Page 24 of One Bride for Three Single Dads

“When you were making out with Ambrose,” I offer, deciding to just take the whole thing head-on.

She blinks a couple of times. The coffee machine beeps, I am happy to hear.

“Okay, if you have to put it that way,” she mutters.

Reaching for a cup in the closest cabinet, I pour myself a healthy dose of coffee and walk to the fridge to get the half-and-half.

“You know what? It’s cool,” I continue. “Moment of weakness. Happens to the best of us. Why don’t we just all move on? Can we do that?”

I stir my coffee until it turns that light shade of brown that I love so much. Turning slowly toward her, I’m startled to see that she is still visibly quite angry.

And she is still in her nightgown. Her body trembles underneath the thin fabric.

“Move on?” she repeats. “So it’s just like that?”

“Just like what?” I say, trying to buy some time.

“You’re just going to fire me?”

Now it is my turn to be surprised.

“Fire you? What are you talking about?”

“Or not? What, you were just gonna leave me here? Leave all your children here? Is that your plan?”

Suddenly I feel like maybe Ambrose and Boone should be here. I don’t want to handle the situation by myself. I’m not authorized for this kind of responsibility, that’s for sure. If Ambrose knew that I was talking to her right now, he would be super pissed.

“I don’t actually think Alexis is here right now,” I start again slowly while I try to moonwalk out of the room.

“Are you taking her to Ireland too?” Jolene hisses at me, following me as I try to escape.

“Wait, what?” I choke. “How did you… Oh, wow.”

“Don’t you run away from me! At least have the courage to tell me to my face!”

“Jolene, we’re not—”

“Say it!” she insists.

“Can we put this on hold for a second? I’m sure that Ambrose—”

“Harrison! Answer me!”

She’s got me. What am I going to do, run? It’s my house. I force myself to stop and face her, though she looks pretty damn delicious with that nightgown riding right at the top of her jiggling thighs. She so mad that her nipples are hard, and her hair is adorably fucked up.

“Okay. You got me,” I reply. “Yes. Probably taking Alexis to Ireland. Or not. It depends on if Amber—”

“—am I fired?” Jolene repeats, her voice strained and shaking.

I shake my head, totally confused. “No. Of course not. Why would you think that? Unless you gave Ambrose an STD or something?”

“Harrison!”

“Sorry, sorry! Never mind. Just a joke.”

“It’s not a joke to me,” she insists, stomping her little foot on the tile floor.

Everything on her jiggles just a little bit. Holy shit.

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