Harrison: I know you don’t need help with finding a new job, and you’re out living on your own, but I can at least introduce you to some eligible bachelors.

Charlotte: Do you even need me for this discussion?

Harrison: Alec and I will see you at 7.

Charlotte: Jerk. What if I have plans?

Harrison: Do you?

After what just happened with Jace, I do, technically, have plans. The fact I’m avoiding a conversation with these men is moot.

I kissed Roman and Mateo earlier today. And I have no fucking idea what to make of any of this.

What could something between the three of us even look like? Just sex? More? What if they’re not okay with that? Could I choose?

Shit. How do you even approach a conversation about something like that?

Everyone wants to talk to me—the guys, my brother—but I don’t even know what I want.

“What’s that look on your face for, Red?”

Damn! I almost drop my phone as I startle.

Mateo snuck up on me out of nowhere. He’s pointing at my face as he drags a hand towel across the back of his neck, water dripping from his hair onto his bare chest.

“Harrison wants to set me up on a blind date.” I wave my phone at him.

Jace jumps up from the couch, followed quickly by Roman. It’s like hockey player Whac-A-Mole.

Jace growls, snaps his mouth shut, then opens it again, gesturing wildly at my phone. “Tell him to go fuck himself.”

Of course that’s his answer to the situation. I sigh. “Jace, you know I can’t do that because we’re not supposed to be seeing each other on a regular basis, right?” I give him an exaggerated wink before an eye roll. “This. Us.” I point to each of them. “Whatever the fuck this may or may not be? It doesn’t exist. It’s not happening as far as my brother is concerned, right? I’m single. And I have no good excuse not to go.”

“Don’t like it.” Mateo’s face darkens.

“I don’t either.” I shrug.

“You should go.” Roman’s quiet calmness is the voice of reason, but he’s scowling just like the others.

“If he touches her, I’m going to fucking kill him.” Mateo’s clenching his teeth so hard he’s gonna crack a fucking tooth. The feminist in me wants to smack them all for being possessive over me, like they own me. The cavewoman part of me? She thinks it’s hot as fuck.

Harrison: Stop trying to think of an excuse not to come.

I bite the inside of my cheek and avoid the three pairs of eyes on me. It’s already six. That doesn’t leave me much time to get ready, but I type out a quick reply.

Charlotte: Fine. I’ll see you at 7.

My roommates are not happy at the idea of me going on a date with some random guy Harrison picked out of a hat. They have zero chill, the worst poker faces I’ve ever seen, and the mood in the room has tangibly shifted. No one wants me to go on this date.

Jace looks like he’s chewed a whole lemon as he nods. “Yeah. He’s right. You should go.”

Mateo spins to look at him. “The fuck?”

“Until we figure out what’s going on with this…” Jace gestures at the rest of us. “She needs to keep up appearances.”

Mateo throws his towel on the couch and stomps off like a petulant kid who’s been told he can’t have ice cream. “I’ll fucking kill him if he touches her.”

Roman’s lips twitch like he might enjoy the idea of killing my random date just as much as Mateo.