Chapter Nineteen
“Sheriff, sheriff.”
Ry turned from the horse ring at the sound of the young voice. Tommy Miller came running up to him out of breath. “Easy, Tommy.” He knelt and took the small boy by the shoulders. “Where’s the fire?” It was a question he always asked when kids were like this.
“Miss Katie sent me to get Mr. Jed,” he panted. “There are two scary men with her.”
Ry jerked his head up, trying to see to Miss Mazie’s booth, but he couldn’t. “Good job, Tommy.” He stood. “Jed, we’ve got a problem.”
Jed hopped the fence and marched over to him. “What’s up?”
“Katie’s in trouble.” He looked down at Tommy. “Where was she, Tommy?”
“Over there.” He waved his hand in the direction of the tea booth.
“Thanks, buddy.” Ry smiled.
“Go get your ride.” Jed turned Tommy toward the ring and gave him a pat on the head.
Together, they sprinted in the direction Tommy had waved.
It didn’t take a genius to guess that her father and the ex were here and harassing Katie.
Well, it was time to show them a united front.
It didn’t take them long to find her. Katie was standing with her feet apart, her hands on her hips as she gave the two men standing in front of her hell.
“What’s going on, sweetheart?” Ry asked as he and Jed encircled her. His arm went around her waist, and Jed’s went right above his. Ry brushed his lips against her right temple.
Jed did the same on her left. “Okay, Kitty Kat?”
“Better,” she whispered, melting into their embrace.
The older man in front of Katie made a noise, and Ry looked him over: his hair gray, his pinched lips, and the lines creasing the man’s forehead. Katie’s father. The man standing next to him was younger, and his expression of distaste made Ry want to laugh. The ex was less of a threat.
“I told you to leave,” Katie said, steel running through her voice.
Ry was proud of her. She wasn’t going to take any crap from these two.
“Not until you agree to come back.”
Ry squeezed Katie’s waist, and Jed did the same.
“I’ve already told you, Father. I’m not coming back.”
“Maybe this will change your mind.” Ry didn’t like the gleam that came into her father’s eyes. The man was up to something. “You come back, and I won’t expose these two to the entire town.”
Ry started to remove his arm from Katie’s waist, but she wrapped hers around his waist, tightening it to let him know she supported him.
Katie lifted her chin and stared at her father. “First off, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m happy, and I don’t plan on leaving Felton’s Creek.”
“How the hell can you be happy in this little hick town?” the younger man asked.
Katie took a sharp breath. “It’s not a hick town, and you stay out of this, Walter.”
“It comes down to choices, Katherine. Either come back with Walter and me or I expose these two to the entire town.”
“Expose what?” She shook her head.
“How about I tell everyone here how these two have been with my daughter, together, doing unspeakable things to her, against her will?”
Ry and Jed took a step forward, and Katie latched onto their belts. Ry glanced down at her, but she was staring at the two men. Her grip on their belts didn’t ease up.
The carnival music, ringing bells, and the voices from the celebration were more prominent at Katie’s silence.
Damn. He was the one who told her they didn’t flaunt their relationship in front of the town.
But he wasn’t going to keep it a secret, either.
Not when they decided it was time to take the next step.
He glanced over at Jed, who was staring at him. Jed nodded. They were in agreement. It didn’t matter who knew about them. They weren’t giving Katie up without a fight.
“Katie.”
“No, Ry.” Her voice was low and tight. “You are such a hypocrite, Father. Have you conveniently forgotten what I walked in on before I left?”
Her father’s gaze turned freezing cold. He held up his hand. “Excuse me, everyone.” His voice was loud enough to garner attention.
Katie’s chin dropped to her chest, and Ry’s heart contracted.
“Is there a problem?” Mayor Thompson asked, walking up to them.
It was do-or-die time. Ry stiffened his spine.
“Yes, these two men won’t leave my daughter alone so we can talk.”
“You say you’re Katie’s father?” Mayor Thompson asked.
“Yes, that scum is.” Gran’s voice was strong and clear. All eyes turned toward Miss Mazie, who held two young teenagers by the ears. More people gathered around the group. “I saw these two boys talking with Randall behind my booth, and I just happened to overhear the conversation. Tell them, boys.”
The boys looked down at their feet, scuffing their toes in the grass. “We’re the ones who keyed the car, broke the windows, and some of the other stuff,” one said.
“They said to just scare her, but they never paid us,” the other said, pointing at Katie’s father and Walter.
“What about the attempted robberies?” Ry asked.
“We didn’t try to rob anyone. I swear, Sheriff. We would never do that.” The one boy looked up at him, and Ry saw the truth in his eyes.
The boys’ parents had joined the group, and both sets glared at their children. The fathers stepped forward and took an arm of each son. “We’ll take care of this, Sheriff.”
“Bring them by the office. I’m sure we can work something out with the judge for community service for the entire summer to pay for the damages.” But that still didn’t explain the couple of robberies they’d had.
The boys groaned.
The older teen glanced from Ry to Katie’s father. “He hired two ex-cons who live in Monroe to do the robberies, Sheriff. They bragged to us about it, but we refused to help.”
Ry’s anger built. It could have been much worse than it was. Ry nodded, then turned his attention back to Katie’s father.
Randall’s gaze was still hard and defiant. “It’s their word against ours.” A sinister grin spread over her father’s lips, and Ry had a bad feeling.
Katie’s head was still bowed.
“These two men standing here are anything but upstanding citizens. I don’t know about the state laws around here, but they are perverts. They are not normal. They prefer having sex together and share a woman.”
“We’ve done nothing wrong,” Ry whispered in her ear.
“Damn right.” Her head came up.
“Katie?” the mayor looked at her, then to Ry and Jed.
“Mayor.” Her voice was soft, hesitant. She glanced up at Jed and then Ry. She cleared her throat. “I love Ry McKade and Jed Malloy.”
Jed jerked, and Ry did the same. She loved them? Why hadn’t she told them?
“These two men make me happy, and if Felton’s Creek residents can’t understand and accept it, then it’s the town’s problem.”
Ry let out a breath. Okay, this wasn’t the way he wanted this to go down, but the hell with it. He’d resign as sheriff if need be. He wasn’t giving up Katie or Jed.
The mayor stared at the three of them before turning his attention to Katie’s father.
“I don’t give a damn who you are,” the mayor said.
“You are a stranger to this town and so is this fellow.” The mayor waved his hand at both of them.
“Ryland and Jedidiah are honorable, decent citizens of this town. Ryland is our sheriff, and he will be for a long time. Jedidiah donates his time and horses so the kids know how to ride and learn about them. As for Katie…”
The mayor glanced at her. “She is a beautiful young woman, a brilliant accountant. What they do in their private life is their business. I will stand behind them. Who’ll join me?” The major stepped next to Ry.
All around the trio, the crowd shifted. Ry held his breath. The mayor supported them, but did anyone one else? Katie glanced around. Most of the town stood behind them. Ry noted a several people walked away, and it didn’t bother him.
“There’s your answer, Father. It’s time to leave.”
“They need to answer for the vandalism to Katie’s car,” Ry said.
“No charges, Ry.” Katie tilted her head to the side and went up on her toes. “They’ve got more problems than just vandalism.”
“Get out,” someone yelled.
“Leave our town,” another voice added.
“We don’t need trash like you around,” yet another called out.
All of it came from the people surrounding them.
“You will regret this,” Randall said.
“That sounded like a threat.” Jed glared at the man.
“No, Father, I will never regret this. I regret I never saw you for the shallow, selfish, cruel man you were until a few months ago. And you, Walter, you’re just my father’s puppet. Oh, and by the way, the Feds should be raiding the company any time now.”
Her father’s eyes widened. “What did you do?”
Walter whimpered.
“Let them know about the books being off. I’m not as stupid as you think, Randall. Did you really think I’d miss the fact that you are stealing from your employees’ retirement funds?” She tilted her chin up. “Go away.”
“Leave and never come back,” Jed said.
“I couldn’t have said it better,” Ry added.
Without another word, the two men turned and all but ran to their car.
The crowd let out a cheer.
“Now let’s get this celebration back to being fun,” the mayor announced.
Katie let out a laugh, and Ry knew they were going to be okay.
* * * *
Later that night, just as it was turning dark, Katie sat between Ry and Jed on a blanket underneath one of the oak trees.
The fireworks would start soon. Katie glanced at the two men.
They really hadn’t talked about what had happened earlier.
She didn’t want to spoil their evening, but they needed to discuss it.
“Ry, Jed—”
Her grandmother meandered up to them.
Both men started to rise, but Gran waved them to stay seated. “Everything okay now?” she asked.
“I think I’m still in shock,” Jed said.
“I don’t know why.” Gran put her hands on her hips, and Katie smiled.
“I’m with Jed,” Ry said.
“You two boys should know by now almost the entire town would support you. Heck, everyone knew about your parents, and no one cared. What you do in your private life is your business and no one else’s. But you had better take care of my Katie, or you’ll have to answer to me.”
Both men nodded before Gran grinned at her. “I won’t expect to see you until tomorrow at the booth.” And she ambled off.
Ry and Jed both let out a laugh, and Katie grinned. Gran was something else. But now, she needed to talk with the guys. She’d blurted out she loved them in front of the whole town without telling them first.
Katie rose to her knees and faced the two men. “We need to talk about today.” Nerves had her twisting her fingers together.
Jed groaned, and Ry shook his head. Both men reached over, untangled her twined fingers, and each took a hand, holding it lightly.
“Do you really love us?” Jed asked.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I think I’ve loved you since I was a teen.” The pressure in her chest eased.
“I love you.” Ry’s fingers tightening on hers.
“And I love you,” Jed said.
Her heart lightened. They loved her.
“And with that…” They rose to their knees in front of her. Oh, God, what were they doing?
“Katie Crane,” Jed said. “I love you, and I want you to become my wife.”
Her mouth dropped open as her gaze flicked from Ry to Jed, and back again, then back once more.
“Katie Crane,” Ry said. “I love you more than life itself and would be honored if you’d become my wife.”
“But…” She swallowed, her stomach rolling and dipping. “I can legally only marry one of you.”
“We know.” Reaching underneath the blanket they each pulled out a box.
Shivers of excitement slid through Katie’s veins.
“This is for our wedding night,” Ry said. He opened his box to show the beautiful collar, two strands of pearls connected with a black clasp at the back. The front had three silver, entwined hearts. “We picked it up this morning in Monroe.”
“And these are for the ceremony,” Jed said, opening his box, which held three gold rings.
Tears filled Katie’s eyes.
“We’ve already talked to the pastor,” Jed said.
“He agreed to marry the three of us. Only Ry’s name will appear on the marriage license if that’s okay with you. But we would like all of us to change all our last names to McCade-Malloy.” Jed stared at her.
The tears slipped down her cheeks. “I love you both so much.” She pulled her hands away from them only to throw her arms around their necks, hugging them tightly.
“Is that a yes?” Jed asked, amusement in his voice.
“Yes.” She let out a laugh. “I’m proud to marry both of you and take your names. That’s what the hyphen is for.”
Katie’s lips met Jed’s and then Ry’s as the fireworks went off overhead.
* * * *
Thank you for reading Embracing Desire .