25. Helicopter Ride

Chapter 25

Helicopter Ride

Ethan

I t had only been two weeks since Leo took us on dates, and I was amazed at how well things were going between the three of us. We hadn’t put an official label on what the three of us were, but things felt official . Especially since I knew that Leo’s condo was ready to move back into and he hadn’t moved out yet.

And now he was whisking us away somewhere for the weekend.

“Where do you think we’re going?” Libby was practically vibrating with excitement as we rode through Manhattan.

Leo had told us the night before to pack a bag for a few days, and that his driver would pick us up after we got home from work. He hadn’t told us anything about where we were going besides to pack clothes for similar weather and swimsuits.

“He didn’t tell us to bring our passports, so we’re staying in the country.” I hated trying to guess surprises because my imagination would run wild and then the surprise would never live up to it.

There were only so many places in the country that had similar weather, but the swimsuit was throwing me off. Maybe somewhere with a nice hotel, or he had plans for some jacuzzi time?

Thankfully, I didn’t have much time to think about it because it wasn’t that long of a drive before we turned into a heliport that had a sleek black helicopter waiting on a helipad.

I couldn’t help but grin as Libby’s eyes widened as we were let through a security gate and pulled up next to the helipad.

“Is that... are we...?” Libby stammered, her grip on my hand tightening.

“Appears we’re going for a helicopter ride.” I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

She didn’t like flying in airplanes, but maybe being in a helicopter would be different. Helicopters were perfectly safe… who was I kidding? I was even a little nervous about flying in one.

Our driver opened the back door for us as the door of the helicopter opened. Leo hopped down, dressed in jeans but still wearing the button-down shirt he’d been wearing that morning with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The man was a snack, and his designer sunglasses made him look even more delectable.

Leo strode toward us as we got out of the car, a huge grin on his face. “Ready for a little adventure?”

Libby bit her lip, and I could tell she was overthinking things. “This seems like a bit much, doesn’t it? I mean, a helicopter? Is it even safe?”

I nudged her gently with my shoulder. “Hey, if the man wants to spoil us, who are we to argue? Besides, when was the last time you rode in a helicopter?”

“Um, never?” She fiddled with her purse strap.

“Exactly, so let’s enjoy it. Leo wouldn’t take us in something unsafe.” At least, that was what I was telling myself.

Leo’s face softened as he reached out and rubbed Libby’s arm reassuringly. “I promise the view will be worth it, but if you’re really uncomfortable, we can drive instead.”

Libby looked at the helicopter for a long few moments, no doubt imagining all the possible scenarios where the helicopter did not get us to our destination. “I don’t want to sit by a window.”

I kissed her temple. “Your favorite place is sandwiched in between us.”

The pilot, who had approached while we were chatting, cleared his throat. “We’re ready to depart. I’d like to go over some safety information with you before we board.”

He gave us a safety briefing before leading us to the helicopter and showing us the vital things we needed to know in case of an emergency, like how to open the doors and where the fire extinguisher was.

Once we got settled in the back seats, the pilot and copilot got our bags loaded and prepared for takeoff. My nerves were turning into excitement as we buckled out seatbelts and put on our headsets.

“Lib, if things are too scary for you, you can lay your head in my lap so you don’t have to see anything.” I rubbed her thigh, trying to soothe her. The safety briefing did not help ease her nerves.

Leo turned toward us. “Maybe I should have asked about this. Are you sure you don’t want to drive? We’re going to the Hamptons, so it will only take about forty-five minutes this way if that helps.”

Libby shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’ll be fine. It’s usually only takeoff and landing that get me.”

“I’ve flown with these pilots hundreds of times, and I haven’t once had a rough takeoff or landing, even when the weather wasn’t as perfect as it is now.” Leo put his fingers under Libby’s chin and turned her face to him. “We can just take a car.”

“No. I’ll be fine.” She sat up a little straighter. “I won’t know until I try, right?”

“Right.” He kissed her gently as the pilots started the engine. “And like Ethan said, you can always put your head in his lap.”

She snorted and turned forward. “I’m sure the pilots would love that.”

We lifted into the air without issue and were off toward the Hamptons. The view was nothing short of spectacular. As we soared over the city, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the breathtaking panorama below us as the sun started to set.

Libby’s initial nervousness melted away, replaced by childlike wonder as she alternated leaning across me and Leo. On the way back she’d probably fight one of us to sit by the window.

As we got farther away from Manhattan, Leo’s demeanor changed. He always seemed to be in business mode, even at home, but now, he was the most relaxed I’d seen him.

“You good over there, Leo?” I leaned forward a bit to see past Libby.

Leo’s expression was wistful. “I was thinking about how Luca and I used to visit the Hamptons every summer as kids. We were always busy with school and learning the business—even at a young age—but our mom made sure we had a few weeks during the summer to just be kids.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. It wasn’t often that Leo opened up about himself. “Yeah? What kind of trouble did little Leo get into?”

He laughed. “We were perfect angels. Those were some of the happiest times of my life, not having to worry about a single thing besides having fun. When Luca and I got older and had our own money, we decided to buy a house we could go to when we needed a break, or one day take our own families.”

“Are you close with your parents now?” Libby asked gently. We hadn’t talked much about them and the little things Leo said on occasion pointed to no.

Leo’s expression tightened the tiniest bit. If I hadn’t been watching him closely, I might have missed it. “It can be strained at times, mainly with my dad.” His tone was indifferent, and he didn’t elaborate further.

Libby and I exchanged a look. There was clearly more to the story, but Leo wasn’t ready to share it yet.

Sensing the shift in mood, Libby jumped in with her own childhood memory. “When I was younger, Ryker and I would camp out in the backyard, and my dad would set up this old sheet on the side of the house and project movies onto it. We’d have s’mores and stay up way too late. Even when Ryker was in high school and too cool to hang out with his little sister very much anymore, he’d do it.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Libby had a rough start to her childhood, and every time she talked about her life post-adoption, I was so grateful she’d been given a second chance to be a happy kid.

“That sounds pretty awesome. What about you, Ethan?”

I snorted. “Disney… every year, sometimes multiple times. Me and my sisters loved it, but our parents are Disney adults to their core. Even now that they don’t have the three of us to take care of, they go at least four times a year.”

We fell into a comfortable silence as we enjoyed the view of the city and suburbs giving way to more scenic landscapes. Even from the helicopter, I could see the traffic on the highways, and I was glad we’d flown instead of spending hours sitting in a car.

A short while later, we touched down at a small airport, where a car waited to take us to Leo’s house. As we settled into the plush leather seats of the car, Leo’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it and chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, curiosity piqued since Leo looking at his phone didn’t usually equal laughs.

“Just Luca.” Leo shook his head, still smiling. “He’s telling me to not have sex on the couches.”

Libby giggled but then stopped abruptly. “He knows about us?”

Leo cringed. “He’s the only one I can trust, and I needed advice. He won’t tell Ryker… but we really need to do that soon before he finds out…”

“I should probably be the one to do it.” Libby sighed and put her head on my shoulder. “I kind of hinted at it a few weeks ago when I told him about Ethan and me after a meeting, but he didn’t say anything since then. Did he say anything to you, Ethan?”

“He hasn’t said a word. Not even a ‘you hurt her, and I will kill you’ warning.” I was honestly a bit disappointed he hadn’t brought anything up. It felt like a rite of passage to be threatened by your girlfriend’s brother.

“He probably feels he doesn’t have to threaten you. Me on the other hand…” Leo shook his head as if trying to get the mental image of being castrated out of his head. “We’ve both been so busy, and hockey hasn’t started yet, so we’ve been on a bit of a friendship hiatus.”

“I don’t watch hockey, but Paige’s best friend, Nora, is the Tri State Titans’ new skating coach, so I might watch. I’ve seen videos of when they’re stretching on the ice. Pretty much is the best part of the game.” Libby giggled.

“You really shouldn’t objectify men like that, but tell me more about this stretching.” I wasn’t the biggest fan of hockey players after my few interactions with my boss’s brother, who played in the NHL.

The airport wasn’t far from Leo’s house, and as we pulled down the long driveway, my jaw dropped. I’d pictured a sleek modern house, but instead, what greeted us was a white Cape Cod- style two-story that felt homey. The lights were on inside, casting a warm glow around the exterior.

I whistled as we stepped out of the car. “This place is beautiful.”

Leo shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. “Wait until you see the inside.”

He wasn’t kidding. The living space was wide open with a large living room and a kitchen that was meant for entertaining. The decor gave beachy modern vibes and had a warmth that even our own condo didn’t have.

“This is incredible.” Libby went straight to the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out into the backyard. “It’s gorgeous.”

The backyard was lit up with fairy lights in the trees and strands running along the edges of the patio. Most striking was the large pool, which was lit up and had fountains shooting water across.

“Thank you.” Leo shoved his hands in his pockets, a proud look on his face. “I had the caretaker turn on everything for us, including the pool heater. Let me show you two where we’ll be sleeping.”

We grabbed our bags and followed him upstairs to two French doors that opened up into the most luxurious bedroom I’d ever seen. It was all crisp white with the same décor as downstairs. And most striking was the bed that was so large it was comical.

“Wow.” I was unable to keep the amusement out of my voice. “That’s... a big bed.”

Leo laughed. “Luca had the king swapped out for a family-sized one that sleeps four.”

Libby’s face scrunched up. “Oh, God. My brother sleeps in this bed.”

“Don’t worry, there’s a waterproof mattress cover.” Leo burst out laughing.

“That makes it worse!” Libby groaned, burying her face in her hands.

Libby’s mortification made me crack up right along with Leo. I couldn’t help but tease her. “I’m sure they change the sheets.”

“You’re not helping,” she groaned, but the corners of her mouth twitched as she fought a smile.

Leo chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “If it makes you feel better, the caretaker changes all the bedding after every visitor, and the mattress cover is top of the line.”

“Slightly better,” Libby mumbled, but she was smiling now. “Should we unpack?”

Leo rubbed his hands together like he couldn’t wait to get the weekend started. “Why don’t you two unpack and go for a swim while I get dinner started?”

My stomach growled in agreement with his plan, although he hadn’t shown us any of his culinary skills so far. He was in the restaurant industry, so he couldn’t be that bad of a cook, he just didn’t have to cook. “Do you need help?”

“No, the chef got everything prepped for me. I just need to pop it all on the grill. It’s about the only thing I’m good at cooking-wise.” He shrugged with a sheepish expression.

“Sounds great.” Libby kissed his cheek before grabbing her bag where she’d dropped it and heading into the bathroom. “Holy shit, this is a big shower.”

When I stepped inside behind her, my jaw nearly hit the floor. The place was massive, with gleaming white marble surfaces and a shower big enough to host a small gathering.

After changing, Libby and I made our way down to the pool. I dipped my toe in, and the water was perfect. I shoved Libby in and dove in after her.

Leo busied himself at the outdoor kitchen, which was fully equipped with a massive grill. I should have been right there next to him, learning how to barbecue, but was there even a point? It was rare to ever have the opportunity to do it in a condo high-rise. Plus, there was something about starting a fire in the city that made me uneasy.

“This is nice.” Libby floated on her back, staring up at the star-filled sky.

“Yeah, it really is.” I swam closer, making the water lap over her body. “How are you feeling about all of this?”

“All of what? The weekend getaway?”

“Yes. He’s spoiling us, isn’t he?” I was wary of Leo doing that at first, but realized it was how he showed he cared. He had the means, and he really did try to tone things down for us.

I wouldn’t be opposed to him taking me on a shopping spree, though.

“Honestly? It’s a lot to take in, but I’m happy. Happier than I’ve been in a long time.”

I reached out and pulled her to me. “Me too. I never thought I’d be in this situation, but it feels right.” I watched as Leo disappeared into the house. “Do you think it’s going to work? This throuple thing?”

Libby looped her arms around my neck and played with my hair. She was quiet for a moment, then smiled. “Yeah, I do. I don’t think I’d be able to do it if you weren’t involved. You make me so comfortable, and I don’t feel as nervous letting someone else in. What do you think?”

I wrapped my arms around her, kissing her neck. “I’m hopeful. I trust him more and more each day. He’s different than I expected he’d be… attentive, and he listens.”

“I think someone hurt him… bad.” Libby’s lip trembled, and I put my thumb against it.

“He’ll tell us when he’s ready. I think letting people in is just as hard for him as it is for you.” It was difficult for me too in some cases, but once someone showed they cared more about getting to know someone than about sex, I was good to go.

Leo came back out of the house, a platter of food in his hands. He’d changed into a T-shirt and swapped his dress shoes for a pair of slides that were the brightest green I’d ever seen.

He looked so different in this environment that it caught me off guard. Us there together felt like a whole lot more than just three romantically involved people getting away for the weekend. It felt a lot like a family; not the kind you’re born into, but the kind you choose and build.

I caught Leo’s eye as he lifted the lid on the grill, and the smile he gave me told me he felt it too.