I can't help but smile as I stand over the stove, stirring the sauce for tonight's dinner. The aroma fills my apartment, a comforting blend of garlic, tomatoes, and spices. Cooking has always been a way for me to calm my nerves, and tonight, it's doing its job. I'm less anxious than I thought I'd be, considering what's about to happen. I've told myself to go into this conversation with no expectations, to let things unfold naturally. Whatever happens, happens.

As I chop some fresh basil to sprinkle over the pasta, I catch myself thinking about Declan and Elias. The way things have developed between the three of us is... unexpected, to say the least. And now we're all about to sit down and talk about where this is going. I've decided to let them do most of the talking tonight. I want to hear what they're thinking, what they want.

A knock at the door pulls me out of my thoughts. I glance at the clock—it's still a bit early. Wiping my hands on a towel, I head to the door and open it to find Declan standing there, holding a bouquet of flowers and giving me that boyish grin that always makes my heart skip a beat.

"Hey," he says, leaning in to kiss me on the cheek before handing me the flowers. "Thought I'd surprise you."

"Oh my god, they're beautiful!" I gush, taking the bouquet from him and inhaling the sweet scent of the roses and lilies. "Thank you, Declan." I lean up and kiss him, my lips lingering on his for a moment longer than necessary. He tastes like mint, fresh and cool, and I can't help but melt a little.

"You're welcome," he murmurs against my lips before pulling back slightly. "I figured you might need a little something to brighten your day."

I smile up at him, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. "You always know how to make me smile."

Declan follows me into the kitchen as I grab a vase from the cabinet and fill it with water. "Make yourself at home," I tell him as I arrange the flowers, placing them in the center of the small dining table.

He doesn't need to be told twice. Declan wanders into the living room, inspecting the shelf beside my tv. "You know, you should get a cat or something," he calls over his shoulder as he examines the framed photo of Emersyn.

I laugh, shaking my head as I return to the stove. "And when exactly am I supposed to take care of a cat? You know how crazy my schedule is."

"That's the beauty of cats, babe," Declan says, sauntering back into the kitchen and leaning against the counter. "They're low maintenance. All they need is food, water, and the occasional scratch behind the ears. They're self-sufficient little creatures."

I glance at him, my hands busy stirring the sauce. "I do love cats," I admit. "But I've never gotten one because I'm worried I wouldn't be able to take care of it properly."

Declan shrugs, watching me with that easygoing smile of his. "You'd be fine. Besides, I bet having a cat around would help you relax a little. You work too hard."

I chuckle softly. "Maybe one day."

The sound of another knock at the door makes both of us look up. "I'll get it," Declan says, pushing off the counter and heading for the door.

My heart does a little flip as I realize it must be Elias. I turn the heat down on the stove and wipe my hands again, watching from the kitchen as Declan opens the door.

There's a brief moment of silence as the two men size each other up. It's like watching two dogs meet for the first time—there's a hesitance, a wariness, as if they're both trying to figure out what to expect from the other.

"Elias," Declan says, his voice calm but with an edge to it, like he's testing the waters.

Elias nods, extending his hand. "That's me. You must be Declan."

"Yeah," Declan replies, taking Elias's hand in a firm shake. It's a quick, businesslike gesture, but there's a subtle undercurrent of tension between them.

I let out a breath. This could go either way, but I'm hoping for the best.

"Dinner's ready," I say, breaking the silence and motioning for them to come into the kitchen. "Let's eat."

The small dining table feels even smaller with the three of us around it, but I try to push that thought aside as I serve the pasta and salad. The atmosphere is a little awkward at first, with only the clinking of silverware and the occasional comment about the food filling the air. But slowly, the tension starts to ease, and the conversation becomes more natural.

After dinner, we move to the living room. Declan and Elias sit on opposite sides of the couch, and I opt for the armchair that faces them. I settle into the chair, my heart starting to pound a little faster now that we're about to have "the talk." I can see the same mixture of apprehension and curiosity in both of their expressions.

Declan is the one to break the silence. "So... I guess we should get down to business."

Elias nods, leaning forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees. "Yeah, we should."

There's a moment of silence as they both seem to be gathering their thoughts. I stay quiet, letting them take the lead.

"First off," Declan begins, his eyes flicking to mine before settling back on Elias. "I want to make sure we're all on the same page here. What exactly are we looking for? What are the ground rules?"

Elias tilts his head slightly, considering the question. "I think it's important that we're honest with each other about what we want and where we see this going. I'm not looking to complicate things, but I also don't want to rush into anything without knowing where we all stand."

Declan nods, his expression thoughtful. "Agreed. I'm not looking to make this more complicated than it needs to be, but I also want to make sure we're clear on our expectations."

I glance between them. This is the conversation I knew we needed to have, but it's still a little nerve-wracking to actually be in the middle of it.

"For me," Declan continues, "the most important thing is communication. If we're going to make this work, we need to be open with each other. No secrets, no hiding things. If something's bothering you, say it. If you want something, ask for it."

Elias nods, his gaze serious. "I'm on board with that. Honesty is key."

"And boundaries," Declan adds. "We need to establish some boundaries. What are we comfortable with? What are our hard limits?"

Elias leans back slightly, his arms crossing over his chest as he thinks. "For me, I think it's important that we respect each other's time with Valarie. I don't want to feel like I'm competing for her attention, but I also don't want to feel like I'm being left out. We need to find a balance that works for all of us."

Declan nods. "Agreed. I don't want this to turn into some kind of competition. We're in this together, and we need to make sure we're all getting what we need out of it."

I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed by how mature and level-headed they're being about all of this. It's reassuring, but it also makes me realize just how serious this is getting.

"What about exclusivity?" Declan asks, his eyes locking onto mine. "Are we seeing other people outside of this?"

The question catches me off guard, but I quickly realize it's an important one. "I'm not planning nn seeing anyone else," I say, my voice firm. "I'm happy with how things are with the two of you. This is already a lot to take in."

Elias nods in agreement. "I wouldn't care if you saw other people, as long as I know about it. Defienelt can't have you hooking up with guys I, or we, don't like. But I'm also not really wanting to see anyone outside of you."

"Yeah," Declan says, his voice softening. "I feel the same way. Honestly, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel seeing you with another guy, but...it isn't something I dislike." A faint blush creeps up on his cheeks. "I just want to know ahead of time and be kept in the loop. And like Elias said, I don't want you being with people we don't like. I already told you, you're the only girl I need."

There's a brief moment of silence as we all let that sink in. It feels like a weight has been lifted, like we're finally starting to get somewhere.

"What about the future?" Elias asks, his tone more serious. "Where do we see this going? Is this just a temporary thing, or are we looking for something long-term?"

The question hangs in the air, heavy with implications. I can see the seriousness in their eyes, and it makes me realize just how much is at stake here.

"I don't know," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "I hadn't really thought that far ahead. I guess I just want to take things one step at a time and see where it leads." I decide not to tell them about my spiraling thoughts from yesterday, which feels a little wrong since we are supposed to be openly communicating right now.

Elias nods, his expression thoughtful. "That makes sense. I'm not in a rush to figure everything out right now, but I think it's important that we're all on the same page about what we are doing right now."

"I agree," Declan says, his gaze flicking between the two of us. "Let's take it slow and see how things develop. But if at any point anyone feels like this isn't working, we need to be honest about it."

The room falls silent again, the weight of our conversation settling over us. It's a lot to take in, but it also feels necessary—like we're finally laying the groundwork for something real, something solid.

After a moment, Declan speaks up again. "I think we've covered the basics. Communication, boundaries, honesty about where we're headed... Anything else?"

Elias shakes his head. "I think that about covers it."

I nod in agreement. "Yeah, I think we're on the same page."

There's a sense of relief that washes over me as we finish the conversation. It feels like we've made progress, like we're actually working toward something real. But there's also a sense of uncertainty, a lingering question of where this will all lead.

Declan stands up, stretching his arms over his head. "I'm glad we talked about this," he says, his voice warm. "I think this could really work, as long as we keep being honest with each other."

Elias stands up as well, a small smile playing on his lips. "Agreed. Let's take it one step at a time and see where it goes."

As we move to clean up the dinner dishes, I can't help but feel anticipation for what's to come. There are still a lot of unknowns, a lot of questions that we'll need to answer along the way. But for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm heading in the right direction.