“Not a damn thing. I want you to enjoy! It’s all completely under control. I only have a few last-minute details to see to.”
They parted ways. As Liv milled about, taking in the lush scenery and listening to the band do their sound check, Fallon joined her and handed over a glass of merlot.
“I love when we have parties in the square,” Fallon said before taking a sip.
“I always seem to miss them. I get the email notifications from the city council or the personal invites and I always feel like they’re postcards declaring, ‘Wish you were here!’”
“That’s because we do wish you were here. And . . . here you are!”
Liv laughed. “How much wine have you had so far?”
With a snicker, Fallon told her, “This is my first glass, I assure you. And I am happy you’re in town. Also dying to know if you have two dates this evening.” She waggled her brows.
Liv took a drink of merlot, then said, “I’m not sure. We didn’t get around to discussing tonight’s festivities.”
“What did you get around to last night? Because both Nate and Tristan were completely mesmerized by you—and you didn’t appear to mind in the least.”
“Suffice it to say, I now fully understand why you weren’t able to choose between Dev and Morgan.”
“Oh! I knew there was something between the three of you!”
“You did not!”
“Please,” Fallon contended. “You are your own force of nature, Liv. But when you saw those guys at the yacht club, you were more lit up than this entire park is going to be at twilight. I could see why Lindsey broke the social media rule when it comes to your private life in Bayfront. And Nate and Tristan were just as smitten.”
“I will admit the three of us do spark.”
“By a lot. Even I feel the charge. It’s always been that way. Since you moved to town when you were a kid, there’s been a very strong underlying current of camaraderie with you three. And by senior year, I was actually beginning to think you’d hook up with one of them.”
“That didn’t happen.” Liv sipped again, then inhaled deeply before dropping her bombshell, finally revealing her sinfully delicious secret. “Not until they graduated college.”
“What?!” Fallon exclaimed, her emerald eyes popping. “You—what?”
Liv couldn’t contain her smile. “You heard me. And, yes, I did say they.”
Fallon gaped. Her head whipped to the left, then to the right, to make sure no one stood close enough to overhear as she asked, “You slept with both of them?”
“At the same time.” A wicked thrill skated down her spine as she added, “Though there really wasn’t much sleeping going on.” She winked.
“Oh. My. God.” Fallon needed more wine. She exchanged both their glasses for fresh ones. Turning back to Liv, she said, “You’re telling me that you had a three-way evening with Nate and Tristan?”
“Five years ago. In Paris. It just sort of happened . . . Well, perhaps not. I mean, it wasn’t a When in Rome . . . kind of thing. But it could have been subconsciously premeditated. I’ve been thinking lately that my entire relationship with them is subconsciously premeditated—on my part.”
“Holy fuck!” Fallon blurted. Then covered her mouth. Only briefly. “Why is this the first I’m hearing of something so monumental?”
Liv experienced a familiar tickle of excitement as she said, “It’s been our little forbidden secret and I’ve gotten a huge high off of keeping it. I don’t know . . . it’s as though having this scintillating confidence amongst the three of us bonds us even more. We’ve never needed to discuss the ménage—we still haven’t discussed the ménage in full. And maybe we truly don’t have to, because we can all clearly see how natural it is for us and—”
Liv let out a harsh breath. Took a moment to digest all of this.
Then she said, “Jesus.” And pressed a hand to her chest. “It really is just a natural state for us. Honestly, from the moment Nate and Tristan returned, I fell into a relationship with them.”
/> “That’s not the only falling going on,” Fallon lightly taunted with a twinkle in her eyes.
Liv’s gaze narrowed on her friend. “What are you talking about?”
“Come on, Liv. I don’t believe your ménage à trois is your only forbidden secret. You’ve been keeping an even bigger one from all of us—including yourself!”
She gasped. Fallon’s brows rose in silent challenge.