Page 88 of Eternally Devoted

Trace clears his throat and raises his hand, which Ivy tries to pull down but can’t. “Is it time for questions?”

I chew the inside of my cheek and peer at Dash, sitting next to Keanu, and Sterling, sandwiched between his brother and Deuce. Their responsive smiles give me another rush of relief, knowing they aren’t upset that I hosted this lunch and delivered the news this way. I glare at Trace. “I don’t feel like you have any questions that aren’t an overstep.”

Ivy smirks.

“Psh, you’ll tell her and she’ll tell me anyway, so there,” he says, waving his inked hand down dismissively.

Dolly holds her belly and leans into the table, over her plate. “That works both ways, Trace,” she says, dancing her eyebrows playfully.

Trace’s head whips down to Ivy. “You don’t tell them, like, what we do, do you?”

She pats his chest. “Oh no, babe, that’s just between us,” she answers sweetly and sardonically, making Hudson and Deuce erupt in laughter.

“Well, anyway, I just thought we could all have this meal and maybe plan on a family meal once a month?” I say, reaching for Keanu’s hand. “You’re family to Dash, so you’re family to us now, too.”

Keanu bobs his head. “Right on.”

Hudson gets to his feet with a beer in his hand. “To Juniper, Sterling and Dash.”

Everyone grabs their drink and we share a collective toast to the three of us. We eat and chat, and the entire time I keep thinking how wrong I was about love. How I thought I’d find it at a candlelit table or from swiping right on some app.

But it was with me all along, singing “Stayin’ Alive” at seventies night at the bowling alley, helping me carry jam jars, rubbing my feet after a long day in the garden, bringing pizza to my place with the toppings divided in thirds for each of us to have our favorite, at the market in my booth helping me run it all.

They were always there but my secret held me back from loving them in the way I wanted to. Only when I trusted them enough to share my darkness were we able to become more. I’ve done so many bad things, I’ve been such a bad girl, and yet, they love me still, through it, regardless. It’s hard to not look back and wish the time we’ve spent together as friends could’ve been timewe spent together as lovers, to not feel like we missed out. But by and large, I believe in fate, and everything finally feels just right. It’s hard to feel like we missed a step when it feels so perfect.

After lots of catching up, another round of food and some more drinks, Sterling pays the bill and I get to my feet, so pleased with how this went that the guilt of lying to them this morning fades away easily.

Sterl catches me by the elbow. “Thank you for this. I know Dash felt like I excluded him from a moment when I spoke with Hudson and Dolly. He needed this. We all did,” he says quietly before fanning kisses along my cheek and lips.

I sling my purse over my shoulder, ready to say my goodbyes, but Sterling presses his hand to my shoulder, nudging me back into my seat. Trace approaches.

My brow furrows as I stare at Trace, who has clearly been summoned by Sterling and Dash. Looking around the table, I see that no one else has made a move to leave even though the plates have been cleared and the check has been paid.

Dash comes to my other side, bringing his lips to my ear. “We want to have a ceremony today, but before that, rings. Permanent rings.”

Ivy approaches, linking her arm through Trace’s as he lifts his hand in a silent wave, and it occurs to me that they made a plan with my sister and her husband to get us tattooed wedding rings.

“I know we are doing things out of order, and that we aren't traditional in anything we do,” Dash adds, his lips curving into a smile. He takes my hand and passes it to Sterling, who traces my finger where a wedding band would rest.

“No matter what, we’re committed. But some ink here would be good, wouldn’t it?” Dash asks. “Better than a ring that could get lost in the jam.”

“We don’t want to contaminate the jam,” Sterling says with a wink.

I blink up at Trace and Ivy, who are smiling at me. “C’mon. Ink Time is ready.”

Sterling and Dash both place their hands over mine. “We have choices. You can legally marry one of us, and our future children can bear whoever’s last name we decide on. But for now, we were hoping you’d join us in ink and later, a commitment ceremony. To proudly share our devotion with our families.”

My heart skips as I glance back to the table of loved ones, smirking and grinning at me. I look back to Dash and Sterling. “What—” I stop myself, realizing now that Hudson is wearing a sport coat. Dolly, six months pregnant, is wearing a nice dress, and Everly, who is due to give birth any second, is also wearing a dress. “Right now?”

Sterling grins. “Glad you had that berry picking outing planned. That gave us some time to get things set up near the creek.”

Dash drops his arm around Sterling’s waist, linking his fingers with mine. “And yes, right now, near the creek.”

Ivy kneels at my side, producing a garment bag she kept hidden. “This was Mom’s. I got it from storage last week, when they called me and told me what they were planning.” She pulls me into a hug. “I know you were nervous about sharing your relationship with us. But don’t be, okay? Anyone who gives you side-eye, you tell me and I’ll cut them,” she says, smiling, sticking out her booted foot where we all know a knife is hiding. “You’re gonna look so beautiful in Mom’s dress.”

“I thought I was surprising them and now they’ve surprised me with a commitment ceremony and ink—” I shake my head, my entire world snapping into place in the matter of weeks. I almost can’t believe it.

“If you don’t want to do this,” Dash says, lowering his voice. “If you’d rather have a big ceremony or if you want to wait?—”

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