Page 4 of Taken By my Brothers' Best Friends

Ava was bent over a sink in the back, washing bleach out of Sugar Moore’s hair. She glanced up at me when the bell over the door tinkled. “I’d ask if that wreck hurt you in any way, but I can tell by the pie in your hand and the menace on your face that you’re just as good as ever.”

I nodded to Casey Bell and Mia Isles as I passed their stations. I sank into the empty chair next to Sugar and lifted my pie in greeting. “My body is fine. My ego is dented. As is my car. I just dropped it off for Steve to work on.”

Sugar’s head lifted out of the sink and Ava pushed it back down. “Steve?”

“Relax your neck before you give yourself a headache. You can listen to Vera talk about Steve without looking at her. She isn’t drawing a picture.” Ava shook her head and continued scrubbing Sugar’s scalp. “Who were the new guys? No one knew who you’d run into.”

I shoved a few bites of pie into my mouth and then put the plate in the sink behind me so I could talk. “Oh, it gets even better. They’re old friends of my big brothers and they’re in town to work on the ranch. They’re absolute dickheads. And Steve was as nice and as hot as ever. Santa, if Santa was a GQ model.”

Sugar sighed. “Bless that man.”

“I heard they’re hot.” Ava laughed at the look I sent her way. “Forget I said anything.”

“Okay, I have way more important things to talk about. Let me tell you about this club I learned about in Harmony Valley while I was visiting the triplets.” I gave them a quick run down and then leaned closer. “If I’ve ever needed a secret, women only group, it’s now.”

“Because you ran into three hotties?” Sugar pushed Ava’s hands away and sat up. “Not that I’m not interested in the idea.I’m so fed up with men. I’ve been subtly throwing myself at Steve for years and I still get nothing back. Is it like a lesbian thing? I’m down to try anything once.”

I grinned. Sugar was in her sixties and thriving, with or without Steve’s attention. “It’s not a lesbian thing. Although lesbians are more than welcome. I’m hoping all the women in town will want to be a part of it. I need a safe space to rant about my asshole brothers and any other man who crosses my path.”

“What would we do?” Ava leaned over and took a bite of my pie. “I don’t know if I understand the concept.”

“We have secret meetings where we talk shit and check in with each other. In Harmony Valley, the woman who started the club hosts the meetings in the back of her shop. No man knows about the secret room. And it’s amazing. There are furry couches and pink colors everywhere. That’s not the wildest part, though. The wildest part is that the walls are lined with dildos and other sex toys. Margaret, the founder, also makes and sells her own lube.”

Dr. Bianca Shawn had been getting her hair cut but she was standing next to me and leaning in before I’d even noticed that she’d moved. “Did you say there are dildo lined walls?”

“Like, for selling. Well, sometimes they just give them away. I didn’t get one because I wasn’t moving to town, but apparently new female citizens of Harmony Valley get a care package when they arrive. It’s full of sex toys and lube. And some of my friend, Joanie’s, famous muffins. God, she makes the best muffins. Billie, the triplets’ wife, is obsessed with them. I’m not convinced they didn’t use those muffins to entrap her.”

“Enough about the muffins. Let’s get back to the sex toys.” Bianca twisted her lips to the side and then smiled. “I’m in. Whatever it is, I’m in. I had this sales rep stop by the office the other day and she was selling ergonomic sex toys. I didn’t have a clue what to do with her that day, but now I have ideas.”

“Don’t you have a serious girlfriend?” Sugar grunted when Ava pulled her head back into the sink. “You shouldn’t be having ideas about other women.”

“Sugar, if you think I’d ever cheat on Meredith, you’re insane. Not only am I madly in love with her, she’s terrifying.” Bianca shivered. “You don’t cheat on a woman who runs the only bar in a small town. They’ve seen some shit and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.”

I forgot my morning for a few seconds and smiled wistfully up at Bianca. “I love your love.”

“I was just thinking about how much I’d hate being with someone a little crazy. I like my men on the boring side. They’re easier to navigate that way.” Ava stopped rinsing Sugar’s hair and glanced up at the ceiling. “Although, my third divorce was just finalized, so… You know what? Sign me up. For the club, I mean.”

“I was hoping you’d say that…” I tried to give her my best puppy eyes. “We need a place to have meetings.”

Bianca held up her hands. “That’s my cue to leave. Oh, Vera. You’re overdue for your yearly visit. Make an appointment.”

I stuck my tongue out at her. “Don’t remind me.”

Ava waved her away before shooting me a look that said she wasn’t thrilled. “Fine. We can use the back room. I’m not doing any of the decorating, though. I’m busy.”

Sugar sat up, much to Ava’s annoyance. “I’ll handle that part! I love pink and dildos!”

“Not something you hear every day, but okay then.” I stood up and grabbed my pie. “Spread the words, ladies. The Devil’s Den chapter ofDoll’s Clubis happening. Obviously don’t tell any men. And don’t tell any women who aren’t good at keeping secrets. You get it. I’ll put some things together and, as soon as Sugar is done decorating, we’ll have our first meeting.”

CHAPTER 4

Vera

I got a ride home from my big sister, Maxie. Before I could mention anything about the new club to her, though, she was listing off the chores she’d had to put on hold to drive to town and get me. I quickly decided I’d tell her about the club when she wasn’t so cranky with me. I called Eve as soon as I was alone in my little cabin and asked her to get me Margaret’s number. If I was going to start a new chapter ofDoll’s Club, I wanted to do it right.

Once I got everything else out of the way for the day, I pulled back the curtain which acted as a door for my closet and tied it back. I had all of my clothes shoved into a few dressers on the other side of my room so I could use the closet space as a hidden office. If anyone came over, not that they did very often, they’d never see my desk. I opened my laptop and stretched my neck and shoulders before pulling up the most recent document I’d been working on.

I was writing Anna’s story. Anna was a single mom with a pre-teen who hated everything. She was stressed to the max and needed a break when she met two men, Dylan and Ryan. The two men were instantly smitten with her and involved themselves in her life. They helped her and suddenly she wasn’t as stressed. She can live a little, which means she goes to bed with both men. Only, she doesn’t know the two of them are a PI team hired by her ex-husband. Her ex wants custody of their kid. The guys are already in love with her when she finds out why they’re really there.

---