Page 76 of Mine to Share

“You saw my pool, and you have a day off coming up.”

“You know my schedule?” she asked, brows raised.

The chuckle that rumbled in my chest held zero humor. “I think you’d be surprised what all I know about you.”

Crimson flared across her cheeks before she dipped her face back to the screen. The bench back shook with Jameson’s quiet laugh.

“So, Slade mentioned something yesterday that I found interesting,” Jameson said, tone bland, like he was talking about the weather. “Your parents are in a poly relationship?”

The sip of coffee Rain just took sputtered back into her mug. Grabbing a napkin out of the holder at the end, I handed it over for her to wipe up the droplets dotting her chin.

“Um, yeah. Why?”

Wood groaned as Jameson shifted, angling himself so he could lean back on the wall. “Just interesting. I’ve… played in the poly world but never heard of anyone who made it work in a long-term relationship. How does it work exactly?”

Sneaky. Sneaky motherfucker.

Forearms to the edge of the table, I leaned closer, very interested to hear her response.

“Um, okay, was not expecting this conversation today. But I’ll be honest, it’s better than thinking about the growing to-do list to get my house back in order.” Her lips curled down in a frown. “Who do I even call to clean up and get rid of the ruined furniture?”

Reaching over, I tapped her wrist, urging her to look my way. “I’ll take care of it. Just like the insurance.”

“Right, thank you. That’s—” She blew out a breath, lips vibrating. “—a huge relief. I can do it, but it’s nice knowing I don’t have to tackle all this on my own. Same as last night—and thank you for letting me stay here. Really. Not having to figure out a hotel and immediately think of where to get clothes for the next day was….” Her lower lids filled with tears before she jerked her gaze away. “Thank you. I don’t know how I can repay you.”

“I know of one way,” Jameson said around the fakest cough ever. Only to be cut off when my foot connected with the side of his leg. Hard. “Fucking hell. Remember, we’re not all part giant.”

And just like that, the worry and weight that lingered just seconds ago disappeared from Rain’s tight features as her smile grew at our antics.

“Right, well, my parents. Not sure what Slade told you, but my mom is an anthropologist and supports the idea that monogamy doesn’t work for long-term relationships. Especially for women like her and me.”

“Meaning what?” Jameson prodded.

“Independent, successful, driven. She’s studied different cultures and observed that those who incorporated a group-relationship style were happier and more fulfilled. It helps that my dad was fully behind the idea too. Though not for the reasons you’d think. He didn’t want the poly relationship so he could see other women. It’s only ever been my mom for him. He likes it because he’s driven, too, and can’t give Mom everything she needs and deserves. Not money wise, but more to do with time and emotional capacity. Growing up, it was always my mom, dad, and Uncle Sam in our house. Obviously, Uncle Sam isn’t related at all, but it’s what they tell people to avoid the stigma of my mom having two men living with her.”

“So, it’s those three? Always?” I asked, mind blown at the idea of a long-term poly relationship. Though not in a bad way. Maybe with another’s help, I could actually make a marriage work.

“Yep. Now, don’t ask me about their sex life.” Her shoulders shook with an exaggerated shudder. “I’d plug my ears and run away anytime Mom started raving about it. But yeah, it works for them because they make it work. My mom loves them both equally, and they each bring something different to the relationship.” Raising her mug with both hands, she took a long sip, gaze skipping between us over the rim. “Why are you asking me about this?”

Jameson cleared his throat and tapped the top of his laptop. “Per my guy, no one has seen or heard from your ex-husband in over a month. Does he have family he would’ve gone to who could help him fly under the radar?”

Rain just blinked, mug frozen midair where she’d been slowly lowering it to the table. Fingers wrapped around the bottom, I tugged it out of her hold before she dropped it from the shock of the conversation’s detour while kicking Jameson again under the table.

His soft pain-filled grunt made my cold heart happy.

“Oh, um, no family. He was young when his parents passed and didn’t keep in contact with any aunts and uncles. Honestly, I don’t know of anyone who would take him in. He burned bridges fast. And what do you mean, no one has seen him or heard from him? Doesn’t he have a job, coworkers who have seen him?”

I shared a quick look with Jameson. “You don’t know if he did or didn’t have a job?”

“Nope.” She tugged the mug back her way with a fake scowl. “Get your own. I signed the divorce papers and moved on without a single look back. He stopped calling and texting about a year ago. Finally free of him and about to move on with my life without him holding me back, I cut all ties. That makes me sound terrible,” she muttered into the mug before taking a sip.

“Not at all,” Jameson stated with enough force that it snapped her attention to him. “You got away from that manipulative leech and were smart enough to not keep any ties for him to drag you back into his self-absorbed world.”

The alert of movement on the front porch had me swiveling the iPad and tapping on the doorbell app. A scowl pulled at my face, finding an unknown kid at my door. “What the hell is—”

“That will be breakfast,” she cheered. “A proper breakfast, not that smoothie crap. I’ll be right back.” Before I could scoot out of the bench, she was already jogging away.

With her handling the delivery, I tapped the internet icon to see what she was scrolling through. The site for her favorite sneaker brand filled the screen with four pairs of sparkly shoes in the shopping cart. Knowing I had limited time, I hurried to add a few more shoes in her size to the cart before tapping the Apple Pay button, completing the purchase.

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