He heard footsteps then a voice said, “Did you notice there’s only one bedroom and one bed in that trailer? Do you think that hot chick is banging both men?”
“Fuck? Ya think? Do ya reckon she’s like a hooker or something?”
“Ain’t no way I’m going to find out if she is. The boss man is huge. He’s gotta be six five easy.”
“That’s true. Besides, they’ve all got rooms over at the Pine Corner Plaza. Remember James told us that. Likely that bedroom in the trailer is just for when they take a nap or something.”
“Damn. You’re right. Plus they’re extending the trailer as well. Adding a couple more bedrooms most like.”
The voices of the two men faded, but York stayed where he was, just inside the warehouse. He’d lived most of his life on the mountain and hadn’t even thought about some of the complications of living in human society full-time. He’d supposed he’d have to drive out of town somewhere if he wanted to go running in his wolf form. Humans by and large seemed to either not believe in shape-shifters, or to be prejudiced against them if they knew they existed, so there was no intention among the three of them to mention werewolves. But what about their partnership as a threesome? How much prejudice was there against ménages? He supposed there could be quite a lot, actually. After all, some people still hated gays, so a trio was even more out there than two people of the same gender falling in love with each other.
York wondered if Bronx had done any research on the attitudes of the townspeople here in Pine Corner. Were they sexually liberated or not? And what were the three of them to do? Hide their sexual relationship? Pretend one of them was married to Nevis, as the other was just a friend? How would that work? He couldn’t bear the thought of other men pursuing Nevis, thinking she was unattached. If their partnership was to be a success they needed to be considered a threesome, but not if it got them tarred and feathered like in the old days. Fucking hell. He, Bronx, and Nevis need to talk.
* * * *
Bronx stared at York. First he double-checked the gate in the security fence was padlocked and bolted. Then he locked the door to the trailer, and finally he closed the window in the living room. “What are you stressing about? Do you think there are spies for another transportation company trying to learn our secrets? Even though we don’t have any secrets?”
“I overhead two men talking and it made me think. You see, I’ve always lived on the mountain. Well, almost always. Anyway, I’ve never had to worry about hiding my werewolf side so I’m not in the habit of thinking that way. And now I’m in a ménage, and that’s not the average relationship either.”
“So what? What’s your point?” Bronx still had no idea what was upsetting York. He’d lived among humans for years and it was easy enough to adapt.
“My point is this. What are we going to say and do about our partnership? We three are planning on becoming a mated triad.”
“Just a minute, I haven’t agreed to that yet. I agreed to come here and help you set up this branch office. I didn’t promise an eternal mating. I don’t know either of you well enough for that kind of commitment yet,” interrupted Nevis.
“Okay. Let me rephrase that. We three are living together. Sleeping together. We’re currently a threesome. How are we going to deal with that in the town? Do we tell people? Do we pretend we’re just good friends? Or that you and Bronx are married and I’m his business partner? What?”
“Fuck! He’s got a good point there. We haven’t really dealt with this at all.” Bronx scrubbed one hand over his face, noticing he really needed to shave again. It was annoying having such dark hair and skin at times. Then he rubbed his head trying to focus on the problem he needed to solve. Another problem in an endless line of them right now.
“What are the general attitudes of the people in town toward sexual things? Everyone I’ve talked to has been really friendly and nice, and I don’t have any rings on my fingers,” said Nevis.
Damn! That was something else he should have thought of. They should have given her a ring before they came here, to show she belonged to them. “Let me think. There’s a bunch of churches in town. Baptist, Lutheran, one of those Holiness churches, an Episcopal church, and a couple of Catholic churches as well. But as far as I can remember none of them are the radical fundamentalist type.”
“What about the politics here? Are they intolerant?” asked Nevis.
“I should have thought of that. Let me go get my laptop.” York stopped pacing the living room and went back up the tiny hallway into the office.