13. Heidi

thirteen

Heidi

T he peaceful sounds of the water hitting the shore on this unseasonably warm fall night help to relax me as I snuggle into my blanket on the porch swing, watch the full moon shine on the water, and think about my life, my future, and what path I should follow.

I love being a Valkyrie and cheering for the Minnesota Norse, especially now that Tiffany was fired and Gemma replaced her as head cheerleader, and I didn't have to finish the scavenger hunt. But it's not my passion. My passion is writing. I love reading romance novels, but now I feel like the authors got the ending wrong, especially when the story ends with a happily ever after. Life doesn't work that way.

My story would end with the three trolls, who swore they would never fall in love with the princess, falling to their deaths out of a castle window after they had seduced the fair maiden, never to be seen again.

I shiver, remembering every touch from my trolls, as I will forever refer to them, and pull the blanket tighter around my body. I glance over at my neighbor's cabin on the lake to see his light is still on. His name is Jacob, and he's also getting over a bad breakup.

We've spent our mornings sitting on the dock, drinking coffee, and watching the sunrise. For the first few days, I felt as if I was cheating on Riggs, Anders, and Bodie by spending time with Jacob, but as the days went by, the feeling passed, leaving a hole in my heart. Like they say, misery loves company; believe me, Jacob and I are two of the most miserable people in the world.

A set of headlights flashes in the distance, pulling me out of my thoughts. It must be the owner of the third house on this part of the lake. I know it's not Cassi; she's on a mini romantic getaway during a break in the hockey schedule. She called me earlier to tell me they were leaving after the game today and asked if I needed anything.

As the car gets closer, I notice it's coming straight for my cabin. Jacob must have noticed it because he rushes out of his cabin onto my porch. "Are you expecting company?"

"No, only my friend knows I'm here, and she's out of town." I stand up to get a closer look at who's in the vehicle.

Jacob frowns, "Stay behind me. I don't want you to get hurt." He is so sweet to protect me. I can't believe his girlfriend dumped him. If I wasn't still in love with Riggs, Anders, and Bodie, I might be swept away by Jacob's chivalry. "Who goes there?" I giggle as Jacob sounds like the troll from Billy Goats Gruff.

"You've got to be kidding me, Baby Girl—this is who is protecting you—some troll wanna-be." I don't know if I want to laugh or cry at the sound of Bodie's voice.

Instead, I squeeze Jacob's arm, saying, "It's okay—I know them." Jacob doesn't move until I tell him, "Don't worry—they can't hurt me more than they already have."

Jacob gives me a sad smile. "I wouldn't be too sure about that." He walks away into the night, the bright moon lighting his way to his cabin.

I pull the blanket tighter around my body, not sure if I'm cold or if I am trying to protect my heart, and say, "What are you three doing here? Isn't it kind of far out of your way for a booty call?"

"Ouch, I guess we deserved that." The sadness in Anders's voice throws me off guard. Having the three of them here throws my whole body out of wack.

"We want a chance to explain why we did what we did and said what we said." Riggs steps closer, reaching his arms out like he wants to hold me before dropping them back to his sides. "We made a huge mistake."

"When we saw you holding that baby in the arena last week, and how happy you looked holding that chubby little guy in your arms like you were a natural—it made us realize that's the life you deserve—one with a young husband who can give you all the babies you want," Anders adds, also looking like he wants to scoop me up and never let me go. A week ago, when I was so devastated by their words, I might have let them and ended up falling back into our old routine, but not now.

"So, just because I was smiling and holding a baby, the three of you decided what was best for me?" I throw the blanket off my body and place my hands on my hips, forgetting that I was wearing the seethrough baby doll nightgown they bought me that first night at the sex club. It might make me look sad or pathetic, but I needed something to remind me of them tonight.

"You better not be wearing that for him." Bodie nods toward Jacob's cabin as he grabs my discarded blanket and tries to wrap me in it, but I dodge him and continue the fight.

"What if I am wearing it for him? You were the ones that ended our relationship or whatever it was. What if I've been up here letting him do everything to me that the three of you did to me? What than? You've obviously moved on—maybe I have too."

"That's just it, sweetheart. We can't move on. We haven't even tried. We've been such miserable sons of bitches to be around. I'm surprised we still have jobs." Riggs steps closer to me, and this time, he takes my hand and holds it. "I don't care if you at your neighbor have been up here screwing around." At Anders and Bodie's growl, Riggs corrects himself, "Hell yes, I'm pissed as hell that some other guy besides the three of us touched you, made you moan, made you come around his cock. But we can't change that. It's your body and your choice who you share it with. We just wanted to tell you we're sorry and we miss you."

"We were assholes to break things off just because we thought we knew what was best for you. Will you forgive us?" Anders adds.

It's a lot to absorb standing outside on a Minnesota Fall night with only the sound of the water cutting through the silence.

Before I can speak, Bodie offers his two cents worth, "We'd like you to come back to us in whatever capacity you want, but I don't think we will be able to share you with him. So if he's who you want, tell us, and we'll never bother you again." He nods toward Jacob's cabin.

I want to make them all suffer the way I've been suffering this past week, but by the looks on their faces, they've been just as miserable as I have, if not more, especially if they think I've been hooking up with Jacob.

As if.

"First of all, you're right. It is my body, and I can share it with whoever I want." I watch as their handsome faces fall into sorrow, and I know I can't drag this on any longer. "But I'm not attracted to Jacob—he's just a friend, and he certainly has never seen me in this outfit—well, I guess, unless he's peeking through the curtains." I burst out laughing at the speed at which they snap their heads to Jacob's cabin, looking to see if he's watching—which, thankfully, he's not.

After satisfying their curiosity that Jacob is not watching me, they turn their attention back to me, "So, do you forgive us?" Riggs says as they all look at me hopefully.

"Yes, I forgive you." They each take a step toward me, but I hold up my hand and stop them, "Just because I hold a baby doesn't mean I want a baby. We can cross that bridge when we come to it. But for now, I want this. I want us. No more pushing me away. I'm yours, and you are mine. Do you understand?" I hold each of their gazes before moving to the next until I've searched each of their eyes for my answer.

"Yes, we understand." They say at the same time.

"Good. Now, come inside before the bugs eat me up when I'd rather have the three of you eat me up." I give them a wink and a wiggle of my hips, and just like that, all is right in the world again.