Splendor in Sanctuary [Sanctuary, Montana 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Jane Jamison

  “He is.” Her mother’s forehead wrinkled in worry. “You boys have something to discuss with my husband?”

  “We do, ma’am. If you think he’s up to it.” Will took off his cowboy hat then whacked Josh on his arm and motioned for him to do the same.

  “I wouldn’t want him to get upset.” Her mother didn’t blink. “But I have a feeling that you’re about to do that.”

  “I hope not, Mom, but he has to hear this. I’d like you there, too.” Tatum started up the stairs. If she stalled any longer, her mother might talk her out of confronting her father. She heard Will and Josh on the steps behind her. Once at the top, she turned to see her mother following them. She waited until they were together on the landing, then made the short walk to the end of the hall and the bedroom where her father was recuperating.

  Her mother hurried ahead of her and blocked her way at the door. “You let me see if he’s presentable first.” Her mother pushed into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

  “Whew. We haven’t even made it in front of your father yet and I already feel like I’ve run a marathon.” Yet Will’s voice sounded strong.

  She touched their arms, needing to draw strength from them as much as give it. “Please remember what you promised. No shouting. Do your best to keep things civil and levelheaded.”

  “You can count on us, darlin’.”

  She was about to give them each a kiss when her mother swung the door wide. “Come on inside.”

  Tatum had never felt so vulnerable as when she walked toward her father. He rested with his back propped up with pillows against the headboard. He was covered with a heavy blanket and a newspaper lay next to him along with his reading glasses. Although the heart attack and cancer diagnosis had been hard on him, he still appeared as healthy as she’d ever seen him. Aside from the fact that he was in bed during the day, it was as though nothing had ever happened.

  “Tatum, you and those two McLeans boys just hold up right there.” Her father pointed at them, a scowl marring his handsome face.

  “How are you feeling, sir?” Will clasped his hands in front of him and planted his feet apart. His stance was respectful yet firm.

  “I’m as right as rain, but I don’t think you came to inquire about my health, now did you?”

  Josh was as serious as she’d ever seen him. “No, sir, but we’re glad to know you’re doing better.”

  “Harrumph.”

  Her father’s grunt made her angry. Couldn’t he at least be civil to them? One way or another, her father and her entire family would have to learn to accept the men she loved. Either that, or she’d find it very difficult to have anything to do with them from that point on.

  “I hear you three found our gold.”

  Tatum closed her eyes and wished for a miracle. When she opened them again, she met her father’s hard gaze with her own. “Your gold? I don’t think the courts have decided anything yet.”

  “They know what’s right and who it belongs to. Just like they know whose land it was found on.”

  She opened her mouth to argue, but Josh skimmed his hand down her back, reminding her to take it easy. “Dad, you know about Josh, Will, and me.”

  “I do. Can’t say I like it much.”

  Why did he have to be so damn stubborn? Yet that had always been one of the things she loved about her father. “And I know you told me to never see them again.”

  Her father arched an eyebrow. “Looks like you’ve gone against my wishes.”

  Will took another step forward. “Mr. Baldwin, I know you don’t much care for my family, but this has nothing to do with land or gold or any other quarrel.” He drew in a breath. “Mr. Baldwin, we love your daughter and she loves us.”

  Tatum held her breath as anger flashed across her father’s face. His scowl deepened, his eyes narrowed, and he fisted his hands. His nostrils flared and the muscle in his jaw tightened.

  Her mother, who had stood off to the side, hurried to her father. “Joe, don’t go getting overworked about this. It’s not like we didn’t see this coming.”

  Tatum had to make him understand. She came to the other side of the bed and sat down, then reached out to take his hand. “Please understand. I love them more than I can say. I think I always have, even back in high school.”

  Alarm flicked over her father’s features. “Don’t tell me you three got together back then?”

  “No, we didn’t.” She looked to Will and Josh as they came closer. She wouldn’t mention that they’d seen each other socially later on. “But I wish we had. The only thing that stopped us was my shyness and this damn feud. Don’t you see? We didn’t start the war between our families, but we want it to end. Even if our families never put their differences aside, we’re still going to be together.”

  “You’re talking about both of these men?”

  She’d never talked about sex with either of her parents, and to talk about being with two men was difficult. Yet for some reason, they didn’t seem that shocked. “Yes, both of them. I know that’s unusual, but it’s the way it’s going to be.”

  Her mother spoke to her father, loud enough for all of them to hear. “It’s not that unusual around this town. You know that, Joe.”

  Her father, however, didn’t appear to let what her mother had said sway him. “And if I forbid it?”

  She wanted to get angry back at him but couldn’t. He had been the first hero and she’d love and cherish him for the rest of her life. “Dad, please. I may live in your home, but I’m a full-grown woman. I stayed here not because I didn’t want a place of my own, but because I wanted to be close in case you or Mom ever needed me.”

  Josh cleared his throat. “Sir, we’re planning on building a house for us and Tatum. Yes, it’ll be on McLean land, er, the land in dispute, but you and yours are welcomed to visit us anytime you want. Trust me, sir. We’re going to do our dead-level best to give her everything she needs and wants. Including, we hope, children. And we promise to do whatever it takes to be the kind of men she deserves.”

  “That’s a big road to pave with you two being McLeans.” Yet the vehemence that had been in her father’s tone had lessened.

  He was struggling to understand. She could see it in his face and the way he leaned toward her. She put her palm against his cheek. “I love you, Dad, and I always will. But I have to live my own life now. I’ll still be here whenever you or Mom need me, but I want my own place. And I want that place with the men I love.”

  Her mother placed her hand on her father’s shoulder. “Joe, can’t you see it? Can’t you see how much she loves them?” She studied Will and Josh. “And I can tell that they love her back.”

  Tatum smiled her thanks to her mother. “I do, Dad. I love them so much I physically hurt whenever I’m not with them.” She drew in a breath and said the words she prayed wouldn’t break his heart. “Dad, I’ll always love and respect you, but if you don’t accept them into my life, then I’ll have to choose them. Please, don’t force me to make that choice.”

  He turned to her, searching her face. For a moment, he seemed smaller and more fragile than she’d ever seen him.

  “Honey, are you sure? You haven’t had much experience with men. How do you know it’s not just a”—he swallowed as though fighting to get the words out—“physical thing?”

  She eased across the bed and placed a kiss on his forehead. “How did you know Mom was the one for you?”

  He glanced at her mother before answering. “I just knew. Couldn’t anyone have held a candle to her.”

  Tears sprang to her eyes. He was coming around. She just knew it. “It’s the same way for me with Josh and Will. No one can hold a thousand candles to them.”

  She was stunned when tears came to his eyes, too. And to her mother’s as well. “Okay, if they’re what you think you want, then go ahead and give it a try.” He waved her away and glared at the McLean men. “Let me tell you one thing, you two.”

  “What’s that, sir?” Will
relaxed, but stayed where he was, his head held high.

  “If you ever so much as make her shed a tear in sorrow, I’ll hunt you down and skin you alive.”

  At first, she thought Josh would make a sarcastic comment or laugh, but instead, he nodded. “Sir, if we ever hurt her, I’ll hand you the knife to do it.”

  For a moment, the three men she loved regarded each other in solemn silence. At last, as though satisfied with their unflinching responses, her father waved his hand, dismissing them.

  “Don’t go thinking this changes a damn thing about the gold or the land. Now get out before I change my mind. I’ve had all the McLeans I can stomach for one day.”

  Tatum laughed, gave him another kiss, and hurried around the bed to hug her mother. Her mother clung to her, squeezing her hard, then pushed her back.

  “Now that you’ve found not one, but two, men to love, make sure you keep them.”

  “I’ll do my best, Mom.”

  “And, honey, if you ever need us…”

  “I know. You’re right here.”

  Tatum broke away from her mother, feeling like she’d finally made the break from the past into her future. She blew a kiss to her parents and led Will and Josh out of the room.

  Epilogue

  Tatum stood in the middle of the valley where Josh and Will planned to build their home. Now that they’d told her father, word about their love would spread even faster, first through the Baldwin family then to the McLeans. She had no doubt that Will’s parents, Caleb and Mary McLean, would have a difficult time accepting that he and Josh had fallen in love with a Baldwin, but they all hoped that the younger members of their family would welcome Tatum with open arms.

  Doing the only thing they could think to do, Tatum, Josh, and Will kept the gold at the bank under their names, vowing that it would stay that way until a final decision regarding both the disputed land and the gold was made by the court. It was a shame that the gold couldn’t be used to help people until then, but it was the only fair way to handle the newfound wealth.

  For the most part, Tatum tried not to think about the battle waging between their families. Instead, she concentrated on spending every spare moment of her free time with the men she loved.

  She stood, arms crossed, as the bright sunshine warmed her and studied the design the men had stretched out using strings and stakes to show the walls of their future house. “It looks terrific. I don’t know when you had time to do this. I mean, I know we talked about a future home together and about the house, but I didn’t know you’d gotten this far along.”

  “We wanted to keep it as a surprise. And after telling your father, we figured now would be a good time to tell you.” Will placed his hands on his hips and surveyed their work.

  “You’re right. This does help.” Looking to the future was always better than dwelling on the past.

  Josh hopped over one of the strings then stretched his arms wide and turned in a slow circle. “And this is where our master bedroom will go.”

  “Wow. It’s huge.”

  Will joined his brother in the sectioned-off space. “The whole house is going to be huge. And you can decorate it any way you want. I just wish we’d had time to lay out the basic design of the second story.”

  Tatum walked around the exterior. Having a home of her own was a dream of hers, but it was made even better by having the men of her dreams to share it with her. “I can’t believe you did all this so fast. But, if you don’t mind, I was thinking maybe we could make it a ranch style house. You know. With just one floor to deal with.”

  She’d surprised them, but it wouldn’t be the last time she did. She turned her face away from them so they wouldn’t see her smile.

  “Sure. I guess we could do that.” Josh studied the layout. “We could break out another wing right here. But I kind of like two-story houses.” He caught her glancing his way, then averting her gaze again.

  Will caught it, too. “Okay, Tatum, what’s up? When we first talked about the house, you were good with having two stories. Has something changed your mind?”

  “Mmm. Kind of.” She wanted to hold on to her idea a little longer.

  “Then tell us, darlin’. What’s going on?”

  She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant when she felt the exact opposite. “Nothing. I was just thinking about the house the other day, and it dawned on me that maybe having one floor would be safer. For our children, I mean. If it was all one floor, I wouldn’t have to worry about them falling down the stairs.”

  “Oh. I get it.” Will stepped over one of the strings and headed her way. “But lots of families have two-story homes. They put one of those gates at the top of the stairs. If you’re worried about having the master bedroom downstairs away from the nursery, we can always change the plans and put our bedroom on the second floor, too.”

  She’d nodded the entire time he was speaking and kept on nodding, pretending that she was only now thinking the design through. “Sure, I guess we could put up a gate. But having everything on the same level would be easier for me. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to chase two little ones up and down the stairs several times a day.”

  “True enough. I can definitely see your point.” Will stopped where he was and crossed his arms. His brow knotted in concentration.

  Had they really not noticed what she’d said?

  “Wait a minute.” Josh hurtled over the strings and hurried toward her. “Did you just say two little ones?”

  She giggled. She couldn’t keep her idea to herself much longer. “I sure did.”

  His blue eyes, so much like his cousin’s, narrowed. “Are you planning on having two kids back-to-back?”

  She put her thumbnail between her two front teeth and shook her head. “No, not exactly.”

  Will came to Josh’s side. “Then what? Exactly, that is.”

  “I’m hoping to have two at one time.”

  It was as though she’d shot them with a paralyzing dart. They froze, their mouths parted, their gazes fixed on her.

  “Guys, are you okay?” She held back another giggle.

  Josh was the first to come out of his trance. “Tatum, darlin’, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

  She grinned. “No, I’m not pregnant yet, but twins do run in the family, you know.”

  “Whoa. Twins.” Josh’s grin defied the concern in his tone.

  Will twirled her around in his joy.

  “We’re having twins. Hot damn!”

  She laughed. “Not yet, I said. But knowing you two, it’ll happen soon.”

  Josh pulled her from Will’s arms, setting her back on the ground. “Easy, cuz. You need to be careful with her from now on.” His eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Twins. Wow.”

  “Slow down, guys. Like I said. I’m not pregnant yet. But does that mean you’d be happy about it if I were? And if we were having twins?”

  Will looked at her like she’d gone insane. “Of course we would.”

  “Yeah.” Josh gave her a quick hug then released her. “This is terrific. Don’t you get it? It’s the answer to the feud.”

  She knew he was up to something, but she had no choice but to ask. “What are you talking about?”

  “Two families and two kids. If they promise to end all the legal battles and squabbling, we can offer to give one of the twins to your family and the other to our family. Fair and square. Even Steven. Don’t you see? They’d each win.” He brushed his hands together. “And the damn feud would come to an end.”

  Leave it to Josh to make a joke. “You are not giving either one of our future children away. Do you understand me, Josh McLean?”

  He adopted a crestfallen expression. “Aw, darlin’, you’re no fun.”

  “The hell I’m not.” She reached out and poked him in the stomach then whirled and took off running.

  She hadn’t gotten ten feet before Josh and Will caught her, lifted her off the ground, and carried her to their truck. “Where are yo
u taking me?”

  Josh helped her slide onto the seat and then shimmy to the middle as he got in after her. Will took his usual position behind the wheel.

  “Tatum Baldwin, you need a good spanking.”

  Josh laughed and agreed with his cousin. “And we know just the place to give it to you.”

  She smiled as Will maneuvered the truck back onto the dirt road and headed toward the cabin. Life had gone from good to wonderful.

  THE END

  WWW.JANEJAMISON.COM

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Jane Jamison has always liked “weird stuff” as her mother called it. From an early age she was fascinated with stories about werewolves, vampires, space, aliens, and whatever was hiding in her bedroom closet. (To this day, she still swears she can hear growls and moans whenever the lights are out.)

  Being born under the sign of Scorpio meant Jane was destined to be very sensual. Some would say she was (and remains) downright sexual. Then one day she put her two favorite things together on paper and found her life’s true ambition: to be an erotic paranormal romance author.

  Jane spends at least six days a week locked in her office surrounded by the characters she loves. Every day a new character will knock on the door of her imagination. Her plans include taking care of her loving husband, traveling, and writing at least twelve books a year.

  For all titles by Jane Jamison, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/jane-jamison

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com