“I can hardly wait,” Marcy said. “This is so fantastic. Thank you both, so much.”
“As soon as we finish breakfast we’ll get going,” Doug said.
They left the house as soon as they were ready. When they drove by the property Doug and Troy had proposed for the retirement home, Marcy could see that it would be a perfect place for retirees. The size of the property looked large enough to her to provide a good sized group of buildings or units, plus have a central social and dining area.
When they arrived at their store Troy called their architect and told him about their plans and asked for a design to be drawn as soon as possible with the stipulation that he consult with Marcy on every part of the building.
She was amazed that Troy and Doug would trust her with so much responsibility on their project. Excited by the prospect of being involved in it, she decided it was a good day to have lunch with Cheryl, and talk with her a little about her arrangement with her guys. Marcy wanted whatever advice and experience Cheryl could give her, just in case this relationship she had with Doug and Troy could turn into something more serious.
After checking with Doug and Troy about taking off for lunch, she gave Cheryl a call and they decided to meet at the steakhouse.
She drove to the restaurant a little after noon hoping the lunch crowd would have left for the most part.
As she entered she saw Cheryl across the main room. Marcy waved to her, and Cheryl grinned and waved back. She greeted a few people at tables as she crossed the room to join Marcy.
“Hi, how are you?” Cheryl asked in her cheerful voice.
“Great,” Marcy answered. “I’m so glad you could have lunch with me today.”
“Let’s take this table over here.” She indicated a table in a corner away from the front door. “It’ll be quieter here and we can gab.” She smiled at Marcy.
“That’s good,” Marcy agreed.
They took their seats and read over the menu. The waiter, a young woman, took their order.
Cheryl looked at Marcy, a serious expression on her face. “What’s up with you and the guys?”
“Well, we’ve become closer, and I need to talk to you about that. I don’t know anything about having a close relationship with two guys at once,” she said softly, hoping no one overheard except Cheryl. “Frankly, I think I love them both, and I don’t know how hard it is to live with two guys if they should want to have a long-term relationship. Do you mind telling me what your experience has been like?”
Cheryl looked directly at Marcy. “It was a little bumpy at first but overall our relationship has been wonderful. I love them both so much. They’ve been unbelievably caring and protective of me. When I say protective I don’t mean smothering, I mean watching out for me and coming to my aid if I have a problem with a customer or anyone, or anything.”
Marcy looked down at her hands, clasped on the table in front of her, and then up at Cheryl’s friendly gaze. “Were there, or are there, any problems, emotional or from their background that have caused problems for you in your relationship with them?”
Cheryl continued to meet her gaze. “Honestly, they had some serious problems with stuff they were still dealing with emotionally that happened to them when they were young, like in grade school or junior high. As it has come to my attention I’ve talked to them about those past events, and it has helped them to talk about it. It has also helped our relationship with each other. I think our love for each other is stronger for working through the past and coming to terms with it. They seem happier since we’ve done so, plus more relaxed. And that’s made our partnership happy and fun.” She smiled at Marcy. “I love them both so much, and I have a feeling they love me just as much. I hope you find the same kind of relationship with Troy and Doug.”
“I’d like to,” Marcy said. “After hearing about your relationship, I feel like we could have a loving partnership is they feel the same way as I do. I’m not as worried now about giving it a good try.” She smiled at Cheryl.
“If Doug and Troy are anything like Rex and Austin,” Cheryl said, “they’re good decent men. I think you’ll find you can trust them, and I think trust is so important in a loving relationship. I say give it a chance and see what happens.”
“Thanks, I feel much more confident about doing that now that I’ve talked with you,” Marcy said. She noticed that most of the customers had left now except for one older-looking cowboy. He had white hair and a tough demeanor. He sat at the second table over from theirs and kept his attention on his thick steak. She couldn’t help noticing the steak was really rare. She turned back at Cheryl’s question.
“Are you enjoying working for Doug and Troy?”
“Yes! It’s fun and yet challenging and I’m really loving it. They told me this morning that they want to build a retirement village in town and they want me to work with the architect in designing it.”
“That sounds great,” Cheryl said. “Have you studied plans of big buildings like retirement homes?”
“Actually, I had told Doug and Troy that I’ve been looking for a retirement place for my mom, and when I couldn’t find something she could afford, I decided I would have to find a way to build it myself. They surprised me this morning with plans to build it for me. They’re amazingly generous, another thing I love about those two guys.”
“Is your mom living alone?”
“No, she’s been living with me since my dad ran out on her and took the bank account with him. I’m glad he’s out of our lives though. He was abusive to my mom. I managed to stay out of his way most of the time. Anyway, good riddance to him.”
“I’m sorry you had a rough time. It sounds like things are going to look better for both of you in the near future, though.”
“I have a plan to finish college with a degree in business and economics. I believe it will be a huge help in building a secure future. I had lost my previous job because of employee cuts and that’s when I lucked out and stumbled on the job with Doug and Troy at their antiques store. When I save up enough I plan to finish college.”
“I admire you for making a plan for your future and going after it,” Cheryl said. “I also lost my job in another town and ended up here because of that. You never know when good things will be offered. I think it’s so important to keep moving forward and never give up your goals. I’m so happy with my life and my two guys who love me as much as I love them.”
A chair scraped and drew Marcy’s attention. She noticed the old man stand up at his table and drop some money beside his plate. He headed for the door.
She met Cheryl’s gaze. “Well, I don’t know how this will all turn out for Doug and Troy and me, but I’m going to see if it will be a lasting relationship. They’re fine men and I think from what you’ve told me, it’s worth it for me to share a close friendship with them that hopefully will grow into something more. Honestly, I already love them.”
“Have you told them yet?”
“No,” Marcy admitted. “I don’t want to rush them.”
“Be patient,” Cheryl said. “Our guys are complicated, but generous and protective. Give them a chance. I don’t believe you’ll be disappointed.”
“Thanks for talking with me about this. I better get back to the store now. They’re probably wondering why I’m taking a long lunch today.”
“Sometimes, we gals need to take time for lunch,” Cheryl said, grinning.
Marcy waved as she headed out the door. Talking with Cheryl had been helpful. She knew now that she wanted to stay with Doug and Troy and see if their relationship turned to love.
Chapter Thirteen
Wra tore down the highway in his truck to his huge house outside of town. He would use the secrets of the shifters in order to control them, just as he controlled their parents. Soon, all of the shifters who had broken his laws would be under his control.
He had warned Troy and Doug years ago they would do what he wanted them to, or else. They still hadn’t learned to obey him
. When would they learn? He, Wra, the most powerful, had preyed on Troy and Doug’s feelings of being left behind, alone and unloved. He had ordered his gang of hoodlum shifters to make fun of Troy and Doug, harass them, and insult them in his plan to make them his tools, and use them to break up the brotherhood of shifter-guides who had left him, their supreme ruler, Wra, so long ago.
He had known by creating hate between the shifters, even before they were old enough to shift, he could keep them from banding together. Then he would control and rule them. They would once again do as he ordered, just as their parents had too many years ago to count.
In spite of his control, Troy and Doug refused to accept his rule. Now he would control them by preying on those they loved. He now knew they were falling in a forever state of love with the young woman named Marcy. Through Marcy, he would control Troy and Doug.
Chapter Fourteen
When Marcy returned to the store, she found Doug and Troy in their office reading over some papers. “Hi,” she said as she leaned inside the doorway.
“Hey,” Doug said when he looked up.
“About time you came back,” Troy said in a teasing tone. “We’re going over some specs our contractor sent over for the retirement village.
“Anything you want me to help with?” she asked.
“You can read over this information if you’d like to,” Doug said. “That will help you familiarize yourself with the building details.”
“I’d definitely like to do that,” she said.
“Have a seat,” Troy urged her, indicating the chairs facing the desk.
She sat down in the chair nearest their office window. Just then the phone rang. She picked it up and clicked on the call. “Good afternoon. May I help you?”
“Is this Marcy?” the male voice on the phone asked.
“Yes,” she said, curious about the caller.
“I have a message from your father,” the stranger said.
“Who is calling,” she asked, suspicious now about the call.
“Never mind who I am,” he said. “Your father asked me to call and give you his message. He wants to arrange a meeting with you about some money to help you and your mother. He said he didn’t think your mother would talk to him, and so he wants to meet with Marcy.”
Marcy hit the end button and put the phone down.
“What was that about?” Troy asked.
“Crank call,” she said.
The phone rang again. She grabbed it and clicked on talk.
“You’ll be sorry,” the same voice said.
She clicked the call off and put the phone down like it had burned her fingers.
“What the hell?” Doug said. “Who was that?”
“A stranger,” Marcy said. “He said something about my dad wanting to have a meeting with me about money for my mom. I hung up because I didn’t believe it. Then he called back and said I’d be sorry.”
She saw a lethal look pass between Doug and Troy.
“If he calls back, let us take the call,” Troy said. By the tone of his voice, he meant he and Doug had no patience with that kind of call.
“We won’t put up with anyone making a crank call to you,” Doug said. “If it happens again and we’re not available, hang up immediately.”
“Do you think this guy could be dangerous?” she asked.
“I don’t think so, but you never know,” Doug said.
“It’s best to discourage this sort of thing right away,” Troy said. “If no one encourages him, he should quit.”
“Makes sense,” Marcy said. “I’ll turn the call over to you guys next time I get a crank call like that. Thanks.”
“No need to thank us,” Doug said. “We won’t allow anyone to harass you.”
They went over the plans with her and she studied the architect’s drawings. “Wow, this was done fast.”
Doug and Troy smiled at each other and then looked at her. “They know when we have a project that we move quickly on it,” Doug said.
“How much time do I have to look this over?” she asked.
“Take your time,” Troy said. “We want you to give us your stamp of approval before we contact our contractor and start construction.”
Marcy felt shivers of excitement all over at the prospect of her dream becoming a reality. It seemed almost too good to be true.
“We can take these home and you can look over them there,” Doug said. “I’m about ready to head home for dinner.” He looked at her with a glint in his eyes.
She had a good idea what kind of dinner he was talking about, but she couldn’t help asking. “What are you fixing for dinner tonight?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Doug said.
“It’s bound to be delicious,” Troy commented.
Doug rolled up the plans and put a rubber band around it. “Ready?” he asked and stood.
“I’m ready,” she said.
“Let’s go,” Troy said.
They locked up the store and headed for their vehicles. She’d driven her own car today since she’d had lunch planned with Cheryl. It was a good car but an older model sedan, and it looked kind of old parked beside Doug’s sexy Bugatti.
“We’ll follow you,” Doug said.
Chapter Fifteen
Doug had dinner cooking and the flavors wafted through the house and made her hungry. She gave the plans for the retirement home one last look and decided she’d studied them as carefully as she could. They had done a wonderful job of designing the village. She hadn’t found anything that needed changing. She left the drafting table located in the middle room of the hall with a view to the swimming pool and garden in the backyard.
It was warm outside this evening and she’d changed into shorts and a loose cotton top for comfort. Maybe they would eat outside. She wouldn’t mind swimming in their pool this evening.
As she stepped into the hall from her bedroom, she heard the muffled sounds of Troy talking to himself or maybe someone on his cell. She couldn’t tell exactly where the sounds of his voice were coming from. The door to the room directly across the hall was closed. Maybe he was in there, or maybe he was in a room further down the hall. There were so many bedrooms off of this hall. The designer of it must have had directions to build a home with lots of bedrooms for a big family. How did Troy and Doug make use of all the rooms? She counted six doors leading off the hall. Just then Troy opened the door of the room next to the one across from the drafting room.
“My curiosity has me wondering what this room is used for.” She looked up at Troy who looked surprised she would ask. “I don’t want to pry if it’s personal.”
“It’s a room where we put some of our family stuff left over from our younger years,” Troy said. “You know how kids collect things.”
She had a feeling from what he said that it was too personal for them to share. Her eyes must have revealed her disappointment that he wouldn’t be more forthcoming.
“You know how kids are,” he said. “We kept all our awards from our rodeo days, and that seemed like a good room to put them in.”
She had no idea what kind of awards that would be. “What awards did you win when you were young?”
“Ribbons and stuff like that,” Troy said. “They’re kind of dusty since we hardly ever dust in there.”
She chuckled. “I know how that is. My collection of stuff from my younger years tends to collect dust, too.”
“Come and get it,” Doug called from the kitchen.
Troy put his hand on her back as she turned down the hall toward the kitchen. It felt good and masterful. It felt natural and right.
They sat together at the island and she enjoyed the steak, baked potato and salad Doug had cooked and put together. They each had wine with their meal.
“You want some dessert now or later?” Doug asked. “We’ve got ice cream and all kinds of toppings, or apple pie which we can also put ice cream on.”
He smiled at her, and she grinned at him. “I think lat
er would be good. I’m stuffed from all this good food you cooked for us. It was delish. How come you didn’t become a chef? I think you’d be a great chef.”
He grinned at her. “Never thought about making a living at it. I guess I was too busy trying to make it through college on a rodeo scholarship.”
“How did you get those scholarships? Did you compete in high school?” she asked, curious to know more about them.
“We started competing with other guys when we were really young, before junior high,” Troy said.
“We had worked after school and on weekends for the ranches around town starting when we were about ten years old,” Doug said. “It was natural that we should compete with other guys, and then we entered contests for young kids at the rodeos around this area. We hung out together and we vowed to be just as good or better at riding and stock handling as the kids who grew up on ranches.”
“We enjoyed the competitions as well as working with the stock,” Troy said. “We competed all the way through junior high and high school. We were good enough at what we had fun doing, bronc’ riding and bull riding, that we won the competitions.”
“That made the other guys mad at us, and we sort of kept to ourselves as a result,” Doug said.
“I can understand that,” Marcy said.
“In the college rodeo program and later in the rodeo circuit we were the best in our categories,” Troy said. “We beat the guys who had grown up on ranches.” He smiled. “We enjoyed that.”
Doug grinned. “Yeah, they were mad at us. With our determination to be as good, or better, than anyone else in our competitions, we won champion belt buckles for years during college. The girls were after us since we wore those big buckles with our blue jeans.”
“If you were still competing after college, when did you have time to start your businesses?” she asked. They weren’t that much older than she was and she was still trying to finish college.
Alpha Thunder [Alpha Protectors 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 9