Page 72 of Greedy Grizzly
We wanted to be with Libby again, and to figure out how to announce our relationship to the club. But it didn’t happen. We hadn’t gotten a chance to do any of it because life had invaded our bubble.
Ciro Remotti and Wolf had arrived in Minnesota to discuss a four month contract with Toby to set-up new security systems in Ciro’s casinos. I’d gotten to participate in some of the talks and heard just how freaking smart and amazing Toby was in his field of expertise. Obviously, I’d known how extremely intelligent he was after the many times we’d worked together. It had just hit differently while seated next to him as he discussed his ideas with the head of the Remotti famiglia.
It was safe to assume that I was silently fangirling over my man.
The Remottis’ planned to keep Toby very busy if he took the job, which meant Libby and I wouldn’t see him for a while. They were prepared to provide everything Toby could possibly need.A luxurious suite at Ciro’s five-star hotel. A driver to take Toby wherever he desired. A list of top-rated escorts Ciro had already vetted at Toby’s disposal.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about the job, especially the escorts part. I knew what happened at his last job, which brought him back to Minnesota.
Toby getting fired had opened the door for us to finally admit our feelings. After living my life with my secrets buried deep in my soul, it was like Toby had saved me. He’d rescued me from the prison I’d put myself in.
How could we be separated now? We needed more time to further develop our relationship. More time to figure out how the three of us would work.
But the universe had other plans for us, like Libby and I going to Scornrock to see her sister.
Storm had given me orders to snoop around as much as possible. I sensed Libby and I would be doing a lot of visiting as Lydia and Landon. Which meant being away from Toby.
“I like your hipster look,” she told me as we entered town. “So does Toby.”
I smiled. “Is it weird that I already miss him?”
“Not at all. You two are so new, it’s natural to want to be together all the time.”
“Do you miss him, too?”
“Yes, but it’s not the same for me. I’ve been with Toby for years. We know how we feel about each other and I’m used to being away from him.”
I considered her words and found myself envious of the time she’d had with Toby. Whenever he’d been at the clubhouse, she’d be with him in his room. It hadn’t bothered me then, but the more I thought of it now, jealousy crept up. They’d had each other for years, while I stayed in the shadows, wishing Icould’ve been included. Served me right, though. I’d been the one refusing to reveal who I truly was to my club and the world.
“What would you like our relationship to look like? I mean, ultimately. Like what if I had a baby? Or wanted to get our own place off the compound?”
“You want our own place?” I was shocked. Libby had never mentioned moving off the property. I assumed we’d live at the clubhouse like always. She felt safe at the compound and liked being with the old ladies. “And a baby?”
“I know it all sounds crazy and uncharacteristic of me, but I think I want a semi-traditional lifestyle.” Her green eyes sparkled as she smiled at me, clearly happy with the ideas floating around in her head.
“What’s a semi-traditional lifestyle if we’re a threesome? A throuple?” And where was all this coming from? Had she changed her mind about the three of us and neglected to tell me?
“Three definitely complicates things but I believe we can make it work. I’m just saying, I don’t want to live on the compound forever. I would like a place of my own, somewhere I can plant flowers and have a garden.”
“Plant flowers and have a garden?”
“Mhm.” She nodded and her smile grew. “Nothing fancy. Just something to call my own.”
“Wow.” I focused on the GPS, turning right, then left. We would arrive at our destination in a couple of minutes. Our conversation would end and we’d have to play our parts with her sister.
Why would she bring all this up now? It was impossible to figure out her dream life in less than one hundred and twenty seconds.
“All you have to say is wow.” The hurt in her voice made me feel like a jerk.
“I’m sorry. You just never mentioned a house, flowers and garden before. Or a baby.” I relaxed my foot on the gas pedal to slow down her car to give us more time.
Not that I was opposed to having a child. I was open to it, and had told her so last year. But then, we never spoke about it again.
“That’s fair.” She shifted in her seat, pulled the visor down and checked her appearance in the mirror. “I guess my sister’s diagnosis has me rethinking my life choices, again.”
“That’s understandable.” I stopped in front of a tiny blue house. Libby getting shot last summer had made us both rethink our life choices. Perhaps her sister’s diagnosis helped to get Libby back on track to making her dreams come true. “This is it.”
“Huh, it’s small but looks kept up.” She stared out her window. “I wonder who’s cars those are in the driveway.”
