Page 150 of Full Mountie

He holds my gaze as he continues. “I’ve loved this fierce once before. Never stopped, not for ten long years. And I wasn’t smart enough to get my shit together back then. Might not be fearless enough now, but I trust you’ll push me into the light.”

I drop my arms and squeeze my hands into fists. He’s the most fearless man I’ve ever known. “You’re honest with yourself,” I say hoarsely. “That’s more important than anything. Just because you want to keep things private doesn’t mean you’re living in fear. Take it from one who knows.”

“I don’t want to keep things private,” he says roughly. “I ended up at Max’s house. He’d already guessed, in a way. Although he thought I was just torn between the two of you. But I told him everything. And he didn’t even blink.”

“Oh good,” Beth breathes, and sinks to the floor in front of him. “Because…”

She trails off and looks at me. Okay, apparently we’re doing this on the floor in the front hallway.

I join them, sitting with my back against the wall, and I take Lachlan’s hand. “The prime minister may have stumbled across Beth and me making out in the copier room today.”

“What?” He tries to jerk back, and I hold on tight.

“Not making out,” she adds hastily. “A kiss. A sweet, chaste, make-me-feel-better kiss.”

“I said making out to soften the truth,” I tell her.

She rolls her eyes. “That’s not how healthy communication works.”

“Well, I’m a newbie at this. Sue me.”

She kisses me instead, rising on her knees to press her lips first against my mouth, then Lachlan’s. Then she crawls into his lap. My hold-him-down strategy, taken to the next level. “Here’s the thing,” she whispers, giving him her sweetest look. “He kind of guessed, too. Although he jumped right over being torn and just assumed I was happy dating you both. I didn’t tell him everything, though. That’s not the kind of relationship we have.”

He blinks at her, then laughs under his breath. “So Max knows. And Gavin knows. Which means Violet and Ellie know by now.”

I take a deep breath. “I guess we should invite Tate over for dinner then.”

“And Sasha,” Beth says. “But not the same night.”

“God, no,” Lachlan says, brushing his lips against her temple. “Are you okay with this? For real? You’re basically coming out as polyamorous. We can’t be pushy about that.”

“No, it’s okay,” she says. “I’m not ashamed of loving you both. I don’t want Sasha to grill me six ways from Sunday about how we have sex, because that’s personal, but I want to call you my boyfriends.”

“Partners,” Lachlan says swiftly. “I’m too old to be anyone’s boyfriend.”

A slow, happy smile crawls up my face. “Partners.”

Beth makes a happy sigh and bites her lip as she nods. “Yeah,” she whispers. “That’s exactly what we are.”

54

Beth

While 24 Sussexis being transformed by caterers for what has probably turned into the most elaborate baby brunch ever, we’re at the arena watching the guys play an early Sunday morning game of hockey.

I’m wearing a toque that Ellie has knit me for the occasion.

Even though Ottawa is suffering through an end-of-July heat wave, inside the hockey arena it’s positively chilly, and the hat is appreciated.

It’s a beaver, just like Ellie’s and Violet’s hats.

But my beaver is holding two…sticks.

Sure, let’s call them sticks.

I’m only wearing this hat for hockey, and only because we’re carefully under RCMP guard that ensures nobody will ever take a picture of it.

Except Ellie, who’s got her phone out.

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