“No fucking way.” Brando grunted and shook his head. “She’s not going to give it up on the first date. She’s saving herself for me.”
“You think so, eh?” Adrian chuckled and looked over at Brando. “I think she’s a virgin and I think she’s going to fuck him.”
“What do you think, John?” I looked over at the man sitting in the corner nursing his beer.
“I honestly don’t know.” John shrugged. “I don’t really know much about her.”
“Anders?” I looked at the man seated to my immediate left who had been paying more attention to his phone than the television showcasing Lyn’s date with Markus.
“Huh? I don’t know.” He looked up briefly and then looked back to his phone.
“It doesn’t matter.” Charles downed the rest of his Scotch and stood up. “In order for this arrangement to work, we can’t obsess over her sex life. If we agree to live together with her, then we will share her in every way—there can’t be any jealousy.”
“You’re really serious about this?” I motioned for him to bring me a beer after he refilled his Scotch and he brought me one from the mini-fridge.
“I am.” Charles sat down in his chair. “I know you’re probably questioning if this is just a stunt for Seven Roses and I assure you that it isn’t. I’m done hosting the show and I’m putting everything into making this arrangement work.”
“Why?” Adrian leaned forward. “What is the point of this?”
“What do you guys know about me?” Charles looked around the room.
“You host the show—or you did.” Brando chuckled and shrugged.
“So it might surprise you to hear that I’ve been married three times?” Charles sipped his Scotch and continued looking around the room.
“And? You’re a shitty husband—what does that have to do with any of us?” Brando grunted and shook his head.
“All of you are like me.” Charles looked directly at me. “You know it.” He looked to Brando. “You know it too.”
“We’re all shitty?” Brando raised an eyebrow.
“We’re all damaged.” Charles sighed and sipped his drink. “We’re the very definition of good in small doses. Outside of Anders here, all of us have failed relationships and they have to do with the life we lead.”
“So what?” John tilted his head as if he was pondering what Charles said. “We’re so screwed up that we can’t find love?”
“No.” Charles shook his head. “We’re the pieces of a puzzle. I chose each of you for that very purpose. Together we can make Lyn the happiest woman on the planet and we can have the companionship we’ve always wanted.”
“Except this guy.” I pointed to Anders. “This guy got a perfect match. Why not just set him up with Lyn?”
“What?” Anders looked up from his phone. “I’m just here for the game.”
“You’re a bit of an anomaly, Anders.” Charles looked towards Anders. “I’m not sure how you fit into this puzzle quite yet, but you are a perfect match, so I couldn’t just leave you out.”
Our attention was drawn back to the television screen as Lyn and Markus arrived at one of the historic Chicago theaters. I was never a fan of theater, but Lyn definitely seemed to like it.
What Charles said about the arrangement did make sense. Everyone he had chosen was kind of a fuck up when it came to having the capacity for a normal relationship. I chased that dream a few times, but I never found a way to make it work. Having someone to come home to—someone to love—would be nice. I was so tired of random groupies living out fantasies and soccer moms reliving their youth. I did feel like I deserved happiness, and if I couldn’t handle that on my own, then maybe the group Charles assembled could find a way to turn it into something feasible. I couldn’t believe I was actually trying to wrap my head around the arrangement and consider it.
The musical Lyn and Markus were watching took a break for intermission and I grabbed another beer. I returned in time to see them disappear from the camera until it caught up with them in the hallway where they were sharing a kiss.
“I told you.” I pointed at the screen. “She’s going to fuck him.”
“Will that change how you approach your date with her tomorrow at all?” Charles looked at me.
“Nah...” I admitted with a shrug of my shoulders.
“Then don’t obsess over it. If we want Lyn to consider this arrangement, we have to make it as comfortable for her as possible. We can’t judge her or question her motives. We each go out with her and show her a wonderful time. If something happens, it happens.” He put his glass on the table beside him. “It doesn’t change things for the rest of us if we ultimately end up becoming a family devoted to loving and taking care of her.”
We watched the television screen as the date concluded and they crawled back into the car. They were on top of each other in an instant. I had no doubt that it was going to happen. Markus was going to take Lyn’s virginity. I tried to process what Charles said. Was it possible for things to work out the way he suggested? My agent would probably tell me it was a bad idea, but it would create a ton of publicity when the show aired. If we all did agree to the arrangement, then it would define who we were. The jerk in me wanted to bust out of the room and say something stupid when they came in the front door, but I let my ego rest. Markus might have her virginity, but I still had my date with her. One night in the sack wasn’t going to make her fall in love with him. We all watched the monitors until they went upstairs and when her door closed, we were all quiet.