All Work, Let's Play, page 27
I finish up my shower and trot back downstairs, hearing Max and Caleb’s voice drift over to me. “What did I miss?”
Max smiles sadly at me and says, “My parents called me this morning. They asked if we were still together and said they wouldn’t contact me again until I was done with you.”
Rolling my eyes, I plop down on his lap. “Babe, maybe you should consider blocking their number. What they’re doing is hurtful and toxic. I don’t like you feeling like this.”
He nods and kisses my shoulder. “I already did. I should have listened to you months ago when you suggested it.”
“You okay?” He nods again, patting my ass for me to get up so I can fix myself a plate.
Max’s parents and Joyce have taken to reaching out to him every few months to make it seem like he’s the bad guy for cutting off communication. They don’t seem to understand they’re reinforcing Max's decision to cut them off. The fact that they try to guilt him into leaving me makes my heart ache for him. Despite what he says, it still hurts that his family has never really been there for him. Caleb and I make sure to remind him every day that he is loved and supported and cherished. I think he’s starting to believe he’s deserving of some happiness and our love.
“I’m good. It was good they called with that this morning. I had a session before we left and my therapist advised me to do what was best for me if the time came. What’s best for me is not having that negativity in my life. So I cut them off.”
“I’m glad to hear you’re working your therapy,” Caleb says to Max, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek.
Max decided to go to therapy shortly after we got back together. He wanted to unpack all the mental trauma his parents put him through, as a kid and as an adult. The change we’ve seen in him has been nothing short of amazing. Initially, he would be sullen for up to a week after they called with their bullshit. Now, after a few minutes, he’s come to terms with the fact that he has to put himself first. I love that he was able to come to that decision without me or Caleb pushing him.
After we eat breakfast, Caleb drives us to the large distillery that houses his family business. It’s an impressive structure, sitting on acres of land. I don’t know what I expected, but the large brick building wasn’t it. Inside, there are hundreds of giant barrels lined up, as far as the eye can see.
After our tour, Caleb leads us to a small, dark room in the back that only has two regular sized barrels, with me and Max’s name on them.
“What’s this?” I ask, going over to the barrel with my name on it, peering at it like it would tell me its secrets.
“I had some whiskey made for you. All you guys have to do now is name them,” Caleb tells us, plucking two glasses from a shelf behind him.
“Who came up with the recipe? Mr. Evans?” Max inquires, coming to join me by the barrels.
Instead of answering right away, Caleb fills our glasses and gives them to us for a taste. I taste it and the explosion of what I think is chocolate and cinnamon on my tongue is overpowering, but in the best way.
“Jesus,” I exclaim. “That’s delicious!”
Max tosses his back and after a brief grimace, he agrees. “That is good. What is it?”
“Chocolate and cinnamon?” I ask.
“Nah, it tastes like candy?” Max looks thoughtful, trying to pin down the taste.
We look at Caleb questioningly. He smiles at us and says, “I figured out what you both liked and came up with the recipe last year. I brought you two here because the barrels are ready to be tapped. So, yeah. I made you two some whiskey.”
Caleb told us he learned how to make recipes to try to connect with his father. It means a lot that he would go through this trouble for us when it represents a hard time in his life.
“Thank you, baby!” I exclaim and pull him into a hug. Max comes up behind us and hugs him as well, squeezing me snugly in the middle.
“You’re welcome, baby.” He kisses my forehead and when I turn my face up to him, he gives me a gentle kiss on the lips that starts to turn heated. When he releases me, Max snatches me around to him and devours my mouth.
Backing me up to the wall, Max raises my arms over my head and grips my wrist in one hand while he undoes my pants with the other. I groan in his mouth, bucking my hips, signaling for him to hurry. I rip my mouth away in time to see Caleb walk over to flip the lock to the door of the room we’re in.
It takes no time to get me naked and my men on their knees for me. This was something I didn’t see happening a year and a half ago when I was told I had to accompany Caleb on an out of town case. Being left at the altar was a gift, freeing me to find love with these two amazing men.
The End
Afterword
Dear Reader,
Thank you again for taking the time out of your day to read my book. This book was a labor of love and I loved every part of this journey. I can't decide which one of the MCs I love the most. Gage was so vulnerable, so broken that he needed his men to come and pick him up. Max was suffering in silence, not able to figure out how to get past how his family felt about him. Caleb felt unwanted since he was a child, being neglected by the one partent he had left. All of them came together to form this love story where they were all loved, appreciated, and seen.
It's so important to understand that sometimes, trauma can run deep. Sometimes, we don't even know how it will affect us until we are thrust into a certain situation. Be kind to yourself and know that seeking and getting professional help is not an admission of weakness. It is a sign of strength that you asked to dive deep into a painful part of your life
If you have time, please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. It helps me out more than you could ever know.
You can follow me on:
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Thank you for reading my book and I hope you continue to support!
Rosyln
Acknowledgments
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You Saved Me
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Tristan
In one day, Tristan, an aspiring author, lost his job, his man and his home. With no other options, his best friend offers him a getaway at her family’s cabin for him to write and heal. What he gets instead is so much more. Starting with his best friend's brother pulling a gun on him. To say he doesn’t like the guy is an understatement.
Lucas
An FBI agent placed on administrative leave after a very tough case. What better way to unwind than visit his secluded family cabin in the mountains of Georgia? While he expects to be alone, he finds a strange man in his home. One that doesn’t like him and the feeling is mutual.
With forced proximity, sparks may fly. But a darkness in Lucas’s past may end things before they start.
Don't Judge a Book
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Logan
Coming to Orlando to chase my dream of going to culinary school is scary. My last shot is getting the gig as a private cook for a wealthy family. But when I see their son, I wonder if it's a good idea. Because he's beautiful. I hope I don't get lost in him. His attitude towards me will all but guarantee that.
Javier
I've never looked at a man the way I look at Logan. I can't keep my eyes off him and I hate him for it. He's making me question who I am and I already have enough to deal with. How do I tell my parents I don't want to follow in their footsteps? I don't have time to think of what Logan does to me. Even though thinking about him sets me alight.
Faulk, Rosyln, All Work, Let's Play
