Page 38 of Perfect Three

She gave him a blubbery ‘thank you’, dried her eyes, and blew her nose.

“Where’s your coffee?”

She sniffed and said, “I can make them.”

“No, you go sit down.Just point me in the right direction.”

She gave another sniffle.“There are grounds in the pantry alongside the plunger.”She pointed to the door of the pantry, then to a cupboard alongside the fridge.“Mugs are there.”

Lucy allowed Sebastian to walk her into the parlor.

He pushed her down onto one of the large couches and sat down alongside her.Picking up her hand, he rubbed the back of it with his thumb.“Lucy.Look at me.”

She turned her head, peering at him through watery eyes.

“If you want to give this a chance to work, then you have to be honest with us.We almost left just then because you ran away and wouldn’t talk.We both thought you didn’t want us.I worried we’d offended you when you saw us kiss.You have to talk to us if this has any chance of working.And that’s even if it’s only as friends.”

“It’s hard.”

“Of course it’s hard, but in any sort of relationship you have to talk openly.In one like this it’s vital.”

It had been so long since she’d had to talk to another person so intimately.In fact, even when she was married, she’d mostly held things back.She and her ex had never talked openly about sex.In fact, they rarely discussed anything except finances and their daughter.So how could she say ‘I want’ and expect the other person to give unless Lucy explained why?

And explaining ‘why’ was her problem.She’d always been too ashamed, thinking she was weird or something worse.She nodded her head, agreeing with Sebastian but at the same time frightened to tell him or Jack what she really wanted in case they might think she was strange.Despite what she’d read, and what Sebastian had said, she still worried they would think her odd.It was hard to ignore the years of thinking there was something wrong with her.

They sat in silence with Sebastian holding her hand until Jack came in with a milk coffee for Lucy.He handed her a mug and held out the sugar bowl.

Sebastian dropped her hand as she took the mug, thankful Jack hadn’t filled it all the way—her shaking hand would have spilt it all.

“I remembered you took milk and sugar, not sure how much.”

She smiled, thanked him, and dropped two spoonfuls into her mug, giving it a stir.

Jack took the spoon off her and left, then returned with a mug for Sebastian and one for himself.

Taking a sip, she exhaled loudly and leaned back against the couch as Jack settled on the floor near her.He had his head close to her knee.

“You don’t have to sit on the floor, Jack.”

“I know, but I like to.Ask Seb.”

She looked at Sebastian.

“He does, spreads out all his work at home on the floor.”

Once again, the conversation detoured into safer topics as the men gave her a chance to get her emotions back under control, giving her time to attempt arranging her crazy thoughts.Damn, I’d need years to do that!

Trying to sound natural, she asked, “So you work from the apartment?”

“Actually, I own a small computer company a couple of streets away from the club.We design websites, do advertising stuff for clients.I’ve only got five staff, but I like it that way.”

“Oh.I thought you worked with Sebastian?”

“I do as well.My father was in advertising in Sydney, and I worked for him while I studied computing at university.I’m a bit of a computer geek.Branched out on my own and built up the business here.Anyway, when I met Seb, he was telling me all his plans, and I thought I could help.I was looking for something to invest in, and it seemed perfect.”He gave Seb a smile.“I haven’t looked back in more ways than one.”

“Is your father still in advertising?”

“No, he finally retired a few years ago.He and my mother now live in Brisbane.They like the heat.I like it a bit cooler.Plus, I like to ski in the winter.I grew up in Western Sydney, but I moved my business here when it started growing and I needed staff.Buildings are cheaper here than down in Sydney.Anyway, I try and get up to Queensland to see the oldies every few months or so.”

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