11. Dylan

Chapter 11

Dylan

A s we make our way up the stairs to my room, my mind is in chaos. I can't believe he's the new assistant coach for the lacrosse team at CSU. It's like the universe is playing some twisted game with my heart, throwing me curve balls I didn't see coming.

The scholarship is a dream come true. Lacrosse has been my passion for as long as I can remember, and playing for the Outlaws is an opportunity I've worked so hard for. The grades won't be an issue—school has always been my thing—but the thought of all the events, the social stuff? That's the part I'm not looking forward to. Still, if it means I get to play, I'll deal with it.

As we reach my room, I know I need to talk to Ford and Jacob about this. We agreed that communication is key in our relationship, and this is something I can't keep to myself.

"Hey," Ford says, tilting his head. "What's going on in that pretty little head? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I take a deep breath, trying to figure out where to start. "I need to talk to you guys about something. Something important."

Jacob raises an eyebrow. "Is it about what just happened and the asshole who delivered the news?"

I walk over to my bed and sit down, the guys taking a spot on either side of me, the warmth of their bodies calming me. It gives me the courage I need to say what's on my mind. "He confessed his feelings, as you know. Since he spilled the beans downstairs. But you're owed more of an explanation than that."

Their reactions are immediate. Jacob's eyes narrow, and Ford smirks.

"He brought me dinner the night Mom blew up. He told me that he thought I was just some ‘stick bunny'—his words, not mine—but then he got to know me and realized I'm more than that. And now he… he wants to know if I feel the same way."

Jacob's hand tightens around mine, and he lets out a low growl, but I squeeze it back, asking him silently to let me finish.

"He said he's never felt like this about anyone before. That he's been watching us—me and you two—and he's jealous. He wants to be with me, but he doesn't know where that leaves all of us."

There's a heavy silence in the room. The tension radiating off of them makes my heart race. I don't want to hurt them. I care about them so much, but I also can't ignore the fact that there's something between me and Matthew. Something I need to figure out.

"What are you gonna do?" Ford asks, his voice calm but firm. He's always been the more level-headed of the two, the one who thinks things through before reacting.

Jacob, on the other hand, is more impulsive. He mutters under his breath, "Tell him to fuck off."

My eyes widen in surprise, and Ford slaps Jacob upside the back of his head.

"What?" Jacob grunts, rubbing the spot where Ford hit him.

"She likes him too, idiot," Ford snaps. "Hence why she needs to talk to us. She doesn't want to hurt us or do anything without our approval, in a way. We said this relationship would have open communication, and she's giving us that, so don't be an asshole. Hear her out."

Jacob glares at Ford for a moment before turning to me, his expression softening. "Is that true? Do you like him, Pickle?"

With a slow nod, my heart pounds. "I have feelings for him. Something I'd like to explore further."

Jacob

I let her words sink in as I stare absently into space. She has feelings for him. They're words I never wanted to hear, but now that she's said them, I can't unhear them.

My gaze shifts to Ford and I can see the pleading in his eyes to accept what Dylan's saying without any reservations, but it's not easy for me. Admitting that I'm okay with something I'm not isn't me. Not to mention, I'll now have to share my time with not only Ford but him.

Matthew. Her soon-to-be stepbrother.

That just sounds disgusting. I can already hear the ridicule she'll receive from people because of it. She has to see that it's not something acceptable within society. We already get snide comments about our throuple.

My eyes move to Dylan, the girl I've loved since my penis first steered me in the direction of women. She was in my every fantasy and when I moved, the one I compared all the other girls to. They didn't measure up to her, so my virginity remained intact until one day I could find her again and show her just how much I love her.

I did that—alongside Ford, who was never in that dream. But I accepted it, him with her, and how Dylan felt for him. But now she wants me to accept this, something that sounds so insane. Dylan has to see reason.

"Dylan, you can't be serious about this?"

"Really, Jacob? You think I'd confess something to you that I wasn't serious about? Potentially share something that could ruin all that we're building?" Her body begins to shake, her lips trembling as the first tear slides down her cheek, dropping onto her shirt.

Ford doesn't skip a beat and immediately has her wrapped in his arms, turning her so that her head is nestled against his chest. His head is tilted down toward her ear, and I can see his lips moving, whispering words only meant for the two of them.

"Dylan, he's older than you. Not to mention he's going to be your stepbrother and our coach. Take a minute and think about the controversy that's going to follow you around, like a bad tabloid magazine. Instead of getting notoriety for being an amazingly skilled player, it's going to be for this. Is that really what you want?"

I can't see her face, but her sobs tell me how badly I've hurt her.

"Great, way to be a fucking dickhead, Jacob!" Ford barks as he kisses Dylan on the top of her head. "Who the fuck cares who she dates? Did you not think people would already be having their eyes on us being a throuple? You didn't seem to care then."

"Ford, come on man, you have to see the situation with her and Matthew is totally different."

"How?" Dylan pulls away from Ford and glares at me. My gaze shoots to her red-rimmed, puffy eyes and her tear soaked cheeks.

"Because he's going to be your brother!" My voice raises, not understanding what they don't comprehend about this.

" Stepbrother! " she yells back at me. "As in not blood related, there's nothing incestuous about it."

"Still—" I start, but Ford cuts me off.

"No man, there's no but. If you love Dylan as much as you say you do, you'll find a way to deal with whatever hangup you have about Matthew."

"I do love her. More than anyone in the world. She's the woman I always knew I'd be with. I know I'm just a teenager but when I think about my future, I see Dylan by my side, along with our children," I confess to them both.

"Then you need to decide what you're going to do. Love her and the relationships we have individually with her and as a group, which includes Matthew, or let her go. It's not a hard choice, but I'm not going to continue to let you upset her like this."

"It's just—"

"No, Jacob. There's nothing controversial about her being with Matthew. First, is he going to be our coach?" Ford holds up his hands, ticking off his fingers as he goes through a list. "Yes, but Matthew has already cleared that, and if the school doesn't have an issue with it, then who cares if people we don't know do? Second, he's going to be her stepbrother, no blood relation, so no issue. Three, you need to get over your hangups. Dylan has more than proven there's enough of her to go around. Do you ever feel slighted by her attention?"

"No, I haven't," I say softly.

"If it's too much for you then I'll try to ignore the feelings that I have. I love you, Jacob, and if it's a choice between following through with how I feel about Matthew or losing you, then I'll step away. I've lost you once. I can't do it again."

My eyes go wide. She'd give up everything for me? Dylan would rather live unhappily to make me happy? I can't let her do that.