Chapter 20: Why Not?

As far as Laura knew, there were no casual dating police, so why shouldn’t she relax and have some fun with her three handsome men. Their presence in her life had increased her self-confidence tremendously. Having one man attracted to you was one thing, but three?

She noticed that she had a different kind of fun when all four of them were together. There was camaraderie and competition. They did not discuss whether she had made a decision or pressure her into making one. Things seemed balanced. She would accept it as her new normal. She invited the guys to come over and hang out.

As usual for this new normal, the guys arrived within minutes of each other. Ricky arrived with ingredients and dough for making a pizza; Don brought hard apple cider; and Alex came with a gallon of milk and three packages of cookie dough. The guys were adjusting, too.

“Laura, do you like anchovies?” Rick called out after making himself at home in her kitchen.

“I could take them or leave them. Surprise me,” Laura said.

“Care for a beer?” Don said, already opening a bottle with a bottle opener that he kept on his key chain.

“If it’s no trouble, that would be great,” she replied gratefully.

“Some kids came into the cafe selling cookie dough to support their school so I got chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and peanut butter. Those are our favorites. What’s yours?”

“All of them,” she teased. “I’ll try one of each.”

“Just like with us,” Don said laughing, “you are not going to be pressured into making a decision for as long as possible, right?”

“Need I remind you incredibly handsome yet somehow neglectfully forgetful gentlemen that this is your social construct—- dating all three of you, that is,” Laura responded, acting a little hurt.

“Awww La-U-ra. Don’t be that way. If these guys step out of line, I would understand if you made me your default option,” said Alex, beaming at his own bravado that honored his introverted personality, while also letting his friends know that quiet did not mean dead. All four of them laughed.

“I‘ll keep it in mind, Alex.” Laura smiled, then reached for his hand and squeezed it in her own.

“Hey, hey. You can’t give affection to him and not to me,” Ricky demanded.

“Or me, “ said Don.

“Oh really?” Laura questioned the two extroverted ones.

“Let’s have a group hug,” Alex suggested. “That way everyone gets affection.”

Don agreed but made a slightly cutting comment, “How pitiful. Is that what you put in your romance novels?”
“Why don’t you read one, take some notes, and find out. The New York Times and 300 million readers can’t be wrong,” Alex asserted.

“Alright, alright. Let’s get this hug over with and then it’s pizza time!” Ricky announced.

They all came in for the hug, then broke away as they felt themselves being tickled everywhere by little Laura hands.

“You did not say what kind of affection,” she giggled, continuing to tickle and be tickled, followed by pillow fight on the sectional sofa.

“You fit Laura,” said Alex, almost out of breath from the recent antics. “It’s like you grew up with us. From three amigos to the four musketeers?”

“Hmmm.” She thought about it and decided she liked the idea, “Group date, little sister, best friend.”

“Guys and gal, can’t we discuss this over pizza? It is bubbling with cheesy goodness. Let’s eat.”

###

Pizza from the oven and iced cold beer were delicious. But the cookies and milk on the sofa while watching football on a large screened tv topped off the night. By the time the game was over, all four were in the final stages of food coma: sleep.

Laura had a wonderful evening. With all that had gone on that night, she had not called Caitlin. She hoped Caitlin would forgive her. The guys had monopolized almost all of her weekend. Sundays were usually her get back to normal day and prepare for the week time.

She sneaked out of the loft, thinking she was the first that morning to rise and shine. She walked to the cafe and picked up some fresh muffins and hot bagels fresh from the oven. “Do you sell cream cheese?”

She returned to find Alex and Don asleep, but Ricky was missing from the sofa.

“Ricky?” She whispered just loud enough for him to hear her.

“Kitchen.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m making an omelette with the brunch’s leftover sausage and the leftover pizza cheese. Coffee is brewed. Help yourself.”

Ricky was the commandeer in her kitchen. Laura smiled and poured herself a mug full. “Thanks,” she said with the gratitude that only a coffee drinker could know.

“I guess we had a slumber party, huh?”

“Yep,” Ricky said. “The best and most wholesome and relaxed time I’ve had in a long while. I can’t speak for them, but I can definitely speak for myself.”

The freshly brewed coffee and scent of food woke Alex and Don up. The foursome sat around the kitchen table and became a family that ate together. Laura was the most relaxed yet confident she had been in a long time.

“I’m calling a family meeting,” announced Laura.

“Guys,” she began once she had their full attention, “I cannot remember the last time I had so much fun with such delightful company. I would like to let you know that I reflected on what you all have been generously bold enough to ask me. You wanted me to go on a date with you, with each of you alone. And I,” pausing to take a sip of orange juice to clear her throat, “accept.”

“Yay!!!” They shouted.

“But wait. After I have had a date with each of you, I will make my decision about which man I will choose to be with as a loving, lifetime partner.”

“Yay!!!!” They shouted again.

# # #

They helped her clean up and then left her alone. She felt like she was experiencing empty nest syndrome after spending the entire weekend with guests. Now she was alone with her thoughts and emotions.

“I love these guys and the family spirit they have with each other. Why not date them to see which one I fit best with individually?”

Her phone rang. It was one of the guys. What could possibly come next?