Page 10 of Eye of Her Storm

Madison blew out a derisive breath through tight lips, and River couldn’t help laughing. Mads had been her best friend in college, and River was glad to have this time, however brief, with her. Madison also knew what she was talking about. She was well-versed in death and dying, having done a long stint of her student nursing and post-graduate career with cancer patients. Another reason, she’d been anxious to come to the general practice in Daly. Less emotional stress.

“So…” River said, segueing away from the depressing thoughts. “Just you wait. Once the cowboys figure out you’re here, they’ll be beating down your door and wooing you like crazy. And trust me, once you pick someone, they will treat you like the finest gold. The men around here know the value of a woman in their lives.”

“Even if she’s played hard to get for four years.”

River rolled her eyes at Seth’s voice. She glanced over to see her men reentering the office despite it being a few minutes before lunch. “I wasn’t playing hard to get,” she argued. “I just wasn’t ready.”

Tai glanced at his watch. “Just about ready now?” he asked, and she knew he wasn’t talking about lunch.

“I think so.”

Madison obviously understood and grinned. “Those are two smokin’ hot choices you’ve made there,” she commented.

“Trust me,” River replied. “They chose me. When I came here, I didn’t want anyone, but these two…they wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Never have, never will,” Seth enjoined.

“I think I can manage here for five minutes,” Madison said. “Why don’t you head out and I’ll see you after lunch?”

“Sounds good. Thanks.”

River headed into the lobby, smiled at the guys then gave a slight jerk of her head for them to follow her before she exited the building and took them up the outside, covered stairs that led to her apartment above the doc’s practice. The door wasn’t locked—there wasn’t much point around here—so, she just went inside, leaving it open behind her for them to enter. Tai was the last in and shut them inside. River waved them to the couch then sat opposite them in a chair.

“Are you sure?” she asked without preamble.

“Never more so,” Seth replied for the pair. She glanced to Tai, and he nodded.

“Absolutely sure,” he agreed.

Despite their assurance, River needed them to know what they were getting into. “Do you want that kind of heartache? We’ll only have three months—maybe. And the last of it…” She lifted a shoulder, hating to think about it. “It could be ugly.”

“Riv, we’ll take every minute we can get. It’s more important than ever that all of us are together,” Tai answered.

“I don’t want this to be because you feel bad for me.”

Seth snorted, his reaction lightening the mood. “Hello, have you met us? Have you seen us at all since you came to Daly?”

One side of her mouth lifted in a grudging smile. “Point taken. So…the thing is…I’m training Madison to replace me. I need to be here.”

“For how long?” Tai asked.

“And do you have to be here?” Seth added, sweeping his hand to indicate the apartment. “Or do you just need to be here?” He pointed downward. “In town. Because we can make sure you get to the office every morning.”

“That’s an extra forty-five minutes each way,” she exclaimed. While the outlying ranches were considered part of Daly, none were particularly close to the heart of town and its businesses.

Tai shrugged. “Not really an issue in the whole scheme of things.”

She wasn’t so sure about that. “To answer your question: until the end of the week. After that, yes, I’ll move in.”

Seth left the couch and knelt before her. “Don’t wait. Right now, four days is an awfully long time.”

River threaded her fingers through his silky brown hair and wondered why she hadn’t been ready for these two sooner. Sure, her self-centered, emotionally and physically abusive ex had put her off men, but these two had proven over and over that they weren’t like him in any way.

“This apartment comes with the job, doesn’t it? Wouldn’t it be nicer for Madison to be able to stay here rather than at the O’Keefe’s? She could start settling in,” Tai said, appealing to her sense of compassion and fairness.

He was right. Madison could have the place here above the doctor’s office, and River… She could be wrapped in these four strong arms every night. She didn’t want to wait until the weekend. Hadn’t she already waited four years too long?

She closed her eyes and sucked in a long, slow breath before taking the plunge she’d been terrified to make all this time. Once she jumped, there would be no turning back. She could leave, but she’d be forever changed by their intimate impact—however long forever turned out to be.

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