“Quadrangle,” Lincoln corrected him.
“Wait,” said Brody. “Wouldn’t it be a square?”
“A square is a quadrangle.”
“Whatever.”
I couldn’t believe the way the conversation was going. My mind was blown.
“Anyway,” Lincoln went on, “you know what we mean. None of us should be jealous of the other,” he said, gazing pointedly at Brody and Donovan, “because we all sort of happened simultaneously. We all got together with you at basically the same time.”
They were looking at me differently now. Staring at me the way each of them had before… on our date.
“So… you really won’t be jealous?” I still couldn’t believe it.
“Not if you’re honest,” said Donovan. “Besides, we’ll each be taking you out on different dates. We won’t even need to talk to each other, unless we need to switch days or something.”
“What happens on Monday stays on Monday,” Brody joked. “What happens on Tuesday—”
“She gets it,” sighed Lincoln.
It was all so surreal. In my wildest dreams, I would’ve never imagined the scenario they were suggesting. It didn’t make any sense! And yet… it also did.
“Of course if this is too much for you we’d understand,” said Donovan. “It’s a little unorthodox. It might not be something you—”
“I want to try it.”
My heart skipped three beats. My brain couldn’t believe the sentence my mouth had just formed.
“Yeah?” Brody grinned.
“Yeah,” I said. “Sure. Why not?”
“No reason why not,” Donovan smiled.
“I mean, I loved my dates with all three of you,” I said truthfully. “You’re all so amazing. So fun and funny and romantic. And you’re all so… well, you know.” I blushed. “I came here reluctantly, not wanting to lose any of you. But I thought I might lose you all.”
“And yet here we still are,” quipped Brody.
I sat there in stunned silence, until someone laid a hand over mine. It was Lincoln. He looked at me reassuringly from across the table.
“You can take this at your own speed, Holly. Move as fast or slow as you want. We’re not here to rush you, or make you feel any pressure.”
“Good point,” said Donovan. “Feel free to turn us down when you need to. Take time for yourself and all that.”
“Also feel free to date me two or three nights in a row,” added Brody. “These older guys might need a rest, but I’m always up for—”
Brody ducked as Donovan threw a sugar packet at him. “Older? I’m only twenty-five, you jackhole.”
“Oh yeah? Well I’m twenty-one.”
I sat up straight at that news. “Really? Holy shit, I’m two years older than you.”
“So?”
“I… I just figured…”
“And I’m twenty-nine,” added Lincoln, setting down his mug. “Which makes me the oldest, so I get first pick.”