Free Schroeder, Melissa - Getting Lei'd [Hawaiian Holidays 3] (Siren Publishing PolyAmour) by Melissa Schroeder Page A

them.”
    “Yeah, but is it worse not knowing or knowing they don’t want you?”
    Eddie sighed. “Oh, honey.”
    “I love them both so much, but I just don’t know.”
    “What the hell is going on?” Damon said as he barreled through the door. “What did you do to Mari?”
    Alex didn’t say a word. As she looked up, he was already reaching for her to pull her into his arms. She glanced at Eddie to see how her friend was taking it, and the little smile told her she wasn’t upset.
    “I didn’t say anything. She just got a little emotional about a decision she has to make.”
    “What decision?” Damon demanded.
    “I’ll let her explain.” She moved to pat Mari on the back, but Damon stepped in her line, and her friend chuckled. “Call if you need anything.”

    * * * *

    She left them alone. Mari could hear the voices of the others attending the Christmas Eve celebration and the music from the stereo. But neither man said a word.
    She pulled herself out of Alex’s arms, immediately regretting the loss of heat. Not to mention she didn’t want to face the guys after being so weepy. Men did not like weepy women.
    “What’s she talking about, Mari?” Alex asked.
    She looked from one to the other, but it was hard to tell what they were thinking.
    “They asked me to come here and handle the food and beverage of the new business they want to build.”
    The beat of silence was very telling. Neither of them looked very happy about it.
    “When were you going to tell us?” Damon asked, his tone angry.
    “I hadn’t decided just yet. I was trying to call my mother, but she isn’t answering. I told her a couple days ago, but now I can’t get a hold of her.”
    “You called your mother and you didn’t tell us?” Alex asked, and he sounded more hurt than mad.
    “I wanted to give her a heads-up. You know my mother. She can’t handle changing her hair color, let alone her baby girl moving to Hawaii.”
    “And you were just going to do it, not tell us?” Alex asked.
    “No, I was going to talk to you, but I hadn’t decided.”
    “Of course you have. You were just along for fun, huh? Nothing but two willing guys to fuck,” Damon ground out. She couldn’t seem to grasp what was happening. Why the hell was he so angry? Why did they just assume that she was leaving without them?
    “I am not going to take that kind of tone from you, Damon. You always assume the worst.”
    There was a loud noise, people talking, shouting, and then the door burst open. A very harried Sophia almost stumbled into the room.
    “You are going to die when you see who just showed up.”
    She frowned but allowed her friend to tug her by the hand out of the room. Anything was better than having the two men she loved mad at her. When she stepped into the living room, though, she wanted to go hide. Her parents stood surrounded by the guests for the night.
    “Maribelle, I have come for answers,” her mother said.
    Stunned, she could barely take in the scene. Her brain wasn’t working, so she asked, “What the hell are you doing here?”
    She thought she heard someone laugh, pretty sure it was one of Eddie’s husbands, but she ignored them.
    “Alex? Damon? Are you going to talk some sense into her? My baby is trying to leave DC.”
    “She just told us about it,” Damon said. “I think it is a horrible idea.”
    Her mother smiled. “See, your best friend says to stay in DC.”
    She tossed Damon a look, and he gave her an equally nasty one. When she turned around she looked at her father first, who was eying the two men behind her. She realized then they had moved in behind her, as if to back her up. Anyone with any sense would see it as more territorial than just being a friend.
    And now she knew what she had to do. She had to tell her parents, and all the people in the world who were important to her, just what these men were to her. She also had to ask them the thing she had been afraid to do. It was now or never, and Maribelle