Goldie and the Three Wisconsin Bears

She laughs as she heads back to the house underneath Nico’s arm. Softly. Carefully. But it’s a laugh.

That’s almost enough to calm me down as I turn back around to face Jeb. Almost.

Charlotte said it was Jeb or her. Fine.

Nico and me let her go with barely a consult.

But now, rage boils in my veins as I growl, “Jeb. What the fuck?”

Jeb rolls his eyes. “So I guess you’re going to look the other way on her breaking into my shed too. Like you did on the cabin.”

I shake my head at him. “This isn’t about the cabin. Or the shed—which was unlocked by the way, so that’s on you. It’s about how you’re treating her. It’s one thing to act like she doesn’t exist. But can’t you see how bad you scared her?”

A hint of shame flickers across Jeb’s face. But just a hint. “I wasn’t trying to scare her. I just wanted to know what she was up to.”

“What did she say she was up to?” I ask.

“She said she was sending an email to a couple of friends. But then she refused to tell me her friends’ names. You know, just like she won’t tell us her real name.”

“Jeb, you think the last escort we hired was born with the name Cookie Chanel? No! 99% of them don’t tell us their real names. Why should they? They’re getting paid to do a job. And this isn’t even her regular gig. She’s only here because she needs money for her car. Why the hell would she tell us anything personal? Especially with you either stomping away every time she enters a room or accusing her of shit, like we’re not paying her to be here.”

“You’re paying her, not me,” Jeb shoots back.

“It’s a joint bank account, you idiot. We’re all paying her. And if you weren’t cool with that, you should have said so from the start instead of storming off. And as for all her secrets, Nico’s working on getting her to open up, but you just set him ten steps back, and we’ve only got two days left with her—shit, man!”

Jeb shifts then folds his arms defensively. “I’m just saying she’s got a lot of secrets.”

“So do you!” I point out. “But we’re not in here, scaring the shit out of you to get you to talk about your Army Ranger days. Or what happened before you showed up on Coach Granger’s couch.”

Jeb doesn’t answer. But I know I’m getting through when the mutinous expression fades from his face.

“Look, I know you’ve got a rigid sense of right and wrong. And the way she came to us. That wasn’t right. It’s obvious she’s got some shit in her past. Same as you. Same as me. But I like this woman. I don’t mean like her just because she’s beautiful and phenomenal in bed. I like being around her and having her here with us.”

That cracks through the rest of Jeb’s defenses. He lowers his arms. “Okay, I get it. And I’m sorry, man, okay? I’ll stay away from her, and I won’t fuck this up for you and Nico. Two more days. It won’t happen again.”

His solemn words should reassure me. But my chest burns heavy and anxious as I return to the house.

Goldie and Nico are at the table eating their Breakfast of Champions when I return to the house. She seems calmed down. And damn if she doesn’t look adorable dressed in nothing but those yellow espadrilles of hers and Jeb’s Death Buddha t-shirt.

She must have forgotten to braid her hair last night. It’s down and tousled. This morning she’s the blond cutie next door that so many guys dream about, only with a brown overlay.

If I were Jeb and I had walked in on her looking like this, I would have bent her over the desk and told her good morning. Not yelled at her.

“New deal,” I say, sitting down at the plate I abandoned when we heard Jeb yelling. “No more switching off. You and Nico sleep in my room from now on.”

I cut Nico a look. Let him know what was previously a negotiation is now no longer up for discussion. And he nods.

So it’s decided. But then Goldie says, “Are you sure you even want me to stay? It’s almost been a week. Maybe we should end this now. Before I make Jeb any madder.”

The fact that she’s blaming herself for what happened with Jeb has my blood boiling all over again. I can’t speak, I’m so pissed.

“Don’t worry about Jeb, mija,” Nico says into my raging silence. “We’ve got you. And we want you here.”

She bites her plump bottom lip, looking conflicted. “Are you sure?”

Are we sure?

Nico and I spend the rest of the morning showing her exactly how sure we are about wanting her to stay.