Page 59 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

“So we’re doing this?” Rhys shot the lot of us a triumphant grin. “We’re dating Katie as a team.”

“I mean, I guess…” Garrett was not entirely on board, I could see that plainly, but faced with his options, he quickly recovered.

Rhys punched me in the arm.

“So, you’re going on a date with our girl. Don’t fuck this up, because you’re doing this for all of us.” I had a stinging retort ready to deliver, but Rhys transferred his attention to the dog. “And you’re coming with me.” That high, excitable squeak had Bronson’s tail thumping on the floor. “Yes, you are! Yes, you are!”

Which ishow I came to be standing outside Katie’s door an hour or two later.

I’d scrubbed and shaved, then carefully combed my hair back and found a nice shirt and some jeans. Garrett vetoed the nice shirt and found me another, better one and I got dressed and then sped over to her place, making a pit stop at a florist to pick up some flowers. Taking the steps two at a time, I raced all the way up to her door and then… stood there. She was going to open it and see me, not Garrett. He was the one she agreed to go out with. I should’ve called her, explained and?—

“Oh.” Mandie opened the door and took me in, one eyebrow jerking up when she saw the flowers. “You’re not the murse.”

“Murse?” I asked.

“Male nurse.”

“Stop calling him that!” a muffled voice said from deeper in the apartment. “I’m nearly ready.” Katie’s voice grew louder, clearer, and my grip on the flowers tightened. Mandie’s eyes widened as she heard the cellophane crackle, then smiled. “I just need…”

Finish that sentence, babe, I thought as Katie appeared in the doorway.Just lemme know what you need and I’ll do it.

“Rhett?”

She was confused. Of course, she was. She thought she was going on a date with Pretty Boy, but I turned up instead. Should’ve texted her first, I told myself over and over, right before I cleared my throat, ready to explain.

“Garrett got called into work, Katie. He tried really hard to avoid cancelling, but they’re so short staffed in the emergency department, he didn’t have a choice. He’s going to text you about it. We… I…” Mandie nodded in encouragement. “I figured rather than cancel on you, I could take you to the brewery instead.”

Mandie turned to see what Katie thought about the matter, but I barely noticed what she was doing. It was Katie’s mouth falling open, her blink, that had my attention. She was gonna say no, thanks, that she was only interested in one of us, so her smile took me by surprise.

“Sure. Who can say no to cute Samoyed dogs?”

“Right.” I’m not sure if I knew what one of those was, but all I knew was they were now my favourites, because Katie liked them. “Well, these are for you.”

I handed over a bunch of tulips. They were a fiery orange-red, just like her hair, and it felt like her freckles popped as her cheeks flushed pink. With a nudge from Mandie, Katie stepped forward and took them from me.

“Oh, well, thanks. I’ll just put them in some water.”

“You better come in, not murse,” Mandie said, looking me over closely. “So which one are you?”

“Rhett.” I held out a hand, and she just looked at it before taking it eventually. “I’m a firefighter and?—”

“You want to make a triple decker sandwich from my sister with those guys you live with.” I stopped mid-stride and stared, catching Mandie’s smug expression. “Don’t worry, I’m not adverse to Katie getting all the peen, as long as you’re all just giving her your dicks, not being one.”

My feet shifted restlessly as I felt not so little Rhett perk up at that idea.

“I’ve liked your sister for ages,” I told her. Katie was in the kitchen opening cupboards and looking for a vase, so she was missing this. “Before all the others.”

“You’re the one that let her waste her time with that arsehole you work with.”

Mandie’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m the one that had to force myself not to punch Dave’s teeth down his throat every time he opened his mouth because I was worried that it would hurt Katie,” I replied, crossing my arms.

“OK.” She nodded. “Ignore those noble instincts next time. That guy was a fucking bastard. He tried to crack onto me more than once.” My hands formed fists, something she noted. “Don’t you dare tell Katie. She has this stupid idea that guys aren’t into her.” I wasn’t staring at her anymore, my gaze instinctively finding Katie and watching her closely as she removed the flowers from their wrapping and then arranged them in the jug. “But you are.”

I met Mandie’s gaze reluctantly.

“I am, and you have to know I’d never hurt her. None of us will. No offence, because you seem nice and all, but I really, really like your sister.”

---