Page 15 of Theirs

“Once MacKenna sets his eyes on something,” Ben says, almost apologetically. “He won’t stop until he has it, and gets to keep it. It appears that you, Teagan, are what Shane MacKenna wants.”

He says it like I’m a prize to be won, like I have no say in it. My brain just can’t compute the why. Not just MacKenna, but all four of these men. Why are they even bothering with me? I don’t look like a woman who would be spotted on any of their arms, maybe Colin’s since I’ve spotted a few tattoos on his forearms, but the others are these proper, pristine male model-esque GQ type men. They’ve got bank accounts bigger than I could ever imagine, probably in multiple countries, they have yachts, expensive cars, and who knows what the hell else you would spend your millions on. I spend five bucks a week if I’m splurging, whereas, I bet these two just dropped at least one hundred on their lunch today alone. Maybe I should have joined them for lunch, or at least asked them to bring me a sandwich. No, Teagan! You’re not that desperate for food... yet.

However, something in me loves the idea of MacKenna trying his damndest to convince me to be his. Good luck trying though. Benjamin Donaghue is in the front of the pack by miles and miles. I glance up at him, and smile, thinking about the perfect evening he gave me. He’s texted me every day since then, asking me to hang out, and I think I’m going to finally take him up on the offer. Sometimes persistence pays off.

***

I drop my last dog off and shoot a text to Kristen as the guys and I part ways, and ask if she’s in the city and wants to grab a coffee. Or if she can meet me between here and her house. I’m not taking another bus ride or Uber ride to my brother and sister-in-law’s house right now. She responds that she can meet me just outside the city at one of our favorite small bistros, and I tell her to make sure she brings her husband’s card because he’s buying. I’m still pissed about the auction. Less pissed, but still pissed.

It takes me close to forty-five minutes to get to the coffee shop between hopping on the train and walking. I honestly should have had Kane also pay for my cab to get out here. With him claiming to be so concerned about my safety, like a Mr. MacKenna, you’d think he’d make arrangements for his little sister to get around the city a little better. He has though, I just don’t like accepting his help, because it feels like Mom and Dad’s help.

“There you are,” Kristen says as I walk through the entrance and find her waiting at a two person table with half an iced coffee in front of her. I hold my hand out for Kane’s credit card and she hands it over with ease.

“I should have told you to meet me at a bar,” I grumble.

She arches one perfectly sculpted brow. “It’s not even happy hour yet.”

“But I could use a shot after the conversation we’re going to have.”

She grins. “Get your coffee and sit your ass down.”

I order a large iced coffee, and wait at the counter until it’s ready because I know the second I sit down and catch Kristen up on what’s happened since the charity auction and then the pool party, she’s not going to let me up. I grab my coffee and sit across from her.

“So what’s up?” she asks, grinning.

“First off, I’m speaking to my best friend right now,” I tell her. “Not my sister-in-law. I’m speaking to the girl that I saw kiss two different guys at the same party, the girl that was a wild rebel in college until my brother finally got some balls and made a move.”

“Oh. My. God. You fucked one of them,” she practically yells in the coffee shop, and my eyes widen.

“No!” I whisper yell. “And quiet down! I haven’t slept with any of them.”

“But you want to?” Kristen asks, taking a sip of her iced coffee.

I shrug my shoulders. “I think I wouldn’t mind Benjamin. He’s already proven he’s not afraid to please a woman, but Colin has also seemed interested. I think I want to ask Ben to hang out tonight, but I’ve got a date with Colin tomorrow. Oh, and apparently, we’re all going on Ben’s yacht for the weekend. All five of us. Not too thrilled about being on a boat with Alex and Shane, but Colin and Ben...”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Kristen says, shaking her head from the whiplash of everything I just told her. “You’re going on a weekend getaway with four of Chicago’s biggest bachelors?”

“Don’t tell Kane,” I say through gritted teeth. “It’s his fault I have to go through with the four dates, but he’s the biggest cockblocker. If he realizes that I’m interested in two of his college friends, he’ll embarrass me or do something to make them walk away.”

She makes a cross over her heart. “I won’t say a word, as long as you tell me all the dirty details!”

I take a sip of my coffee just as my phone pings on the table with a text message. My heart races, wondering if it’s Ben. Kristen and I stare at the phone and then look at each other.

“Look at it!” Kristen says, flailing her hands in anticipation.

I pick my phone up and unlock it, finding a message from an unknown number. “It’s not Ben. Wait. The fuck?”

How many coffees have you had today?

I glance around the coffee shop, looking for a familiar face, and my cheeks blush red when I see Shane MacKenna sitting at a table with four other men in suits. His is a deep navy suit with a maroon tie and a white shirt, very Americana, but he looks so damn good in it. He’s wearing black rimmed glasses today; I wonder if they’re just readers or if he normally wears contacts. But also, Chicago is a huge city! How the hell have I managed to bump into three of these men today?

I type back, smiling as I send him a snarky, why do you even care?

“MacKenna is here,” I tell Kristen. “Don’t look, he’s right behind you.”

“What did he say?” she whispers, leaning closer toward me.

Another message pops up from him, the second I read it, I feel myself become aroused.

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