Page 127 of The Substitute
“Because I need help,” I say with a defeated groan.
“And you thought your brother was the best place to get advice?” Rhys asks, finally moving past the door and getting comfortable.
“He seems to work for you, so I figured I might as well try.”
Rhys lifts an eyebrow but doesn’t comment. Probably smart. “What’s the issue?”
“He’s sleeping with the enemy!” Teddy yells pressing his index finger into his palm. “What are you not understating?”
“Babe, so are you.” Rhys puts a hand on Teddy’s shoulder.
“And it’s hell!” Teddy says like it’s a huge weight off his chest.
I snort a laugh. I did not see that one coming.
Rhys blinks at him. “Excuse me?”
“The daily rituals and termite oil has been excursion!” Teddy covers his face. “I had to talk to Coach and Mom about orgasms!”
“Termite oil?”
“I’m more concerned about what rituals he’s doing.”
Rhys flicks his gaze to me. “Don’t ask.”
“Can we get back to the matter at hand?” I ask. “I really need help.”
“Yes, please continue.” Rhys grabs a water from the fridge and takes a seat on the counter.
“I’m kind of dating two guys, and I don’t know what to do about it.” The words just pour out of me because I’ve been bottling them up so long.
“Wait. Two? At the same time?” Rhys looks impressed.
“Yes and no, but I don’t know what that means,” Teddy says, still looking at me. “Still unclear on where the dicks go.”
Rhys pats his hand but doesn’t comment. “Okay, that is a situation.”
“Right. And I don’t know what to do.”
“Which one do you want to be with?”
“Both!” I start pacing again. I can’t out Ambrose to either of them, so I have to be very careful with how I proceed here. “They know about each other, okay? I’m not hiding shit. I just know at some point they are going to want me to pick.”
Rhys looks at me skeptically. “And they’re okay with this arrangement?”
“Well…” I groan. “How can they be? One has said he wants me to himself, and the other has said he’s jealous of the time theother gets with me, so I think that means he wants me to himself, too?”
“Why does this have to be an either or situation?” Rhys asks. “Why can’t you have both?”
Teddy is nodding along like he’s invested in the conversation and backing Rhys up.
“Don’t be an idiot.” I pace away from him then back. “That’s not how things work in real life.”
“Why not?” Rhys tosses his now-empty water bottle in the recycle bin. “You’ve never heard of polyamory?”
“How is that fair? If I get to fuck both of them, but I don’t want them with anyone else? Sounds toxic.” I cross my arms and want to punch someone.
“Can they fuck each other?”
