Independence: #4 Hayley (27 page)

“Gram…” Hayley gaped, her mouth open in surprise. “You investigated my friends?”

“We’ve always worried about you, Hayley. We tried beating it into Marshal’s head that he needed to stop trying to wrap you in cotton,” she tsked and patted Hayley’s hands where they were twisting together. “Relax, child.” She drew in a long breath, her laughter nervous. “I never thought I’d speak of this again…but I think there’s a little history you need to know.”

“History? About you and gramps?”

“Oh, sweetie…” Charlotte leaned forward, taking both Hayley’s hands in her own. “I was so much younger than you when I met Neal and Marshal Russell. They weren’t much older…barely a year or two. Marshal was a year older than Neal…and both had such dreams. This place was wide open and filled with possibilities,” she paused, making certain she had Hayley’s focus. “And I fell in love. My parents weren’t very approving…but we didn’t care…we were isolated out here…who would ever know…” she inhaled very slowly, watching the information sink in.

Hayley stared, waiting. Until she repeated the words in her mind. Her mouth opened and formed an ‘OH’ before she clamped it shut. Her eyes widened and her lips pursed in a confused little frown.

“Gram…are you saying…”

“You’ve seen the old photos in the main building, Hayley. What did you see? Describe them for me,” she urged with a little smile.

“I…you and Gramps and…you were all so young and they were quite handsome…and you looked so very happy…” Hayley thought about the albums of old photos. “And you were always together,” she said very slowly. “The three of you were…”

“I was pregnant before I was married. We’re fairly certain your father is Marshal’s son,” Charlotte said softly. “I wouldn’t marry because I wouldn’t choose. I’d never seen two brother’s so very close and considerate of one another…and of me. If one wasn’t taking care of me, the other was,” she wiped her fingers over her cheek, a tear for the man she’d lost so long ago. “I didn’t know I had a big enough heart to love them both, but I refused to believe it impossible. Refused to give up either one of them. How could I take their happiness away by denying either of them? How could I take away half my heart…”

“Gram…” Hayley slid closer, her arms wrapped around the older woman’s shoulders. She could feel the pain she spoke of; she could imagine it tearing her apart to watch one of them walk away from her. “Oh, Gram…”

Chapter Twenty-Six

She was never so grateful for waterproof mascara before. They held one another, their tears falling silently for a long moment. Hayley lifted her head to find a clean white hanky dangled before her face. Another dangled before her grandmother’s forehead.

“I had a feeling you’d need me,” Neal Russell said firmly, sitting at his wife’s side and taking her against him.

Hayley felt herself handed off and took the hanky, dabbing and sniffling. She recognized the scent; Dane’s cologne slightly different than Jack’s. She smiled.

“I thought after all this time…” Charlotte sniffed into the hanky. “I thought I’d be able to talk about him…”

“You loved him, Lottie…he’s always been with us,” Neal kissed her forehead. “Every time I look at Marshal, I see my brother all over again…and I’m quite proud of him and of his children. He managed to see his son Marshall Neal and spend time with him. That was our last trip to Alaska. Bringing back the bad news of his loss…that was the hardest thing I’d ever done in our life. You were so broken…so sad for such a long time…I worried for you and our babe…”

“She’s much stronger than you imagined,” Jack remarked softly, his hand stroking gently over Hayley’s head. “I can understand that completely.”

“Our girl is much stronger than some will give her credit for,” Dane agreed with a nod. “I’m sorry you had to relive this, Mrs. Russell.”

“No, young man, I’m not reliving it at all. I’m grateful for the memories I have and glad I could finally speak of it without fear someone wouldn’t understand,” Charlotte lifted her head with a watery smile. “We argued. I’m sure, just as you’ll argue. But when we made up…”

“Gram!” Hayley’s hand went to cover her mouth.

“And she still blushes...so much like you, Lottie,” Neal commented with a chuckle. “When we first met her…I was positive we’d battle it out and I’d lose my brother…or I’d lose my heart…but she wouldn’t let that happen. She argued like a lawyer with a life on the line,” he recalled with a shake of his head. “Then she introduced us to others in relationships that were far from conventional. There was an incredible shortage of women in the territory. It was still pretty raw and men who traveled to create their fortunes, didn’t bring along a young bride.”

“Does dad know?”

“Your father knows,” Charlotte answered. “He’s known since he had his appendix scare when he was much younger. His only comment…” she shook her head at the memory. “Dad never treated me any differently than the others. Well, of course not! You’re our son. Period. And you always will be our son. Silly thoughts…I have photos…not ones I wanted shared with the history. These are private. But I showed your father…Marsh had a year with him…”

“It would have been different if Marshal had lived,” Neal said quietly. “They’d have all grown up with two fathers and never given it a second thought.”

“You miss him,” Jack said softly, letting Hayley lean away. She straightened her shoulders and inhaled very slowly, very deeply.

“Even after all this time…” Neal sighed. “Yes. Our parents died when I was seventeen…he was eighteen. We thought we were so smart and planned and struck out for the west to make our claim on some of the land. Then we met up with this scrawny girl with more spunk than…” he stopped and looked at the younger trio. “Just like you,” he concluded with a smile at Hayley. “Enough gumption to stand up to your father when you announced you were going to be a vet at the age of nine. Enough to push your way into the vet office with your uncle James at the age of eight. And more than enough to knock your brother’s nose back into place about your life and your choices.”

“Thank you,” Hayley hugged her grandmother. “I don’t know how to explain it to him. We’re honestly friends…”

“I’m not a fool, child, and neither are you,” Charlotte told her. “Maybe you haven’t faced it yet, but I can see it. In all of you. How you deal with it…well, that’s your business. But don’t think for a minute that it’ll be easy. No matter what path you take…I’ll be here for you. Remember that. Heaven knows I love your brother, but he has his own family to worry about now. Tell him to let you worry about yours,” she said with a wink.

“Give the boy time. He’ll come around,” Neal promised with a laugh. “It isn’t something some can grasp as easily as others. I remember talks with Marsh…we both thought we’d lose our minds…that it was an insane thing to consider. But we weren’t cowards.”

“I never set out to…” Hayley stopped, still uncertain about the feelings inside her.

“No, Hayley, it isn’t something we expect to find, but it is a wonderful thing. You and I…we’ll talk more when we’re alone,” she promised with a wink. Charlotte gripped her granddaughter’s hand tightly. “Your young men are silent. Come back and share the table with us. I think we should get to know one another.”

“I think we’d enjoy that a great deal, Mrs. Russell,” Dane held his hand out, his fingers closing around Hayley’s when she responded without hesitation. “I’ll take her to the restroom first, though, and meet you three at the table.”

His free hand went around her waist as they walked from the banquet hall, down the wide corridor.

“We didn’t expect to find a partner when we met Hayley,” Jack said quietly as they walked among people and tables. “We’ve been friends and business partners for so long, though…”

“Just like me and Marshal,” Neal remarked, holding the chair for Charlotte and leaning to kiss her. “I know that wasn’t easy for you, love. But I think it was very well done.”

“She’s our girl,” Charlotte said simply. “She deserves to know she’s not…not an aberration simply because she cares for more than one person.”

“We haven’t spoken about tomorrow, Mrs. Russell.”

“And you can either call me Charlotte or Gram, Jack. I haven’t been Mrs. Russell for eons and I’d like to keep it that way.”

Jack wasn’t sure of his reply until Neal laughed.

“She’s passed the attitude on to her granddaughter, Jack, so you’d better adjust. It’s been a long time coming…seeing our girl stand up to the males in this family. Too long…no matter how much I lectured my sons…and their sons…”

“And I’d bet the more they tried, the more she fought them,” Jack said thoughtfully. “She enjoys being a girl. But she can’t stand the limitations some place on her because of her gender. She’s a lot stronger than her brother gives her credit for, Sir.”

“It’s Neal…and I agree. Now we just have to get through my grandson’s hard head.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Negotiations?” Jack repeated slowly as they drove through the night streets toward Independence.

“Yes,” Hayley said firmly. “Aren’t we supposed to have negotiations about the evening?”

“All right,” Dane glanced over at Jack from behind the wheel. “Let’s negotiate.” The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

Jack almost burst out laughing. He could see the expression on her face and that wasn’t the answer she’d expected.

“No blood,” he said quietly, her head bobbing immediately up and down. “Words, sub. He can’t see your head moving while he’s driving.”

“No, Sirs…yes, Sirs…I mean, no blood, true, Sirs,” she rattled off quickly.

“And we won’t share you with others,” Dane continued thoughtfully.

“No. Please. I belong…you’re my…my Sirs…”

“And it’s on your limit list, Hayley,” Jack reminded her.

“Besides, we’ve come to the conclusion we don’t care to share our sub with others. I think we’re in what’s considered a closed triad at the moment,” Dane said with a firm nod of his head. He parked the large truck and stepped from inside. “I’ll get the bag.”

“Then I’ll mind the sub,” Jack teased, helping her from the inside of the truck. Her heels tapped lightly over the cold concrete. He slid an arm around her, pulling her close and slowing her gait while they waited for Dane to join them.

“So how many orgasms should be on the menu for the evening?”

Jack, Dane and Tony, the doorman, burst out laughing at the loud squeak from their sub, her head swiveling from one to the other and finally settling on the ground when they stopped at the door.

“You guys are something else,” Tony said with a chuckle.

“Glad to see you’re back in time for the holidays,” Dane said, his hand out with a solid shake. “Did you finally resign?”

“Last two weeks are paperwork and, yeah…I’m finished,” he answered with a solemn nod. “I think everyone over there has had more than enough.”

“Glad you’re safe,” Jack told him. “This is Hayley…our sub.”

“Good evening, Sir,” she said, her gaze still on the toes of her heels and her cheeks flaming to match the Christmas lights all around the building.

His chuckle was warm and amused. “I heard about the auction. Too bad I didn’t make it back in time. Do you mind?”

Dane felt Hayley go still. Faith that they would never allow someone else to have her was slightly lacking, he thought and gave a nod to Tony.

His hand came up and fisted beneath her chin, tipping her face up for his view beneath the overhead lights. He moved from in front of her and walked casually behind and then returned to his post at the door.

“Very lucky…you two are amazingly fortunate,” he complimented. “So are you deciding on orgasm deprivation or overwhelming her with them tonight?”

Hayley’s eyes grew larger, her lips pursed and she swallowed hard. Jack leaned over her shoulder, his palm sliding over her behind and beneath the dress.

“We’re in negotiations,” he whispered loudly, winking at Tony. “And we have to uncover just what it is she wore beneath this dress tonight.”

“Snuck out of the house without approval?”

“It’s a little more complex than that…” Dane said with a laugh. “I’m sure we’ll approve…”

“So which is it, little sub,” Tony asked with a teasing grin. “Too many orgasms or holding off until the last minute?”

“I…I…” she looked from Dane to Jack, the scowl forming despite her best efforts. “I hoped there would at least be one,” she murmured testily.

“If they fail you, pet, look me up,” Tony told her with a wink, his laugh rich when she flushed a bright shade of rose. “Damn lucky…the two of you. Have a great night.”

“We’ll catch you later and give you our cards, Tony. Keep in touch,” Jack told him, guiding Hayley inside.

“So…interested in an orgasm or two,” Dane remarked as he paid for their entry, offering up a smile at the cashier.

Hayley pursed her lips tightly together, refusing to look at either of them.

She was relieved when they stepped through the thick velvet curtain and Bailey stood glaring at her Sir. He was perched comfortable on a stool and she paced. Hayley shivered, her forward movement hesitant.

“A problem, Gabe?”

“Depends on your definition.” The dark haired Dom responded, the bottle of water lifted and drained. “She wants holiday music.”