She tugged her hand away and pushed her chair away from the table. “And how is that supposed to work?” Her tone was dead serious, but he could hear the slightest thread of panic in there too and that concerned him.
She shoved her unruly hair over her shoulder and glared at him. “I stay around and sleep with both of you from time to time. The neighbors will surely enjoy talking about that one and you know what they’d call me. My father would roll over in his grave.”
Remy could feel Cherry pulling away from them. He stood so fast his chair toppled over, the loud bang echoing in the room. “No, you’re more than just a temporary bed partner. I want you to marry one of us.”
The stark words lay between them and Remy wanted to roar his displeasure. This wasn’t how he’d planned to broach the subject. She deserved dinner and candlelight, maybe some wine and music. Definitely a ring. Wes looked as though he was ready to punch him and Cherry appeared totally shell-shocked.
“And what about the other one?” she asked. “I marry one of you and the other one does what? Simply forgets I slept with both of you?”
“No.” Remy dragged his fingers through his hair, his frustration eating at him. He was doing this all wrong, but there was no going back now. Better to lay all his cards on the table. “What we do behind closed doors is our business. Hell, I don’t care if the entire county knows you belong to both of us. It’s the truth.”
The silence was deafening. Cherry gathered her purse and headed toward the door. “I’ll wait outside.” She closed the door carefully behind her, leaving both men alone.
“Way to go there, Remy.” Wes was pissed with him and rightfully so. He’d handled the entire situation with the finesse of a raging bull. But in his defense, he’d never wanted anything in his life as much as he wanted Cherry to stay with them.
Wes slammed out of the kitchen and Remy slowly followed, wondering what in the hell he could do to salvage the situation.
Wes wanted to beat his brother senseless, even as he understood the emotions that were driving him to act the way he did. Cherry was already in the truck, sitting in the center of the bench seat, waiting.
She glanced at him and then away, but he caught the distressed look in her eyes and her pale skin. He sighed and opened the door, climbing into the passenger seat beside her. “We’ll work it out,” he promised. “Everything will be okay.” He had no idea how, but somehow he’d make it happen.
She gave a snort of laughter that sounded so sad it made his chest hurt. “I don’t think anything will ever be okay again.”
Wes wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “Sure it will, sugar. Just give it some time.” He rubbed his hand up and down her spine. “I know you have a lot to deal with right now, but I’ll help you if you’ll let me. We both will.”
She pulled back and gave him a watery smile. “But you and Remy are part of what I have to deal with, part of what I have to figure out.” She sighed and stared out the windshield. “My life is a mess right now. I don’t need more complications.”
Wes’ heart seized and his stomach dropped. “I don’t mean to complicate things. Just tell me what I can do to help.”
She turned back to him, her expression bleak. “I need you to leave me be for a while. Give me time to think.”
Every instinct Wes possessed as a man was telling him this wasn’t the right thing to do. The more time she had apart from him, the more time she’d have to convince herself what happened between the three of them was nothing more than an aberration brought on partly by the memories they’d shared as teenagers and her sadness over her father’s death. He couldn’t allow that to happen.
He gently rubbed her cheek, wiping away a stray tear. “I’ll stay away for a few days, but only if I can call you every day, and only if you agree to call if you need anything. Anything at all.”
Remy stood by the open window on the driver’s side, listening to their conversation. Cherry turned toward him, proving she’d known all along he was there. “And what about you?” she asked Remy.
His brother looked as though he was about to say something they’d all regret, but at the last second, he pulled back and nodded. “If that’s what you want.”
“It’s what I want,” she confirmed.
Remy climbed in, started the truck and put it into gear. “Fine.” He pulled out of the yard and toward Cherry’s ranch. They’d take her home before they dealt with her truck.
Cherry had her purse clasped tightly in her lap. Wes reached over and pried one of them off the leather strap and closed his fingers around hers. He took heart when she squeezed them back.
* * * * *
A week later, Cherry still had no idea what to do about Wes and Remy. They were driving her crazy. Oh, they were doing exactly what she’d asked them to. They were staying away, but calling every day, twice a day, always ready to do whatever she needed them to. Not that she’d taken them up on their offer, but it was nice to know they were there.
As promised, they’d towed her truck to town and the garage had fixed it quickly. Thankfully, the problem had been a minor one and the pickup was running smooth as silk now, in spite of its age. That was something else she had to be grateful to them for. She knew if she picked up the phone, either or both of them would be here in a heartbeat to take on some of the burdens she was carrying.
“Stop it,” she muttered aloud. She couldn’t afford to depend on them. There was no way a relationship could work between the three of them, was there? Of course not. She wished her brain would stop trying to figure out a way to make it work. But really? Remy had mentioned marriage, but how could she marry one man and be in a relationship with the two of them?
Right on cue the phone rang. She hesitated only a moment before picking it up. If she didn’t answer, they might decide to come over and check on her. And honestly, in their presence she couldn’t think beyond the fact that she wanted them.
And it was more than sexual. If it was only physical attraction it would be easy for her to chalk the other evening up as a one-night stand brought on by grief and stress. But she knew them both, knew what kind of men they were—honest, hard-working and fiercely loyal.
Memories of the past, of the hours they’d spent together, having adventures and getting into trouble the way kids did, filled her waking hours. She’d had a wonderful childhood, had spent long summer afternoons riding the land with Remy and Wes. But that had changed about the time she turned fifteen. A new tension had entered their relationship, which she now recognized as sexual. Now the past and the present were mixed together, making it difficult for her to sort out her feelings for both men.
She grabbed her phone when it rang again. “Hello.”
“Hey, sugar.”
Her fingers tightened around her phone. “Hey, Wes.”
“How are you doing today?” He always asked her that. And unlike many people who asked that question, she knew that he really wanted to know.
She sank down onto her father’s desk chair and stared blindly at the mountain of paperwork there. “It’s slow going, but I’m getting there.” She rubbed her free hand over her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
“That’s not what I asked you.”
She sighed and leaned back, resting her head against the thick leather headrest. “I’m doing okay.” Which wasn’t really a lie, but not the whole truth either. “The hands have all worked here for years so they know what to do without me telling them so I don’t have to worry about the day-to-day operation.”
The silence on the other end was deafening. Cherry knew what he was doing. Waiting her out so she’d tell him something. She bit her bottom lip to keep from pouring out all her concerns.
“You know, one or both of us would come over to help you. You don’t have to do this alone.” The kindness and caring in his tone brought tears to her eyes.
“I know,” she whispered. Yet she felt as if she needed to do this alone. She sat up and pulled herself together. “I’m
going to see the lawyer and the real estate agent today. Since you and Remy already told him how much of the land you wanted the papers should be ready to sign in a day or so.”
“That’s fine, sugar. You just let us know when.” She could sense Wes’ growing frustration. “You’re going back to Boston, aren’t you?”
“I have to.” Her stomach twisted into knots at the thought. “My work and the life I’ve built are there.” Those words were cold and brought no comfort.
“You could work from here. There are plenty of spare rooms at the house you could use as an office. Hell, if you want your own separate space, we’ll build you a damn studio.”
“Wes—” she began, but was swiftly cut off.
“No, Cherry. I want you here with us. It can work.”
“I just don’t know.” How she longed to feel his arms around her, hugging her. And that was part of the problem. She had to figure this out on her own, had to decide without all the sexual feelings clouding her mind. There was more to a relationship than what went on in the bedroom.
“Think about it.”
“I will,” she promised. It was an easy promise to make. It was all she thought about these days. That and settling her father’s estate.
“Any word on a buyer for the house and the rest of the land?”
Cherry stared at the sheaf of papers in front of her and inhaled deeply. The scents of leather were tinged with the cologne her father had favored. God, she missed him. “Yeah. I got lucky. There’s some guy from up north looking to retire and wants to own a ranch. He’s coming out later today to look at the place.”
“You want me to come over so you don’t have to deal with him?”
Again, it would be so easy to say yes. “No, but thanks. Look, I gotta go.” It was either that or she’d start crying.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow. You take care of yourself and call if you need me.” His low tone was intimate and soothed her.
“I will.” She ended the call before she gave in and told him to come over. She tucked her phone away just as a car pulled up outside. Cherry swiped her fingers over her eyes and stood.
She strode out of the office, through the kitchen and out the back door. Sure enough, her Realtor was there with a man she didn’t recognize. Must be the buyer. “Welcome, I’m Cherry Edmonds.” She held out her hand to the tall, gray-haired man who might very well soon be living in her family home.
* * * * *
A couple hours later, Cherry sat on the bed of her childhood room, feeling dazed and slightly lost. The gentleman from upstate New York did indeed want to buy her home. In a matter of weeks, it would belong to Mr. Albert Riker and his wife Rita. There were papers to be signed, but her home was no longer hers.
She hadn’t realized how hard it would hit her until she’d agreed to the sale. Not only did Mr. Riker agree on the asking price, he also agreed to keep all the current hands on salary until he decided what he wanted to do with all the stock on the ranch.
She looked around the room. It hadn’t changed since she’d left here ten years ago. The bedroom was locked in a time warp, but time marched on and change was inevitable. Somehow, in the back of her mind, she’d thought her father would always be there and the sanctuary of home would always exist. She was truly an orphan now, with only her apartment in Boston to call her own.
That wasn’t strictly true, a little voice in the back of her head reminded her. She did have Wes and Remy. But a relationship with two men? When she was with them it seemed possible. When she was alone, she didn’t know how it would work.
Tomorrow she planned to spend the day sorting through stuff and boxing up what she wanted to keep. Mr. Riker had agreed to let her store what she wanted to keep in an unused upstairs room until she could send for it. Not that there was much she wanted in terms of furniture, but there were special dishes that had come from her grandmother on her father’s side, as well as childhood keepsakes, pictures and important family papers.
She’d have to clean out her father’s room and donate his clothing to charity. The church would take the donations for their annual sale. She’d have them take the furniture as well. Mr. Riker had made it clear he and his wife would be filling the house with their own belongings.
The sob caught her off guard and she doubled over with the pain. Oh God, her father was truly gone. Cherry rolled onto her side and pulled her legs to her chest, curling up into a small ball. She cried gut-wrenching tears until there were none left and she was breathless, her nose stuffed and her lungs unable to suck in enough air.
She sat up slowly, feeling much older than twenty-eight. She pushed off the bed and went to the bathroom, blowing her nose before splashing water onto her face. Leaning against the vanity, she stared at her reflection. She looked pale, except for her eyes and nose, which were very red.
This was the right decision. She knew that. She had no desire to take over the running of a ranch full-time, even a small one. She had her business, her own dreams. Her father had always had good medical insurance and had never overextended himself financially. Once the sale of the land to Remy and Wes and the ranch to Mr. Riker went through and she paid off the remaining mortgage and outstanding bills, there would still be a tidy sum left over. As long as she didn’t do anything crazy, she wouldn’t have to worry so much about money. She could even buy a home for herself in Boston if she wanted.
And why didn’t that appeal to her when only a few months ago she would have said it was her fondest wish and the goal she was working toward?
Maybe she could keep a corner of the land by the main road and build a small place for herself. She could easily transfer her work to here. After all, her store was a virtual one and she could ship anywhere, much like she did now. All she needed was her computer and good internet access.
She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. Now was not the time to make any rash decisions. Not when she was in such an emotional state.
Cherry decided that a cup of tea was what she needed. It had been a scorcher of a day and would be another hot night, but there was something soothing about a steaming cup of tea. She went down to the kitchen, filled the kettle and set it on the stove to boil.
The kitchen wouldn’t look like this for much longer. Mr. Riker was full of plans to remodel the house, explaining he and his wife had four children and five grandchildren who would be visiting. She liked the idea of the place being filled with children and laughter.
She placed a hand on her stomach. Would she ever have a family, children? She’d always thought she’d at least be married by now. But none of the men she’d met had inspired her to want to settle down.
Wes and Remy popped into her head and she gave a small laugh as she got a white ceramic mug down from the cupboard and dug out a teabag. Those two were constantly on her mind. The kettle was steaming so she took it off the heat and poured boiling water into the mug.
The phone rang just as she set the kettle back down. She knew without looking who it was. “Hey, Remy.”
“Evening, darlin’.” His smooth voice wrapped around her like a warm hug. “What happened with the Realtor today?”
Funny, but as soon as Mr. Riker and the Realtor left she’d wanted to call Remy and Wes and tell them the news. Maybe she should have. “I sold the ranch. Well, almost. The paperwork still has to be signed. And speaking of paperwork, I was talking to the lawyer and you and Wes need to go into town to Jefferson Dalton’s office and sign the paperwork for the land you’re buying. The survey is done and the deed is in order.”
“We’ll do it first thing tomorrow,” he promised. “I want to see you.”
She wanted to see him too. Maybe it was crazy to stay away from Remy and Wes, but she had to be sure. Their relationship wouldn’t be easy if she decided to pursue it. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” she began.
“Damn it, Cherry. You shouldn’t be dealing with all this alone. It’s killing me to stay away.”
“I’m sorry.” S
he hated knowing she was hurting both him and Wes.
“Shit, don’t be sorry. I promised I wouldn’t push you.”
A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. “I know it hasn’t been easy for you.”
He gave a gruff laugh. “You got that right.” His voice sank even lower as he continued to speak. “I wish I was there right now. I’d take you up to bed, strip you naked and love you nice and slow.”
Cherry shivered, all too able to imagine such a thing.
“I could be there in a few minutes.”
“What about Wes?” This was the problem. She didn’t want to end up hurting one brother or possibly even both.
“Ah, darlin’, there will be times we want to be alone with you and times when we can all be together. We’ll work it out.”
“I’m not ready.” And she might never be. She wasn’t really stalling. She was such an emotional wreck she had to be sure about what she felt for both men before she made such a huge and unconventional commitment.
“I’ll try to be patient a while longer.”
“Thank you.” She sipped her tea, which was cool enough to drink without scalding her mouth.
He gave a gruff laugh. “Don’t thank me. I don’t have much choice. I frightened you away when you were a teenager, I don’t want to do that again.” He paused a moment. “It’s been a long ten years, Cherry.”
She set down her cup and closed her eyes, nodding even though he couldn’t see her. It had been a long ten years for her as well, too many years away from the place she called home, too many nights spent wondering what might have happened if she’d stayed.
“Good night, Remy.” She ended the call before she started crying again and tucked her phone in her back pocket. Her emotions were so close to the surface right now and it wouldn’t take much to set her off.
She locked the back door and checked to make sure the stove was turned off. Then she took her mug and went upstairs to her room. She stripped off her clothes, pulled on a sleep shirt and went to the bathroom. When she was ready for bed she crawled between the covers. The drapes were open, allowing in the moonlight. She sipped the remains of her tea, now gone cold, as she laid her life bare before her.
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