“Right,” Arianna said with a firm nod.
“Ahem,” a deep rumble sounded from behind Paige. She almost yelped in surprise as she stood and spun around, not having heard anyone else come into the house.
Holy hell, the man was gorgeous. This had to be Tucker Wilson. She recognized him from the photos, which hadn’t done him justice. Where his husband was tall, dark and handsome, this man was a brown-haired god—although a broody one, if his scowl was any indication. He could have been a Viking if his several-inches-long hair was blonde and this was more than ten centuries ago.
Paige realized she was gaping when he raised an eyebrow at her, and she gave herself a mental shake, reminding herself the man was married and gay.
“Hi, Papa!” Arianna launched herself toward her father, who managed to open his arms in time to catch her.
“Hi, sweetheart.”
“This is Paige. She knows how to make butterscotch pancakes!”
“Really?” He shifted her onto his left hip, holding her in place with one arm.
“Uh-huh. Paige, Papa likes butterscotch as much as I do. Daddy likes chocolate better though.”
Paige smiled. “Well, I’ll have to remember to get both kinds of chips, so everyone can have what they like. Hi, you’re obviously Tucker. It’s nice to meet you.”
She stepped forward and held out her hand. Tucker hesitated, his gaze scanning her face. What he was searching for was beyond her. Paige almost dropped her hand before he reached out and shook it, then released it so he could set his daughter back onto the floor. “It’s nice to meet you too, Paige.” His tone was flat, and she got the impression he wasn’t all that thrilled about her being there, despite his words. He glanced toward the kitchen. “Did Shane mention dinner?”
“Um . . . yes. He said something about going to . . . um . . . sorry, I forgot the name of the restaurant.”
“Daddy said we were going to Bar None for dinner, Papa.” Arianna twirled around in several circles as she spoke.
A small frown appeared on Tucker’s face again, and Paige quickly said, “If that’s a problem, there’s plenty of food in the refrigerator and pantry. I can whip up something for dinner, so we don’t have to go out.”
Before Tucker could respond, Arianna stopped spinning and glared up at him. “But I want to go out, Papa. Daddy promised.”
His gaze fell to his daughter, and after a moment, he tugged on one of her pigtails. “We’ll go out, sweetheart. Daddy was right to suggest it. It would be rude to ask Paige to cook her first night here.”
“Yay!” She bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. “Will you dance with me if our song comes on?”
“Of course. Don’t I always?”
“Yup.”
Tucker glanced at the clock on the satellite dish box in the entertainment center and then back at Paige. “I’m sure Shane said we’d leave for dinner at 6:00, so I have time to get some more work done.” He stroked his daughter’s head. “I’ll be back in a little bit, sweetheart. Turn off the TV and read or play ’til it’s time to go.”
“Okay, Papa.”
His mouth was flat as he nodded at Paige, before turning around without another word, leaving her standing there. She heard the backdoor slam shut, probably a little harder than necessary. She didn’t know what Tucker’s problem with her was—she got the impression he didn’t want her there—and Paige hoped she wasn’t going to cause a rift between the two men. Not only did she really need the job with all but one of her bank and investment accounts still frozen, but she had nowhere else to go. She couldn’t go back to California, not with the press and people who blamed her for her husband’s crimes hounding her, nor did she want to go back to her hometown. There was nobody left there for her anymore. She’d been an only child and had lost touch with friends from her youth after permanently moving to the West Coast.
“Come on, Paige. I’ll show you our chickens.”
The corners of her mouth ticked upward, as she let the little girl take her hand and lead her to the backdoor. It was time to start over again. Hopefully, she could convince her new bosses they needed her as much as she needed them.
Chapter Eight
Tuck’s teeth were grinding together to the point his jaw hurt as he sat in the front passenger seat of Shane’s extended-cab pickup. Behind him sat their new house manager, who was listening as Arianna told her all about Bar None. Despite it being a place where the local cowboys went to tie one on occasionally, during dinnertime, there was a family atmosphere about the place. The dining room, with its dance floor and small stage, was separated from the bar area by swinging doors. It wasn’t uncommon to have a bunch of rug rats running around, enjoying themselves, as long as they didn’t wander into the adults-only bar. Shane and Tuck visited the establishment a few times a month, with or without Arianna. When Hannah had been living with them, the two men had been able to have the occasional adult night out, although, it was far less often than when Sarah had been alive and healthy. The trio would get a babysitter most Saturday nights, and head into town for a date night. It gave Sarah a chance to unwind after chasing after their young daughter all week.
Arianna always looked forward to going to Bar None to eat and dance. She had her two favorite country songs that she’d dance to with her fathers. With Shane, it was “Daddy’s Hands” by Holly Dunn, and with Tuck, it was “In My Daughter’s Eyes” by Martina McBride. She still hadn’t figured out that one of them would always slip over to the jukebox on the pretense of using the restroom or talking to someone, and make sure the songs came on before they had to leave. Some of the regulars would probably grow sick of the songs someday, but he didn’t care. Tuck was sure she’d figure it out soon, just like it would only be another year or two, max, before she found out Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were both myths.
The parking lot was about three-quarters full when they pulled in and found a spot. Tuck climbed out, and, before he realized what he was doing, he opened Paige’s door and extended his hand to help her out. The act, so innocent and polite to most, caused his gut to clench. It reminded him of all the times he’d helped Sarah out of the truck that had been too tall for her. He’d loved picking her up to help her in, not letting her use the running board.
Paige smiled as she placed her hand in his, then stepped down. “Thank you.”
All he could do was nod, let go of her hand, and shut the door. Shane and Arianna skirted around the back of the truck, and Tuck followed the three of them inside. As usual, they were greeted by many and got the evil eye from a few. As long as any hatred or gossip didn’t affect Arianna, the two men ignored it. If people had a problem with their unconventional marriage and bisexuality, that was just it—their problem. Yeah, it had taken Tuck a while to come out of the closet he’d begged Shane to let him stay in until he was more at ease with it, but when the time came, it’d been easier than he’d thought it would be. His parents and sister, although a little shocked, had seen how good Sarah and Shane were for him and they’d whole-heartedly accepted the relationship. And when Arianna had been born, well . . . they’d been over the moon at having a granddaughter and niece. They still were. His folks were now snowbirds, spending the warmer months of the year in Kansas, and the colder months in a retirement community in Arizona. In fact, they’d be heading east in another seven or eight weeks for the summer.
It wasn’t long before the three adults and one precocious child were sitting in a booth, the men on one side, the ladies on the other, perusing the menus. Well, at least Shane, Tuck, and Paige were. Arianna always got the same thing—mac and cheese with ketchup and mustard. Tuck liked the condiments as much as the next person, but he had no idea where his daughter had come up with the mixture. At least she ate it all.
“Hey, Shane, Tuck. Hi, pumpkin. How y’all doing tonight?” Betty Lou Davidson, the owner of Bar None, smiled as she stopped at their table. She’d gone to school with Shane and had taken over the business after her father had fallen ill. After
quadruple bypass, Rory Davidson had turned over a few new leaves, one of them being retirement. While Betty Lou had several waitresses, busboys, and bartenders who worked for her, she had no trouble pitching in when needed. With a pad and pen in her hands, and a black apron around her narrow waist, it appeared she was helping out on the tables tonight as she slid a children’s placemat with games on it and crayons in front of Arianna.
“Hi, Betty Lou!” Their daughter jumped up and hugged the pretty, dark-haired woman around her hips, before pointing at Paige. “This is Paige. She knows how to make butterscotch pancakes!”
Their new employee chuckled as she nodded hello. “Apparently, that’s my claim to fame around here.”
“Things could be worse,” the other woman said with a small snort. “You could be famous for getting caught skinny dipping in the lake with JoBeth Harrington by her father—Pastor Harrington.” She jutted her chin toward Shane.
The man had no shame when he shrugged and grinned at Paige. “I was seventeen and haven’t been allowed back in his church since. But I’d be happy to share my skinny-dipping title with you.”
Tuck realized their new employee thought he and Shane were simply a gay couple and didn’t know about their ménage marriage, when a flash of confusion passed over her face as she laughed. “I’ll stay famous for my pancakes, thanks.”
Gesturing between the two women, Shane introduced them. “Betty Lou—or just Lou—owns this fine establishment, and Paige is our new house manager.”
The bar owner’s eyebrows shot up. “So, you finally found someone to take the job. Great. Although, I think Marla’s going to have a fit since she’s ordered a few extra cases of cold cereal for y’all.”
Shane grinned and eyed Paige. “Marla Oberman owns the Stop & Go Grocery store up the street. It’s not big, but it saves us from driving thirty or forty minutes to the Walmart when we run out of a few of the basics.”
While the others talked, laughed, and went through the food orders, Tuck’s mood continued to sour. He wasn’t sure what had put him in such a funk, but whatever it was, it had to do with Paige. Maybe it was because of how sweetly she’d been talking to Arianna about heaven earlier when he’d gone in search of Shane. He’d imagined Sarah having the same heartfelt discussion with their daughter. She should still be there for Arianna. It wasn’t fair the little girl wasn’t going to have her mother by her side as she made her first communion next year or went through all the changes in her body as she grew. Sarah would never see Arianna go on her first date, dress up for the prom, graduate high school, and one day walk down the aisle. It wasn’t fucking fair at all. And here was Paige—a woman he didn’t even know, giving his daughter words of wisdom. Granted, she’d done a better job than he could have managed—he’d heard everything she’d said—but it still grated on him.
Under the table, Shane pinched Tuck’s leg, causing him to startle. He quickly glanced at his husband, then to Paige and Arianna, and finally to the woman standing next to him, trying to figure out what he’d just missed. “Huh?”
Betty Lou smacked his shoulder with the small pad. “I’m waiting on your order, stud. You just drifted somewhere. Go to la-la land after you tell me what you want to eat.”
“Um . . . the bacon-ranch chicken sandwich with curly fries is fine. And a root beer, please.”
“You got it.” After adding his order to the list, she gathered their menus. “I’ll have your drinks in a few.”
As the other woman walked away, Arianna pushed her paper placemat toward Paige. “Will you do the puzzles and games with me, Paige?”
“Sure, sweetie. I used to love doing these when I was your age.” She picked up a crayon and put an X in a corner square of a Tic-Tac-Toe game.
Tuck couldn’t watch them anymore. With the elderly Hannah, it’d been easy not to imagine Sarah in her place, interacting with Arianna, but this much younger woman reminded him of all they’d lost. He glanced around at the patrons, searching for an excuse to leave the table. When he found one, he stood and looked down at two of the three curious faces. “Greer is over there. I need to talk to him about next week’s feed delivery. I’ll be right back.”
Shane’s frown silently called him on his bullshit. Tuck’s husband knew he’d spoken to Greer Phillips, who owned the local feedlot, yesterday, but with a small, annoyed shake of his head, Shane let him go.
Tuck had managed to come up with something else to talk to Greer about, so he didn’t sound like he’d forgotten their conversation yesterday. Then he moved on to a group of Red River ranch hands who’d come into town for their dinner too. When he found out they were planning to stay for a while, having a few more beers at the bar, he asked if he could get a ride home with them later on. Shane would be pissed, but he wouldn’t start an argument here. Tuck just needed a few hours alone. He’d promised Shane he’d get his head out of his ass and work on their marriage, but he couldn’t start tonight. After drowning his sorrows for a bit, he’d try to look toward the future starting tomorrow.
“Papa, dinner’s ready.” Arianna had skipped across the dance floor toward him, dodging several couples who were doing a two-step to Toby Keith.
“All right, pipsqueak. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Okay.” She went back the way she’d come.
Tuck pulled out a dollar and handed it to Seth Parker. “You know what songs to play.”
The man grinned. “I think it’s become a job requirement to know what songs to play. That little girl doesn’t just have you wrapped around her fingers—she’s got everyone at the ranch at her beck and call.”
Wasn’t that the truth. Not a single one of their employees would allow harm to come to Arianna, and they’d give her the world if she asked for it. She had that bright, sunny personality that drew people in. Just like her mother. Damn it. Would that ache he felt deep in his heart every time he thought of Sarah ever ease?
Taking his seat again, Tuck made sure his mouth was full as much as possible so he didn’t have to contribute to any of the conversations between Shane, Paige, Arianna, and anyone who stopped by their table to say hi. If he could get away with a grunted response, he did. If not, his answers were short and definitely not sweet. Shane was getting more pissed off at him, his muscles getting tenser as the minutes ticked by, but Tuck didn’t care. What did bother him was the way Shane was flirting with Paige. It had been a long time since he’d seen the man turn on that charm that drew the ladies, and men who swung that way, in, and it was grating on Tuck’s nerves.
After finishing her mac and cheese, Arianna asked permission to go see a few of her friends who were with their own families at nearby tables.
“Just stay where we can see you, pipsqueak,” Shane reminded her as he and Tuck always did. While there were plenty of adults around who would never let anything happen to her, Tuck and Shane were consistent about the rules concerning their daughter no matter where they went.
When Arianna ran off, Paige glanced over her shoulder, then slid toward the end of the bench. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to use the restroom.”
As soon as she was out of earshot, Shane let out a low growl at Tuck. “What the fuck is wrong with you? You’re being a rude asshole. In case you forgot, Paige is our employee now and lives in our home. The least you can do is be civil to her.”
“Humph. Is that what you call what you’re doing? Being civil. Because I call it flirting, and I don’t fucking like it. Trust me, I know she’s just an employee, but you seem to have other ideas.”
Shane rolled his eyes. “I’m not flirting with her. I’m being friendly. She doesn’t know a soul in town, and I’m trying to make her feel comfortable. That’s all.”
The word “bullshit” was on Tuck’s tongue, but he caught it in time when Arianna appeared at his elbow. “C’mon, Papa. It’s our song.” She grabbed his hand and tugged. “We have to dance.”
He hadn’t even realized it had come on. Most of the anger boiling through him ebbed as he gaz
ed into his daughter’s pleading eyes. Seth had been right—she would have Tuck wrapped around her little finger until his dying day. Tossing his napkin on the last of his unfinished dinner, he stood. “Yup, we do. Lead the way, little lady.”
Chapter Nine
Shane couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted to deck his husband. The only three things that had stopped him was he’d been at a disadvantage on the inside of the booth, Arianna had interrupted their argument, and he’d noticed Paige on her way back to the table. Using his hands to push himself up, he’d stood as well as he could between the bench and table when she slid in across from him. A worried expression on her face bothered him as he sat again. “Are you okay, Paige? Something wrong?”
“I . . . um . . . was just going to ask you that. Did I do or say something inappropriate? Tucker doesn’t seem to be happy I’m here.” She twisted her napkin in her hands. “I really need this job, Shane, but not at the expense of coming between the two of you. If it’s a problem, I’ll stay until you find someone else.”
“Hey . . . no. It’s got nothing to do with you, Paige,” he lied, reaching over and stilling her hands with his own. He waited for her to look at him. When she did, the despair he saw in her eyes almost did him in. “I’m sorry. It’s . . .” He took a deep breath and let it out. He had to tell her the truth. She’d probably hear it by tomorrow anyway. In fact, he was a little surprised they’d gotten through the whole day without him having to explain to her about their unconventional three-way marriage. But here and now was not the time or place. “You’re not going anywhere. I promised you a week’s trial and you’ll get it. But I’ll tell you right now, I doubt you’re going to give me any reason not to keep you on after that. Arianna likes you. I—I like you. And Tuck . . .” His mouth flattened as he tilted his head from side to side, trying to think of the right words. “Well, Tuck will come around. I promise. There’s stuff I have to explain to you—stuff that’ll make you understand a little better—but not here. After Arianna’s tucked into bed, we’ll sit and talk, okay?”
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