“I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but I’m not a confident person. I’m very critical of myself and well, past experiences have weakened that confidence in me. But your compliments tonight and the fact that you still want to back me in opening a store really mean a lot to me. I’m glad we’re friends, and that there’s no other pressure for anything else but business. It’s what I need right now. People who believe in my art and really are supportive. So, how about I start this project here tomorrow and then by Friday we can talk details to a possible business arrangement?” she asked but all three men seemed different. They seemed sad or maybe shocked. She wasn’t certain but Monroe smiled wide.
“We’re glad to help out. We’ll definitely talk business by Friday. In the meantime we should get you a key so you can get in and out of here if we’re stuck at work or need to leave for early meetings.”
“Oh, are you sure? I mean you don’t really know me that well,” she said.
“As long as you lock up when you leave we don’t mind at all,” Max teased and she chuckled. Maybe things were finally looking up after all?
* * * *
Monroe stood in shock just like his brothers once Alicia left. He felt numb and totally out of sorts. His brothers obviously felt the same way, too.
“Well, you’re idea backfired on us. She thinks we want to be her best friends. She thinks we’re only into her for business reasons. I told you this was going to get screwed up. We should have just focused on getting to know her here on the job and not trying to help her financially as you suggested Monroe. Why can’t we just tell her how we feel?” Caldwell asked.
“I’m thinking okay. The last thing I expected was for her to think of us as friends and nothing else. It will work out. Maybe this is for the better,” Monroe said.
“For the better, huh? How the hell are we supposed to be around her and not want to touch her, kiss her, and get to know her?” Max asked.
“We just need to do things a little differently so she feels safe and learns to trust us. So we learn about her as friends. We make her feel comfortable and when the time is right we can come clean and be honest about our feelings.”
“How the hell long will that take?” Max asked.
“As long as it does. She’s special and we’re in this for the long haul so I say it’s worth it. She’s worth it don’t you think?”
“Of course, but this is going to be torture,” Caldwell said as he downed another sip of wine.
“She’ll be here in our home getting to know each of us. That will work in our favor if she is attracted to the three of us.”
“God I hope so, Monroe, because the more I’m around her the stronger my feelings get for her,” Caldwell said.
“It will work out fine. Let’s give her a chance to realize that she likes us, too, and as more than just friends. After all, this will give each of us time to make sure that she’s the one for us. How else would we know for sure?”
“By kissing her and holding her in our arms, that’s how,” Max said in frustration and Caldwell mumbled in agreement. Monroe chuckled.
“Well, like everything else we’ll be tortured together. Here’s to our pursuit of happiness and landing a very special woman to make ours.” Monroe raised his glass and so did his brothers, toasting Alicia and what they hoped was yet to come.
Chapter 4
“So how is it really going
working for the Gordon men?” Marlena asked Alicia as they sat on the back porch at Marlena’s cottage.
Alicia sighed. “It’s going very well. They’re really nice and respectful.”
Marlena chuckled.
“Nice and respectful? Hmm.”
“What?” Alicia asked and Marlena chuckled.
“You like them.”
“What’s not to like? They’re gorgeous, manly, courteous, and caring. Hell, they seem perfect.”
“That’s wonderful so when are you going to make a move?”
“Make a move? Hello? I’m not going to do any such thing.”
“Why the heck not? They like you, you like them, there’s not much more to figure out,” Marlena said, feeling surprised that Alicia was acting this way. She knew her friend had been hurt before.