“Wait, I thought it was a done deal,” Jed said, but we didn’t look his way. He had his girl, it was time for us to get ours.
I stared at Jill, who looked a little panicked and a whole lot nervous. Waited.
“Well?” Porter asked.
“Shit, guys, did I step in it? I’m sorry. But, Jill, tell me I won twenty bucks,” Jed added.
As if Jed cared about the twenty bucks. He just wanted to gloat and hold it over Duke.
I didn’t hear the music or the chatter of those around us. I didn’t even breathe as I waited for the one word I’d longed to hear.
Of course, right then, her cell rang.
4
JILL
* * *
Shit. Shit! They were asking me, point blank, if I wanted both of them. Jed had even helped me. I’d been so nervous to say the words. So guys, I happen to want both of you. Not that you’re not enough individually, because you’re both amazing, but heck, my pussy gets wet for the idea of double dick.
A guy’s ego was only so strong. Would they think I thought less of them because I needed two men? Jed had pretty much said I’d claimed them and they hadn’t stormed off. In fact, they looked at me with open expressions. Eager ones. As if they were hoping for me to say yes. The moment had come. The answer was on the tip of my tongue, so of course my cell would ring.
“Sorry, I’ve got to check on this.” I tugged my hand from Liam’s hold. “A co-worker at the hospital, well, her daughter is having a baby—her second—any day now, and I volunteered to babysit the two-year-old so they can all be with her. I’m on standby.”
The men looked at me, didn’t say anything. Waited patiently, like usual. Jed offered a small wave and went back to work.
“Hello?”
“Jillian Murphy?” The man’s voice on the phone was deep and one I didn’t recognize.
“Yes,” I replied.
“This is Bob at the Jumping Jack Pawn Shop in Clayton.”
All the eagerness I’d had all day for my date with Porter and Liam was gone. The anticipation of answering them with a very blatant yes was shot to hell.
I flicked a look at Liam and Porter, and I held up a finger to tell them this would take a minute.
Why did this have to happen now? Now! I had an idea of what the guy was going to say. It was going to be hard to be excited about anything after this because any mention of my brother, Tommy, these days was all bad and always involved another mess for me to clean up. My appetite for a greasy cheeseburger and fries was gone.
“Yes, hi.” It was rude that I didn’t sound very excited to talk to Bob, but I couldn’t help it.
“I’m guessing you know why I’m calling,” he replied.
I leaned back in my chair, closed my eyes for a moment. “What did my brother pawn today?”
I held my breath.
“A TV and a rhinestone brooch shaped like a butterfly.”
My mother’s pin.
I gripped the cell so tight I was sure my knuckles were white. I envisioned it being Tommy’s neck.
“While you might want a chance to get your TV back, I figured I’d give you a call about the brooch.”
We?