Page 29 of The Rule of 3

“I know just what you mean, Eli,” Tanner said softly as he stroked Eli’s jaw. “And just wait until both of you take a turn as the one in the middle. I don’t, for once, even have words to describe how unbelievable it is. I love you both so much.”

Eli smiled at them and asked, “Is the shower big enough for a throuple?”

Chapter 25

The next days were a whirlwind of activity. Eli had Tanner booked for plenty of speaking engagements, beginning with local television and radio stations around Kentucky. As his popularity grew, the size of his audience would also grow. Tanner was a natural in front of a microphone or a camera. His deep, well-modulated voice captured listeners who hung on every last word when he answered the questions posed by radio talk show hosts. And when he sat for television interviews, everyone was attracted to such a ridiculously handsome young man. He had a way of making his audience feel special just by association, and his reputation for putting Honeybee Hollow on the map did wonders for his popularity.

Tanner also had a knack for answering tough questions in a way that made the interviewer comfortable and the listeners convinced he had their best interests at heart. He was never argumentative and showed that he had a good sense of humor. He was a born leader who had a deep love for the great commonwealth of Kentucky. The number of his loyal supporters grew and grew each time he made an appearance.

Zoë didn’t have a lot of time yet to help out because she was both busy teaching her kindergarten classes—one in the morning and one in the afternoon—and working with Caro who’d swooped in with strong ideas about image building.

Tanner let the ladies both know that he didn’t want Zoë to feel she needed to change herself. Some designer clothes would be fine, but she already knew how to speak and comport herself around any sort of folks.

Eli agreed—Zoë was perfect. It was just her wardrobe that needed a major overhaul. He thought of how elegant she’d looked as a bride and looked forward to seeing her decked out for formal occasions in the future. “Just think of the new wardrobe,” he told them, “as an extra wedding gift.” He had a feeling he’d enjoy it every bit as much as Zoë.

Because his curiosity was killing him, Eli finally asked Tanner, “How did Zoë turn out so normal with such nutty parents raising her?”

Tanner’s answer was, “Probably because she spent a lot of time at our house growing up. She and Madison were inseparable friends, and our parents let Zoë know she was always welcome at our table. I think fairly often her parents were neglectful regarding meals and basic necessities. From a very young age, I think Zoë felt closer to my parents than to her own sometimes. She also spent a lot of time in the library reading, and my mama made sure she read everything she had Madison and me read as kids. Mama always said she wanted our heads filled with the right stuff.” He smiled at that, thinking how Mama might get a laugh out of Zoë’s choice of reading material these days. Then again, his mother probably loved reading that stuff too. She had pretty eclectic tastes when it came to literature.

The first weekend that Caro was in town, the two ladies headed up to Louisville to do some serious shopping. Madison had clued Zoë in about shopping at one of the greatest boutiques you could ever hope to find. Located next door to her Madison Hatter milliner shop, the boutique called Spice had a reputation for trend-setting fashion and elegant designs for all occasions. Zoë had actually met the owners of the shop when Madison and Halden got married, and she liked all of the ladies.

Madison let them know at Spice that her sister-in-law would be coming and had some serious clothing needs and virtually an unlimited budget. She was also drop-dead gorgeous, so the ladies of Spice couldn’t wait to dress her.

And dress her, they did. From the inside out. Molly, the original owner and founder of the boutique, saw to it that Zoë now had an exquisite lingerie wardrobe because nothing gave a woman more confidence and made her feel more elegant, she explained, than incredible lingerie. Amelia, their custom designer, delighted in outfitting Zoë in day and nighttime fashions befitting the wife of a soon-to-be governor. Åse, their partner and jewelry designer, suggested accessories to go with Amelia’s amazing designs. They recommended a trendy shoe store a block away called Walk This Way where Zoë picked up a delightful collection of shoes and boots. And because it was still winter and quite chilly, she topped off her outfits with some great hats from Madison Hatter.

Exhausted after a long day of shopping, Zoë and Caro retired to the presidential suite at the Grand Walton Hotel in downtown Louisville. Zoë was taken aback by the accommodations.

“I’ve never stayed in a place like this,” she exclaimed to Caro when they arrived upstairs. It was an opulently appointed suite with a large parlor connecting two enormous bedrooms. “This is amazing.” Fresh flowers and a large basket of fruit sat on the glass coffee table.

Caro trilled a laugh, “You better get used to it, Zoë. You’re going to be seeing this kind of thing more and more as Tanner’s career advances.”

“I guess so,” Zoë said wistfully. “I just hope I don’t disappoint him somehow.”

Shaking her head, Caro was quick to offer, “Tanner’s so crazy about you, you could never disappoint him. And besides, I think you’ll make an incredible first lady.”

“You mean of Kentucky, right?”

“I mean first lady, as in wife of the president one day,” Caro stated as she flopped on the couch and kicked off her shoes. “So, do you want to have room service sent up, or would you rather go out for dinner? I understand the food here is fantastic.”

Sighing, Zoë answered, “If it’s all the same to you, room service sounds wonderful. I’d like to put on some comfy clothes and slippers and just forget to be a lady for a while. In fact, I think I’ll go take a shower, and then we can look at the menu. Is that alright with you?”

“Sounds perfect. You’re a woman after my own heart.”

After showers and an exquisite supper, they poured some wine and curled up in the large, comfy couch.

“You know, Zoë, you can send my brother back to your old house to live with me. You don’t have to let him stay with you and Tanner indefinitely if you’d like your privacy,” Caro said as she looked closely at Zoë’s face. “I know life in the public eye is bound to get to you eventually, and being newlyweds might make that extra difficult. So, feel free to boot him out when you and Tanner need alone time.”

Not knowing what to say, Zoë took a sip of wine and tried to control the deep red blush that had just overtaken her face. It didn’t work.

Looking at Zoë shrewdly, Caro nodded imperceptibly and said quietly, “I know about them.”

“What?” Zoë’s eyes popped. “Who?”

“Come on Zoë. You can’t be blind. I know my brother’s been in love with Tanner for years. I know why he hasn’t dated, and I know he still feels that way.” She studied Zoë’s face for any sign of shock, but only picked up on embarrassment.

“How did you know?” Zoë asked, confirming that this was no revelation to her either.

“Tanner used to join us in the Hamptons for spring break. He and Eli were inseparable, as much as my mother tried to foist me off on Tanner. That never worked. It embarrassed me no end when she tried to do her matchmaking. Don’t get me wrong, I was definitely attracted to Tanner. Who wouldn’t be?” she asked with a smile. “But one day, I took a walk on the beach and came across a protected cove that not too many people knew about. It was a great place to go and meditate or whatever, but that day when I got there, it was already occupied. Eli and Tanner were sitting way in the back of the cove, and they were close to each other. Closer than two buddies normally sit. And they were holding hands. That’s all, but the air of intimacy around them was so intense, I just knew that they were more than just roommates.” She paused a second to sip her wine. “They didn’t see me, and I was glad about that because I didn’t want Tanner to be uncomfortable. I knew Eli was bi. He’d told me years before that.”

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