Page 40 of The Rule of 3

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry. I can’t get away. Business matters, family matters… you know. That’s just out of the realm of possibility. But I will see you on November fifth. We’d like to meet in your tasting room, so you’ll want to have it photo-ready. I trust that won’t be an issue.” He heard more grumbling and took that to be an assent, so he said, “We’ll be there at one in the afternoon. Please accept my hearty congratulations, Colonel, and we’ll see you soon. Bye.”

Smelzer had no choice now. He had to tell his special voter blocs to support Lassiter. The timing rankled him, but he was so anxious to start making a shit ton of money with his new gluten-free, low-cal bourbon, he couldn’t see straight. And the idea of having voting rights on the prestigious board of the Kentucky Distillers’—damn! He could lord it over anyone he wanted to with that kind of power.

After making the appropriate calls, he launched himself out from behind his desk and went in search of his wife. He figured he deserved at least a congratulatory blow-job. “Payslee! Where’re you at?” he bellowed through the halls of his mammoth house. “Payslee!” He stopped by the bathroom and grabbed a little blue pill, swallowed it down and went off in search of his wife again. “Hey baby! Daddy needs to celebrate!”

Chapter 33

A couple of weeks before the election, the incumbent first lady of Kentucky called Zoë. “Mrs. Lassiter, I’d love to extend an invitation to you and your husband to come and tour the Governor’s Mansion privately. It’s open to the public for tours twice a week, but that tour only covers the public areas. We think you’ll be interested to see the upper floors as well—the private residence part.”

“Thank you,” Zoë answered with a big smile. “That would be very generous of you. I’m sure Tanner would like to see it as much as I would. We both went on the public tour back when we were students, but it’s been many years.” Zoë thought fast and decided to ask, “Would you mind if Tanner’s campaign manager accompanied us on the tour? I’m sure he’d be just as interested as we are, and I’d love to include him if that’s alright.” She’d rather die than make Eli feel less than part of their union, she and Tanner loved him so much.

“Oh, um, no, I don’t mind. That would be just fine. Is he a fan of state history or architecture possibly?”

Smiling to herself, Zoë answered, “Indeed he is. Eli isquitea fan of history.” She thought to herself with a suppressed giggle that just last night Eli had been regaling them with a hystericalandhistorical account of his first sexual experience. He’d had them both in stitches.

So, Zoë accessed Tanner’s calendar and conferred with Eli, and the two ladies were able to set up a date. They decided a couple of days after the election would be best. The first lady laughed and added, “I’m pretty certain your husband is going to take this one hands down, but… it’s true that you never know until it’s over. I wish you and Mayor Lassiter the very best of luck.”

Chapter 34

Tanner looked exhausted to Zoë, but he and Eli were also both so charged up about the rapidly approaching election, it was hard for them to contain themselves. They hip-hopped and crisscrossed the state day after day. Speeches, rallies, talk shows, colleges—you name it, Tanner did it. Sometimes Zoë went along, and other times, she had her own engagements. She was rapidly becoming as beloved as her husband. As a couple, they delighted people with their brains, gentility, good looks, and their obvious empathy for everyone they spoke to. Pictures of them showed up everywhere.

And Eli was always in the background. He organized, planned, observed, and made sure every detail was met with precision. The three of them were an indomitable team.

Tanner’s words were received with raucous approval, and his fans were legion. No one close to him wanted to make a prediction, however, because you just never knew. Older people responded well to him—despite his young age—because he made sense to them, and he was obviously brilliant. Young people responded well to Tanner because he seemed like a fresh new face with ideas they could live with. Minorities responded well to him because he made it clear from the outset that he supported their needs, and he did it without pandering and sounding insincere.

One condescending reporter from a shady magazine tried to stir up controversy by making a ridiculous case that Tanner had some problem with the LGBTQ community. Tanner angrily shot that down in a big, fat hurry, demonstrating to voters that he was passionate about the cause and displaying a new side to his personality. He figured anyone who reallydidhave a problem with the LGBTQ folks were people who could just keep their stupid votes and opinions to themselves. He wanted nothing to do with them until they wised up and realized this was the twenty-first century. After the episode happened, however, he had a fit of conscience and sat down to discuss it with Zoë and Eli.

It had been a long, emotionally draining day, and they were just finishing up a late dinner when Tanner asked with a troubled look, “Do you both think I should come out publicly and admit I’m bi-sexual after all? Am I missing a great opportunity for honesty and clarity? Are we making a mistake keeping it private?”

Eli was first to answer, “After all the effort we’ve extended to keep things private, I’d hate to mess up just before the election, Tan.”

Zoë seemed deep in thought as she mused, “Tanner, it’s your decision ultimately, but if you do out yourself, it’s going to go way beyond just admitting your sexuality. Whom you sleep with is no one’s business but ours, really, but it won’t take long before people question your relationships and start snooping. Where the three of us are involved, a public acknowledgement would put us all in a never-ending fishbowl. You might still get elected, and then it would turn your governorship into a sideshow. I’m not sure that’s how you want to serve the greater good. You’d make some people happy, but in the long run, I’m afraid you’d lose credibility and we’d lose every shred of privacy.”

Sighing, Tanner took her hand. “You’re right, Zoë. I’m just tired of worrying whether someone like Smelzer is going to make this all blow up in our faces. I’m in no way ashamed of us, but I understand that we’re still a little ahead of the class when it comes to polyamory in Kentucky.” He looked at Eli and asked, “So, you think we should still just stay private? It doesn’t bother you?”

“Zoë’s right that coming out now would put us under a spotlight that would detract from all of the good you can do as governor. It does bother me, of course, but looking at the big picture… I think we have to keep things the way they are. I can just imagine the rude questions people would feel justified to ask any of us.”

Zoë looked at Tanner then and asked, “Do you think this is a good time to discuss with Eli what we talked about?”

Eli blinked and jolted back a little. “What?” he asked at the same time that Tanner smiled at Zoë and said, “Yes, this is a good time.”

Tanner was still holding Zoë’s hand, so he reached out his other and took one of Eli’s as Zoë did the same. When they were all joined as a unit, Zoë announced, “Tanner and I have talked about this and we wanted your opinion as well. I’m thinking about going off the pill.” She smiled sweetly at Eli.

“Um… okaaay…” Eli drawled. “I guess this means it’s back to condoms for me?”

Zoë kept smiling and Tanner squeezed Eli’s hand. “Not unless you want to, Eli. That’s not what we mean. If you’re ready for it, we were trying to think of how we could make our commitment to you as permanent and enduring as Zoë’s and my marriage. We could write up some legal documents—which we should probably still do, or we could have a moving little ceremony amongst the three of us where we pledge our trothto you… or something. But in the long run, we feel that if you or I were to impregnate Zoë, and we don’t care or try to even figure out who the father is unless we have to for some dire medical reason—well, we’re married to you. Making a family with you is forever. Are you ready for this? Ready to be a dad?”

Eli sat there in stunned silence and then a tear trickled down his face. He whispered, “Oh my God, you two. You’re… wow.”

Zoë stood and wrapped her arms around Eli from behind. She bent over him and kissed his face. “Say yes, Eli. Say you’ll father babies with us. We both love you so much.”

Letting out a long, shuddering breath, Eli said, “I never thought this could happen to me in a million years. I never thought I could love two people the way I love you both. Thank you.” He looked between the two of them and gasped as they both dropped to a knee before him.

“Marry us, Eli,” demanded Tanner.

“Marry usourown way,” implored Zoë.

“Yes, of course,” whispered Eli. “Of course.” He wrapped his arms around both of them in a tight embrace.