Page 58 of My Three Roommates

“It’s just how things are. It’s working for me and all of us. So even if you can’t be happy for me, you need to accept me. That’s what best friends do, and we’re supposed to be more than best friends. You’re like my sister. So is everyone in that room.”

I can hear faint strains of music and laughter as the party goes on without me. I want so much to be part of Rosalie’s celebration, it hurts my heart. “After everything we’ve been through, how can you turn your back on me now?”

It takes everything I’ve got to meet Paige’s eyes without flinching. I tighten my fists to stop my hands from shaking. Everything’s riding on her answer. If she’s on my side, it’ll make it a lot easier to smooth things over with my other friends. If she’s not, I just know everyone else will follow her lead.

Her gaze starts to soften and she reaches out to squeeze my arm. “That’s not what I want to do, Kenna. I care about you and Brad both. I want what’s best for you. You always said you two were on track to get married. Moving in together was the right step. I don’t want to see you screw it up. We’ve always had each other’s backs as far as guys go. That’s all we’re trying to do now. Keep you on the right path.”

Now my fists clench with frustration. She still doesn’t get it. “I appreciate that, Paige,” I say tightly. “Maybe we can talk about this more later.”

She’s about to answer when something over my shoulder catches her eye. Her gaze hardens. I turn to find Cody and Tanner coming down the hallway towards us.

“There you are, Kenna.” They stop and stand on either side of me, close and familiar. Cody takes hold of my hand. Tanner slips his arm around my waist and kisses my cheek. Paige’s eyes narrow down into slits. I pause for only a couple seconds before I lace my arms around my guys.

“Paige, you’ve met Cody before. This is Tanner. My other boyfriend.”

For once, something’s shocked Paige into complete silence. I didn’t think that was possible, or that I’d be the cause of it.

Her silence doesn’t last long. “Another boyfriend. Right. I don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, Kenna, but none of us will ever be okay with it.” She turns on her heel and stalks off, letting the door to the private room slam shut behind her.

“What are you guys doing here?” I ask them faintly, leaning against Cody as the sudden rush of adrenaline that was surging through me drains away.

“We came to make sure you were doing okay,” Cody says. “You know, give you some support since we knew you were walking into the lion’s den.”

“We were going to hang out in the restaurant until you were done, maybe get some dinner,” Tanner adds. “Looks like we made things a lot worse. I’m sorry, Kenna.”

I shake my head, speechless for a moment from all the emotions coursing through me. It’s overwhelming. Cody brushes a tear from my cheek. “It didn’t go well?”

“Understatement of the year. I didn’t even tell them everything. It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay.” Cody’s getting a familiar look in his eye. “We can go in there and set them straight.”

I love how he’ll defend me no matter what. Tanner’s getting fired up too. “Anything you need, Kenna. We’ve got your back,” he says.

I force a half-smile in spite of the deep sense of loss that’s consuming me. “Thank you guys, but I don’t think that’s possible. They’re too stuck on the idea that there’s only one kind of relationship that can work. None of them cared about what I had to say. My girlfriends aren’t going to accept our relationship, and that means they don’t accept me for who I am.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’ve got your boyfriends.” Cody tightens his hold on me. “Brad’s still at work. He was planning to come here straight from the office. Now he doesn’t need to.”

“Let’s go home. That’s all I want.” I love that they’re here for me. Knowing I’ve got three guys in my corner makes all the difference.

CHAPTER 33 KENNA

“THERE YOU ARE.” Brad folds me into his arms before I can set my purse down. “I almost went to the restaurant anyway, even after I got Tanner’s text that you guys were on your way back. How are you, Kenna?”

“I’m okay.”

Brad brushes my hair away from my face. “Are you really?”

“Better now that I’m home.” I don’t know what to make of everything that went down tonight. My brain hurts when I try to make sense of it all.

“Your friends might come around,” Tanner says, shooting Cody a look when he snorts.

“Sorry. Of course they could,” Cody says. “You might decide you don’t want them to.”

“Yeah, maybe. I don’t know.” I rub at my forehead. “At the moment, I don’t want to think about anything else but being here with all of you.”

Brad takes hold of my hand. “What would make you feel better?”

“I don’t know.”

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