The morning after our date, I woke feeling... content... for the first time since my first date with Ethan and Larry. The haze of low-grade constant freak out had lifted from me, and the world was suddenly brighter. Shinier. Hell, if there were animals around, they'd be singing. I was a regular Snow White. Or was it Cinderella? Fuck. Bend me over and call me a Disney Princess, I was just feeling happy.

I'd almost been too terrified to meet up with the two of them again. I wanted it—don't get me wrong. Fuck, I wanted it. But what if I freaked out and ran away again? Sober or not, I just really sucked at the whole people thing. Was it weird if I was relieved when it just turned into a hangout with Ethan's daughter? At a kid's joint? I understood kids. It's why I was a teacher. Kids weren't complicated. Especially the younger ones. Every thought and emotion blared across their faces like jumbotrons.

The rest of my week went much the same way. I drifted off to sleep in the middle of texting the guys every night and woke up without the pervading sense of dread that was my old friend.

Until Sunday morning.

Well, to be clear, I woke up just as happy-go-lucky as the rest of the week. It wasn't until I was sipping my coffee and my calendar alert popped up on my watch that I realized today was a game day. A game day I had invited the guys to. To watch me.

Fuck. What had I been thinking?

Just like that, my rainbows and sunshine disappeared and I scurried around to get things ready. The game wasn't until one in the afternoon, but I had to have everything perfect. I had to have something to distract me. If I'd invited them to anything other than a game, I would have been tempted to call it off, call in sick, but I couldn't do that to my team. That would be a major dick move.

And canceling a date wouldn't be?

I ignored the sarcastic voice of reason in my head.

I showed up at the field an hour early, having run out of chores at home, and busied myself running drills. Nothing too strenuous; I didn't want to wear myself out before the game. Thankfully, I wasn't the only one there. A few guys from the team always showed up early to warm up, including the only person I felt I could really call a friend, Julian Banks. He arrived about a half hour before the game.

"You alright, mate? You're running around like you've got a fucking bug up your arse and haven't taken a shit in a week."

There was a reason Julian and I got along—he didn't dance around anything. If he saw something wrong, he called it out. If he was pissed, he'd tell you. I wasn't sure if that was a British thing or a Julian thing.

I passed the ball to him. "Shut up and play, asshole."

Julian caught the ball on his toe and began juggling it from foot to foot, knee and head. Show off. Did Brits train their kids to play soccer—excuse me, football—from the cradle? Because I'd worked years at this before I could handle the ball half so well as Julian, and I had about ten years on him. Not that I was about to let him know I was coming up on my fortieth birthday. I’d never hear the end of the “old man” comments.

"The wonderful thing about being me is I can play and talk at the same time." He stopped the ball under his foot and passed it back to me, jogging down the field to drill on passes. "Now, what the hell is going on with you? You look like you're about to lose the plot."

Most days I could either figure out what the hell Julian was saying, or I would simply stop and ask him about his strange phrasing, but he passed me the ball and as I turned it to switch our direction back up the field, I caught sight of Ethan and Larry arriving. Apart, they might have escaped my notice, but together, they stood out. They scanned the field and then waved when they saw me.

I started when Julian's arm fell over my shoulder. "Ah, have you been getting laid lately? Most blokes relax a bit. Figures you'd just get wound up. Which of them is it that strikes your fancy?" He glanced between the men and me. "I'd be guessing the smaller one, eh? You seem like a proper omega chaser." He bumped my shoulder to make certain I knew he was teasing.

I sighed. If I was going to tell anyone about the guys, it would be Julian. And I was reaching the point where I desperately needed to tell someone about them. "Both."

Julian lifted his arms and scrubbed vigorously at his ears. "What? I'm afraid I misheard you. Both? My mate Ryan is finally awakening from his cold prison of virginity, and he's chasing after not one bloke, but two? And one of them an alpha, unless my eyes deceive me. Having trouble choosing?" Julian gave the guys another look. I felt a slight surge of jealousy, though Julian meant nothing by it. It wasn't like he could see them clearly from here, anyway. "Right on, mate."

I could have left it at that, but fuck it. I needed someone to talk me out of my head. "No... it's like, well. I kinda chose both? Or they chose me, I'm not really sure."

Julian gave me an incredulous look, then stuck out his foot to grab the soccer ball. He pulled it backwards a few steps then lifted it up in a soft kick at me. "Juggle while you talk."

I took a minute to build up the rhythm before speaking. "I met them both at a wedding... thing. I asked Ethan out on a date and we went to this bar. Turned out Larry owned that bar, and next thing I knew the three of us were hooking up in a back room."

It sounded so crass when I put it that way. Even though it was technically what had happened, it had been so much more than that.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Did they have fun? Did you have fun?"

"I did. Fuck, Julian. It was... incredible."

"You've been doing the two of them and you never told me? You fucking wanker."

I shook my head. "I ran out on them afterward. I freaked out."

Julian groaned. "Mate, no. Tell me you didn't pull a runner."

I nearly missed catching the ball on my knee and bounced it too hard. Julian caught it on his chest and kicked it softly back to me.

"Yeah. It was stupid. I thought that was the end of it."

"Well, something clearly happened. They're here, aren't they?"

Juggling the ball was definitely making talking to Julian easier. I couldn't see the guys because I had to concentrate on the ball, and I couldn't focus too much on making sure I had the exact right words, because my brain was too busy making sure my body was ready for the next move to keep the ball in the air.

"Yeah. I ran into Ethan—"

"And he's the little fella or the big one?"

"The little one. I ran into him at school and he asked me out on another date."

"Just him or with the big fella?"

"With Larry. Your turn."

I kicked the ball a little high and hit it with a header toward Julian. I crossed my arms and took a few breaths. Julian juggled the ball wordlessly for a few minutes and then kicked it back to me. As soon as the ball was back in my possession, he started hitting me with questions again.

"So that's when you did 'em again?"

I shook my head. "Ethan had his daughter, so we went to Chuck E. Cheese."

"You went to a fucking kiddie joint with two hot as Hades blokes and didn't bust a nut? You must be some kinda saint or something."

"No, it was good. It was... it was really good for me to hang out with them without it being just sex, you know?"

Julian shook his head. "I think you're mad, Ryan. But that sounds about right for you. So... you invited them to the game. You planning on a victory bang in the back of a car or something?"

Fucking Julian. I hadn't been planning anything of the sort, but now I couldn't get it out of my mind. Forget that the three of us couldn't possibly fit in the back of Ethan's or my car, I was imagining it anyway.

"If you want my advice, there's a great little spot over by the curve in the river for a bit of fun. The rocks are too sharp for the kiddies, and the bush is too thick for an easy walk, so it's always deserted."

"I didn't invite them here for sex," I protested, and dropped the ball.

Julian stole it from in front of me with an evil grin. "If I were you, I wouldn't say no if it was offered up. Sounds like you're pretty sold on these fellas. Can't say I blame you. If you weren't my best mate, I'd say feel free to invite me if you ever need a fourth. But I just can't imagine doing anything with you, Ryan. No offense. You're like a brother to me."

Julian started to dribble the ball down the field and I followed, laughing.

"I wouldn't put out for you anyway, Banks!"

He passed the ball to me. "No worries, Davis. I've got more dick than you can handle." He made an obscene gesture and when I passed the ball to him, he ran over to where our team was starting to gather. "Go say hello to your fellas and then come get your head in the game."