“He’s made me happy,” she said, pulling away.
Mitch opened his arms for her, and she went to him willingly. Chase moved toward her. He kissed her head then ran his fingers down her arm.
“You all look adorable,” one of their old friends said. The party had been thrown at her parents’ house to celebrate the birth of their son. It had been a week since Marvin had entered their lives. Sex was not on the menu at the moment. Chase and Mitch showed her there were other passions to experiment in.
She shivered as Mitch ran a finger down her back and tucked it into the denim of her jeans. “You look stunning,” he said.
Chase stroked her arm as he kissed her head. She noticed a few of their family friends looking at them oddly. Leah knew it would have been a miracle to have everyone accept them instantly. She didn’t care. With her friends and the men she loved at her side, she knew she could do anything.
“Mom is watching Marvin for us,” she said.
“Come on.” Chase took her hand leading her out of the backyard. Leah looked back, and no one was following them. They walked out onto her old street, and together they moved down to the park they use to play in.
“You’ve brought me to the park,” she said.
Chase stood behind the swings. “Jump on.”
She hesitated for a few seconds and then felt silly over her lack of trust. When they were kids, Chase and Mitch had used to take turns catching her swing, which made her jump. Leah sat onto the swing and let Chase pull her back and let go. Putting her feet out in front of her, she built up speed. Mitch stood in front of her watching.
This reminded her of so many times when they’d been together doing silly things. They were no longer children but had a child of their own.
After twenty minutes, Chase slowed down the swing, wrapping her in his arms. Mitch came to her front, and she stared into his eyes.
“I love you, baby,” Chase said.
She closed her eyes as they each kissed her temple.
“Will you guys marry me?” she asked.
“We can’t marry you, baby. It is not legal.”
“We don’t need a church.” Leah opened her eyes and stood. She reached into the pocket of her jeans pulling out three gold banded rings. “No ceremony. We can be married in our hearts.”
She showed them the rings by opening her palm.
Mitch took one ring as Chase took the other. “I wish we could get married for real,” Mitch said.
“We can, or at least you two can.”
She pressed her hand over Chase’s mouth. “I’m not marrying one of you. To me, I’m already married in here,” she said, putting her hand over her heart.
They were silent as they stared at the rings in their hands. “We put these rings on, and we’re married to each other in our hearts?” Chase asked.
“What’s the matter, mate? Feeling trapped?” Mitch asked.
Leah chuckled.
“Yeah, little bit. This is a huge responsibility. If it was anyone else I’d be freaking out.” Chase slid the ring onto his finger and smiled. “I’ve been your guy ever since you fell into my arms at this very park. This just guarantees you’ll never be able to get rid of me.”
She slid her ring onto her finger, smiling at both men. Mitch did the same with his finger.
“I’ve always been married to you, Leah.” Mitch kissed her head. Together they walked back to her parents’ house. She showed her mother the ring and told what it meant.
She’d come up with the idea while staring at Marvin in his crib. There was no way she’d pick between her two best friends. She knew she could marry one while the other lived with them, but that arrangement didn’t feel right to her. No one could stop them being happy. They were not breaking any laws by being in love.
Taking Marvin off her mother, she joined the rest of the guests in the garden.
****
Mitch ate the burger in his hands watching his woman with their son in her arms. Chase stood next to him drinking a beer. “She looks stunning,” he said.
His friend smiled. Mitch looked at Chase, wondering what he was thinking.
“You could have taken her then and there,” Chase said. “In the park, you could have told her the truth.”
Mitch rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve never been an underhand player, Chase. We agreed to this.”
“But you know who Marvin’s father is.” Chase swallowed more beer.
Mitch knew that his son was in Leah’s arms. That Friday night all those months ago played in his mind all the time. When they’d found out about Leah being pregnant Chase had told Mitch he was unable to have children. The baby Leah was carrying had to be his.