Chapter Fifteen
Saturday morning, Katie smiled as she strolled from the front of Ry and Jed’s house out to the barn. Her mood was much better than yesterday. The damage to her car and the security lights had shaken her more than she wanted to admit to Ry and Jed.
Even last night at dinner, she’d told them it was just the shock of the damage. But she wondered who would do such a thing and if it had something to do with her father. Last night, she’d awakened at every little sound at Gran’s house.
Children’s laughter floated in the air. A smile curved her lips. It was a new day. Ry had to work today, so Jed had invited her to join him and the kids.
She rounded the barn and found a lineup of kids standing outside the ring fence, jostling for position.
“Ah, good, my help has arrived,” Jed said. “Kids, this is Miss Katie, and she’s going to help me out today.”
“Hi, Miss Katie,” the kids chorused.
“Hi.” Another smile crossed her lips. The kids ranged in age from what looked about six to twelve.
Jed sauntered over to her. “Your job is to keep them entertained while each one gets a ride.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?” Was he nuts? There were ten kids there.
“You’ll figure it out.” He dropped a kiss on her nose and strode to the gate.
“Ready, boss.” Katie looked up to see one of the ranch hands leading one of the smaller and gentler horses out into the ring.
“Thanks, Finn.” Jed placed his hand on the gate. “Maggie, you’re first today.”
The little girl squealed and danced over to Jed. The other kids all moaned, then looked at Katie.
She squared her shoulders and smiled. “Okay, kids, let’s have some fun.” She’d figure something out.
* * * *
After each kid had ridden, Jed leaned against the fence, watching Katie with the kids. Parents would be arriving anytime now to pick them up.
“She’ll make a great mother,” Ry said, coming up to him.
“Yeah.” Jed grinned. She’d been playing hide and seek with the kids—with the occasional game of tag thrown in, well away from the riding ring.
“Is everything ready for tonight?” Ry asked.
“Yep. Katie came directly here, so she hasn’t been in the house yet.”
“Good.” Ry rubbed his jaw. “I’m going to go up to the house to shower and change.”
“Okay. We’ll be there as soon as all the kids are gone.”
Ry hesitated.
Jed stared at him. “What’s up?”
Ry’s gaze flickered to Katie and the kids, then back to him. Jed shivered with apprehension.
“Do you think any of the parents will think it’s odd that Katie is here?”
Jed frowned. “I hadn’t really thought about it.” He usually made the kids stay right outside the ring and watch. But now Ry had planted the seed. “It shouldn’t matter.”
“I know it shouldn’t. But I don’t want Katie hurt by gossip.”
“And you think I do?”
“Jed.” Ry put a hand on his shoulder. “We told her we don’t flaunt our alternative lifestyle to the town.”
“We don’t. We’ve been very careful.” And they had been. Yes, they’d taken Katie out in public, and while out they kept public displays of affection to a minimum until they were alone or at the club outside of Monroe.
“Yes, but having her here with us and the kids? Some parents might be upset. You’ve never had a woman help before, and you know as well as I do this could cause gossip. It’s happened before.”
“Fuck.” Jed gripped the fence hard. The last thing he wanted was for Katie to be hurt. “I want her here. I don’t want to hide her away.”
“I agree. We just need to be aware there may be a backlash.” Just then a tan, mid-sized car pulled up. “Tommy Miller’s parents.”
Jed took a step and then stopped. The couple saw him and Ry, waved, and then made their way to where Katie played with the kids. They both watched as Katie greeted Tommy’s parents. They talked for a few minutes, then the couple took Tommy’s hand and went back to their car.
“See you next week,” Tommy’s dad yelled before they got into their car and drove away.
Ry let out a breath, and Jed sighed.
“Well, that seemed to go well,” Ry said.
“Yep.” Jed heard one of the girls giggle. Katie was squatting, talking to the girl, and his heart squeezed.
Ry’s gaze was on Katie and the girl too. “I’ve found what I think will work in one of the catalogues I got last week.”
“It’s a big step.” After Katie had watched the two of them play together, he and Ry had talked. They wanted to have Katie with them permanently.
“Yes, but we’ve wanted to make her ours for a long time.”
“I love her,” Jed said.
“I do too.” Ry slipped his arm around Jed’s shoulders. “And I know she has deep feelings for both of us, otherwise she would have told us off that first day in her grandmother’s kitchen.”
“What happens if she refuses?” Jed didn’t want to think about that, but he needed to. His heart was too invested, and the last thing he wanted to do is have it shatter. Hell, he hadn’t stopped loving her since she was before she was eighteen.
“We convince her. Simple as that.” Ry squeezed his shoulders before releasing him. “I’m heading for the house. I’ll be waiting for you two.”
Jed watched Ry saunter away and grinned. How lucky was he? The two people he loved more than life itself were with him.
* * * *
Katie let out a sigh. Playing with the kids had tired her out, but it was all good.
“Momma’s here,” Lucy said. The little girl was the last one to be picked up. Ry had already gone to the house, and Jed was finishing up in the stables.
Janice Collins stepped out of her big black SUV. Her husband ran the local bank. Katie walked Lucy over to Janice.
“Hi, Janice.” Katie put a smile on her face. While she and Janice had been in the same high school class, they’d never been friends. Janice preferred her cheerleader friends to a bookworm like Katie.
“Katie.” Janice looked down her nose at her. “Lucy, get into the car, please.”
Lucy threw her arms around Katie’s legs before running to the SUV and climbing in.
“I’m surprised to see you here today,” Janice said, picking an imaginary piece of lint off the front of her silk blouse.
“Why is that?” Katie tilted her head.
“You have heard the rumors about Jedidiah and Ryland?” Janice waved her hand. “Being seen with both of them in public and now in private can only hurt your reputation.” Janice’s sickly-sweet smile almost made Katie throw up.
“First off, Ry and Jed are two of the best men I know. They don’t cheat, or drink to excess. We’ve had some nice lunches and dinners in town. Jed asked for help with the kids today.” Katie kept her gaze fixed on Janice. “Besides, what I do in my private life is no one’s business but mine.”
“And what about your grandmother? What about her reputation?”
“Gran?” For a moment, Katie was thrown off balance, but then she saw the malicious gleam in Janice’s eyes. “Gran can take care of herself. And this really isn’t a conversation I care to have with you, especially when your child can hear us.”
“Are you telling me how to raise my child?”
“No, I’m telling you it’s inappropriate. And I don’t really care what your opinion is.”
Janice huffed out a breath and strutted over to her SUV. “This won’t end well, Katie. Heed my words.”
The driver’s door slammed. Janice fired up the engine and took off like the hounds of hell were after her.
A male chuckle had Katie turning. Jed stood behind her with a grin plastered on his face. “I think you told her.”
The tension seeped out of Katie’s bones. “I so wanted to rip that woman’s fake blonde hair out by the roots.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” Jed took her hand. “The kids liked having you around.”
“I think they had fun today.” She allowed Jed to lead her toward the house.
“Yes, they did.” He squeezed her hand. “Usually, they have to stand around and wait, but today, they had you to keep them entertained.”
“Jed.” Katie stopped pulling him to a halt. “Janice is entitled to her opinion. But nothing anyone can say is going to make a difference.” She placed her palm on his cheek. “You and Ry mean the world to me.”
“That’s nice to hear, because you mean the world to us too.” Jed cupped her cheeks and kissed her softly before taking her hand once again, leading her into the house and then upstairs.
Her heart sped up. What was going on? Jed was taking her upstairs, not down to the dungeon. He paused at the closed door to their bedroom. She’d only been in their bedroom once—when she had gotten the tour of the house.
“Katie, tonight is for you.”
Before she could say anything, he turned the knob and pushed the door open.
The room was filled with candlelight, soft music, and the dark blue comforter had been turned down on the bed.
Ry ambled across the room in all his naked glory, the candlelight making his skin look golden brown.
His gaze, filled with desire, was on her.
Katie swallowed. What were they up to? She turned her head, but Ry captured her chin with his fingers. “All for you, Katie.”
“Yes, Sir,” she whispered.
“No Sir tonight. Just Ry and Jed.”
Katie nodded. The herd of elephants in her stomach stampeded.
She bit her lower lip. She hadn’t expected this.
Romance. Yes, she loved what they had done, but what did it mean?
Jed had said he and Ry cared about her, but did it mean more?
Late at night, alone in her bed, she thought about them having some sort of permanent relationship, but she tucked it away in the light of day.
Her heart pounded when Jed pressed up against her back. Was she ready for a declaration of love? She wasn’t sure. But she knew she loved these two men with all her heart and soul.
“My Kitty Kat.” Jed’s breath brushed her ear as his arm encircled her waist.
“My beautiful Katie.” Ry lowered his head and captured her lips.
Her mouth parted automatically under his. Her right arm snaked around his neck.
Ry’s fingers plucked at the buttons of her blouse until it hung open, he lifted his head and rested his nose against hers. “You are so special.”
“I think you both are too.” Her voice was shaky.