Page 23 of More Than We Know

“You okay?” I ask, because I need to break the silence.

“Yeah. Just a little nervous.”

I let out a breath. “Me too.”

I swirl the foam on top of my cappuccino with my spoon just to keep my hands busy. Finally, she speaks.

“I’ve thought about what I’m going to say all night, and I’m still not quite sure how to say it, but I’m going to try.”

I nod in encouragement, but my chest is tight with anxiety as I brace myself for whatever she’s about to say.

“I want you, and I care about you so much. I guess I just need to know where I stand in all of this, with you and Quentin. I need to know where the boundaries are, because wondering about it is driving me crazy. Is it just temporary for you two or—”

I cut her off. “Wait. Before you say any more, it might help if I say my piece.”

“Okay.”

“I talked to Quentin last night about all of this. I care about you too, and he’s starting to as well. If you’re open to it, we’re both on board with making this into something more.”

“What do you mean by ‘making this into something more?’”

“The three of us having a real relationship. I can’t pretend to have all the answers about how that works, and correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think any of us want to hold back anymore.”

Her eyes meet mine, and they’re so full of joy that my heart leaps in my chest. “Are you sure?” she asks, as if she doesn’t really believe this is happening.

“Absolutely.”

“But what about your kids? Your job? People will talk, and a lot of people will judge.”

It’s something I’ve already thought about, knowing it’ll be an awkward conversation with the kids once we introduce them. But dealing with nosey people in the community can be a bridge we cross if we get to it.

“We’ll handle it,” I tell Kat. “I’m not going to lose out on a relationship because I’m scared what people will think. Life’s too short for that.”

She grins. “So, does this mean I’m officially your girlfriend then?”

I chuckle, “I guess it does.”

CHAPTER 14

QUENTIN

This isn’t a mid-life crisis.

I know that’s what some people would call it, what they’d assume if they knew what we were doing. A typical suburban man in his mid-forties, with a successful career and a decades-long marriage, suddenly opening his relationship? Yeah, I know exactly how people will gossip when they find out.

But that’s not what this is. It’s not some reckless decision in an attempt to fill a void or fix a problem. It’s a genuine connection, and both Sarah and I have agreed upon our desire for a relationship with Kat regardless of the deviance from social norms.

This is too real and rare to ignore.

I glance across the table at Kat, who’s laughing quietly at something Sarah just said. They’re beside each other in the restaurant booth, and seeing the two of them side-by-side warms my heart.

This is our first date with the three of us. We’d been nervous about it—me, especially. How do we even do this? Do we act like it’s just Sarah and I bringing along a friend? Do we hold hands in public? What happens if we run into a student’s parent or a colleague?

We’d had that conversation before we left the house, sitting in the living room with Kat perched on the arm of the couch.

“What happens if someone sees us?” Sarah had asked nervously. “I mean, we work in schools. People talk. Maybe we should have a story straight.”

I had worried long and hard about what all this might mean, but I had realized that when all is said and done, it doesn’t matter. Non-monogamy is still frowned upon in a lot of communities, but ultimately, our happiness takes precedent over others’ comfort.

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