Page 71 of Kiss and Tell

Wow.

She probably should have worked on some sort of explanation for being with the guys. Joey had told theManPowercrew that Lucy was joining them because she’d always wanted to see Nashville, and because she was interested in learning more about the makings of a show. Luckily, they’d bought it, no one questioning if she, Joey, and Miles were anything more than friends and travel companions.

“They filmed an episode at my family’s brewery, featuring me and my cousin, Sam. We hit it off, and when they invited me to join them for the next leg of their journey, I couldn’t say no.”

Macie studied her face, the observant woman obviously aware there was more to it than that. “So, Joey or Miles?” she asked again. “Or both?”

Lucy’s eyes widened, wondering why in the hell Macie would leap to that conclusion. She, Joey, and Miles had simply sat in the booth, eating together in a completely platonic fashion. “Um,” she said again, resisting the urge to slap her forehead for sounding like such an idiot.

“Both. Got it,” Macie said, as if they were discussing something as casual as the weather.

“I didn’t say both,” she hastily replied.

“Nope. But your face did.”

Lucy reached up, touching one of her cheeks, wondering if she was blushing and didn’t realize.

“Not right now,” Macie added. “During lunch. I’m not even sure you know you’re doing it, but whenever one of the guys speaks to you, your eyes light up and you lean toward them. Hank tells me I’m good at reading body language, which is a nice way of saying I’m meddlesome, with a talent for sniffing out good gossip. Not that I intend to pass on any of this conversation.”

Lucy wasn’t sure why, but she trusted that was true. Macie had stumbled onto her secret—a juicy one at that—but Lucy wasn’t worried she’d tell anyone else.

“You like them,” Macie said, not bothering to pose those words as a question.

Lucy nodded. “Very much. Maybe too much. To be honest, I’m not this kind of girl,” Lucy said, feeling like she should defend herself.

“What kind of girl?”

“The kind to hook up with two men at the same time.”

Macie waved her words away with a quick swish of her hand. “Screw that. You can be any kind of girl you want, Lucy, and you don’t owe anyone an apology for being who you are. Besides, anyone with eyes can see those guys have got itbadfor you.”

Lucy couldn’t stop herself from hoping that was true. “It’s just… Well, you have to admit threesomes aren’t exactly a normal thing.”

Macie pointed toward the counter. “See those two good-looking guys at the end of the bar?”

Lucy glanced over, even though she already knew who Macie was talking about. She’d seen them walk in, both wearing identical Maris Fire Department shirts. “Yes.”

“They’re living with my cousin Jeannette. And when I say living with, I meanliving with.”

Lucy blinked, shocked. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“Back where I’m from, no one has ever engaged in a threesome as far as I know—not for one night, and definitely not forever.” Lucy wasn’t sure why she was confiding in a woman she’d just met, but something told her Macie wouldn’t just understand, she would offer some much-needed insight. “The thing is…” She paused.

Macie wouldn’t let her hesitate or stop. “Yes?”

“I’m only on vacation. This entire thing—the trip and the guys—is a break from the norm for me. I’ve never left the family farm before, so when Joey and Miles offered me a chance to see a bit more of the world, I jumped on it.”

“So you came for the travel, not for the guys?”

Lucy grimaced. “Well, I’m not going to say they weren’t a bonus, but I guess I didn’t expect things to progress…” She sighed. “As far as they have. We only just met a couple of weeks ago, and yet when I’m with them, it all feels strangely natural.”

“I think that’s great. You’re falling in love with them,” Macie said.

Lucy jerked back as if she’d been struck. “No. Not at all. I mean, I barely know them.”

“So?” Macie asked.