Taking a Gamble on Three of a Kind (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (7 page)

Jenny could read the unfinished sentence in his eyes.
Whatever it takes to get you out of here so our parents can be alone.

* * * *

The Raven’s Cove was in the next town. It had taken them a good forty-five minutes to get there. Adam drove the Lexus. She and Justin sat in the back, however, Luke and Adam kept the conversation going between all four of them. Justin didn’t relay any more stories of their childhood. He mostly talked about the house he was renting. He invited her to come over for a visit.

“I could use a woman’s perspective,” he said. “It’s a little rundown, but I think it has possibilities.”

“We’ll see,” she had said noncommittally. The last thing she wanted was to get too friendly with their cousin. She had a feeling that Justin would have liked nothing better. He was sitting a little too close to her, and his arm had sneaked over the back of the seat. He wasn’t touching her, but it was a level of intimacy she wasn’t sure she entirely liked, although she had to admit she was attracted to him.

The fact was, she was attracted to all three of them. The thought crossed her mind that part of the reason for Justin’s move to Brilliance could be because they wanted a woman they could enjoy together. She had no doubt that April would be up for it once she met their handsome cousin if she hadn’t already. Why did that thought bother her? It shouldn’t. She had no reason to be jealous of April’s relationship with any of them. She wasn’t vying for their attention. The only reason she was in their company now was because of her mother’s relationship with their father.

Once they started dancing, she was glad she had relented to come out with them. Justin was every bit as good a dancer as his cousins. When Luke ordered beers for the table, she was glad to have it to drown her thirst. The beers were going down all too easily between the band’s sets. By the end of the evening, she was feeling a little tipsy.

“You want another beer?” Luke asked, looking at her empty bottle.

“No, I think I’ve had enough. This was fun.”

“I told you the doctor knows best,” he said, taking her hand. She started to pull away, but he held it firmly. “Let’s see,” he said, turning her hand palm up. “I’m not a palm reader, but you can tell a lot about a person by their hand.”

“Did they teach you that in med school?” she asked.

“No. I learned this technique from a friend of mine. She’s into future-telling kind of stuff.”

“He means,” Adam said, leaning across the table to grab her other hand, “Alisha’s into holistic medicine. I think we were peeing green tea for months.” He ended with a laugh that made her laugh, too.

“You see this line,” he said, pointing to her palm, “that one means you’re stubborn, and this one,” he continued, “means you’re very sensual. I think I got that line, too.”

She took her hand back. “You’re quacks,” she said with a giggle.

“Quacks,” both Adam and Luke said in unison.

Justin joined in. “It was only a matter of time before the truth came out.”

“Damn, and here we thought our secret was safe,” Luke said.

“Speaking of secrets,” Jenny said, looking directly at Luke, “Why haven’t you told your father you’re seeing April Mathews? According to her, you guys are practically married.” As soon as she said it, she wanted to take it back. It was a bitchy thing to say. If there had been a hole somewhere, she would have dove into it.

“Should you tell her or should I?” Adam asked.

“Tell me what?”

“You’ve ruined us for all other women,” Luke said with mock seriousness.

“It was seeing you naked,” Adam added.

“Whoa there,” Justin all but shouted. “You’ve seen her without her clothes on?”

“You know, Adam…I’m beginning to think you’re as bad as Luke,” Jenny said, glaring between the two men.

“When did this happen?” Justin asked.

“When I was maybe six,” Jenny said, grabbing her bottle of beer. She took a long swig.

“That’s why your father hated us, you know,” Adam said. “Well, maybe he didn’t hate us, but whenever we ran into him, we both got the feeling he didn’t want us anywhere near you.”

“We were just kids.”

“Kids or not, we pretty much knew that you were off-limits,” Luke answered.

“But she’s not off-limits anymore, right?” Justin asked with a big smile on his face. “I mean, seeing her without her clothes now might inspire me to be a doctor.”

“Don’t go there, Justin,” Luke warned.

“Okay,” Jenny said, thinking this would be a good place to end the night. “It’s time for me to go home.”

“Sorry, Jenny. I was just teasing you,” Justin said. “Don’t run away.”

“I’m not. It really is time to go.”

She was surprised there was no argument. Justin picked up their tab, and they left the Raven’s Cove without delay. Once again, she and Justin sat in the backseat together. No one said much. It was a quiet ride. They were approaching her street when Justin suddenly turned to her.

“I know you’re tired, but I’d love it if you came over to see my place. It isn’t that late. How about it? I promise I’ll watch my mouth and you don’t have to stay that long.”

He was looking back at her expectantly. She knew it was a bad idea, but he pleaded so nicely. His dark hair was even longer than Luke’s and hung down into his eyes that were magnetic. Powerless to look away, he seemed to be willing her to say what he wanted to hear.

“Okay. But just for a few minutes.”

His smile widened to show even, white teeth. She was glad she had made him happy. It was such a little thing to see his place, and it would most likely be her only chance. He would probably blame her, too, when her mother broke up with his Uncle Jack.

“You two okay with that?” he yelled toward the front of the car, not breaking his gaze with her.

“Whatever Jenny wants,” Adam began.

“Jenny gets,” Luke finished.

Justin opened the door and turned on the hall light. The house was old and in need of repair. The wooden floors held no shine, and many of the outlets had been pulled. The furniture was new, but everything else, from the faded wallpaper to the worn drapes looked like they had seen better days. There was a toolbox sitting on the one of the steps that led to the upstairs.

“It does need work,” he said. “It’s going to take time. However, before I get into the heavy stuff, I want to be sure that I’m settling here.”

“Well, the place has a lot of potential,” Jenny said kindly.

“I think so,” Justin said with a smile. “Come and sit down. The sofa is new and clean.”

“Holy shit,” Luke said, looking around. “Maybe you should be staying with us until you get this place fixed up a bit. Looks like something out of a horror movie.”

“Now, it doesn’t look that bad,” Adam said. “Jenny’s right. It has a lot of potential.”

“After that remark,” Justin said, giving Luke a look of disgust, “I’m not sure I even want to show you the kitchen.”

Jenny was about to sit down on the sofa, when she stopped herself. “I want to see the kitchen.”

The three of them followed Justin down the hall and into what had one time probably been a very workable kitchen. Now the sink was rusty, and the stove didn’t even look like it worked. The refrigerator was one of the small ones that people used for their offices. The cupboards for the most part had no doors, and the counters were stained.

“Okay, I stand corrected,” Luke joked. “It’s beautiful.”

Justin laughed. “I know, it’s a mess. But for now, it’s all I’ve got.”

“It’s good you’re in construction,” Adam said.

“Construction.” Luke all but hooted. “I think demolition is what this place needs.”

“If I buy it, I’m getting it pretty cheap. I’ll have the money to fix it up.”

“They should pay you to take it,” Luke said. “However, if anyone can make this place look great, it’s you, Justin.”

“Why thank you, Luke. Did you just give me a compliment?”

“I think he did,” Jenny said, walking over to the sink and looking out the window that was above it. It was dark, but for a small outdoor light. She could see it had a nice big backyard.

Justin walked over and stood behind her. “Your mother told me she had a few things she needed fixing. I’d be glad to help her out. I wouldn’t charge.”

“Did she? I think the house is fine. But regardless, we don’t do freebies.”

“Hell, we’re practically family,” he said, taking a step closer. “Families help each other.”

“Well, we’re not family…yet,” she added, not wanting to sound too severe. “So, let’s keep it business for now.”

“I’ve got a few beers in the frig,” Justin said, taking a step back.

“I’ll have one,” Luke said from behind them.

“Me, too,” Adam said going to the small frig to help himself. He pulled out four bottles. “One for you, too, Jenny?” he asked, looking her way.

“Sure.”

They wandered back into the living room and sat down. She found herself between Luke and Adam. Justin sat in the chair across from them.

“What are your plans now that you’re staying home, Jenny?” Luke asked, reaching for her bottle and twisting off the cap.

“Thanks,” she said before she took a sip. “Get a job and make some money.”

“Doing what?” You said something about helping out your mother? I thought maybe you were going into the real estate business with her?”

She wished Luke would stop with the questions. She should have just gone home and put an end to the evening. Now she had all three of them staring at her like she had three heads. None of them, including their father, liked the idea that she wasn’t going back to school. She had a feeling they suspected something was going on that neither she nor her mother was telling them.

“Look, I know you all think it’s a mistake that I’m not going back to school. Why you care, I have no idea. But for the record, I’m not going back because I don’t want to. Sometimes you need a break and the comment about my mom needing help…well, she’s my mom, and I’ve been away from her too long as Adam pointed out to me the other night. And to be honest, she’s still not over my dad’s death.”

“It’s been awhile, and from what I’ve seen,” Adam said, reaching for Jenny’s hand, “she seems to be coping with it okay, and I think my Dad’s helped. I know she’s helped him.”

“That’s nice,” Jenny said, knowing she was treading on dangerous ground. “But things aren’t always what they seem. You’ll just have to trust me on that one.”

“Are you against her marrying our father?” Adam asked, still holding her hand.

“I don’t think she’s ready to marry anyone.”

Justin leaned closer to them. “And what about you, Jenny, are you seeing anyone?”

Although she was happy to take the conversation in another direction, she wasn’t about to discuss her sex life with them. “No. I’m not seeing anyone.” She wasn’t lying. She hadn’t been seeing anyone steady since she had broken up with Michael before the end of the previous semester.

He smiled. “I’m glad. Although if you were, it might be easier for you to let your mother go.”

“He’s right,” Adam said.

She realized Adam was still holding her hand. She slipped it out from his. “One has nothing to do with the other. I’ve never been jealous of your father. That is what you’re implying, right?” She was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. She took a gulp of her beer.

“If the shoe fits…” Luke said.

“This conversation is over. You have got to stop interrogating me. I’m tired of it.”

“If I thought you were telling the truth, I would,” Luke said, putting his beer bottle down on the floor next to the sofa. He turned to her. “What’s going on, Jenny? Something doesn’t feel right here.”

“Oh, so now you’re into feelings, is that it? You don’t know me. I’m just a kid you knew when we growing up and we weren’t friends, and the fact is we’re not friends now. The only reason we’re here talking is because my mother and your father wanted their
alone
time. Well, they’ve had it, and now I’m going home.”

She got up quickly, too quickly, as her foot snagged Luke’s beer bottle and the remaining contents spilled onto the floor. “Damn,” she said.

“That’s okay. Beer won’t hurt these floors,” Justin said, getting up to go in the kitchen.

Luke picked up the bottle. “Why are you in such a hurry to get away from us?”

“Honestly. Dancing was fun, but talking with you is something else entirely. It’s not fun. What gives you the right to think you can delve into my personal life and that of my mother’s? And don’t say it’s because of your father. They’ve just been seeing each other. You’re taking it a lot more seriously than either of them are, especially my mother.”

“You don’t think they care for one another? Did you see the way they look at each other?”

Luke had a habit of standing way too close when he was talking to her. She was afraid she was going to lose her balance again. “It’s just sex, that’s all.” She immediately brought her hand to her mouth. She hadn’t meant to say that. It sounded so crass.