Page 85 of One Bride for Three Single Dads

The cottage smells like food. The guys and I are sore and tired from a solid day’s work.

And there is our Jolene, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, lit from behind by the work light with a halo, a totally angelic glow. What is not to love about that?

At first, Ireland seemed like a mistake. But now that the job is winding down, I can see it. We did a good thing by coming here.

The cottage might be tiny, but it has brought us together. Literally, I guess. It has tested our patience. We have all had to improvise.

It’s turned out to be the perfect size.

Well, almost. If the bedrooms were a little bit farther apart we could test our theory that the gigantic mattress is big enough for all four of us.

I guess we will have to look into that when we get back to the States.

Actually, there is so much to look forward to. Jolene has been beyond our wildest expectations. Even beyond my wildest expectations, and my expectations are pretty fucking wild.

She is sexy as hell, and strong. She takes everything we can give her, then gives it back twice as hot. It’s almost hard to keep up with her. She is practically insatiable.

I mean, how can a woman like that go almost every night? You would think we would break her.

It’s almost like we have tried.

But there is something miraculous about the female body, I guess. Some kind of strength that I never really understood before.

Not for lack of trying. I tried with Amber. I really did. She tried too. We have this amazing daughter together.

We just… didn’t fit.

We knew each other in high school. Same old story: I was the prom king, and she was the prom queen. Everybody assumed we would be together. Actually, everybody assumed she would be knocked up before graduation.

Well, we showed them! She didn’t get knocked up until a year later.

So of course we got married. You can be as modern as you want, but single mom, single-parent, is tough. It’s hard. There’s no getting around it.

So even if we weren’t great together anymore, after we grew up the rest of the way, at least we had to be great for Alexis.

Back in high school, I couldn’t get enough of her. She was like the breath in my lungs. I don’t know what happened to that. Did I fall out of love? I honestly don’t think so. I think that my feelings for her are as true and deep as they ever were.

Something else was missing.

Something that…

Jolene tucks her hair behind her ear and leans her forehead against the doorway. Totally smitten with the light behind her, I cross the room, reminding myself that I can’t just kiss her. I can’t take her into my arms. That has to wait until later, when it is safe.

Wait, is tonight my night on the sofa?

No…

Okay. Whew. Moment of panic there.

“Hey, you,” I smile as I hold myself back.

“Hi, sweetie,” she says with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

“Everything okay?”

She nods tightly, but then bows her head. To my utter shock, I see her chin quiver.

“Hey! Whoa!” I blurt out. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?”

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