She ignored my lame attempt at a joke. "Roberts is telling anyone who will listen that you're too soft to be partner. Can you believe that jackass? He told Ronald that he'd scared you off and-"
"I've got to go, Elaine. My flight is boarding." I clicked ‘end call' before she could respond and took a gulp of my wine. I still had an hour before I had to get to my gate but I couldn't listen anymore. I just couldn't. And not because I was so angry but because I just didn't care anymore. I'd hit my limit on caring about this shit. It all suddenly seemed ridiculous. Juvenile, even. New York seemed a million miles away and that's where I wanted to keep it.
I. Didn't. Care.
Freedom washed over me in an exhilarating rush. Fuck that place. Fuck Roberts. Fuck Farber. They could all suck a dick.
It was like I'd just torn off a pair of blinders and could see clearly for the first time in forever. Why was I going back there? For what? A job that wasn't rewarding in the slightest, a firm that didn't value me in any real way, a life without friends besides Elaine or lovers who knew exactly what buttons to push to make me hot, to make me scream. A love life without one boyfriend, let alone two. Why would I choose that over what I had here?
In Bridgewater, I had a family legacy. I had roots. I had a town full of people who seemed to truly care about me. Maybe most importantly, I had something a lot like love.
Holy shit. Love.
The thought of Sam and Jack made my heart squeeze in my chest. Maybe they were right and what we had was the real deal. I'd felt more in just a few days than I had my entire marriage with Chad. The only way I would know for sure was if I saw this through, whatever the hell it was. I remembered Jack's term, lightning. Could lightning strike at an airport bar?
The bartender grinned broadly as he held up the wine bottle, silently asking if I wanted more. I belatedly realized he was returning my smile that wasn't brought on by the wine. I was beaming like a goddamn moron and I didn't care.
Yes, I was soft just as Roberts was telling everyone. I wasn't ruthless. I was nice. Thoughtful. Caring. And I had two men who liked me that way.
That was it. I was done with New York. I was done with misogynist assholes like Roberts and Farber. It was time to say goodbye to a lonely, loveless meaningless existence of competition and struggle. Of a shoebox apartment and trade it in for big skies and bigger men.
Instead of signaling for a refill, I asked for the check.
Adrenaline gave me more of a buzz than the wine. I was really doing this; I was going to quit my job. Better yet, I was going to stay in Bridgewater.
I picked up my cell again before I could overthink it. Just as Jack and Sam had been trying to get me to do, I just stopped analyzing and worrying. I was tired of my fear and insecurities changing my mind and I didn't want to do that. I had to be brave and follow my gut and my heart for once in my life, otherwise I'd end up miserable and loveless like my mother.
My fingers shook as I searched for Sally's contact info and called her. "Sally? Sorry to call after hours. Listen, there's been a change of plans. I'm not ready to sell. Not yet, at least." Her whoop of joy had me holding the phone away from my ear. Seemed she and Violet Kane had been waiting for this call ever since they met me.
After hanging up with Sally I hurried to the gate to have them get my checked bag back. It took talking to two counter representatives, a flight attendant and a manager but I eventually got my bag and told them I'd eat the cost of my ticket.
Fuck my flight, I was going home.
To Bridgewater. To the rooster clock and the hobo figurines.
I don't think I've ever felt lighter than I did walking away from that counter, wheeling my bag behind me. I didn't let myself worry about what I was going to say to Farber when I called him in the morning, or what my parents would think about my decision. All I cared about was getting back to Sam and Jack.
I had to apologize. God, I was such an idiot. I'd been so pissed that they'd thought I'd prioritize money and prestige over Bridgewater and its residents. But why wouldn't they think that? I hadn't known them long and in that time I'd repeatedly chosen work over everything else. They'd spanked me enough times for it. That stopped now. Not the spankings, those were actually pretty hot.
They'd spent so much time showing me what my priorities should be, and I'd been too stubborn to see it. Well, not anymore. I picked up my pace as I headed toward the sliding doors. Now, it was my turn to show them what really mattered to me. I'd nearly reached the exit when I came to a stop. There were my men walking in, looking ridiculously hot. My heart leapt into my throat at the sight of them.
My men. I loved the sound of that. It felt right, just like it felt right when they told me I was their woman. We fit together-now I just had to show them that I'd finally learned my lesson.
CHAPTER NINE
JACK
I heard Sam's sigh of relief as we walked through the airport entrance and spotted Katie. Thank God we caught her before she flew back to New York. We'd wasted too much time debating what we should do after she ran out on us. Sam and I had gotten into an argument over who was to blame for her taking off like that. He'd thought we'd pushed her too hard, but I'd been certain that pushing her was the only way we could get her to open her eyes and see what was right in front of her face.
It wasn't that simple. It had taken Sam his dad's heart attack to come home and realize what he truly wanted. Katie had to put value to her rat race life and decide if it was worth it. For some, the decision wasn't fast and Katie was so damn smart she'd analyze every bit of it before she worked it out. Having the two of us loom and push her, spank her ass, wasn't going to help.
We'd just agreed that we would give her space for the rest of the night when Cara called and told us that Katie had sent her a text with instructions on where to find Charlie's house key. It seemed our Katie had taken off. Bolted. She'd made her decision.
There went the idea of giving her space. Sam and I didn't waste time talking it over, we ran out, hopped into my truck and sped to the airport. On the way we'd both realized the one thing we hadn't told her was that we were in love with her. We weren't just two cowboys looking to scratch her itch. We weren't two men who wanted a woman. No, we wanted her because our hearts belonged to her. Perhaps if we'd led with that, maybe we wouldn't have needed to chase after her.
The moment we entered the terminal, we saw her.
I turned to Sam with a grin. It looked like we'd made it just in time.
She was rushing toward us, pulling her suitcase behind her, but she stopped short at the sight of us. For a second there, I thought about throwing her over my shoulder and taking her home. She was meant to be with us and if she didn't realize that by now, she sure as hell would after we fucked her brains out all night. But we'd been doing the caveman routine ever since we met her. Yes, she needed dominant men in her life since while she was smart and headstrong and a damn fine lawyer, she was also submissive. We'd been trying to clear her mind of her insanity, but we'd also kept her from working through it all. It took every ounce of my control to let her have the space she needed to figure it out, just as long as she didn't get on that damn plane.
The blank look of surprise on her face was replaced by a giant smile and all the tension eased out of my body at that gorgeous sight. Sam came up beside me and muttered, "Thank God."
Amen to that. A second later and she ditched the bag and came running over to us. I caught her in my arms and swooped her up so I could plant a kiss on those soft lips. I crushed her to me, hoping she could feel everything I couldn't say just then. Like how terrified I'd been that she'd left for good, and how glad I was that she'd come to her senses.
She kissed me back with that fiery intensity of hers before wiggling her body so she could slither down to the ground. Sam caught her the moment her feet touched the terminal floor and pulled her into an embrace of his own.
Sam never was one to be outdone. Especially not by me.
After they shared a kiss that nearly set off the sprinklers, I tapped him on the shoulder and he pulled back, letting a dazed Katie stumble back into my arms. I wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her upright. "Going somewhere, sweetness?"
Fuck, I hoped not.
She shook her head. "Not anymore."
Sam stepped forward to reach a hand out and brush her cheek. "Were you crying, doll?"
Nodding, she said, "I was upset. It was stupid."
I exchanged a look with Sam. I'd learned my lesson on pushing Katie too hard, but he gave me a nod. "So, since you're not on your flight, does that mean you're going to stay here a little longer?"
"No."
What the hell? For the first time it occurred to me that maybe her flight was just delayed. Or maybe she'd booked a later flight.