She nodded, even though she wasn’t so sure of that. Faulty wiring seemed too coincidental. She had a feeling there was nothing accidental about her mother’s home burning to the ground.
She allowed Jack to slowly walk her toward the car, hoping all along that she was wrong.
The next morning dawned and with it a quiet sense that, even though something terrible had happened, all was finally right with her world. Jack had done his thing and, before Sam had even gotten them all home, had made arrangements for a nurse to join Diane fulltime until she was completely done with therapy. Abby had been able to go to sleep knowing her mother was safe and well taken care of. She had fallen asleep with her head on Jack’s chest and Sam pressed against her back. Sometime in the night, she came to the conclusion that she was being crazy. No one would go so far as to torch her childhood home. That would be the work of an insane person. It had to be coincidence. Or maybe, she thought as she woke up cuddled between two gorgeous men, it was just fate.
After hopping over to check in on her mom, Abby joined her fiancés for breakfast in the dining room. There was a small breakfast table in the kitchen, but Jack had been explicit in his instructions. They would use the large dining room. Abby wasn’t sure why they went so formal for breakfast when she was dressed in one of Sam’s shirts and his robe, but she went with it.
“How is your mom?” Jack asked as she walked in.
Abby walked over and kissed him soundly. “She’s great, thanks to you.” She walked around the table to Sam. “And you.” After giving him a kiss, she took her seat and a small, older woman walked in carrying a pot of coffee. She smiled readily.
“Abigail,” Jack began, “this is our housekeeper, Benita Wells. You would have met her earlier if you hadn’t stolen my truck and run away.”
Abby wrinkled her nose in dismay at Jack before turning to the fifty-something woman with steel gray hair and kind eyes. She shook her head indulgently at the men, and Abby got the feeling Benita viewed herself as a mother figure.
“Glad to meet you,” Abby said.
“It is good to meet you as well.” Benita smoothed down her white apron. “My husband works as the foreman here on the ranch. We live in a small house out beyond the swimming pool. I think you will love it here. It’s a beautiful place, though it needs a woman’s touch.”
Sam was busy shoveling scrambled eggs on his plate. “Benita has been bugging us to redecorate for years.”
Benita shook her head sadly as she gestured to the room around her. “I remember the seventies. They should go away.”
Jack winked at his housekeeper. “I’ll call a decorator. Abigail, I’m sure, will get busy shoving the age of disco out of the house.”
A little light gleamed in Benita’s eyes. “We should also discuss updating the kitchen. Much progress has been made in appliances in the last forty years. Were you aware, Miss Abigail, that they now have machines that wash dishes?”
Abby schooled herself to look properly impressed. “I had not heard. We should look into that.”
Benita nodded and walked to the door that led to the kitchen. “Excellent. I am off, then. I have some grocery shopping to do. I sent some muffins and coffee over to the guest house and asked Mrs. Moore to join us for lunch at twelve-thirty. I’ll lock up as I leave.”
“Set the alarm, as well.” Jack took a sip of his coffee. “Thank you.”
Abby poured herself some coffee and decided she might be able to get used to the idea of having a housekeeper. It was rather nice to have breakfast she hadn’t prepared for herself.
“Why are we turning on the alarm in the middle of the day? And why are all the blinds closed?” The overhead light was on, but outside was a bright, beautiful day. Abby had been happy with the gorgeous blue sky overhead as she walked the short distance from the big house to her mother’s place. It was a perfect fall day in Texas. In the distance, Abby had been able to see the hands already hard at work.
“I thought you would prefer the privacy, sweetheart,” Jack murmured. “I know I don’t particularly want my employees to see my future wife naked. Take off the clothes, Abby.”
Abby looked between Jack and Sam, but neither gave any appearance that Jack had been joking. Sam was contentedly eating his breakfast and watching her with pointed fascination. Jack was starting to get impatient. His long fingers drummed against the table.
“Abigail, when I give you a direct order, I expect you to comply.”
“You said you were only really in charge in the bedroom.” Abby repeated his words from the previous night. She was a little shocked at the idea, but it wasn’t offending her, per se. She simply hadn’t thought of it before.
Jack put down his coffee, and the paper beside him was forgotten. “Then let me rephrase. I am in charge of our private life. When we’re alone, I want you naked. I’ve done everything I can to ensure your privacy, and now I expect you to keep the promise you made to me last night.”
“He’s serious,” Sam offered with a sigh. “You should really drop the clothes, or he’ll take them off you himself.”
Abby’s hand went to the tie of the robe. She shrugged out of it. “I wonder how this is going to work when I’m eighty.”
Jack looked at her with a very serious expression on his face. “Maybe you should think about this, Abigail. I know we’re demanding a lot from you. You need to understand this isn’t some phase that’s going to pass. When you’re eighty, I will still think you’re beautiful. I will still consider your body mine, and I will still want you naked.”
Abby pulled the shirt over her head and blinked back tears. She wondered if he knew he’d said the precise thing to make her comfortable. For a man who didn’t talk a lot, he always knew what to say to her. Abby sat back in her chair, enjoying the way both men’s eyes had gone slightly glassy at the sight of her naked body.
“So when we’re alone at night watching television or I’m reading a book…?”
“I’ll want you naked and cuddled up with me.” Jack leaned forward, touching his hand to hers. “We’ll sit on the couch, and you’ll be between me and Sam.”
Sam had his chin propped on his hand, watching Abby with a happy grin. “You’re better than TV, Abby. I think you’re really pretty naked.”
“Why, Samuel Fleetwood,” Abby teased, “I had no idea you were attracted to me.”
“Besides the fact that I practically humped your leg the first time I saw you?” Sam teased right back. “I’ll have to be less subtle.”
“Not this morning you won’t.” Jack pushed his chair back slightly. “Come here, Abby.”
Abby got out of her chair and realized she was already wet. Just being naked and having their eyes on her was making her hot. She wondered when she would get used to them. She hoped never. Jack patted his lap. Abby sat down obligingly, and Jack’s arm went around her waist securely, holding her to him. He offered her a warm blueberry muffin, which she took gratefully. He then proceeded to go back to reading his paper. It was all Abby could do not to laugh. Most men didn’t peruse the paper while naked women ate breakfast in their laps. But, it didn’t seem to bother Jack in the least.
“The organic alfalfa we ordered is coming in today.” Jack continued to read as he spoke to Sam. As far as Abby could tell, it was some article on business.
“Good thing, too,” Sam replied, and then they were off on a discussion of all the work coming up later in the year. Abby quickly learned that there were a whole bunch of cows having calves this spring. Abby didn’t inject herself into the conversation, preferring to listen to the two men talk. Their easy manner with each other was the result of a long, intimate friendship.