Goldie and the Three Wisconsin Bears

“What happened after you knocked on the door?” Mitch takes my hand, comforting me, even though I’m supposed to go to Nico with all my personal stuff.

“He answered. And I could tell he recognized me right away. Everybody told me I looked like the light-skinned version of my mother growing up. But all he said was, ‘Yes? May I help you?’ And even though he could help me, I knew this was the opposite of what my mother would have wanted. So I replied, ‘Nothing’ and walked away. And then I applied for a job to become a dancer. It didn’t even feel like a choice.”

He rubs a thumb over my hand and lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry we got such shitty dads.”

I laugh a little. “Me too. But the life you’re planning for your future wife and children…that sounds amazing.”

He gives me a quizzical look.

“What?” I ask.

“That is not how Charlotte responded when I floated the idea of moving up here. She claimed she wanted to be a stay-at-home wife when we first met, but she said we could only use this place as a vacation cabin. We were hoping if we did a nice enough renovation, she might change her mind, but no dice. She dumped us before we could even show her the place.”

Is that so…

I was fully Team Charlotte when I first arrived—especially when it came to Jeb. But now I feel insulted on the guys behalf. I get this life isn’t for everyone. I would never have imagined how much I’d like it before landing here. But she should have least given remote living a chance.

“You jealous?” Mitch’s question interrupts my anti-Charlotte tirade.

I pause. And not because of his sly smirk.

But because it’s true. When I poke at the feeling inside my chest, it’s jealousy. Murky and green.

And there’s another emotion hanging out with it. One I’ve never experienced before. A clingy possessiveness that makes me want to fight Charlotte like we’re in junior high.

Luckily, I’m saved from answering Mitch’s question when Jeb tells us to get our asses over to the fire for dinner.

My birthday had already come and gone back in February. Tommy took me to Aria, an Atlanta hot spot. He always takes me to a five-star restaurant on my birthday.

But I’d swear on anything that I’ve never had a birthday dinner as good as the campfire turkey and whole sweet potato Jeb and Nico whipped up.

“Don’t thank me,” Jeb says when I can’t stop raving. “All I did was shoot the turkey and pluck it. Nico did the rest.”

“It’s all about the brine,” Nico tells us. He doesn’t let anybody make anything more complicated than sandwiches in his kitchen. But as always, he’s eager to break down his recipes. “A lot of people use sugar, but I use honey for anything we’re making over the campfire. Honey and fire. That’s the secret to wild turkey.”

Honey and fire…

As we eat, the sun sets over the lake. Watching the resplendent sight, a huge, unnamable emotion fills my chest, and I find myself confessing another truth to them. “Sunset orange…that’s my favorite color.”

A moment of silence for the majestic wonder above us.

Then Jeb says, “Mine’s black. Now, can we throw those damn heels of yours on the fire?”

With lots of laughter, we do just that.

And to my surprise, Jeb, who never acts silly, starts singing the “Happy Birthday” song as we watch them burn. Mitch and Nico also join in, and as they sing, it feels like my old life with Tommy is burning away.

These guys…

They’re the opposite of Tommy. They make everything better, not worse. They make my chest fill up with sunset orange.

God, I love them.

I freeze.

Wait…what did I just think?

I’m not allowed to feel that way about them. This thing between us…it’s a temporary arrangement before I leave them to their lives and a future wife. Loving them would be dangerous, and even if it wasn’t, I don’t deserve three such amazing guys.

But the feeling…the sunset orange inside my chest…it refuses to go away.

“You okay, Goldie?” Nico asks.

I don’t realize they’ve finished singing until I look up to find them all staring at me. Nico looks worried. Mitch looks like he’s analyzing my face. And Jeb just looks angry at himself.

“I know it’s not really your birthday,” he says, casting his eyes away. “I was just having some fun.”

“No, it was great. The best birthday I’ve ever had,” I let him know. “I’m just a little cold.”

They seem almost relieved by my explanation.

“Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” Nico asks, wrapping an arm around me.

“Get her inside, Mitch. Nico and me will take care of cleanup and putting out the fire,” Jeb commands.

Nico transfers me to Mitch, who tucks me under his arm as we walk back to the cabin. “Be happy I talked Jeb out of camping outside tonight. I figured it’d be too cold for somebody from the South. But don’t worry, I’ll warm you up when we get home.”