“Did we hurt you?”
Lucy smiled and gave him a watery chuckle. “No. You didn’t hurt me. You made sure I was well prepared for the two of you. Nearly drove me crazy with all that teasing. It was even better than I thought it would be.”
Beck kissed her shoulder. “So you’ll be wanting to do that again, huh, Juicy Lucy?” Beck’s tone held a trace of humor but Patrick saw the concern in his eyes.
Lucy nodded and sniffled again. “Oh yeah. If it’s like that. Yeah.”
“Good,” Patrick said. “Then why the tears?”
“I’m so happy. And relieved that we worked everything out. And…”
“And?” Beck asked,
“I love you. I love you both so much.”
If she hadn’t said it first, Patrick knew he would have. “You are the most amazing, caring woman, Lucy. I love you, too.” She tilted up her chin for a kiss from him.
The evening had certainly been tumultuous, he thought, recalling with painful regret the way he and Beck had confronted her early in the evening. He’d been remembering the day he’d discovered Elizabeth’s betrayal. Lucy wasn’t anything like Elizabeth but he’d treated her as though she was, based simply on her appearance. He was worse than his dad in that sense. He regretted hurting her feelings. With the way they’d pushed her, he felt especially grateful that she still loved them
When Patrick released her, Beck claimed her, looking into her eyes as he stroked her cheek, her nose and her lower lip. “I love you, woman. I may fuck up from time to time, but make no mistake about it. I love you so much it hurts. Probably should’ve told you a long time ago.”
Lucy smiled. “I was just waiting for the perfect moment. I wanted to sit each one of you down separately and tell you. But…”
“But when we’re not working, we’re all together, right?” Beck asked with a nod.
“Yes. And today, when I was thinking about you, and getting so excited about seeing you, I realized that I just needed to let it out, to both of you together. I love both of you whether we’re all together as a family or just one on one. And Patrick, you already know I love PJ.”
Patrick kissed her fingertips and smiled at her. “I know you do. He knows you do. Your love is a sweet, palpable thing.”
“You knew I loved you?” she asked softly, looking from one to the other.
Beck traced a pattern over her breast, stroking her softened nipple to a hard peak as he said, “I remember thinking one day that you reminded me of a honeybee, taking care of everyone. Doing what needed doing. In my mind that equates with love, which you show to lots of people. But when you look into my eyes I feel special. Like I get more.”
“He’s right, Lucy. I feel like we get the best of your love. I imagine PJ must feel like that, too, given the way he lights up when you come in the room.”
Lucy stretched like a contented cat between them and sighed. “I don’t guess it matters when or how we said it or when we first felt it. I love you both and I’m glad what happened earlier didn’t change that.”
Beck let out a relieved breath. “I’m the one who was at fault. I fucked it all up.”
Patrick chuckled. “We both had our territorial asshole moments, Beck.”
Lucy waved a hand. “It’s in the past. We all three have tempers. What matters is we don’t sacrifice what we have for pride.”
Patrick kissed her nose and said, “Never. We’re learning.” He looked at Beck, thinking that Beck had been the one in the hot seat that night but it just as easily could’ve been him. “Tonight was an eye-opening experience.”
Lucy giggled. “In more ways than one. I saw stuff on the parade loop that cannot be unseen.”
Beck laughed out loud. “Did you see that one guy that was wearing nothing but a—”
“A tube sock on his dick?” Lucy said and burst into giggles. “Yes. He’s there every year, or so I’ve been told.”
They talked and laughed into the wee hours of the morning, remembering the drunken dancing women, the growl of motorcycles that looked like they’d had more invested in them than a house, and the “anything goes” atmosphere of the huge gathering. What Patrick took away from the rally, that he valued the most, was the way their friends had looked out for Lucy, and for each other. And the way Lucy and her friends had felt safe enough to let their hair down and enjoy themselves, regardless of whether they went topless or not.
Chapter Twenty
Patrick tucked into his Shiner Bock at the Dancing Pony while he waited for Beck to arrive. Beck had called him just a few minutes before, telling him that he was running late but that he’d be there soon. He’d called Patrick earlier in the day to tell him that he had something he wanted to talk to him about.