Page 19 of Throuple Next Door

Austin continued driving, knowing Louise was only trying to pick some sort of argument so she could try to take the high road and seem magnanimous. She had done it before; Austin knew the game and refused to play it with her. “What would you like to eat?” he asked instead.

“Korean?” she asked.

“There’s basic food around here. The ethnic restaurants are not like those in New York. It is one of the things I miss, but we’re collecting cookbooks and learning how to make various things for ourselves.” That was true, at least in part. Austin had bought some books on cooking and was trying out a few new things, so far with mixed results.

He ended up taking her for a burger because he knew they were good, and judging by the way Louise inhaled hers, it was. After they had eaten, he took her to the hotel to check in, messaging Randy where they were and that he should get here as soon as possible. He let her take her luggage to her room and got settled in the lobby, relaxing while she was gone.

Randy strode in, joining him two minutes before the elevator door slid open, and Louise walked out, her bag across her body. “Randy!” she said with a smile. “You should have been here. I had to carry my own bags.”

“Do either of us look like bellhops?” he snapped. “If you think you’re going to be waited on this weekend, you can forget it. Okay? Austin has a big event tomorrow, and there’s the neighborhood get-together tonight. So be on your best behavior.”

“Is that any way to talk to your mother?”

Randy crossed his arms over his chest. “As I recall, a certain Mother invited herself this weekend, so that Mother will need to make the best of it. We all have plans, and you can either join in with the three of us or you can stay in your hotel room. The choice is up to you.” Damn, he was stunning when he spoke like that. There was no heat in his voice, just firmness.

“Look who thinks he knows more than his mother.” Louise tried another tack.

“I’m just speaking the truth.” He tilted his head to the side, and Austin knew the moment she realized she was fighting a losing battle.

“Let’s go see this house of yours.” Louise headed for the door, and Austin followed Randy, enjoying the view.

Weaver pulled up to the house. Louise, Randy, and Austin sat in chairs on the porch with what looked like glasses of iced tea, but judging by Randy and Austin’s relaxed state, he figured theirs had been spiked. “Afternoon, Louise,” he said, greeting her. “How was the trip?”

“It was a train,” she answered. “How have things been here for you? It’s a lot of change.” And there was another of her digs.

“I’m well. Got a teaching job at the law school. I’m still getting my bearings, but I think I’m going to like it. They seem to be treating me well. The three of us are settling in, and the house is really coming together.” He took the last empty seat, putting his feet up and closing his eyes. “We have great neighbors, and they appear to like us, so it’s about as good as we could have hoped for.”

“What sort of job have you found?” Louise asked Austin, making Weaver want to jump to his defense.

“I’m doing volunteer work at the moment while I look for something permanent.” He sipped some more, and Weaver then took a gulp from his glass. As he expected, there was plenty of whiskey to brace it.

“Then how will you pay your share?” Louise asked. Randy tensed, and Weaver handed the glass back to Austin, about to explain how things worked with the three of them.

“I don’t need to. Weaver and Randy have decided to keep me as their sex slave. All I need to do is make myself available any time they want me, and I’m good to go.” Austin took another sip, his eyes filled with mirth while Louise about did a spit take. Then she turned to Randy for some sort of confirmation. Weaver loved her confusion.

“Mother, Austin is my partner, along with Weaver. We are equal. And when it comes to money, I don’t think that’s any of your business.” He smirked. “And in the future, I suggest you don’t ask questions you really don’t want the answer to.”

“I was just curious,” Louise said as Weaver slipped an arm around Austin.

“If you must know, I have plenty of money. My modeling days may be behind me, but I saved a lot of what I made, thanks to a great money manager. So right now, I’m doing some volunteer work until I figure out what I want to do going forward.” Weaver loved the way he met Louise’s gaze. There was no back-down in him, and that was pretty amazing.

“Mother, that’s enough of the questions,” Randy said softly. “You’ve known both Weaver and Austin for years. This isn’t the first time you’ve met them. So what’s the deal? I know you don’t understand my life and the way I live….”

Louise set down her glass. “I keep wondering when you’re going to settle down.”

All three of them chuckled. “We are settled,” Randy said. “This is us. We have a home together, and we’re building careers and building a life. With you and dad, it was the two of you against the world. Well, it’s the three of us.”

She nodded, and Weaver wondered if she was finally starting to understand. “But you won’t be able to get married. I mean, you fought for the right to marry legally, and you won’t be able to do that.”

Weaver cleared his throat. “We understand that. But you have to know that I’m an excellent lawyer and that the three of us are as protected as we can be from a legal perspective. So that isn’t something you have to worry about. The three of us aren’t going to be getting married… at least not legally, but for us, that isn’t what this relationship is about. It’s about what we mean to each other.” He sat back and closed his eyes, letting Randy deal with his mother. He had said everything he needed to, and whether she understood or not really didn’t matter to him. But it did to Randy, and he hoped that he had been able to provide some help to them.

“What time is this neighborhood thing?”

“About seven,” Randy answered. “It’s at the place just to the left across the street.”

“I got the wine to take, and I picked up a veggie tray when I was at the store,” Austin said.

Louise got out of her seat. “I think we can do better than that.” She headed inside, and Randy groaned before following her.

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