A Match Made in Wilde (Wilde, Nevada Beginnings 2)

The next morning, Grant couldn’t help but grin seeing the mess that Nate and Seth had made at breakfast. They were getting the hang of the spoon more and more each day, but still a big portion of their meals ended up on their highchair trays, and a little bit always ended up on the floor.

Toby and Heath had finished their cereal, and Greg was wiping their faces.

“Daddy, where’s Mama?” Toby asked. “I want her to wash my face.”

“We just need to ask her to come and see us,” Greg said. “Would you like that?”

Toby smiled. “I want to show Mama my toys.”

Heath chimed in. “Mama can play with Buttermilk.”

Heath willingly shared all his toys but was very possessive of his favorite—Buttermilk the horse.

“That’s very nice of you, Heath.” Grant realized the incredible impact Maude had on the boys. The proof was in Heath’s selflessness with Buttermilk, in Toby’s chattering about her since they first met, and Nate and Seth’s lit-up faces whenever she was around. At the Horseshoe, the two little ones had babbled and giggled the whole time while she held them close.

After finishing breakfast, he and Grant cleaned the boys up and placed them in the play area. Before moving into the old Strong Ranch house, they’d taken down some walls to create an open-concept living space. The den, playroom, and kitchen were all connected so that they could easily keep their eyes on the boys at all times.

As they cleared the plates, Greg said, “The boys are certainly crazy about Maude. Seems like I’m not the only one who has continued thinking about her. I can’t get her off my mind.”

“I figured as much.” Grant wasn’t at all surprised by Greg’s admission. He’d seen the look in his brother’s eyes. Greg was smitten by her as much as he was. “She’s out of this world.”

“Yes, she is,” Greg said. “We need to talk.”

“I know we do.”

“Hard to believe how much things have changed since Maude came into the diner yesterday.”

“Everything has changed. We’re both ready to take the plunge again?”

“Yeah. I could see it in your eyes every time you looked at her.”

“Same for you. This may be crazy and way too fast, but Maude has opened up both our hearts to the possibility of love again. But which one of us is going to be the lucky guy?”

Greg shrugged. “That’s the quandary, isn’t it? When we finish cleaning the kitchen, let’s sit down and try to sort this out. What do you say?”

“Definitely,” he answered, though not sure how they would be able to.

Greg started a fresh pot of coffee. “She’s so good with those four little cowboys of ours.”

“I’ve never seen them fall for anyone so quickly as they did with her.” He finished putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher, trying to sort out in his mind that he and Greg both wanted to pursue Maude. “I know that neither of us was expecting the boys to bond with her so fast, but it was really beyond our control.”

“We don’t want them to be hurt, bro, but I’m hoping we don’t have to worry about that.” Greg stared at the boys. “It’s obvious she cares deeply for them already.”

“You’re missing the main issue. You and I care about her, too. We care very much.”

Greg nodded. “How do we proceed? Rock, paper, scissors? Arm wrestle? I’m kidding, of course, but the last thing I want to happen is for any animosity to creep up between us.”

Grant knew his brother was absolutely right, but he could not see himself stepping out of the picture. But their most important responsibility that topped all others, including their own feelings, was protecting their sons. “This is the first time in our life we’ve been attracted to the same woman. Remember, our preferences were somewhat different.”

“Those days are over, aren’t they?” Greg poured them both a cup of coffee, and they sat down at the kitchen table while the boys continued playing. “We are both taken by her.”

Grant gazed at the black surface of the liquid in his cup. He’d never dreamed someone like Maude would come to Wilde and change so much. As much as he loved his brother, he also couldn’t imagine a life without that amazing woman. Then the obvious solution to his and Greg’s dilemma snapped into his head. She came to Wilde. Wilde. “Bro, the answer is right in front of us.”

“I’m listening.”

“We’re in Wilde, Nevada. Our hometown. You and I were out of the norm, though no one judged us. I had a wife and two boys. You had a wife and two boys. But why can’t we embrace the Wilde life fully? We can both pursue Maude. We can share her.”

“If we mess things up with her, it’s not just us who will lose out and be crushed.” Greg turned his attention from the boys to him. The look in his brother’s eyes had an intense seriousness that rarely appeared there. “It’s those four boys of ours that will suffer if we fail with Maude.”