Dalton, Tymber - Contractual Obligation (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (26 page)

Tate didn’t have the patience to deal with his worry about Harper and Doug’s bruised ego at the same time. Harper would always take precedence. “Look, I know you’re not used to hearing stuff like this from me, but suck it up. When she’s out of surgery, she’s going to need us.”

* * * *

Doug knew Tate was right, but he couldn’t stop beating himself up over this. He’d outright lied to Harper about himself from the start. He had no business feeling hurt over the fact that she hadn’t told him about her diabetes. When Gorden showed up, he pulled up short when he spotted Doug.

“Hello, Doug.”

He nodded to him. “Gorden.”

Gorden looked from him to Tate and back. “Well, I’m sure there’s going to be an interesting story to hear later, but for now I’ll settle on knowing how Harper’s doing.”

“We haven’t heard from the OR yet,” Tate said. “They said they’d let us know. Did you get in touch with Harrison?”

Gorden took a seat across from them and shook his head. “No. He’s down at Boca, probably out on the boat and can’t hear his phone.” He crossed his arms and stared at Tate.

“Don’t start with me, Gorden,” Tate said, sounding weary. “I’m so not in the mood for it today.”

Gorden arched an eyebrow at him. “I didn’t say a word.”

“You gave me the look.”

Doug watched the interplay like a Ping-Pong match. Obviously, Tate had a different relationship with Gorden than he’d had. And that was another thing. “Why,” Doug asked Gorden, “didn’t you tell me about Tate?”

Gorden shrugged. “I was ordered not to. Do you honestly think I’m going to cross her? And don’t even start with me, son. I don’t know the whole story, but I can guess what it’s going to be. Your glass house isn’t rockproof.”

Doug shut up. He knew he deserved that and more. Every bit of it.

Fifteen minutes later, a nurse came out to talk to them. Harper’s condition was stable. The problem was her appendix, but despite the infection, it hadn’t ruptured yet, so that was good. Had it been a couple hours later, however, it might not have ended well. Surgery would take a while longer, and then she’d be moved to recovery.

The men thanked her and sat down to wait some more.

Four hours later, Harper was out of recovery and in a private room. The men gathered around her bed once they were allowed to visit her.

Doug felt a little jealous that her first pained, sleepy smile was for Tate. He swallowed that back.

Tate leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. “Hey there, sleepy. How you feeling?”

“Been better,” she whispered, but the faintest of smiles curled her lips. She turned her head to look at Doug. “Welcome home.”

He forced a smile and also leaned in to kiss her forehead. “Sorry it wasn’t under better circumstances, sweetie.”

Gorden stepped in, forcing Doug to move out of the way. “Hey, sweetheart. I’ve been trying to call your dad, but I think he’s on the boat.”

She nodded. “It’s okay. Don’t let him freak out too much when you talk to him.”

“I promise nothing. You know how he is.”

She offered up another weak smile. “Can I talk to Doug and Tate alone, please? Just for a couple of minutes.”

Gorden glared at the men and then nodded. “All right. I’ll be outside the door if you need me.”

When the three of them were alone, she looked at Tate, then Doug. “I guess he told you what happened.”

Doug stroked her hair. “Yeah.”

“I want you two to be happy.”

“We’ve got news for you,” Tate interrupted. “We’re changing the terms of the contract.”

“What?”

Doug nodded. “You’re getting a two-fer. We both love you, and neither of us is giving you up.”

She looked confused. “What?”

Tate took her hand in his. “If you think you’re getting rid of either of us, or of both of us, think again. The only way the two of us will leave you is if you order us gone.”

* * * *

Maybe it was the aftereffects of the anesthesia. “What are you saying?” She couldn’t comprehend it.

“What we’re saying,” Doug said, “is that the three of us”—he pointed at Tate, her, and then himself—“are going to have a happily ever after together.”

“But what will people say?”

Tate snorted. “Since when has that ever factored in anything you’ve done? If you want, we can still go along, at least for now publicly, with the charade that it’s just Doug that’s your boyfriend.” He stroked her cheek. “At home, however, be prepared for your social calendar to be full. Because you are stuck with us.”

This couldn’t be happening. Sure, she’d fantasized about it, especially after all the erotica books she’d read and then falling for Tate, but she never dreamed it would be something they’d want to do, too. “You mean it?” she whispered.

Both men nodded. “Damn straight we mean it,” Doug said. “And we’ll show you exactly how much we mean it once you’re better and out of this hospital bed. You’ll be lucky if you can walk straight.”

She laughed, then moaned over the pain it caused. “Please don’t make me laugh.”

“Sorry,” he said. He gently squeezed her hand. “And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Tate. I just wanted to help my family. I didn’t do it trying to take advantage of you. I really do love you.” He looked at Tate. “And Tate. If you both still want me after all this, there’s no way in hell I’ll walk away from either of you ever again.”

Maybe it was the pain meds. Maybe it was the fact that, due to the surgery and the pain, she felt more alone and vulnerable than she ever had in her life.

Maybe she was just certifiably insane.

She nodded as she started crying.

The men gathered around her, trying to reassure and calm her. “It’s okay,” Tate softly said. “We’re here. You’ll never be alone again, baby.”

“Yeah,” Doug agreed. “We’ll take care of you. We promise.”

She was still crying and holding both of their hands when Gorden returned a few minutes later. When he saw her tears, he exploded. “What the hell have you two assholes said to her?”

He started toward the men, but Harper found the strength to sit up. “No, Gorden, it’s okay,” she reassured him even as she pulled the men’s hands more tightly to her. “I want them here. I love them.”

He pulled up short. “Them?”

She nodded. “Them,” she softly repeated.

“What the hell is going on?”

Tate brushed the hair away from her forehead. “It’s a long story, and I’m sure you’re not going to like parts of it, but rest assured, Doug and I promise we’re going to take good care of her.”

“Forever,” Doug emphasized, his sweet brown eyes never leaving hers.

Gordon stood there, silent, for a long moment. “You’re trying to tell me it’s going to be the three of you, together?”

“Yeah,” Tate said. He looked at Gorden. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“I have a problem with the fact that you two seem to be playing some sort of game with her heart.”

“It’s no game,” Harper said, struggling to speak up and make herself heard despite her weariness and pain. “I love both of them, and they love me. You’ll have to get used to the fact that our family business really is now a family business.” She lay back, the men helping ease her onto her pillows. “If I’m to run this company, I insist on them being part of it.”

Gorden heavily sat in one of the chairs. “I’m not explaining this to your father. You get that pleasure. He’s going to shit himself. Do you honestly think he’s going to be okay with this arrangement?”

“I don’t care if he’s okay with it or not. He has no choice but to be okay with it or keep his opinions to himself if he wants to be part of my life.” She looked from Doug to Tate, then back to Gorden. “No, I didn’t know Doug and Tate were together before Doug started this job. It’s okay. I understand his rationale. He didn’t do it to play games, he did it to help his family. I’m just lucky enough that both these guys love me as much as I love them.”

Gorden started to reply when his phone rang. He let out a joyless laugh. “Great. That’s your father.” He answered, started to speak, then Harper motioned for Gorden to hand the phone to her.

“Hold on, here’s Harper.” He brought her the phone.

“Honey? What’s wrong? What’s the matter?” Her father sounded frantic.

“I’m okay, Daddy. I’m in the hospital.”

“What!”

“It’s okay. I had surgery. Appendicitis. I’m going to be fine.” She couldn’t say anything else because of the flurry of questions on the other end of the line from her father. When he settled down, she continued. “Daddy, everyone tried to get hold of you. I’m okay. I’m out of surgery and in a—”

“What hospital? I’m on my way right now.”

“Daddy, it’s okay. I don’t need you rushing up here and getting yourself hurt.” She glanced around the room, her gaze ending up on Tate. “I have Tate and Doug and Gorden here with me. I’m okay. Please promise me you’ll take your time.”

He was silent for a moment. “Doug’s back?”

“Yes.”

“But what about Tate? I was under the impression that you two were—”

She sighed. “Please, Daddy, we can leave that for later. They’re okay, we’re okay, everything’s okay, I’m okay. Okay?”

He finally let out a snort. “Okay. Now where the hell are you?”

“I’ll let Gorden tell you that. Love you.”

“I love you, too. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”

“Get a shower before you come up here or you’ll stink like bait.”

He laughed. “Yes, ma’am. Now I know you’ll be okay if you’re handing out orders.”

She handed the phone back to Gorden, who gave him the info and then hung up. “Well, he warned me we’re going to have a long talk.” He waggled his finger at Harper. “I’m pointing him straight back to you, young lady.”

She closed her eyes as she nodded. “No problem.”

Gorden was going to say something else when the nurse came in. “Sorry, guys, I need to get her vitals, give her more meds, and she really needs her rest.”

Harper didn’t open her eyes, but squeezed Tate and Doug’s hands before releasing them. “Go get something to eat and get your own showers. Someone please bring my phone and laptop.”

Doug leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Phone, yes. Laptop, not until you’re feeling better. I’ll bring you your Kindle and you can research.”

Her eyes popped open. Both Doug and Tate were smirking. Gorden shook his head.

“I don’t want to know. Don’t tell me.”

“No problem,” she agreed.

Tate leaned in and kissed her, too, then Gorden. “Get some rest, sweetheart.”

“I will. I promise.”

* * * *

Tate knew Gorden wouldn’t wait long. He turned on them in the hallway, down by the elevators. “Spill it. Now.”

Tate and Doug exchanged glances, before Tate took over and gave Gorden the short version while Doug suddenly found his shoes very interesting to stare at. When he finished the story, Gorden stared at him, then Doug.