Page 26 of Learning to Run

The twinkle in his eyes said he was thinking the same thing,but he managed not to say it. “We will and thank you for helping me plan thedate.”

“You’re welcome.” I got quick kisses from both of them beforeI shooed them out the door so they wouldn’t be late just in case there wastraffic.

Once they were headed out to Bates’s car, I leaned backagainst the door and sighed. “Keeping him distracted was hard work. I deserve areward.”

“I don’t understand.” Brady’s head popped out of his roomagain and that time the rest of his body followed.

“You don’t understand a reward?” That didn’t sound right butI humored him. “I worked very hard at keeping Cash distracted so he wouldn’tworry about his date and hard work should be rewarded. And since I can’t giveBates a blow job at the moment, I’m going to have an early lunch of ice cream.”

Wagging my finger, I frowned at him. “And you’re not goingto tattle on me.”

He liked tattling a bit too much.

“No.” Frowning, he sighed like Cash and came out to sit onthe couch. He wasn’t little but he was holding one of his stuffed animals so hewas sending mixed signals. “I don’t understand you being happy about sendingCash off on a date.”

Oh.

That was confusing?

“I don’t understand what you don’t understand.” I wasn’ttrying to be an asshole so I went over and sat down beside him. “Try to explainit to me again but use different words.”

Because just giving me the same ones over and over wouldn’thelp…we’d done that song and dance before and it was just frustrating.

“Okay.” Bringing his teddy bear up higher, he thought for afew seconds. “I don’t understand why you’re not worried or jealous or somethinglike that. Your boyfriends went off without you. I don’t like being left, andif Jude went out on a date with someone else, I would be very upset.”

He’d probably toilet paper someone’s car.

“Well, that would be Jude dating a stranger and you notbeing involved. You like being involved.” Understatement of the year rightthere, but he nodded and looked less confused. “I was involved because Iplanned their date and I got to help Bates surprise Cash.”

I wasn’t sure if I was doing a good job of explaining it,but Brady turned and leaned against the side of the couch, resting his chin onhis knees. “But you got left.”

He seemed stuck on that part.

“Bates said that we’re like a triangle and the internet saidthe same thing.” I’d actually found threesome stuff that wasn’t weird or creepyand it’d been educational. “If each side isn’t strong then the whole thingcollapses.”

It made so much sense even Brady had to nod, so I keptgoing.

“My side with Cash is really strong. I know that won’tbreak. But our sides with Bates are new so we have to work harder at those…likethose extra supports they add when building stuff until everything isfinished.” We’d seen them building a lot of new stuff across the street soBrady’s head bobbed up and down. “Eventually they’ll be as strong as mine andCash’s, but we’ve got to be patient and have special time together to build itup.”

Or our building would crash and no one wanted that.

“And according to people on the internet, the two people ona date can do stuff that the third doesn’t like. So I sent Bates and Cash offto the NASA museum over by the coast.” Space was supposed to be exciting, Iknew that, but Cash would want to read every single sign and would talk aboutit all day long.

I loved him a lot but Bates could love him more when it cameto museums.

“Oh.” Brady straightened and leaned back. “You can do that?Like if you don’t want to watch a movie but Cash does then Bates could take himand you wouldn’t have to feel guilty?”

“Yeah.” I wasn’t sure why more people didn’t haverelationships like it. “And if he wants food that I don’t think sounds goodthen Bates can take him.”

There weren’t enough blow jobs in the world to make eatingraw fish worth it.

“Oh, that’s…” Brady cocked his head. “You should’veexplained that first.”

I thought that’d been obvious.

“There are a lot of benefits. What if I want to suck on adick but Cash is busy? Well, there’s always a spare lying around now.” Ishrugged as Brady’s mouth fell open. “I know. And there’s always someone togive me attention or to do stuff with or to cuddle. There are even more peoplearound to divide chores.”

There were endless benefits and it looked like Brady hadn’tthought of any of them.

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