All In:Playing the Fool(44)

"Ha! You're kidding," his mom laughed and his dad joined in.

"Good thing cops never came to the drive-in back when we were growing  up. Everyone in town would have been cited," his dad said. "Half the  city's population was probably conceived there."

"Gross," Jules replied, coming around to sit on Dylan's lap. No one  batted an eye at them. I would never think of doing that in front of my  dad, but they were a married couple.

"Speaking of conceiving," Will's mom started. "When are we going to get some grandbabies?"

Whew. I was glad to have the heat off of us. Will relaxed a little more beside me too.

"I'm all for an heir, but Jules thinks she's too young to have kids," Dylan told them.

"I am too young. I can't even legally drink yet, and we haven't been  married a month, but you want me to start popping out your gigantic  babies?" Jules responded, making us all laugh.

"Gross! Can we talk about something else? How about the article Lacy's writing up about Dylan and Jules and Safe Haven."

"Oh that's great, Lacy," his mom said. "When they started seeing each other Will was the last one to figure it out."

"He didn't really figure it out as much as just walked in on us … " Dylan started before Will interrupted in a huff.

"I'm going to seriously kick your ass. Marrying my sister has made you an even bigger bastard. She's a bad influence on you."

We talked and laughed with Will's family through dinner. They were all  so happy and laid back, it was different from my uptight home life. My  dad was always super strict and insisted I be a prim and proper lady at  all times. Then at my mom's, well … there I was usually on my own since  she stayed in bed. I felt like I was more of a caretaker than a daughter  to her. Since I've been away at college I noticed she'd gotten worse  each time I visited while on break, or when stopping through Charlotte  to see Zack on the weekends.

Will's mom and dad seemed to have a great relationship. They teased each  other and joked, but you could tell by the way they looked at each  other that they were still in love, even after their two grown kids  moved out of the house and started their own lives. They said nothing  but positive things when talking to Will and Jules, and both treated  Dylan like he'd always been a part of their family, which in a way he  almost had. There was no criticism or pressure put on them, like I felt I  regularly received from my dad.         

     



 

And Dylan and Jules, well, you could tell Dylan would do anything for  her, and she looked at him like he was her very own superhero.

"So when they were growing up did you ever suspect that Dylan and Jules would end up together?" I asked.

"Dylan's mom and I hoped, and thought the way he teased her was his way  of flirting. And well, Jules has always had puppy dog eyes around him.  It just took them growing up to figure it out," their mom said. "I'm  guessing Dylan thought he shouldn't care about her that way, and she  assumed he had no interest in her."

"You could show her the videos," Will's dad said, causing Jules, Dylan and Will to all groan.

"That's a great idea, dear!" his mom was up and moving into action,  pulling out an old school VHS and popping it into the player.

I watched the three at varying ages at birthday parties, at the pool,  Christmas, at the beach, and snow days. Will was goofing off and usually  giving Jules hell. Dylan did too, but in a different, sweet way. He'd  bombard her with snowballs but then help her up when her sled flipped  over in a ditch. It was almost like he always kept an eye on her because  he worried about her. And whenever he did something nice for her,  Jules's smile was brighter than the sun.

"That's enough with the old videos," Will finally said. "You're boring Lacy to death."

"Am not, they're cute," I told him.

He stood up, grabbing my hand and pulling me with him. "I think that's  enough family time for the night," he said rubbing his thumb over my  knuckles. Just that small touch told me what he'd rather be doing.

"It was nice meeting you both," I told his parents.

"You too, Lacy. You're the first girl Will's ever brought home," his mom  said, giving me another hug. "Now we know he just didn't want to waste  time on anyone less than perfect for him."

Will groaned and said goodbye, pulling me by the hand to his truck.  "Sorry," he said once we were inside the cab. "My family's nuts."

"Your family is great. Your parents are really nice."

"Yeah, they are. So, do you want to see if Joe and Chad still have company or head to my place?" he asked.

"Your place," I said without hesitation.

On the way to Will's apartment I couldn't stop my thoughts from  wandering. After spending time with his family, I was starting to think  Will deserved better than me. He was such a great guy that he should be  with someone who can give him that perfect sitcom family … not me, a  slutty girl with trust issues, unable to commit.

"What are you so quiet about?" Will asked, reaching across the trucks  console to grab my hand. "Are you upset because Joe and Chad brought  those girls home with them?"

"Maybe a little," I admitted. "I like being wanted by them, and being  with them. It kind of hurts that I can be replaced so easily."

"Lacy, you can't be replaced. Maybe substituted for a night, but that's  it. I get the feeling that's all this is, one-night for them both to  prove their heterosexuality because of what they did last night and this  morning. And they both fucked with you while the girls were there, so  I'm pretty sure they'd rather be with you than them."

"You deserve better than me, Will," I told him honestly.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he snapped.

"You should be with a nice girl you don't have to share, and who doesn't  have trust issues and commitment-phobia. Don't you want what your  parents and Dylan and Jules have?"

"No, I want you, however I can have you. I can deal with your trust  issues and with sharing you. I'd probably like to get married someday,  and maybe even have kids, but it doesn't have to be anytime soon. I'm  willing to do whatever it takes, however long it takes, to convince you  that I'm not your dad or Zack. I could never hurt you like that."

"You sure?" I asked, blinking back tears. I worried that he would say  he's okay with it now, but later on would get fed up with my issues and  walk away.

"Yes, I'm sure. There's no rule that says we have to live our lives a  certain way, like everyone else. Forget what other people might say or  think. It's no one else's business but ours. Whatever makes us happy is  all that matters, even if that means having another man or two in the  bedroom with us."

"I am happy," I told him with a smile. "Happier than I've ever been. I'd  be happier without Thing One and Thing Two at Joe's house, but I'll get  over it."

"I'm happy too. More than happy, I'm ecstatic being with you, Lacy. But  you can't expect Joe and Chad not to move on eventually."

"I know, and I think I can deal with that when the time comes. Joe will  be a little harder to let go of than Chad, of course, but I really do  want things to work out with him and Katie."         

     



 

"Then there's nothing to worry about."

"You don't want to see anyone else, do you?" I asked.

"Hell no," he said quickly, making me smile.

"Good, because as selfish as it is of me, I don't think I could share you," I told him.





Chapter Twenty-Four




After Will and I made love more times than I could count Saturday night  and Sunday morning, he drove us back to Joe's. Chad's car was still  there, and I wondered if the girls were too.

I unlocked the door and pushed it open, unsure what we'd find. The  living room was empty, other than a few empty drink glasses, and the  house was quiet. I led the way down the hall and checked the guest  bedroom I had all my things in, even though I'd slept with Joe in his  bed all but the one night I'd spent in here with Will.

The room was thankfully empty, and as I'd left it. I kept going down the  hall to Joe's bedroom. Joe was passed out asleep on his stomach and  Chad was knocked out on his side. Both naked, based on what wasn't  covered by sheets. Unfortunately, they weren't even touching each other,  but thank you Jesus, they were alone. Time for a wake up.

I climbed up and dived on top of Joe's back, draping myself on him and  sticking my tongue in his ear. He groaned and peeked up at me with one  blue eye.

"Lacy? Oh thank God," he said. He rolled to his back and I instantly  felt his morning wood through my skirt. The skirt that was quickly being  removed, along with my panties. "Chad, wake up. Lacy's home."

"Mm?" the other man stirred awake, lifting his head from the pillow and  blinking at us. "Mmm." My tank top was off next, leaving me naked as Joe  rolled us, slamming my back down on the mattress. He was like a wild  animal, sucking my neck, my breasts, his hands frantic between my legs  until his mouth replaced them, making me cry out. Then Chad was on me,  grabbing my breasts, his lips on my neck where Joe's had just been.