Page 159 of Neighbors With Benefits

“Okay, it’soneof the reasons,” Cat admitted. “But you can let loose! Nobody cares!”

We did let loose, the four of us sort of dancing together in a triangle, with Jazz bouncing around in the middle. And for a while, we stopped being self-conscious about what people thought, or if they would even notice.

But then my Mom danced her way over and loudly announced, “The four of you make a cute couple. Or whatever this is!” She gestured at our group, then danced away.

Jazz’s eyes were the size of the disco ball above us. “Oh my God! I knew we shouldn’t have been so obvious, just because Cat was doing it…”

“Jazz,” I said, reassuringly. “She knows.”

Somehow, her eyes widened even more. “WHAT?”

“Who knows what?” Bash asked.

“Mom knows about us,” I said. “I told her earlier. It came up organically.”

Jazz gawked at me. “And?”

“And she approves,” I replied. “She was actually relieved by the news. Apparently she saw you and Dante kissing after the ceremony, and assumed you were cheating on me.”

Dante closed his eyes and chuckled. “I told you someone would notice.”

“You were crying. I was comforting you,” Jazz said defensively.

I took her by the arms. “It doesn’t matter. She knows. And she approves, as long as we’re all happy.”

“I can say, definitively, that I am happy,” Bash declared.

“That probably has to do with the seven glasses of champagne you’ve had,” Dante said.

Bash grinned. “Probably!”

Jazz was still focused on me. “You’re not pulling my leg? She approves?”

I grinned. “She approves.”

She hugged me, and I could feel the relief in her embrace. It was how I’d felt for the last hour. Like our relationship wasn’t something that needed to be hidden, or whispered about when nobody was watching.

We were accepted.

The music trailed off, and it was time to cut the cake. Cat and Amy both tried to smash their pieces into the other’s face, which resulted in a mini food fight, followed by them both accepting—and actuallyeating—plates of cake.

“My brother-in-law made the cake!” Cat announced for the room. “So if you don’t like it, he’s the one to blame!”

When the guests were served, I waited to see what everyone else thought about the cake. There was one woman whose opinion mattered most to me. In fact, it was the most nervous Ihad been since we had arrived—even more nervous than when I’d told my Mom about our polyamorous relationship.

She was totally unaware of my watchful eyes, which was good. I wanted her honest reaction.

“Oh myGod,” she said, moaning around a piece of the chocolate cake.

“I didn’t think she’d make that noise until later tonight,” Dante said.

Jazz turned to me. “This is incredible!”

“Chocolate cake, with a thin layer of raspberry filling, and a fudge-cream frosting,” I said.

“This is the winner,” she said. “I thought my favorite chocolate dessert was Girl Scout Thin Mints, but this edges it out.”

“You should make this every day,” Bash said. “I hope there’s enough for seconds.”

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