Lila's Loves

by Laylah Roberts

  Max snorted. “Oh, she’ll learn all right.” But he stood with a smile and went down to greet his wife, opening her door and giving her a kiss, before grabbing her shopping and carrying the bags inside.

  Short and curvy with short blonde hair, Savannah had a ready smile and a cheerful disposition. No one could remain grouchy for long with her around.

  “Colin,” she squealed, throwing her arms around him. “How are you? How are your brothers?”

  “We’re all good Savi, how are you, sweetheart?”

  “I’m good,” she replied. “All of you should come over for dinner one night. I only met Lila briefly at the funeral and I doubt she remembers me.”

  “I’d like that, thanks Savi,” he replied warmly.

  Max returned from putting the packages inside and held out his arms. “Come here, love,” he crooned to her.

  She immediately bounced over to him, throwing herself into his arms. He kissed the top of her head, his heart filling his eyes. “Have a good time in town?”

  “Oh well, as much excitement as you can have grocery shopping,” she said.

  Colin grinned, knowing she couldn’t see him. Savi was a terrible liar and it wouldn’t take Max long to ferret the truth out of her.

  “Yeah? Talk to anyone while you were there?” Max asked.

  “Well, just old Joe and Sally,” she said slowly. Then with a sigh she pulled back and looked up at Max, her face resigned. “Jake called you, didn’t he?”

  “Yes, love, he did.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I didn’t mean to, I didn’t even notice my speed creeping up.”

  Max ran his hand over her hair. “I know, love, but this isn’t the first time, is it? You put your safety at risk and that’s unacceptable.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “I want you to go inside and stand in the corner of the living room. Panties off, skirt raised over your ass and spread your legs. I’ll be in to deal with you shortly.”

  With a blush covering her cheeks, and a quick, horrified glance at Colin, she sped inside.

  As soon as she was gone, Colin let out a chuckle. “You could fry eggs on those cheeks of hers.”

  Max nodded. “And soon I’ll be able to fry eggs on her other cheeks. This has to stop. She’s been getting away with murder lately, simply because we’ve been so busy.”

  “Maybe you should start spanking her each morning as a preventative measure,” Colin joked.

  Max looked over at him seriously. “You know, that’s not a bad idea.”

  A dark blue truck pulled up beside Colin’s truck, and Max’s twin brother, Logan climbed out.

  “Colin, good to see you man.” Logan held out his hand and Colin shook it. Although the men were twins they looked nothing alike. Where Logan had light brown hair and hazel eyes, Max’s hair was almost black, his eyes a dark gray. But they were both large, built wide across the shoulders and standing around six feet three.

  “Just came home to get changed,” he explained, moving inside. Max and Colin talked for a while until Logan came out ten minutes later.

  “What did she do this time?” he asked his brother.

  “Caught speeding by Jake. Doing fifty in a thirty-five zone.”

  Logan scowled. “That’s the second time this month. She needs a firm reminder.”

  Max nodded. “I’ll take care of it then I’ll join you.”

  “All right. See you later, Colin,” Logan called with a wave of his hand.

  “Later man.” Colin held his hand out to Max. “Thanks for listening and the advice. I better go take care of my girl and leave you to take care of yours.”

  Max smiled. “Oh, I’m sure she’s not eager for me to hurry inside.”

  Colin laughed. “No, I expect not.”

  Chapter Seven

  Lila thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Gavin and Trace. It wasn’t often that they all had a day off together and she relished the time and attention they lavished on her.

  The only dark cloud hanging over the day was the fact that Colin wasn’t with them. She wondered how she could get through to him—show him that she wasn’t like Sara, that she really wanted this. Well, she guessed she could only do it through being herself. Words probably wouldn’t convince him, and even if they could, she didn’t know exactly what to say.

  So she’d have to show him.

  “Colin’s home,” she called out excitedly as she spotted his truck. She nudged Sunshine into a faster trot and raced towards the stables. “Last one home is a rotten egg!”

  “Lila, slow down,” Gavin roared, but she ignored him, jumping a small hedge instead of moving through the gap as she normally would have.

  Colin walked into the yard and she steered Sunshine towards him. Pulling her horse up next to him, she held herself back from throwing herself into his arms. As a child, she wouldn’t have hesitated, but now she wasn’t so sure he would catch her.

  But then he held his arms out and she threw herself off into his arms. She cuddled him tight, arms around his neck, her legs firmly clinging to his waist.

  “Colin, I’m so glad you’re home.”

  “Ahh, baby, you feel so good in my arms, I’m so sorry I stormed off like that,” he murmured. “So sorry I hurt you.”

  “I’m just glad you’ve come back. We can work things through as long as you stay and talk to me.”

  “I will, no more running off,” Colin vowed. “I know that you’re nothing like Sara, and I’m sorry for reacting the way I did. It was unfair to you.”

  “It’s okay, I understand,” she said, holding him tight.

  “Hmm, from the way Gavin and Trace are glaring at you I’m thinking you’ve got some explaining to do.”

  She looked over her shoulder to find both men dismounting, looks of displeasure on their faces.

  “Uh oh,” she muttered.

  “Oh, I think that’s an understatement,” he agreed.

  Gavin stood there, hands on his hips. “Lila, what were you thinking? You know better than to race around the house. What if someone had walked out in front of you? And jumping that hedge?” He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

  “Unacceptable,” Trace told her before grabbing her horse and leading it and his own into the stables.

  Gavin scowled. “You could have hurt yourself. What if Sunshine hadn’t taken that jump?”

  “It was hardly much of a jump. I’ve jumped much higher than that before,” she told him before swallowing heavily. Gavin’s face went white then red. Then with a pointed look at Colin, he turned away, muttering to himself.

  Lila sighed. Damn they could be a bunch of worriers. “I was just excited to see you.”

  “I appreciate that. But riding that way especially around the house is dangerous.” With a smile he set her down and turned her towards the house. Keeping hold of her arm, he gave her ten quick, sharp pops on the seat of her pants.

  “Ow, ow, ow, Colin!” she protested loudly.

  “That’s for putting yourself at risk. Safety first, Lila. Go on inside now and I’ll be in soon.” With a final smack that had her scowling and rubbing her buttocks, he sent her off.

  “And no rubbing, squirt!” he called out.

  With a loud sigh of displeasure, which had Colin smiling, she stomped off. Colin shook his head. Damn, she was something else. They were going to have their hands full, that’s for sure. With a low whistle, he headed off to the stables to help his brothers.

  “Everything all right?” Gavin asked as he entered and started taking care of Sunshine.

  “Yeah,” Colin said. “I was just thinking that I’m glad there are three of us to look after her, she can be a handful.”

  “Actually, I meant is everything all right with you?” Gavin asked. “Lila is happier than I have seen her in a long time. She’s more settled, more open, but you upset her today.”

  “I know and I’m sorry for acting like an asshole and storming out. It won’t happen again.”

  Gav
in fixed him with a hard stared. “See that it doesn’t.”

  Lila heard the phone ringing as she poured herself a glass of juice. She ran over, snapping it up.

  “Hello,” she said breathlessly.

  “Yeah, put me on with Clay.”

  Lila frowned. The voice wasn’t one she recognized. Obviously not someone who lived around Haven if they didn’t know Clay had died. Pain stabbed her stomach.

  “I’m sorry, Clay has passed away. Can I help you?” she asked politely.

  “Fuck!” the other woman swore. Lila held the phone away from her ear as expletives continued to fly.

  “Who is this?” Lila asked sharply. She wouldn’t normally be so rude, but she couldn’t imagine Clay being friends with someone who spoke like this.

  “I’m an old friend of Clay’s. Who’s this?”

  “I’m his daughter. I’m sorry to give you the news this way.” Lila was determined to be polite. A door squeaked open and she looked over her shoulder to see her three men enter.

  “His daughter? So did you inherit that big spread of his?”

  “I’m sorry?” Lila said stiffly. Immediately, Gavin, Trace and Colin walked towards her, looks of concern on their face.

  “Who is it?” Gavin asked.

  Lila shook her head, shrugging.

  “He owed me some money, that’s why. I’ll be coming to collect.”

  A dial tone greeted her. “How rude!” she said, hanging up the phone.

  “Who was that?” Trace asked. All three men were staring at her, arms over their chests, looking so alike it made her smile, despite the uneasy feeling in her stomach from that phone call.

  “I don’t know, but she was really rude. She asked for Clay, said he owed her money and that she would be coming to collect.”

  Gavin scowled. “Why would Clay owe anyone any money?”

  “No idea,” she replied.

  “Well, when she arrives, you let us take care of it, hear me, Lila?” Gavin said.

  “Come here, baby,” Colin cajoled, sitting at the table.

  She moved towards him.

  “Come sit on my knee.” Colin patted his lap. Gavin put together some food while Trace got them all a drink. Then the three men sat at the table. Lunch was laid out, salad, buns and cold chicken.

  Colin fed her small bites of food. She felt cherished and taken care of. She didn’t know where he’d gone when he’d stormed out earlier, but she was glad he’d come back a lot happier.

  After lunch, Lila started yawning, her eyelids drooping as she listened to the men talk around her.

  “Lila, Lila, are you listening?” Gavin asked.

  “Yes, Gavin,” she replied, slumping back against Colin’s chest. His arms came around her, holding her tight.

  “You’re exhausted aren’t you, honey? You need a nap,” Colin murmured.

  A nap? Was he crazy? She hated napping, detested the idea of missing out on anything, especially when she was around them.

  “I’m fine,” she said, sitting up hastily and rubbing her eyes.

  Colin chuckled and stood, placing her on her feet and holding out his hand. “Come on, Lila, I’ll put you to bed. You’re tuckered out.”

  With a groan, seeing they weren’t going to bend, Lila took his hand and let him pull her along, following him up the stairs to her room.

  “You guys have got to stop making me nap. I’m too old.”

  “You’re never too old for a nap. You’ve had a full-on couple of weeks, and I don’t want you getting sick again.” Colin was a worrier, he might seem light-hearted and without a care in the world, but when it came to those he cared about most, he worried.

  He helped her take her clothes off then tucked her into bed with a kiss on her forehead. He sat against the headboard and she cuddled up to his side. “Colin,” she said.

  “Yes, Lila?”

  “Are we really okay, now?”

  He ran his hand over her hair and her eyes closed with the soothing movement. “I’m sorry for storming out earlier. I was too scared to believe that this is what you really want. I thought Sara was my friend, I trusted her and she hurt me badly. So I started to question if my choice to share a woman with my brothers was right or wrong. I went and spoke to Max; he made me see that I was giving her exactly what she wanted. She wanted to hurt me. This is right. You, me, Gavin and Trace and I won’t let anyone tell me different. I trust you to tell us if we ever do anything you’re not comfortable with. I know you won’t play games. I’m so sorry I hurt you, though. Forgive me?”

  She smiled. “Of course. I love you.”

  “Love you, too, shorty.”

  *****

  Lila held on to Gavin’s hand tightly, Colin on her other side as Trace led the way into the lawyer’s office. It had been two weeks since Clay’s funeral and she felt calmer, more at peace with herself and their relationship.

  “Welcome everyone,” old Mr. Marsh greeted them. He’d seemed old when she was a kid, he surely had to be over eighty now. “I’m sorry you’re here on such a sad occasion. Clay was a marvelous man.”

  “That he was,” Gavin agreed. Reaching over, she grabbed Trace and Colin’s hands, holding on tight.

  “Well, I’ll get on with it as I’m sure you all have things to do. I’ll warn you first, though, that the will is a bit unusual. If it was anyone but Clay I would have strongly advised against what he has done, but he was adamant that this was the best way to go about it. I also have a letter here from him that you all need to read together. First, I’ll read the will to you.”

  Lila tuned out the legal stuff. She wasn’t even sure why she had to be here. Clay had to have left the ranch to the boys. Maybe he’d left her something little, though.

  “Okay on to the bequests. To Gavin, my rock, the son who made me proud with his steadfastness, his honor and his courage I leave my land. I know you will protect it as I did. To Trace, my calm, unflappable son with a heart of gold, I leave all the horses and stables. You have a gift with them, something I’ve rarely ever seen.”

  Okay, so she was starting why the lawyer had said this was an odd will. Sounded like Clay, rather than bequeathing the whole ranch to all three men had sectioned it off.

  “To Colin, who could always make me laugh, even as a little kid, I leave all the cattle, dogs and other assorted animals. Finally, to Lila, my daughter and the heart of my home, I leave the house, I hope it brings her the stability and security she’s always needed.”

  The four of them looked at each other, dumbfounded.

  “But-but, he can’t leave me the house,” she protested. “The guys should get that.”

  All the men, including the lawyer, scowled at her.

  “These were Clay’s last wishes, young lady,” old Mr. Marsh scolded. “I hope you’re not saying you know better.”

  “No, Sir,” she replied, suitably chastised.

  “Now, as for the rest of his estate, including his stocks and bonds, he’s splitting that four ways between you all. Once that’s all settled it should total around the two million dollar mark. Now, I’m sure you’re all quite surprised by this. I’ll give you some time to process this and read his letter. First, though, I have some paperwork here for you to sign.”

  Numbly, Lila worked her way through the paperwork that lawyers seemed to thrive on.

  Not only had he left her the house, but also half a million dollars? It was unfathomable. Looking around, she found the boys looked as shocked as she did.

  “Now, I’ll leave you alone for a bit.” He handed a piece of paper to Gavin then left.

  “It’s not right,” she blurted out again. “That’s your house more than mine.”

  “And how do you figure that, Lila?” Trace asked calmly. “Because I think it’s everyone’s house and Clay left it to the person he wanted to have it.”

  “Let’s see what the letter says,” Colin suggested.

  Gavin opened it then cleared his voice. “Okay, here goes.”

  To my three
sons and daughter

  I couldn’t have loved the four of you more if you’d been of my own blood. My only regret in this life is that maybe I didn’t tell you enough how proud I was of you all, how much I cherished and loved you. I was never an overly demonstrative man, and talking about my feelings didn’t come easy, but I hope you all know how cherished you were.

  Gavin, you were a rock from the moment I met you. When Trace came up to me and told me how you’d looked after him and Colin, protected them, cared for them, I knew I couldn’t walk away from you. I know I’m leaving my family in safe hands with you protecting them. Loyalty is an admirable quality, son, and you have it in abundance. I firmly believe that you were placed with Trace and Colin because you were meant to be part of this family.

  Trace, so calm and mature for your age, you were often the voice of reason in our crazy household. You remind me so much of your father, he was just like you, soft-spoken, sensible with a generosity of spirit. He would have been so proud of the man you have become today. You’ve always been the first one to put up your hand to help someone else and that made me so proud and I know your parents would be too.

  And Colin, my jokester. Now you remind me of your mother. She always had a ready laugh, a kind smile and a joke at the ready. She could have me and your father in stitches within minutes. You kept the rest of us from being a bit too serious at times and reminded us that life was for living and for having fun. Never change, my boy. And that’s an order.

  Lastly, but never least is Lila. Lila, sweetheart, I loved you from the first moment I saw you, all curled up in a ball trying to keep out of the rain. I know you’ll be surprised that I left you the house, but I had my reasons. I don’t think you ever understood your value. Lila you were always the heart of our household. You were my daughter in every sense of the word and I hope you understand how precious you are. Sweet, shy and yet fiercely independent, a princess who tried to be a tomboy in order to keep up with the boys. But you never had to. You only ever had to be yourself.

  Be yourself and everyone will still love you. I promise.

  So, by now you’re wondering why I split up the property the way I did. It’s because the four of you belong together, you always did. I know I made you boys give Lila a few years to herself, but I figure it’s been time enough. You need to claim her. You need to make each other happy and learn to live as a family once more. Each of you owns an interconnecting part of the property just as you owned a piece of my heart.