Tears flooded and she didn’t even try to fight them. Sobs wracked her body, but she held them deep because they kept her from hearing properly, as did the pounding of her own heart in her ears. She willed herself calm by remembering the way he’d smile at her and tease her.
She recalled Patterson’s woodsy, sexy scent, very different from Kendry’s. Whenever he’d hugged her, afterward she’d occasionally sniff her collar just to get a hint of him. She’d almost skipped washing the top she’d worn the night he’d brought Lonesome Dove over for them to watch, because he’d sat with his arm around her shoulders on the back of the couch. She’d buried her nose in the fabric one last time before she’d finally thrown it in the washer.
Showing great patience, Kendry held still and let her have that moment of communion with Patterson. He’d said earlier, and her men had agreed, that she’d been the love of his life. She didn’t see how that could be since she’d never done more than let him hug her and get away with a stolen kiss. Why would he love her when she’d behaved so primly?
James and Vincent seemed certain of his love and that would have to be enough for her. The one thing she could be certain of was that her foolish heart beat for him, whether he was still present in the world or not.
She tightened her jaw, to keep from making a sound, as her heart cried out to his. I will never forget you. I’ll always be your fluff. I think I found the missing piece and no matter what happens, I’ll always love you.
A gentle hand stroked the back of her head and she knew by the way he gathered her hair into his hand and ran it through his fingers that it was Vincent. She was sitting in his lap so he must’ve felt her trembling. Despite his occasional blustering and pushiness, it really bothered him to see her upset.
The glorious heartbeat was the same, but she knew there was only so long she could stay that way before someone became uncomfortable. If she couldn’t have Patterson in that moment of intimacy, then she wanted James and Vincent.
Looking up at Kendry as she drew away, she whispered, “I know you’ll take good care of that heart.” Through tears she smiled up at him. “For a time I believe it did belong to me.”
He gazed down at her and his eyes grew glossy with empathy for her, for them. He blinked and swallowed. “I will. Thank you for agreeing to meet me. I know it was hard for you but I totally get why their brother loved you…and why they love you. What you have is special and I’m glad they’re here for you.” Glancing at her men one at a time, he chuckled and added, “And I think if they didn’t already own your heart this heart of mine would try to claim you all over again.”
She laughed with him and then turned to Vincent for a kiss. From his position squatting behind her, James kissed her as well.
Jared chuckled from his seat down the dock and looked out at the water before turning his hypnotic, pale blue-gray eyes on her. “You don’t by chance have a sister, do you, Leah?”
Leah giggled and said, “As a matter of fact I do, but…her life is complicated right now.”
The usual bitterness didn’t rise to the surface when Presley Ann came to mind. She didn’t wish her sister ill, and knowing the hardships Presley Ann seemed to be earnestly attempting to overcome lately made her less inclined to resent her.
Kendry said, “Well, there’s a lot to recommend this community, judging by what we saw of it and what we’ve heard about it from the three of you. If she’s anything like you, maybe we’ll visit again when life is ‘less complicated’ for her.”
James rose to his feet and reached down to lift her from Vincent’s lap. “Maybe so. You never know. And like I said before, you’re always welcome. Next time we’ll take you to the Dancing Pony and introduce you to some of our friends.”
Leah smiled as the men hugged each other like old friends, clapping each other on the back, and she walked with them back up to the house. After finding out that they were planning to stay in Divine overnight, James and Vincent offered to let them make use of the spare bedroom but they declined, saying they’d already dropped their things off at the Hourglass Inn in Divine.
Jared said, “We don’t want to intrude on the rest of your evening and you probably need a little time to decompress from the experience alone. But if you’d like to meet for breakfast in the morning, we’ll need to eat anyway.”
Vincent looked over at James and caught his nod and said, “We know the perfect place.”
With plans made, they bid the men good-night and watched as the taillights on the older model Blazer disappeared down the driveway.