Page 155 of Unforgettable

“Yeah, I’m staying with Reed and Josh for now,” Amanda said and then looked over to Josh and me.

“You could have stayed here, you know? Had the entire second floor to yourself and wouldn’t have to share a bathroom with one of them,” Luke continued, leaning back in his chair like he was lord of the manor.

I knew this game. He was going to keep talking in an attempt to pry the truth out of us.

“It’s not a big deal.” Amanda didn’t look up from her plate as she spoke.

“And I’m sure Hazel would have loved to have you here, right, Angel?”

Hazel sipped her drink. Her only response was an eye roll and a quick, “Yes, sure.”

If Luke knew, then Hazel probably knew as well. Amanda promised she hadn’t told them, but now, I wasn’t so sure. Josh seemed unfazed by the conversation while Amanda’s leg was bouncing anxiously under the table.

“I mean, unless there’s a reason why maybe you preferred to stay with them instead of with us in our big, spacious, homey house—”

“We’re dating.” And there it was. The words were out of my mouth before I had fully formed them in my mind or actually made the conscious decision to say them at all.

Around the table, everyone’s eyes widened. James choked on his drink, and Luke’s smug smile widened to a new level.

“You and Amanda?” Devon asked cautiously.

“Yes, but…”

“But?” Luke prompted, and my eye roll put Hazel’s to shame. My head fell into my hands as I braced my elbows on the table. I didn’t understand why it was so hard for me. They were my best friends, and I was least concerned about their judgment than anyone else’s.

“Amanda and I are dating, but so…”

“So are we.” From the other end of the table, Josh finally spoke. He said the words like he was commenting on the weather and didn’t stop eating his second helping of chicken.

“You’re both dating Amanda?” James asked. Uncertainty laced every word and his eyes curiously assessed the three of us.

“Yes, but…”

“But, what?” It was Luke that time. He sat forward in his seat and braced his elbows on the table. He looked as shocked at my second “but” as everyone else, so he obviously was not aware of the entire situation. For some reason, that made me feel slightly better.

“Wait,” Hazel spoke up and narrowed her eyes at Amanda, who cringed away from her friend’s glare. “You told me you were going to choose. I thought you hadn’t said anything else about it because you were still trying to figure it out.”

“Well, yeah, I was going to choose,” Amanda said with a sigh and then straightened slightly like she was preparing for battle. “But then I didn’t have to.”

“You didn’t have to?” Hazel said slowly, turning the words over in her head.

“You’re going to choose between Reed and Josh?” James asked, and Devon smacked his arm.

“No, aren’t you listening? She used the past tense. She wasgoing tochoose, but shedidn’t have to.” James still seemed confused, and I didn’t blame him—I was confused, yet I was in the damn relationship.

I suddenly had a headache.

“Do you guys mind if I just take it from here?” Josh asked, but he didn’t wait for a response before continuing. “Reed and I both pursued Amanda. It started after y’all’s wedding and continued from there. We both took her on dates and then it became very apparent that choosing between us would not be happening. She didn’t want to choose, and we decided not to make her. We were going to be content with that until things changed. Not only did wenotwantAmanda to choose between the two of us, but we also didn’t want to choose between her and each other.”

He took a deep breath and with a shaking hand, he reached for mine that lay on the table between us. With our hands joined, he said, “We’re all three dating. All of us. Together. At the same time.”

I wanted to keep my head down, pretending that there was no one else in the room besides me and Amanda and Josh. But instead, I anxiously watched each of our friends’ faces transform.

Most of them battled with shock and confusion. And my heart attempted to pound out of my chest. My pulse quickened and a slick sweat appeared on my forehead. My fingers tightened around Josh’s, although I was also tempted to jerk my hand free and flee the room. Flee the insistent stares in our direction and the pounding in my head.

“This is…” Hazel stuttered and then smiled. “Amazing!”

My relief was instant and then I could feel it on Amanda and Josh as well.

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