Two Bad Bosses_An MFM Menage Romance

by Sierra Sparks

  We get to the end and my Dad hands me off the Whit and Zane. The three of them all exchange a look and nod. I think that was their way of saying everything is forgiven, but I’m not sure. I stand between my two grooms and take their hands in marriage for the rest of our lives. They both kiss my cheek, one on either side – that’s what we decided was going to stand in for the traditional husband and wife kiss – and the three of us leave the venue as husbands and wife.

  The reception is being held at the botanical gardens. Zane, Whit, and I are all seated together and I’m still kind of amazed that we went through with it. These past couple weeks have been like a dream and I’ve been kind of floating through it. Today just feels like the first day of the life I’ve been wanting to live, and I couldn’t be happier – especially since my dad is here to send me off.

  We’ve all been eating, and some toasts have been made and now it’s time to get on the dance floor. There was quite a hullabaloo when we were figuring out how to do our first dance. In the end, we had to choreograph and three-person routine. It took hiring a professional, but we managed, and we get to bust it out today. Our family and friends found it amusing and they’re all clapping for more, but my Dad comes over and asked to dance with me. Whit and Zane leave the dancefloor and it’s me and my Dad for the father/daughter dance. A soft ballad comes on and the two of us sway slowly.

  “I wanted to apologize again,” he says.

  I start to shake my head. “You don’t have to Dad. You being here is apology enough.”

  “No, I want to say this,” He doesn’t take my forgiveness so easily and continues with his apology, “I was unnecessarily cruel, and I said some very mean things to you. I felt so bad after leaving you in the kitchen, I could hear you crying. But when I came back I heard Zane and Whit talking to you and remembered all the shit I said about them. I couldn’t face you, but I didn’t want to lose my daughter forever. I love you, tangerine.”

  “I know, Dad.”

  “And I want you to know, even though I don’t understand your relationship with Zane and Whit and you wanting two husbands, I need you to know that I support you now and I will always support you.”

  My heart warms at the statement. I mean, I already knew all this, but to hear him say it after we had such a falling out – it makes me feel way more confident in our relationship.

  “And now I know I was wrong,” he continues. “I mean, your mother was twenty years younger than me. People told her not marry me and people told me that she was only marrying me for my money, but when you love someone, you can’t listen to those outside voices.” His overwhelming acceptance surprises me. I hadn’t expected him to come so far, so fast.

  “Thanks, Dad. I have to admit, I’m surprised you’ve come around so quickly.”

  He chuckles at my statement.

  “Well, your mother knew her own mind when she was your age and she taught you to be the same way. I trust you, tangerine.”

  The dance ends and I go back to Zane and Whit. Everyone’s milling about now, dancing to the music. There’s more of a party atmosphere. It all goes by in a blur like fashion. People start to leave and it’s almost time for Whit, Zane, and I to go on our honeymoon.

  Whit and Zane haven’t really talked with my father yet and it looks like he’s coming over to have a conversation with all three of us. He gives me a big hug and wishes me luck before going to talk with his new sons-in-law. It feels weird to have that thought, but that’s what they are – his sons-in-law.

  “I wanted to apologize for all those bad things I said about you guys. I know this might not mean anything, but I am truly sorry,” Dad tells them.

  Whit and Zane nod and it looks like they may even be a little embarrassed. I don’t know what it is. Maybe they’re unaccustomed to such genuine emotion.

  “It’s no big deal, Jack.” Zane tries to brush it off, but my Dad does not let up.

  “No. It is a big deal. I shouldn’t have been so quick too judge. You guys have never done me wrong and I should have trusted you.”

  Whit clears his throat and I think I see some pink spotting his cheeks, but I could be wrong. Oh boy, I’m going to make fun of them for this later. They’re always trying to appear macho, but they’re just two big softies.

  “Anyway,” Dad continues, “I wanted to congratulate all of you on your marriage and I wish you all the happiness. I know it’s true love with you guys.” My Dad brings Whit and Zane into a hug and they’re both so surprised that they don’t even make any movements at first. They reluctantly hug him back and I smile at this silly display of male toughness. I know they love my Dad, but they’re just a little rough around the edges.

  The hug breaks and I see my Dad wipe away some tears before saying one last thing.

  “I think I’m going to give this retirement thing another try. It’s about time this old man takes a break.” And with that my Dad leaves the wedding. It feels like he’s just blessed us all with something, but I’m not sure what.

  Epilogue:

  Chloe

  It’s been almost ten months since I’ve got married to Whit and Zane, and our child has been born. She came a little early, but everything ended up being fine. Before she was born, the boys and I had trouble picking a name. There were just so many names to choose from and it got overwhelming. We eventually got to a name – it was something that made us all happy. We named our daughter Rita, after my mom.

  So, I’ve been spending all my time with baby Rita. Whit and Zane have been spending a lot more time away from the firm, just so they can be around the baby. When my Dad officially retired, the two of them were thrown into being the head lawyers. Their names were added to the company header, so it’s now Anderson, Bingham, and Delacroix. They’ve been doing so well as the lawyers in charge and I’ve been so proud of them. And they are such good daddies. The two of them have been treating Rita like a princess. It’s probably because she’s our first and they don’t want to do anything wrong – just in case it adversely affects her future.

  Today, both Whit and Zane went into work. There was a big client coming in today and they had requested that they both be there today, so it’s just me and Rita. I’m changing her diaper and when we’re done I pick her up and blow raspberries on her tummy. Ever since she started laughing, it’s been my goal to get as my giggles out of her. It’s kind of been this entire households goal to get giggles out of her.

  Rita and I go downstairs, and I set up one her toys. It’s where she lies down and there are little lights and toys above for her to hit with her limbs. I sit and watch her play around when I hear the door open. I’m confused because I thought Whit and Zane would had to be at work all day. They come into the living room where I’m sitting with Rita and they immediately greet the baby. It’s been like this ever since her birth. Not that I’m complaining. I love how much attention they shower on her. She’s definitely going to love her dads, they are going to spoil her.

  “What are you guys doing here? I thought you had a meeting today.” They both have a finger in her hand while talking to me.

  “It got cut short. Or we finished early. And instead of staying at the firm, we thought it would be more fun to spend the day with our leading ladies.” I get up since they’re with the baby and get all of us a glass of lemonade. I also get a bottle for Rita, heating it up. I put our glasses on the table and hand the bottle to Whit. I know he’ll want to feed her since Zane did it this morning. He picks her up and gently cradles her in his arms, letting her suck on the bottle. I take a little breath, resting my head on the couch and before I know it, I’m asleep. I wake up about an hour later and the three of them have gone outside. I stand on the porch, watching them play. Zane is holding her up, pretending that she’s walking around, and Whit is on his knees, crawling backwards. It’s honestly the cutest thing and I take my phone out to take a picture. I watch them for a few more seconds before calling them all in.

  “Whit! Zane!” They look up and Zane picks up Rita to bri
ng her in. It’s time for her nap and I see her getting sleepy, so I take her from them and bring her to the crib. She’s asleep by the time I’ve put her down. She’s always so easy to put down, it’s amazing. I go back downstairs and Zane and Whit are sitting on the couch. I go to the space between them, lying my head on Whit’s lap and my feet on Zane’s.

  “How was your day?” Zane asks me while Whit swipes me hair out of my face.

  “It was really nice. Rita and I did what we do every day. I was thinking of getting her another toy.” I yawn really loudly, my eyes closing as I’m talking to them. I don’t want to fall asleep because it’s the afternoon, but I’m bone tired. “I didn’t realize I was so sleepy…”

  “Take a nap and don’t worry. We’re here to take care of you.” I smile, happy that I’ll always have this support system. I get comfortable and Whit and Zane talk about work while I drift further and further away. My life has been better than I could have ever imagined and now I’m here with my two favorite guys who are always watching out for me. Zane rubs my feet and Whit massages my head. The gentle touches nudge me closer to full sleep and I think I thank them before I’m gone. I’ll have to remember to thank them later. Maybe I’ll let them take me at the same time. We haven’t done that in a while and I’ve missed the feeling of both of them. I thank whoever on high thought it appropriate to bless me with this life. I know I’ll never take it for granted.

  THE END

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  Brand New Exclusive: Billionaire’s Baker

  Copyright © 2017 by Cameron Collins; All Rights Reserved.

  Published by Sizzling Hot Reads.

  Chapter One: Zara

  The reading of the will was yesterday, but it didn’t say anything that I didn’t already know. It was more of a ceremonial thing because I was the only one there. My Mom has left me the bakery – Baker’s Corner – and whatever else she had, which wasn’t much. We weren’t poor, but it was a bit of a struggle getting by. I’d always known one day the bakery would be mine, but I never suspected that that day would come so soon. Since I can remember, it had been the two of us – my Dad died not too long after I was born. Our life together was a happy one, though. I knew that she held on to the sadness of my Dad’s death because she never got serious with anyone else, but we had each other and we had the bakery. Mom practically raised me in the kitchen. We spent so much of our time baking together, coming up with recipes to impress all our patrons with, decorating cake, indulging in too many sweets… It was a good life.

  Lately however, things haven’t been going so great. When Mom got sick, we had to take our time away from Baker’s Corner and we let some of the finer details slip – or to get more to the point, it’s kind of run down now. The light that used to fill it – the light that used to be Amber Coleman – wasn’t there anymore. Things hadn’t been going well for a while before then, but her departure accelerated the shop falling apart. I want to have that vivacious spirit she did, but I’m a different person. I’m a little more subdued. I hadn’t even begun to think about how I would do any of this without her and now I’m worried I’ll just mess it all up.

  Today is the first time I’ve been inside the bakery since my Mom passed away. I’ve barely made it inside, everything looked too sad. I just stare at the shop from the doorway, wondering how it all slipped through my fingers. Maybe I sound dramatic, but it really feels like a large part of my world has crumbled. And to top of the sadness, I can’t even turn the lights on because the electricity bill hasn’t been paid this month… or last month. That’s how strapped for cash we’ve been. I have no idea how my Mom did it all these years. She kept the books hidden from me and now that I have full access, the money pit that we somehow dug for ourselves in very apparent to me. Getting out of it is going to take a lot of work.

  There are so many things that got us to this point. We were already suffering before Mom got sick. All these trendy coffee houses and modern diners were coming to town and they catch the eye more than our simple bakery. There was never enough money for an upgrade and everything snowballed until we got to this very point. I’ve been trying to find ways to get the bakery back on its feet, but the funds just aren’t there. No bank is going to lend me the money and there is no one for me to turn to. There’s just me…

  I go upstairs to the apartment above the shop. Collapsing on my bed, I throw my hand over my eyes and go into deep thought. I’m running through my options and there isn’t much I can do here. My sleepy little town is nice, but if I want to get my Mom’s bakery back on its feet, I’m going to have to do something bold. Something that I wouldn’t do under normal circumstances. What I need is money and quite a bit of it. My main skill is baking and I’ve heard that there are always people looking for good bakers in New York. The city is known for having an array of food options, why couldn’t I be one of those options? It’s a long shot, I know, but it could work. I know it could. I have enough money to get me through a month or so in the city. I can just get a cheap place and start looking for jobs, immediately. I’m an amazing baker – someone is bound to hire me…

  I sigh deeply and really consider what I’m saying. It’s borderline insanity. New York City isn’t an easy place to be. There are millions of horror stories about the trials and tribulations of people trying to catch their big break in the city. But there are also those few tales of those who made it to the top. If I work hard, I could be one of those success stories. If I work hard, I can save the bakery. There are a few things I’m going to need to square away here before making the move, but I can get it all done within a week. I just need to stick with this goal and stay on track. There can be no distractions. I fall asleep thinking about my plans, too tired to bother with dinner tonight.

  The next morning, I start packing for the move. As I put my clothes into suitcases, all the possibilities before me start to turn the wheels of excitement. I’ve never been too far away from home. Even my college years were spent an hour’s drive away from my Mom. Going to the city is a huge step, but I’m ready. I believe in myself and that’s enough to get my feet moving.

  The week goes by quickly, my preparations taking even less time than I originally thought. I don’t have to worry about rent or anything because we – or I own the bakery and the apartment above it. I asked our next-door neighbor to look after the store, making sure nothing goes wrong. Finding an apartment was surprisingly easy. I got lucky and found a relatively cheap studio in Brooklyn. It feels like a good omen that the preparations for the move went by so easily.

  I pack everything into my car and drive down to New York. It takes a few hours and I have to make a couple stops along the way, but it’s a pretty calming drive – at least before getting into New York. I think about everything I’m going to do once I have the money. Some fresh paint and new furniture will really liven the place up. I’ll keep the basic design scheme my Mom had, but make it a little more modern. Maybe I can even come up with a few new recipes to entice people. Our regulars would always get especially excited when we had a new menu item. Crafting different baked goods was my specialty. I just had a mind for it. My Mom would always come up with the names though. But, I guess it’s all on me – at least for now. Maybe I’ll be able to hire a second person once business is booming. It’s all getting me so… delighted! But that’s for another time. First, I need to get the shop up and running again.

&nbs
p; Driving in the city, though – that was hella stressful. Everyone seems to be in such a hurry – even the pedestrians. They got so close to my car, I was worried I was going to hit someone. By the time I got to my new apartment, my heart was pounding. And – to my dismay – I live on the top floor of a building with no elevator… Maybe that’s why it wasn’t too expensive. I take a deep breath and lug my suitcases upstairs. Some movers got here before me and brought up all heavy furniture. I feel a little bad because I didn’t give them any exceptional tip. I hope they weren’t too tuckered out by the stairs… I mean, there wasn’t too much for them to deliver. I only had the necessities brought from my apartment back upstate. I didn’t want to disturb the living space that my Mom and I had built over the years. It’s a bit… obsessive, I guess, but I’m not quite at a point to change too many things – at least what I’m able to keep preserved and for now that’s our apartment. But the lack of furniture I had moved doesn’t do much to make me feel better about making the movers climb so many flights.

  Thankfully, for myself, one of my new neighbors helps me out with some of my heavier bags. I tell her to come over anytime for some thank you treats and then I unpack everything. And I mean everything. I want to get it out of the way as soon as possible. I don’t want to be living out of bags and boxes for my entire stay here. Plus, I don’t have too much stuff which ends up being perfect because the apartment is a lot smaller than I expected. Maybe I should have researched the listing a little more thoroughly. It’s only me though, so I don’t have to worry too much about the lack of space. While it’s not the worst thing, my first day in New York is a little trying. I’m so tired, my bones are aching. After getting everything put away, I fall on to my bed. I’m so tired and sweaty, I just want someone to throw ice all over my body. But if this is the work I have to put in to get Baker’s Corner back on the map, I can suck it up.