Page 60 of Single Mom's Mountain Men
"So why don't we both be with her? Together."
I blink then laugh. Then stop laughing when he doesn't join it.
"What? That's crazy."
"Is it?" he says. "I thought you were supposed to be the open-minded one."
"Yes, but sharing a woman with my brother is...." I wait for disgust, or stupefaction to hit me, but as my initial amusement fades, the thought becomes sharper and sharper in my mind.
Sharing Patty with Charlie.
I picture it then. Me with Patty and Charlie. A threesome.
The idea isn't as horrendous as I thought it would be.
"Do you mind that I'm with Patty?" Charlie asks in the silence.
"Of course," I answer automatically.
"No really, think about it Wes. Beyond me being your brother and you wanting her too, does it actually bother you that I'm in the picture?"
I only have to think about it for a few seconds, the truth already sitting in my chest.
"No," I admit.
He shrugs. "So then? This makes the most logical sense, and it's the only way. Because I like her too much to give her up and so do you."
"Yes but... you realize you're proposing athreesomehere, right?"
"Yes. And?"
I shrug. "Nothing. Just wanted to make sure you knew what you were asking." It's a wild thought, but I've done wilder things in my youth. And Wes Norris has never been the type to shy away from crazy anyway. "I guess I'm in."
"Good," Charlie says. "Now all we have to do is get Patty to agree."
"That's going to be hard," I respond, and then smile. "But I think I might have an idea."
CHAPTER 21
Patty
Dinner was an interesting affair. The girls were distracted by the dog – now named Wiley after his cartoon coyote ancestor. He was curled up asleep in an old log basket that Charlie had dug out from God knows where and lined with an ancient pillow wrapped in an old towel. His bowl of chopped up turkey and potatoes was only half finished, but his belly swelled with satisfaction. He both looked and smelled a lot better after his wound had been carefully but thoroughly examined, and then the whole dog had been washed, rinsed clean and dried by Doctor Charlie with Nurses Maddie and Katie in anxious attendance. Charlie had made Mitch hold the dog tightly in place whilst he sewed up the one nasty tear where his leg had been badly cut by the rabbit trap. The dog had whimpered and struggled but to give him his due, he’d never once tried to bite either Charlie or Mitch. The leg was badly bruised, but didn’t seem to be actually broken, so with luck he’ll make a complete recovery fairly quickly. Of course, Maddie and Kate couldn’t take their eyes off him and both of them had cried when Charlie had put the stitches in, but now they were just excited about the newmember of the family and wanted to go eat with him, but I made them stay put and finish their dinner.
"You can play with him tomorrow when he's rested," I told them. "Now eat, and then off to bed."
They pouted but ultimately they acquiesced, making sure to kiss each man on the cheek before they rushed to their room.
Additionally, there’s an interesting energy between Wes and Charlie. They keep sharing glances and these aren't angry glances as usual. They are... questioning almost? Preparatory? Almost as if they’re conspiring together, which obviously cannot be the case. It's hard to describe it, but there’s definitely something going on.
After everyone retires to their rooms, I stay behind to do some light cleaning. I’m wiping down the table when Wes sticks his head through the kitchen doorway.
“Hey,” he says, all traces of his earlier annoyance disappeared. “Can I talk to you in my room for a second?”
“Sure.” I drop the rag into the sink and wash my hands, wiping them dry on a towel before walking to him. “Hey about the dog, I’m sorry I didn’t back you. If you want I can go tell Mitch…”
“Nah it’s fine.” He even smiles to prove he has no hard feelings. He looks in a better mood than he has all week, which is odd because I could have sworn he was upset just hours ago. “You and the kids like the dog?”
“Um… yeah I guess.” I used to want a dog when I was younger, but my foster mother didn’t care for dogs, and after I was on my own I could barely afford my own bills, never mind taking care of another living thing. And when the girls told me they wanted a dog, Keegan made it clear that it would never happen.
