of the foster homes where he’d been placed prior to moving in with Sean, Lauren, and Chad hadn’t been much better than the apartment he’d shared with his mom.
There were some people—like Oliver’s parents—who were in the foster system for all the right reasons. Because they cared about kids, wanted to make a difference in someone’s life, wanted to show children who’d been kicked to the curb that they were worthy of love. But there were just as many of the other kind. The ones who took in foster kids for the monthly check provided by CPS, and he’d lived with plenty of those during his childhood.
Gavin put some butter on one of the hot rolls and sighed happily. He might not be used to the concept of mothering, but he sure as shit still loved the way Lauren and the Collins aunts continually offered him that kind of unconditional love.
He’d just finished dinner when he heard someone call his name.
“Hey, Gavin.”
Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Layla waving to him to join her. Picking up his mug, he crossed the bar.
“Hey, Layla. What’s up?”
“Just waiting on my fellas to get here. We decided to hell with dinner. We’re ordering appetizers and drinks and calling it a night.”
He laughed. “Rough day?”
Layla shrugged. “Not really. More like none of us felt like cooking and cleaning up. Did you already eat?”
“Had a bowl of Riley’s cream of crab soup, but I wouldn’t say no to some cheese fries if that’s on your list of apps.”
“Cheese fries are—and always will be—number one on the appetizer list. Sit down and join us.” Layla looked up and smiled when Padraig placed a glass of wine in front of her. “The guys will be here in a minute. Miguel said he’s in a PBR mood, which means Finn will want the same.”
Padraig nodded, then pointed to Gavin’s nearly empty glass. “Going in for a second round?”
“Hell yeah.” Gavin thanked Padraig before he returned to the bar. “How are things at the coffee shop?”
Layla had moved away from Philadelphia and her large brood of brothers a couple years earlier after purchasing the Daily Grind, a coffee shop just a few blocks from the pub.
“The coffee business is always good…mercifully,” she said.
“There you are.” Miguel bent over and gave Layla a quick kiss on the cheek before claiming the chair on her right.
Finn was only a few steps behind him. “You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he murmured to Layla as he opted for a longer kiss on her lips.
“Good to see you, Gavin,” Miguel said. “You joining us for app night?”
He nodded. “Layla promised me cheese fries.”
Finn laughed. “That’s my girl. I’m starving. Might need two plates of fries tonight.”
Gavin leaned back, enjoying the easy conversation as they all talked about work, the upcoming holidays, and the sudden chill in the weather. Finn and Miguel helped Layla brainstorm gift ideas for her brothers.
Gavin watched the way the three of them were with each other, the relationship reminding him of the one shared by his foster parents. Before coming to live with Lauren, Sean, and Chad, Gavin had never considered, never even realized, people could live in committed threesome relationships, but there was no denying that it worked for all of them.
Oliver hoped for the same relationship. Hell, his best friend hoped for the same relationship with him—but Gavin wasn’t wired that way. And he was convinced the reason Layla, Finn, and Miguel’s relationship worked was because they were all together. They weren’t two separate couples trying to blend into a threesome.
Gavin was gay, and yes, he was attracted to—and probably in love with—Oliver more than he cared to admit. And while Oliver had feelings for him too, he was just as much in love with Erin. The problem was, Gavin and Erin could never be anything more than friends. And try as he might, Gavin couldn’t see that working in the long term.
What if jealously emerged somewhere down the road?
Or what if one of the couples fell out of love?
What would keep the three of them together?
They finished their appetizers and Finn paid the bill, refusing to allow Gavin to chip in, so he promised the next time was on him.
“Are we missing a party?”
Gavin looked up at the sound of Oliver’s voice, surprised to discover he and Erin weren’t alone.
“Look who we found outside,” Erin said.
Gavin forced a smile when he spotted Brad, a male nurse who worked with Erin at Hopkins. Brad had discovered the pub a few months ago, and since then, he’d become somewhat of a regular.
“Hey, Brad,” Gavin said.
“Not sure you missed a party, but I’m afraid you missed the cheese fries,” Layla said with a yawn. “We were just heading home. I gotta be up early to open the shop.”
She, Finn, and Miguel all rose and, after a few minutes of chatting with Erin and Oliver, they said their goodbyes.
“The three of us were going to grab some stools at the bar and have a drink,” Oliver said. “Want to keep going?”
Gavin considered it, then shook his head, as Erin and Brad claimed their seats, the two of them laughing over something Padraig said that Gavin didn’t hear.