33. Carly

As I pulled the car up to Dwight"s house for a scheduled family dinner I now regretted agreeing to attend, a whirlwind of nerves and anticipation churned in the pit of my stomach. The weight of my recent realization about my feelings for Logan, Nate, and Ben hung heavily in the air, mingling with the not-so-sweet scent of uncertainty. I couldn"t shake the feeling that tonight held the key to my future, that every word spoken and every glance exchanged would shape the course of my life.

The air in Dwight"s house was thick with anticipation as I stepped through the doorway, Ella"s small hand nestled in mine, offering both reassurance and strength. The hallway stretched before us, lined with family photographs capturing moments of joy and love—a stark contrast to the unease that lingered in the present moment.

As we neared the dining room, the sounds of laughter and conversation drifted out to meet us, mingling with the tantalizing aroma of home-cooked food. Entering the room, I took solace in Ella"s presence beside me, her unwavering support a source of comfort as if she were the parent in this situation. My kid was just that awesome. Logan, Bennett, and Nate sat at one side of Dwight's long farmhouse table, their expressions guarded, their eyes avoiding mine. It made me want to cry. You're here to fix things, Carly.

Ella"s eyes sparkled with excitement as she greeted each of them in turn, her infectious enthusiasm momentarily easing the tension in the room. "Hi, Doctor Ben! Hi, Logan! Hi, Nate!" she exclaimed, her smile radiant as she took her seat beside me.

Logan, Bennett, and Nate returned her greeting with warm smiles and gentle ruffles of her hair, their affection for her evident in every gesture. It eased a little of my anxiety, at least, since it was a reminder that they cared for Ella and would always put her first the same way that I did. But as they turned their attention back to their plates, a palpable silence descended upon the table, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavily in the air.

Mom wasn't usually the most perceptive. But she knew me well enough to know when something was wrong. Her gaze swept over the room as we started to eat in the silence, her brow furrowing in concern as she sensed the underlying tension. "What"s going on, Carly?" she asked, her voice tinged with apprehension.

Fuck, I'd really hoped to finish eating before I followed through with this cockamamie idea I had. At least a full stomach could help calm all those damn butterflies. Right now, they had too much room to flutter around, being annoying. Big girl panties, I reminded myself. Summoning all my courage, I rose from my seat and crossed the room to the side of the table where the guys were sitting, my heart pounding in my chest. I met each of their eyes—gold I'd once thought cold and metallic, warm brown, sweet as chocolate, and finally, the perfect green that had been passed on to my little girl. I cleared my throat.

"I need to tell you all something," I began, my voice steady despite the tumult of emotions swirling within me. "I"ve been avoiding the truth for too long, but I can"t deny how I feel anymore."

Turning to my mother and Dwight, I took a deep breath. "I love these men," I confessed, my voice ringing with conviction. "Logan, Bennett, and Nate—they mean everything to me. I'm… I'm in love with them, and I think they're in love with me, too. I'm here to tell you that I know this isn't a by-the-book relationship, that it might be confusing or strange to you, but I"m choosing them over my fears."

Carefully, I reached over to squeeze Logan's shoulder. My other hand found Nate's, and his hand came up to cover it, squeezing lightly. That had to be a good sign. I watched Bennett, since I was out of hands, and his face was still unreadable.

My mother's eyes widened in astonishment, but before she could respond, Dwight chuckled with amusement. "Well, I"ll be damned," he remarked, his tone laced with affection. "Looks like we"ve got ourselves a full house."

I continued, talking to my still-silent mother. "Mom, I need you to be on board with this. Ella knows Bennett is her father, and she sees Logan and Nate as her dads, too," I explained, my heart swelling with love for my little family. "We"re a package deal. Hopefully. If the guys still want me after how I behaved."

"Oh, my God!" Mom chirped, laughing. "This means I'll have three sons-in-law!"

I rolled my eyes, and in that trail of movement, Bennett"s gaze met mine, his eyes softening with a warmth that washed over me like a comforting embrace. The air shifted. "Carly, I"ve made mistakes, too," he confessed, his voice tinged with regret. "But I told you at the wedding that I'm all in, and I still mean it. I love you, and I want to make things right. For us. For Ella."

I felt a lump form in my throat at his words, the weight of his sincerity sinking into my bones like an anchor. It was all I could do to nod in response, the words catching in my throat as I struggled to find my voice.

Turning to Logan, I found him watching me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. "Carly, I"ve never stopped loving you. Not for a single moment. You know I always get what I want, and I still want you. Forever."

His words hung in the air between us, a silent promise of unwavering devotion and steadfast commitment. I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes, the depth of his love washing over me like a tidal wave.

Finally, Nate spoke, his voice filled with a quiet determination that left no room for doubt. "Carly, you're my best friend in the world. Sorry, Logan," he hurried to add, which made us all laugh. "It's true. I know it was… harsh, asking you to choose like that. Ultimatums aren't cool. I regretted it right away."

"You were right to give it," I countered. "I needed a wake-up call."

"Well, fine, then I love being right," he joked. But his twitchy smirk fell back into a serious expression. "Carly, babe, you know I want to be with you. With Ella, too. I want to build a future together, one where we"re not afraid to be ourselves. Where we can follow our dreams and make new ones and not give a damn what the world thinks."

Ella whispered a tiny, "Grammy, he said a swear word," and my mom shushed her.

As I listened to each of my guys, my stepbrothers turned loves of my life, as they each expressed their love and commitment to me, I felt a sense of peace settle over the room like a warm blanket on a cold winter"s night. Cheesy as it felt to my practical heart, I knew that together, we could weather any storm that life threw our way.

Then, to my surprise, Logan stood from his seat. He reached into his inner jacket pocket and handed me an envelope.

"What"s this?" I asked, curiosity piqued as I opened it to find an official-looking letter inside.

Logan"s expression was serious as he spoke. "Consider this your termination notice," he said with a hint of a smile. "You"re fired from Forge, Carly."

I couldn"t help but laugh, the sound bubbling forth from deep within me, a release of pent-up tension and fear.

"And what"s the reason for my termination?" I asked.

Logan"s smile widened. "You're not happy working in the restaurant business like I am, and I've accepted that. So, I'm not going to let you have this to fall back on, some kind of crutch to keep you from going for what you really want. We want you to feel safe pursuing your actual dreams."

"Plus, you're going to need the extra time. We"ve decided to hire you," Nate said, his tone earnest as he spoke, "to take photographs for the new restaurant menus. Build that photographer's resumé, eh?"

My heart swelled with gratitude at their words, the weight of his offer sinking in with each passing moment. Turning to Nate, I found him watching me with a mixture of pride and determination, his unwavering support a testament to the depth of his commitment.

"We believe in you, Carly," he said, his voice filled with conviction. "All three of us. And we want to see you succeed."

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I took in the enormity of their gesture, the realization dawning on me that I was no longer alone in my journey. With their love and support by my side, I felt a surge of hope coursing through me, illuminating the path ahead with newfound clarity.

With a smile that reached to the depths of my soul, I turned to face my family, their warmth enveloping me like a blanket on a cold winter"s night. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I allowed myself to believe in the promise of a brighter tomorrow, knowing that together, we could conquer any obstacle that stood in our way.

As the evening wore on, laughter and conversation filled the air, each moment a testament to the strength of our bond. And as I looked around at the faces of my loved ones, I knew that no matter what the future held, we would face it together, united in love and unwavering in our commitment to one another.

With a heart full to bursting, I let out a contented sigh, a smile gracing my lips as I embraced the beauty of the present moment. Then each of my guys stood up to kiss me—Logan's kiss was firm and commanding, Nate's flirty and fun, Bennett's soft and sweet, like coming home. My mom laughed, and Dwight whistled, and Ella beamed bigger than her little face would allow. In that instant, I knew that no matter where life"s journey led us, we would always find our way back to each other, guided by the light of love and the promise of a future filled with endless possibilities.