Page 121 of Fighting for Her Heart
“You look fantastic too, and—” I glance past her into the office “—it looks like you’re moving? Is everything okay?”
“More than okay.” Through rounded lips, she sucks in a breath and blows it out on a slight whistle. “Because of Mr. Zuben’s pledge and the success of the gala—I still can’t believe how much that Ryker guy paid to take you out, by the way—we’re expanding.”
“That is most excellent news,” Zuben says from a few feet away.
Shana turns her head sharply, clearly startled to see Zuben at the top of the four flights of stairs behind me. “Oh. Hello. Mr.… I mean Zuben. I apologize, I didn’t realize you were there.”
He steps forward to shake her extended hand, and then Ryker comes out behind him and drapes his arm over my shoulders.
Shana’s eyes open even wider. “And Ryker, Mr. Stone, has come with you as well? Welcome. Welcome to you both. Your donations have made a huge difference here.”
As she shakes Ryker’s hand, Zuben runs his fingers lightly down my arm and brushes them over my fingers. Shana notices and her eyes fill with questions that she directs toward mine. I just smile. May as well keep her guessing.
Axe emerges from the stairwell, needing to shift his shoulders sideways to fit through.
Shana jumps back, alarm all over her face.
“Shana.” Dropping Zuben’s hand and stepping out of Ryker’s hold, I take Axe’s hand and pull him forward. “This is Axe. Axe, this is my old boss, Shana.”
“Very pleased to meet you.” Axe reaches out to shake her hand and Shana snaps out of her shock enough to take his.
“My mate has told me a lot of positive things about you and your organization,” Axe says. “I very much admire those who help wayward youth.”
Shana nods, eyes wide. She seems to have lost her voice. Looking into my eyes, she mouths, “Mate?”
“Guys.” I turn toward the men. “If it’s all right with Shana, maybe you three could wait for us in the meeting room for a bit, while Shana and I have a quick chat.”
“Good idea.” Shana’s head bobs excessively. “Yes. Great. This way. Please.”
We follow her and her head keeps shaking as she ushers us toward the meeting room. She opens the door and then gestures for the men to go inside, her eyes widening as each one of them touches me lovingly, bending to kiss my forehead or hair, before passing her to go into the room.
“Sherry,” Shana calls out across the room to a woman with short blue hair, who didn’t work here when I did. “Can you see if our guests would like water or coffee or tea?”
“Sure, boss.” As she gets up, Sherry stretches her arms above her head, and her cropped t-shirt rises above the hem of her high-waisted jeans. Then Sherry heads for the meeting room, while Shana and I go into her office.
Shana shuts the door, and then leans back against it.
“What the actual fuck, Ember?” She shakes her head. “Are you okay? Really? Like seriously?” She steps forward and takes my shoulders in her hands and lowers her tone. “Do you need help? Should I call the police?”
I laugh, but then stop when I realize she’s genuinely worried about me. “I’m sorry for laughing. I’m absolutely fine. Better than fine.”
I want to tell her that I’m in love, infatuated with three wonderful passionate men who each would do anything for me, but I sense that might be too much information too fast. Her brain might explode.
Shana picks up a pile of papers from the chair in front of her desk and tosses them onto the floor where they slide over, some of them spilling their contents.
“Packing,” she says. “A bit disorganized in here.”
“No worries.” Her office is the same as it always was, not that I’d point that out. And while Shana’s office looks like chaos to others, she’s always able to put her hands on what she needs in seconds. I sit in the chair as she goes around her desk to sit too.
“So…” She blinks a few times. “Which one of those men are you with?”
My heart swells, heating my entire body. “They’re all very special to me.” It’s an understatement, but one that’s true without telling her details that would just raise more questions. Details like I plan to propose to them all, soon, like Anna suggested. They’ve all told me separately that they want to be together, forever, and I’d like to make it official.
My heart heats and my chest expands on an inhale carrying more love and happiness with it than I feel like my body can hold.
“Ember Cross.” Her expression turns mischievous. “You look like the cat who ate the canary. Are you telling me that you’re dating allthreeof those men? At the same time? And…and they know about each other?”
Smiling, I shrug. Dating’s not the word I’d use, but I’m not sure she can handle the full truth. Not yet. I’d rather wait until she gets to know them all better. Especially given the plans we have to help Sanctuary House.
