“Absolutely, I’ll get everything gathered up. You relax.”
“The hell I will.” She laughed. “I’m going to help so we can get to them faster. I’m anxious to see them.”
“Me, too. I know where they are, and we can be there in under an hour if we hurry.”
Chapter Fourteen
Mary spotted Dillon and Craig atop their horses in the field. “Your brothers are over there, Dan.”
“I see them,” he said.
Dan had brought her from Overlook Ridge so she could tell Dillon and Craig how she felt. That she loved them. Maude would think she was being ridiculous. Her sister wasn’t one who believed in whirlwind romances. But Maude had never been in any serious relationship before. One summer fling was the longest. “Take your time, sis,” Maude always said to her about dating. “You don’t have to rush into anything.”
But unlike her sister, Mary followed her heart. Sometimes it got her into trouble, but like it or not, she couldn’t change. She couldn’t deny how she felt about the three Wilde brothers. She was totally in love with them. Understanding her feelings was impossible, but she knew it was so.
She leaned down and whispered to Rosie. “Come on, girl. Let’s get to those sexy cowboys.”
Rosie broke into a run, and Dan and Star followed.
Mary held onto the reins with one hand and the saddle horn with the other.
Dillon and Craig looked up with questioning eyes.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Dillon said.
“Hello, gorgeous.” Craig dismounted Captain. “Did you cut the interview short with Dan?”
“Yes. Well, no. I just had to talk to you both.” Completely excited and unable to hold back, she blurted out, “I love you. I love all three of you. I want to stay in Wilde. With you. I don’t know how this all works, but I want to find out. I want to see where it goes. I want…I want…I want a life with you.”
“I love you, too.” Craig helped her down off of Rosie and kissed her tenderly. “I don’t know how this happened. Dan, can you fill us in on this?”
Before Dan had a chance to answer, Dillon jumped off of Warrior. “I don’t know how this happened either, but I’m so happy it did. I need to hold our girl.” When Dillon pulled her in close, she melted into his frame. “I love you, sweetheart.” He pressed his lips to hers, and she felt so safe, so happy, so loved.
The three men surrounded her, enveloping her in their arms. The excitement continued to grow and grow inside her.
“Guys, we need to go tell Mom. Your mom and mine. She told me to call her ‘Mom.’ That’s okay with you, isn’t it?”
“Of course it’s okay with us, sweetheart,” Craig said with a laugh. “Now let’s go back to you saying how much you love us before we go tell Mom. I want to hear it again from your beautiful lips.”
“I do love you,” she confessed. “I love you, Craig. I love you, Dillon. I love you, Dan. It’s crazy. I know it is, but it’s true. How is such a thing possible after only knowing each other such a short time?”
“Who knows,” Dillon said. “But it is definitely possible. In fact, it is more than possible, because I love you, too, Mary.”
“We must go,” she said anxiously. “I want to talk to your parents about this right now. I can’t wait to tell them.”
“Dads won’t be home, angel,” Dillon said. “Pappy Jack and Pop Will are at the mine. Dad Tom is at the ranch. But Mom is home.”
Without hesitating, she jumped back on Rosie. “Let’s go then. I can’t wait to tell her I’m staying in Wilde and that we are going to start dating.”
“Dating? Damn, we’ve only really been on interviews with you.” Craig shook his head. “We need to take you on a proper date, sweetheart. The three of us. Wilde style. Tonight. What do you say?”
“I say ‘yes,’ but only after we talk to Mom, okay?”
“Of course,” the three of them answered in unison.
They got on their horses.