Page 35 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

Shut up, I thought furiously.Just shut the fuck up.We were vomiting up our past all over the table I’d worked hard to set, so I wasn’t surprised when Katie pushed her chair backwards.

“I know I said I’d stay for dinner, but…” Her throat bobbed. “I’m really not hungry.”

“I can put some pasta in a takeaway container for you.” It was a relief to stand up, retreat into the kitchen. “You can take it?—”

“I’ll approve your application for Bronson.” A hand came to rest on my arm and that had me standing there, perfectly still. “I can confidently say that each one of you will be a great fit, if you still want him?”

“Katie.” I turned to face her, my eyes taking in the fall of her hair, the ten different shades of brown and gold in her eyes. “Of course, we do. I didn’t offer to adopt him because I wanted to…” Get in your pants, that went unspoken. “He’s an amazing dog and we want to give him a good home.”

“OK, I’ll let the shelter know. It was nice…”

Katie turned to face the rest of the room, but she didn’t finish her sentence, rushing out of the house, leaving the three of us to stare after her. I flinched when I heard the front door slam shut. Fuck, I’d organised to have the day off work, cooking, planning all day for this dinner, and for what? I picked up the now cooled lasagna tray and started scraping it into the mulch bin, knowing none of us were going to be able to eat it.

“Gym,” Rhys announced, collecting his plates and Katie’s. Rhett clung to his.

“We’re not—” I said.

“We go to the gym and blow off some steam, lift heavy until our backs ache and our heads are empty.” He stared at the two of us, a challenge clear in his eyes. “Then when we’ve burned all that energy off, we work out how the fuck we’re gonna get Katie to see us as three guys she wants to date.”

Chapter18

Katie

And this was why I didn’t want to start dating again.

People made out it was about sex, about attraction, about fun, but I knew. As I sped down the highway, trying to put as much distance between me and the three of them, I was forced to confront what it really was.

Hope.

Hope that you’d find the other half of your heart. Hope you’d find someone kind, loving, sweet. Hope you’d find that one person who’d be by your side as the world went to hell. I hadn’t felt like that with Dave, and honestly, I was beginning to think I never would. Three guys sharing one woman… What in the freaking reverse harem—? My train of thought was abruptly caught off by the sound of my phone ringing. I’d texted Mandie the basics before I set off and figured it’d have to be her now. I tapped the button on the steering wheel to answer the phone hands free and said, “Bloody hell, you’ll never guess what happened.”

“What’s that, dear?”

Shit, it was Marg, the shelter manager, not Mandie.

“Um… that Bronson has a new home!” I kept my tone light and breezy. “I met all three guys…” And they made clear they have a really unusual relationship dynamic. “They seem perfect for Bronson. The house is nice, the yard secure…” I remembered the pet store visit now and knew that the dog would have everything he needed. “They’ve already invested a fair bit of money into getting everything he might need.” I sighed internally as I remembered Rhett’s promise to do everything he could to help Bronson. “I think he should go to them.”

“Well, I’ll let them know. Thanks so much for doing the home visit, doll.”

“Cool.” My throat was closing up and I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes. “I won’t be in at the shelter for a week or so. I just need…”

I tried to explain, but I just couldn’t.

“He’s a special dog. I get it. You’ve always been the most amazing volunteer. Come back whenever you’re ready.”

She signed off then, but the minute the line was free, my phone rang again.

“What the freaking hell!” Mandie yelped down the phone. “The three hot guys all know each other and are polyamorous? Like I was joking before but?—”

“Where are you?” I asked.

“Downtown at the Burgher Bar. You should come by!”

“On my way,” I replied before ending the call.

Mandie hung out at fancy places I wouldn’t be seen dead in, but right now a few overpriced cocktails were definitely in order. I needed to dissect what the hell had just happened, stat, and she was the best person for the job.

“Oh my god…!” Mandie got to her feet when she caught sight of me, shimmying over in a gorgeous gold-sequined dress. “The hottie wrangler, ladies and gentleman.”

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