by Chloe Lang
“Go, Greg,” his brother said. “I’ve got the boys. Take care of our girl.”
As he ran after her, he thought about Grant’s words and realized they both wanted the same thing. A future with our girl—Maude.
Too fast? Maybe, but this was Wilde, and he’d never met anyone as wonderful as Maude. Grant and I need to talk.
Chapter Five
Maude raced out of the Horseshoe Bar & Grill, needing to get to her sister across the street. “I’m going to kill you, Paul Holstead, for all—”
But before she could finish her sentence, Greg came up behind her and put his arm around her. “Your sister is safe. She’s in good hands now.”
“I just need to hit that asshole,” she said, feeling the anger swell inside her. “He hurt my sister. Not just now but for months and months. I should’ve known. I should’ve protected her.”
“You need to go to her, not to that fucker.” Greg put his arm around her shoulder, and she turned and looked into his eyes. “Your sister needs you, and I can tell you need her, too. I’ll help my cousins with that dirtbag. Here comes the sheriff, Maude.” He pointed to the uniformed man running to Mary. “Everything is under control. Take a deep breath. You want to be calm when you talk to your sister, don’t you?”
She knew he was right, so she closed her eyes and steadied her breathing. When she saw Carol, they both ran to Mary.
“I’m okay,” her sister yelled to her and Carol.
Once she was beside Mary, she could see in her sister a strength and will she’d never witnessed before in her.
Mary turned to the three Wilde brothers. “He finally is going to get what’s coming to him.” She quickly kissed them one by one, an obvious expression of her thankfulness and love. “I’m going to testify against him. I’m not running away this time. I’m not afraid of him anymore.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Carol asked.
Maude felt her heart pounding hard in her chest. “Did he hurt you?”
Mary hugged them both. “I’ve never been better. I swear. Did you see what my guys did?”
It was at that very moment Maude knew that her sister had found true love. Maybe it wasn’t the kind of love that she’d ever imagined for her sister, but it was definitely Mary’s destiny. No more would she try to convince her otherwise. She was completely on board with supporting the love that was shared between the men and her sister. The Wilde brothers had saved Mary not just from her ex but also from a gray existence that they both had experienced.
The sheriff placed Paul in handcuffs.
“You will pay for attacking me,” Paul screamed. “You’re arresting the wrong man, officer. I’m innocent.”
Maude saw that both the bastard’s eyes were swollen and his lip was bleeding. “You’re as guilty as they come, Paul Holstead. You beat my sister. Now you follow me to Wilde so that you can get to her? You don’t have a leg to stand on, asshole. These three men were rescuing her, Sheriff.”
“Thank you, miss. I was just down the street when I heard her scream.” The man turned to Mary and the three Wilde brothers. “I’ll need the four of you to come to my office to take down your statements.”
“Yes, sir,” Mary said. “My sister’s account of the facts is accurate. And there’s more I need to tell you about what happened back in Missouri to me.”
“I’m sure the judge will be happy to hear all you have to say.” The sheriff led Paul, who continued to grumble, to the jail.
Her sister looked at Greg. “And who is this, Maude?”
He held out his hand to Mary. “I’m Greg Strong, miss.”
“He’s our cousin,” Dan informed. “Where is Grant?”
“With the boys at the Horseshoe,” Greg said. “Maude came to our rescue.” He told them about Toby escaping out the door.
Carol gave her a big hug. “What did you think of our little guys?”
“They are the most beautiful boys I’ve ever seen.” Her heart skipped a beat as the memory of her own daughter filled her mind. “Carol, I forgot to get the meal you sent me to pick up.”
Carol shook her head. “What meal?”
“The lunch for your husbands at the Horseshoe.”
“Ah. Yes. The lunch.” Carol grinned and turned to Greg. “And I am glad you and Grant listened to me about the outing today.”
Maude laughed, knowing she’d been right about Mrs. Matchmaker. “You are a devil, Carol Wilde. I can see through you and this errand you sent me on.”
Carol grinned. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, honey.”
“Speaking of lunch,” Greg said. “Maude and I need to get back to Grant and the boys. She agreed to have lunch with us for rescuing Toby. Is that okay with everyone? We’ll make sure we get her home.”
“That’s very okay with me,” Carol said with a wink.
“With me, too,” Mary said, smiling.
“Besides, Maude, we all heard the sheriff.” Carol motioned to her three sons and to Mary. “These four need to give their statements. And I need to get back to my husbands. Have fun, dear. We will see you later.”
All of them left her and Greg standing in the street.
She looked into his big bright eyes. “They didn’t give us much of a choice in the matter, did they?”
Greg put his arm around her again. “I’m glad they didn’t. Let’s go fill in my brother. He’s got his face plastered to the window.”
Turning her attention to the Horseshoe, she saw he was right. Grant was standing at the big window with Nate and Seth in his arms. “We better go. I’m sure he needs our help with the boys.”
* * * *
The next morning, Grant couldn’t help but grin seeing the mess that Nate and Seth had made at breakfast. They were getting the hang of the spoon more and more each day, but still a big portion of their meals ended up on their highchair trays, and a little bit always ended up on the floor.
Toby and Heath had finished their cereal, and Greg was wiping their faces.
“Daddy, where’s Mama?” Toby asked. “I want her to wash my face.”
“We just need to ask her to come and see us,” Greg said. “Would you like that?”
Toby smiled. “I want to show Mama my toys.”
Heath chimed in. “Mama can play with Buttermilk.”
Heath willingly shared all his toys but was very possessive of his favorite—Buttermilk the horse.
“That’s very nice of you, Heath.” Grant realized the incredible impact Maude had on the boys. The proof was in Heath’s selflessness with Buttermilk, in Toby’s chattering about her since they first met, and Nate and Seth’s lit-up faces whenever she was around. At the Horseshoe, the two little ones had babbled and giggled the whole time while she held them close.
After finishing breakfast, he and Grant cleaned the boys up and placed them in the play area. Before moving into the old Strong Ranch house, they’d taken down some walls to create an open-concept living space. The den, playroom, and kitchen were all connected so that they could easily keep their eyes on the boys at all times.
As they cleared the plates, Greg said, “The boys are certainly crazy about Maude. Seems like I’m not the only one who has continued thinking about her. I can’t get her off my mind.”
“I figured as much.” Grant wasn’t at all surprised by Greg’s admission. He’d seen the look in his brother’s eyes. Greg was smitten by her as much as he was. “She’s out of this world.”
“Yes, she is,” Greg said. “We need to talk.”
“I know we do.”
“Hard to believe how much things have changed since Maude came into the diner yesterday.”
“Everything has changed. We’re both ready to take the plunge again?”
“Yeah. I could see it in your eyes every time you looked at her.”
“Same for you. This may be crazy and way too fast, but Maude has opened up both our hearts to the possibility of love again. But which one of us is going to be the lucky guy?”
Greg shrugged. “That’s the quandary, isn’t it? When we finish cleaning the kitchen, let’s sit down and try to sort this out. What do you say?”
“Definitely,” he answered, though not sure how they would be able to.
Greg started a fresh pot of coffee. “She’s so good with those four little cowboys of ours.”
“I’ve never seen them fall for anyone so quickly as they did with her.” He finished putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher, trying to sort out in his mind that he and Greg both wanted to pursue Maude. “I know that neither of us was expecting the boys to bond with her so fast, but it was really beyond our control.”
“We don’t want them to be hurt, bro, but I’m hoping we don’t have to worry about that.” Greg stared at the boys. “It’s obvious she cares deeply for them already.”
“You’re missing the main issue. You and I care about her, too. We care very much.”
Greg nodded. “How do we proceed? Rock, paper, scissors? Arm wrestle? I’m kidding, of course, but the last thing I want to happen is for any animosity to creep up between us.”
Grant knew his brother was absolutely right, but he could not see himself stepping out of the picture. But their most important responsibility that topped all others, including their own feelings, was protecting their sons. “This is the first time in our life we’ve been attracted to the same woman. Remember, our preferences were somewhat different.”
“Those days are over, aren’t they?” Greg poured them both a cup of coffee, and they sat down at the kitchen table while the boys continued playing. “We are both taken by her.”
Grant gazed at the black surface of the liquid in his cup. He’d never dreamed someone like Maude would come to Wilde and change so much. As much as he loved his brother, he also couldn’t imagine a life without that amazing woman. Then the obvious solution to his and Greg’s dilemma snapped into his head. She came to Wilde. Wilde. “Bro, the answer is right in front of us.”
“I’m listening.”
“We’re in Wilde, Nevada. Our hometown. You and I were out of the norm, though no one judged us. I had a wife and two boys. You had a wife and two boys. But why can’t we embrace the Wilde life fully? We can both pursue Maude. We can share her.”
“If we mess things up with her, it’s not just us who will lose out and be crushed.” Greg turned his attention from the boys to him. The look in his brother’s eyes had an intense seriousness that rarely appeared there. “It’s those four boys of ours that will suffer if we fail with Maude.”
“We make sure we don’t mess up. We’ve never failed at anything when we’ve put our minds together. You know that.”
Greg leaned back in the chair. “Are you really willing to share the same woman with me, Grant? Share Maude?”
“Absolutely, bro. Yes, we were each lucky to find two amazing women to marry and have our wonderful boys. We’ve suffered incredible loss and pain. Together we got through the darkness. We’ve built a life here on the ranch with our boys. But now Maude has come to town. She’s stolen all six of our hearts. I’m totally ready to embrace the Wilde way because of her—and frankly because of you. I want you to be happy, bro.”
“Same here from me for you. We already are a family. And we just need Maude to complete us.”
“So? Are we going to do this? Are we going to sweep Maude off her feet together?”
“Damn right.” Greg gave him a big brotherly hug. “Toby and Heath are already calling her ‘mama.’ And you and I need to make sure she will be their mama.”
“I honestly believe the boys knew before we did that she belonged in this house. We’ve got to make sure that we win Maude’s affection. But where to begin?”
Grant sighed. “You and I have always known about the lifestyle. But I honestly don’t know how it works. Should we talk to our uncles first?”
“Not first, because I know she’s planning on leaving town soon. The clock is ticking. But I do agree we need to sit down with them. We definitely need a crash course in Wilde Lifestyle 101. And we can also ask Uncles Jack, Tom, and Will how they were able to win Aunt Carol’s heart. Like Maude, she wasn’t from Wilde either.”
“Perfect,” Greg said. “Let’s dive into this headfirst. What about dinner tonight here with the boys? There’s no way she can refuse.”
“Now that’s using the old noggin, bro.” Grant dialed the Wilde’s number.
“Hello,” Aunt Carol answered.
“Hi, Aunt Carol. This is Grant. Greg and I would like to talk with Maude, if you don’t mind.”
“She’s in the other room.” Aunt Carol’s voice lowered. “You’re calling about the date. I’d be more than happy to babysit.”
He laughed. “Maude was so right about you playing matchmaker.”
“I knew in my heart the three of you would be perfect for one another. And when you dropped her off at the house after your lunch yesterday, I saw how you two looked at her and how she looked at you. And those four little angels are completely smitten by her.”
“Yes they are. And Greg and I are going to pursue Maude with everything in our arsenal. We want to have her at our house with the boys for dinner. Thanks for the offer of babysitting. We may take you up on it later.”
“You better. Remember, Grant. It worked for your uncles and me. I’m sure it will work for you, too.”
“Aunt Carol, we know she’s the right one for all of us. We just got to let her figure it out for herself. I’m sure this is a lot to take in for her, not being from Wilde.”
“She’s gotten on board with Mary dating my three boys.”
“Let’s hope she’ll get on board with dating me and Greg. May I speak to her please?”
“Good luck,” Aunt Carol said. “I’ll get her for you.”
He realized it had been many years since he’d asked any woman on a date. Had he lost the old charm, or would it return in full force?
“Hi, Grant.” Maude’s voice swept over his entire being like a warm breeze. “Carol said you wanted to talk to me.”
A long moment passed.
“Grant, are you there?”
“I’m here.” Come on, Charm. Where are you? “Will you be hungry tonight? The boys, Greg, and I sure will be.”
She laughed. “I’m sure I will be, too.”
“Great. That’s great.” What’s wrong with me? I sound like a nervous teenage boy.
“It’s great that I’m going to be hungry?”
“What I’m trying to say is we’re going to have steaks here. Do you like steak?”
Another long moment passed.
Damn, I sure messed this up.
“Grant, are you asking me to dinner?” Maude’s directness pulled him out of his sudden awkwardness.
“I am. Greg and I would like to have you over. The boys would love to see you as well. They keep asking about you.”
“Grant, I feel head-over-heels in love with your boys, and I certainly don’t want to hurt them when I leave here.”
“You won’t hurt them, I promise.”
“I thought they might be getting too attached to me.”
“You let me worry about that. We’ll have a great time tonight. The boys will be just fine. You’ll see.”
“Maybe they weren’t as attached to me as I thought they were. Still, I’m just not sure it’s a good idea. It’s going to be tough for me to leave them.”
What he and Greg knew that Maude didn’t was that she was meant to stay in Wilde. They just needed time for her to figure that out for herself. “It’s not like you won’t come back to visit your sister.” You won’t ever leave if Greg and I have anything to do about it. “When you do, we’ll make sure that you get to spend time with the boys, as much as you want. What do you say? Dinner tonight?”
“It’s against my better judgment, but okay. But not tonight. Mary was just attacked yesterday. How about Saturday?”
Today was Wednesday. He hated to wait that long, but Maude was worth being patient for. “Perf
ect. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“That’s okay. I’ll drive to your house. I’m sure Carol can give me directions.”
He realized she needed to feel a little in control of the situation. He was willing to let her think she was. For now.
Chapter Six
Maude hung up the phone and felt her heart racing in her chest. “Oh my God, did I just do that? What have I done?”
Carol walked up behind her. “What’s the matter, honey?”
“I just accepted a dinner date with Grant and Greg for Saturday night. Is it really a date? Grant only asked if I would be hungry later. I said ‘yes,’ and maybe he thought I was hinting at an invitation. Oh my God. The offer was for dinner, not a date. I’m so confused.”
“I just love my nephews. I can hear Grant getting all tongue-tied. Am I right?”
She nodded.
Carol hugged her. “Either way, Maude, that’s wonderful.”
Mary walks in. “What’s wonderful?”
“I don’t know if it’s wonderful, sis, but I just said ‘yes’ to dinner Saturday at Grant and Greg’s house. I love those little boys so much. They already seem so fond of me. I’m scared I will hurt them when I leave Wilde. Maybe I should cancel the date.”
“You worry too much,” Mary said. “Things have a way of working themselves out. Perhaps we should have our dates together. My guys are taking me out on my date Friday. The doctor promised to release Craig for horseback riding by then. I could ask them if we could push our date back to Saturday.”
“Not a chance, sis.” Dan, Dillon, and Craig had come to her in private to ask if she would give her blessing for them to ask Mary to marry them. “Those guys rescued you. They deserve a little alone time. Besides, I think I’m going to call Grant and Greg back and cancel.”
“Don’t. Be brave. You can do this. I know you can. You deserve to be treated to dinner by two incredibly nice men like Grant and Greg.”
“I wish I was more like you, but I’m not. I am more traditional when it comes to these kinds of things.”
