by Vanessa Vale
“I remember that rooster clock,” Violet said, amused. “I'm amazed it still works.”
“That property's value is in the land and the water rights,” Sally told me.
The waitress stopped by, pen and paper in hand. “Usual?” she asked.
I glanced at the others, who all nodded.
“Um, are there menus?” I wondered. I didn't see any propped up by the salt and pepper shakers against the wall.
Sally patted my hand. “We come here enough, honey, that we don't need them. Jessie knows everyone's orders by heart. I'd go with the cheeseburger if I were you.”
“Not a salad?” I asked, thinking how many calories were in a burger.
“You're not one of those veggie types, are you?” She looked aghast.
“No.” I picked up my water, took a sip. “Just watching my weight.”
Sally eyed me. She shook her head. “Cheeseburger.”
I glanced up at the waitress who was already writing that down. “Gotcha.”
It seemed I was having a cheeseburger.
“Can you explain to me about water rights?” I asked.
Sally nodded, waved to someone across the room, then turned to me.
“While the State of Montana owns all waters within the state on everyone's behalf, if a body of water flows through your property, you get the rights to use the water. There are senior water rights and junior water rights. The property with the oldest priority date has the more senior right to the water. Meaning, that property gets 'first dibs.' If someone with junior rights is redirecting the water of a more senior right, they can force the junior person to stop or change.”
“It sounds like Kindergarten,” I replied.
Sally nodded shrewdly. “It is, but there's no real sharing. If you've got a senior water right, you can redirect for livestock, a creek diversion, crops, whatever. It's a big deal out here.”
“So Charlie's water rights are senior?”
Sally laughed again, deep and throaty. “Honey, your water rights are the oldest in the county. I think they date back to the 1880's. Part of the original Bridgewater ranch. Meaning you can practically do with that creek of yours whatever you want.” She held up a finger. “Almost.”
Sounded complicated and pretty interesting. “It's an interesting study for a lawyer.”
“It's a big deal for realtors, too. You're familiar with reading dry and boring things in your profession, so this should be right up your alley.”
“Because of these water rights, the property is even more valuable then.”
Sam turned his hand from side to side. “The water rights themselves are valuable. You, as the property owner, can sell the water rights alone to someone and keep the property. Or the reverse. You can sell the property and hold on to the water rights.”
“I'll have to check it out. It just seems strange that Charlie would leave it all to me. I haven't seen him since I was twelve.”
Violet looked thoughtful. “He knew the reason why you stopped coming.”
I frowned. “Well, I don't.”
Violet's eyes widened. “You don't?”
“My parents said they had a falling out. That's it. After that last summer, we just never came back.”
“Well, he cared for you and I think he thought the place would be good for you.”
The waitress brought our orders, balancing them up her arms. My cheeseburger was enormous and the pile of fries beside it had enough carbs to make me diabetic. I thought about Violet's words as everyone started to eat. Why did he think the house would be good for me? Right now, it was only adding to my stress. If I sold it, I'd have a nice nest egg. If I kept it, I could come here in the summers, but the upkeep would be costly, and I couldn't look at that rooster clock forever.
“If you really want to sell, the house will need to be cleaned out before it goes on the market.”
I nodded. “I figured. I think Charlie kept every paper and plastic bag he ever got from the grocery store and he has a hobo figurine collection that scares the crap out of me.”
Violet laughed, pointed her fork at me. “I remember those. They are creepy.”
“I can meet you at the house tomorrow morning. Sound good?”
I cut my burger in half, lifted the bun and poured ketchup on it. Glancing quickly at Sam, I saw him grin around his own burger. The man had plans for me tonight, special plans that could potentially keep me from another meeting with Sally.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Sure. What time?”
CHAPTER SIX
CATHERINE
I'd been at the coffee shop for two hours. The woman who ran the place, Maude, knew who I was and greeted me by name. She didn't mind that I'd taken over a table in the corner near a plug where I could charge my laptop and my phone. She didn't mind that I was using her for her internet connection, especially since I was on my third mocha latte.
While I was slogging through my emails, text messages, voicemails and IM's, my mind wasn't completely focused. I was a little sore from a wild night with the Kane boys and then the steamy follow up with Sam in his office. It didn't help that the chairs were hard, and I found myself squirming a fair amount. Damn them for distracting me—and the spanking!
It wasn't just the ache and throb of my body, but my mind kept wandering to the feel of them, all soft skin over corded muscles. Their voices, rough and almost arrogant in their need. The scent of them, spicy cologne and musky sex. The orgasms. Yes, I was the screamer Jack had pointed out.
I'd never screamed when I came before. Then again, I'd never been taken by anyone who knew what they were doing before either. I'd thought Chad had skill, but no. He had no clue where any of my hot buttons were. Sam and Jack did. Every. Single. One.
Frowning down at my laptop, I tried to force myself to concentrate. I’d never get anything done if I kept getting distracted by memories of the Kanes and their deliciously clever moves.
“Katie?” a decidedly chipper voice called from the front of the coffee shop.
Looking up from my screen I caught sight of a petite young woman with long brown curls heading my way with a wide, welcoming smile. The two leashed puppies trailing behind her attempted to sniff and hump every piece of furniture in their path but eventually they reached my side and I found myself face to face with Little Mary Sunshine. I didn’t think I’d ever met someone so intrinsically… happy.
“You must be Katie,” she said, shoving a hand in my direction, not seeming to notice that her dogs were going wild licking my new, pricey flats like I’d just waded through a puddle of bacon fat.
“Hi,” I said, trying to match her level of enthusiasm and failing. Was I supposed to know her from when I was a kid?
“I’m Angie,” she said. “Cara’s best friend. She told me all about you.”
Oh, did she? For one brief, paranoid moment I wondered what Cara had said. Was everyone in this town aware that I was in the middle of a Kane boys’ sex sandwich? Did people know what we did in the bar hallway?
“She said you inherited your uncle’s place?” she asked. “Real nice man—I sure hope you’re going to stay.”
I blinked a couple of times at her rapid pace, unsure of what I was supposed to respond to first. “Yes, he was a great guy.” From what I remember. I felt so bad not knowing more, remembering more, about the man who seemed to have thought so highly of me. “As for the house, I haven’t decided yet what I’m going to do with it.”
And that was the truth—from what Sally said, I’d need to do my research before I made any decisions. As for her comment about whether I was going to stay… hopefully I managed to sidestep that nicely.
Of course I wouldn’t stay. I couldn’t. I had a job to get back to. A career. One I worked my ass off for, thank you very much. It wasn’t like I could just walk away from that just because there happened to be two sensational lovers in Montana who knew how I liked it, even better than I did. An unbidden image of Jack’s cock in my mouth as Sam fucked me from behind rose u
p in my mind and suddenly oxygen was in short supply.
Oh shit, the coffee shop was way too warm. Didn’t they have AC?
If Angie noticed my sudden discomfort, she didn’t let on. She was too busy prattling on about the countless charms of Bridgewater. Either this woman worked for the tourism board or she really did want me to move here.
Why? Maybe it was the jaded New Yorker in me, but I couldn’t imagine why Angie—or Sally or Cara or anyone else for that matter—cared where the hell I ended up. They barely knew me but they were more invested in my future happiness than most of my acquaintances back home. Heck, no one would have come up to me, a stranger, in a coffee shop unless I’d stolen their seat.
But, other than Elaine, no one would care if I disappeared off the face of Manhattan. Life would go on as usual with or without me. I had to wonder how long it would take before my parents realized I wasn’t even in town. God, those were depressing thoughts.
“Okay, well, I better get these pups off their leashes before they go nuts,” Angie said, that broad smile never faltering. “Will I see you at Cara’s tonight?”
“Um…”
“She should be calling you soon with the details,” Angie added. Apparently this woman knew my social calendar better than I did.
“I hope you can make it,” she added. “I’ll be there and so will Declan.”
As if on cue, my phone vibrated and Cara’s name popped up on the screen. I held it up to show Angie. “Speak of the devil.”
She grinned—of course she did—and started to back away, mouthing the words “see you later” even though I hadn’t answered the phone yet.
Sure enough, Cara was calling to invite me to dinner. “Jack and Sam Kane will be there,” she added, her voice filled with laughter. Yup, it was official. My threesome was public knowledge.
I would have said yes anyway but the fact that they would be there definitely added to the appeal. Why did my heart skip a beat at the mention of their names? The now-familiar ache between my thighs intensified as if on command. Good Lord, I hadn’t known the Kanes for more than twenty-four hours and I was already hooked on them like a drug.
No, not them. I was hooked on amazing sex. A woman could become addicted to multiple orgasms from two hot cowboys if she wasn’t careful. And it wasn’t just orgasms. It was dirty, rough, wild sex. With orgasms.
After hanging up with Cara, I turned my attention back to work. Or I tried, anyway.
The phone rang again and I didn’t look at the screen, thinking it was Cara again.
“Did you sign the papers?”
Chad.
All my good feelings slipped away.
“Leave me alone, Chad.” I sighed.
“That property is half mine.”
“Talk to my lawyer.”
His bark of laughter had me wincing. “What, you can’t represent yourself?”
I could, but then I’d have to listen to his shit.
“Talk to my lawyer,” I repeated.
“And who would that be?”
Sam’s smiling face came unbidden to my mind. I wasn’t going to subject him to Chad, though. I wasn’t that cruel. “If you figured out about my uncle’s land, then you’ll figure this out, too.”
I disconnected and sighed, taking my mug to the counter for another refill.
After returning to my seat, I tried to get my head back in the game. While Sam and Jack made my mind go blank, Chad had the ability to make me obsess about how stupid it had been to have married him. Dwelling on it only gave me heartburn, but I couldn’t help it. He was such a prick and I’d been stupid. Naive. No longer.
I was finally able to focus, but I didn’t make much progress before my attention was diverted once again—this time by an IM from Elaine that popped up on the bottom of my screen.
How’s the monkey sex?
My snort of laughter made me choke on my coffee. Slapping a hand over my mouth to stifle it, I looked around guiltily. The last thing I needed was someone else reading my personal messages.
I stared at the message screen debating my response. Elaine was clearly teasing with her monkey sex comment—she hadn’t seriously expected that I would have a one-night-stand with a cowboy any more than I had. But if she only knew….
Oh, what the hell? If there was anyone who wouldn’t judge—who would applaud, even—it was Elaine. And Cara. And Angie. Probably Declan, too. Sally. Even Violet. So I typed the words, hit enter.
I did it.
I bit my lip to hold back a ridiculously girly giggle. But really, it wasn’t every day I could tell my best friend that I’d had a threesome. With two cowboys. Two insanely hot, drool worthy cowboys.
Her response was instant. You did not.
Elaine, you had no idea.
I did, I swear.
Elaine’s response was a series of exclamation points and question marks. Clearly my friend was too excited for words. I drew in a deep breath before taking the plunge.
You’re not going to believe this, but…
I hesitated for one second. It was one thing to have a fling with a pair of cowboys, twice… so far, but it was quite another to admit it. Somehow telling Elaine made it real in a whole new way. It was one thing if everyone in Bridgewater assumed, it was another to own up to it.
It wasn’t like I was ashamed, just… shocked. By myself—by how much I liked it. Up until yesterday I never would have considered that I might be into a threesome, let alone a polyamorous relationship. Let alone doing butt stuff.
Not that this was a relationship. It was just sexy times… with butt stuff.
What the fuck, Catherine! Are you trying to kill me with suspense? Who did you do? And more importantly—how was it?!
I grinned at the screen and quickly typed my response. Two cowboys. HOT cowboys. And it was epic.
Elaine’s response came two seconds later. I assume she needed that time to digest this bit of news. Then I got: WOOHOO!!!!
From her spot behind the counter, Maude glanced over with a smile at my choked laugh.
We went back and forth for a while as Elaine demanded all the details. I’m pretty sure she was trying to live vicariously through me, and I couldn’t say that I blamed her. Her consensus? Keep fucking the hotties as long as you can.
This, according to Elaine, was my once in a lifetime opportunity. And maybe she was right. It couldn’t last forever but I could enjoy the hell out of it while it lasted. Hell, I could make enough memories to last me a lifetime with my vibrator once I was back in the real world.
My stomach sank at that bleak image of my future—cold, passionless. Lonely. But it was the life I’d always known and I’d be fine once I was back in my element. Back in the bustling city, back to my full schedule. The meetings, the long hours. Somehow that reassurance didn’t quite ease the hollow feeling in my chest, but I chose to ignore it.
Speaking of the real world… I couldn’t put it off much longer.
What’s going on at work?
There was a pause before Elaine typed, Are you sure you want to know?
That alone was enough to make my blood pressure rise and the acid in my stomach churn. Did I want to hear about all the shit going down at work? No, not really. I had an idea, but I had to know the truth, so I told her to spill. I almost wished I hadn’t when Elaine’s rapid-fire one line texts popped up on my screen, each one worse than the last.
Seemed Roberts was still on the Marsden case and telling everyone it was his—no big surprise there—but he’d also weaseled his way onto another one of my cases.
Fuckity fuck. Fuck.
I’d asked Farber about that case in one of my emails and he’d never responded. Guess now I knew why—he was too chickenshit to outright tell me he’d screwed me over. Again. The worst part was, I wasn’t all that surprised. Pissed, definitely, but I couldn’t pretend like I hadn’t seen this coming. Farber and Roberts were two peas in a pod with their little golf outings and their squash games. I’d known from day one that my f
irm was an old boys’ club, but I’d hoped that my hard work and dedication could break through all that crap. And I’d only been gone two days.
My hands were shaking with anger, making it hard to type. This wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t left. I hadn’t taken a day off since being hired, even going in when I had the damn flu last year. Then I leave for two days! I gave those two assholes the opening they’d needed to squeeze me out. Elaine must have known exactly what I was thinking.
They’re pulling the same shit they did with Margaret Stern.
The air rushed out of my lungs. She was right. This was exactly like Margaret Stern, a former employee who’d been on the partner track when I started at the firm. Elaine and I watched from the sidelines as she got screwed at every turn by Farber and his cronies. After a couple of years of being shafted, Margaret resigned and we all knew it was because they’d forced her out.
Stupid me, I’d watched that happen but I still thought that I had a chance, that maybe I would be different. If I worked hard enough and played by their rules, I could earn the role of partner. Yeah, right.
As if the system wasn’t rigged against me from the start just because I had a vagina. As if Roberts hadn’t been the favorite all along.
I shook my head with disgust at my personal pity party. Wallowing in anger at the unfairness of it all wasn’t going to get me my case back and it sure as hell wouldn’t win me the partner position. Neither would remaining in Bridgewater County, Montana. I needed to make sure Roberts and Farber knew that I wouldn’t let them walk all over me. If I wanted to claim what was mine, I had to get back to New York and take it back.
***
JACK
Katie was standing in front of the coffee shop when I pulled up in my truck. Sam walked toward her from the opposite direction, apparently coming straight from his office. He spotted me and gave me a small nod before we both turned our attention to Katie, who hadn’t glanced up from her phone long enough to see us coming. We’d texted to tell her we would pick her up to take her to dinner at Cara’s once she finished up her work, but from the looks of it, our girl still hadn’t called it quits for the day.