Raising the Stakes: Three of a Kind, Book 2 (13 page)

Alex waited for the inevitable
No
from Des before continuing. “Seeing what could be. Visualizing how a wall could be knocked down here and a room extended there to craft something new. Something better.” He dropped his hands to the arms of the chair. “And when the building process starts and the roof comes off to make place for the expansion, man, the possibilities are endless. That house can become anything.”

Des tried not to shift in his seat. An unpleasant sensation tickled his spine. Alex was making a point here.

“That house I took you to on Sunday?” Alex paused, as if asking Des if he remembered it.

“Uh huh.”

“That was supposed to be a ground-floor renovation. But the owners changed their minds.”

“They’re not renovating anymore?”

“They are. But they’ve decided to build up now. Add a second level to the house.” Alex stared beyond Des at the wall, deep in thought. “I advised them not to,” he said after a while. “I didn’t think a double story would suit their plot.” He shrugged. “But they were adamant, so it was back to the drawing board for me.”

“You’re drawing up a whole new set of plans?” Des hoped they were paying Alex well for his troubles.

“Yep. It took a while to wrap my head around a new idea. Had to give it a lot of thought. But the family wants what they want, so I had to envision something different. You know what?” He looked at Des.

How could he possibly know? He was swimming blind here. “What?”

“I’ve come up with something that’s not half bad.”

“Uh, that’s good.” Des expected nothing less of him.

“It’s good. It’s damn good. Gonna be amazing when it’s done. I wouldn’t mind living there myself. And the views from the upper level? They’re endless.”

“Which one do you prefer?”

“See, that’s the thing. Now that I’ve had the chance to see both options, I don’t like either one better than the other. I think they’re both unbelievable choices. But in the end, the decision wasn’t mine to make. The family chose. Their needs changed, their outlooks changed, and they went for the second level.”

To Des’s surprise, Alex stood. “You’re leaving?”

“Uh huh.”

Okay. So no mention of Meg, no mention of their weekend. Just house talk.
Riiiight.

Alex walked to the door and opened it. “Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Isn’t what?” Fuck, Des was floundering here.

“The foundations. So solid they can withstand any alteration the house undergoes. The obvious, easy revamping, or the more complex, unexpected renos.” Alex nodded. “Pretty damn amazing.”

And then he left, leaving Des gaping at the closed door, mulling over the tale of
The Little House That Could.

Chapter Nine

At least Alex was still with her. Megan snuggled in closer to him, eternally grateful for that miracle. He hadn’t walked away.

Alex wrapped his arm around her shoulders and hugged her tight. They sat together on her couch watching telly, although Megan couldn’t say what was on. Her concentration was shot. This time last week, she and Alex had been with Des.

God, she missed him. Ached for him, physically and emotionally. He hadn’t just walked away from her love when he’d left. He’d walked away from their friendship—and their shared history—and about ripped her heart out in the process.

She’d hoped to see him at poker last night, but he hadn’t been there. Even Alex had been shocked at Des’s absence.

She still couldn’t believe he’d gone. Didn’t want to believe it. How could she face the world without her best friend?

How could she face a future without one of her lovers?

His absence made her love for Alex even stronger. He was her rock. Her stability. Her lover. She hugged him tight, terrified if she let him go he too would disappear, just like Des.

Des’s departure had left a hollow emptiness in her life. Without him, Megan was no longer complete.

Alex wiped a thumb tenderly under her eyes.

God, she was crying. Again. And she hadn’t even realized it.

“Shh, baby,” he soothed. “We’ll be okay. I swear, we’ll be okay.”

“When?” From where she sat, a thousand years seemed too soon.

Alex sighed. “One day. We did it without him before, we’ll do it again. Hey, we have each other.”

“Thank God.” She swallowed over the aching lump in her throat. “Thank God for you, Al.”

The doorbell rang.

“Can we leave it? The thought of seeing anyone…” She couldn’t face the world right now. She just needed time alone with Alex.

“No worries.” He leaned down and kissed away her tears. “We don’t need to see anyone we don’t want to.”

She breathed a relieved sigh.

The bell rang again.

They ignored it.

A third time.

“Someone’s getting insistent,” Alex said quietly, but made no move to answer the door.

Another ring, this time followed by a muffled oath.

Megan’s ears pricked up.

Whoever stood outside banged on the door. “Megan? I know you’re there.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

“Alex,” the voice yelled. “Open up.”

She looked at Alex, startled.

He looked back at her, his face calm, his eyes alert. “Still want to ignore that?”

Her voice caught in her throat.
No, dear God, no!

“Breathe, baby. It’s okay,” Al whispered.

She tried to inhale but couldn’t. He rubbed her back.

The banging persisted. “Meggy, please. Open the door.”

“Want me to see what he wants?” Alex asked.

Yes!
Still no sound came out. But she could nod, so she did. Every other part of her body was frozen in panic. In anticipation. In fear.

“You sure?” Alex checked.

Again she nodded.

He stood and crossed the floor. She sat immobile as he turned the handle.

And there he was, looking as desperate and as heartbroken as she felt.

“I get it now,” he said to Alex. He didn’t walk inside, just stood at the front door.

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Get what?”

“Your little analogy. I’m the second level.”

She blinked in confusion.
Huh?

“You two are the ground floor and I’m the second-level extension. That’s what you were trying to tell me.”

Alex shrugged. His face was blank. “That’s quite a stretch, don’t you think?”

Des marched in and slammed the door behind him. “I think everything’s been a stretch since last Friday night.” He looked past Alex to where Megan sat on the couch.

God help her, his expression changed. Softened. All the chaos left his eyes as he focused on her. What she saw in their depths was love, pure and simple. “Meggy,” he whispered.

She tried to speak, but her voice still wouldn’t work. The muscle ticked furiously in her cheek.

He swiveled to face Alex again. “You and Meg. You’re the ground floor in this house. And I’m the unexpected extension.”

What house? Megan lived in a unit.

“Or maybe you’re the foundation.” Alex’s lips thinned. He folded his arms across his chest defensively. “You and Megan. Friendship makes for a powerful base of any…building.”

Des’s jaw dropped. “You’re jealous?”

“Fuck you, Reed. What are you doing here anyway?”

“
You’re
jealous of
me
?” Des laughed, but it was a harsh sound, completely lacking in humor. It told Meg the only one he laughed at was himself.

She shook her head. What the hell was going on?

Alex glared at him through narrowed eyes. “She’s loved you for four years. She’s loved me for a few months. What do you think, asshole?”

Was that pain in his voice?

“I think she fucking chose you. Doesn’t matter what kind of foundations we built four years ago.”

Alex scoffed. “If you think that, then you’re a bigger fool than I gave you credit for.”

Megan finally found her voice. She might be stumped about their talk of houses and foundations, but one thing she clearly understood was her heart.

“I chose you both,” she whispered and pushed herself off the couch. “It wasn’t a question of having one over the other, I chose you both.” She turned to Des. “You walked away.”
And shredded my heart in the process.

He dropped his head and his shoulders slumped. “I was an idiot.”

She stared at him, befuddled. “Meaning?”

“Meaning I should never have left.” His voice rasped over the words. “Should never have asked you to choose.”

Well… Duh!

“But you did leave,” Alex interjected. “Now why don’t you leave again?” He motioned to the door. “Leave Megan and me in peace.”

“Because I can’t.” Des turned to face him again. “Because I looked at the plans you brought me. Studied them. And I think you’re right. The possibilities for a second level are infinite.” He looked back at Meg. “And the views from up here are incredible.”

Blood pulsed through her veins as her heart raced frantically. The love in his eyes ran so deep she thought she might be looking into his soul. Her hands shook uncontrollably.

Des had said something about an analogy. Had Alex compared the three of them to a house? If so, when? “Could someone please explain what you’re talking about?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Alex sneered. “It’s just like Des said. He’s an idiot.”

Des let Alex’s comment pass. “Al came to visit me on Thursday.”

Megan gaped at Alex. “You did?”

Alex shrugged.

“He came to talk about the house he’s working on. The one we went to see. Apparently the owners have changed the plans. They’re building up now.”

“They are?” Des’s revelation shocked her. Alex had slaved over those plans.

“Nope.” Alex shook his head. “The house is going exactly according to original plan.”

Again Des gaped at Alex. “Then what the fuck was that conversation all about?”

Alex sighed softly, but his arms remained folded over his chest. “Possibilities. Alternatives.”

“What possibilities?” Megan asked, feeling just as bewildered as Des looked.

Alex just shrugged again.

Des answered. “Alex compared the three of us to an unrenovated house. Without me, you could have a stunning single-level home with all the trimmings.”

“But with you, we could have so much more,” Megan finished for him. Her head reeled. Alex had gone to see Des? To convince him to come back? He’d done that?

“I was wrong,” Alex bit out. “We’re better off without him.” He looked at her. “You’re better off without him.”

She wanted to kiss him. He’d gone to Des. Gone to get him back. He wanted Des back as much as she did. Dear God, she loved him. So much. Never mind his bravado and fuck-you attitude now. Alex wanted this threesome as much as she did.

She didn’t kiss him, but she did grab his hand and hold it tight in hers.

“What do you want, Des?” She almost didn’t want to ask, but Des was here. He wouldn’t be if he didn’t want the same thing, would he?

Could the men see how terrified she was of his answer? Could they see how badly she wanted it to be them? Her and Alex?

“I want you, Meggy-mine.” Color flooded his cheeks and he took a deep breath. “I want us. All three of us. I want the double storey.” His gaze fell on Alex. “Regardless of who built the foundations or the ground level.”

Joy and relief seeped through Megan, so intense they took her breath away.

But Alex remained stoic. “You’re too late,” he said. “Plans are with council. We can’t change them now.”

“That’s bull,” Des told him. “No way you’d have come to my office if you’d finalized the plans.”

“I submitted them yesterday. You walked away, Reed. You made your choice. Deal with it and move on.”

Megan wanted to intervene. She wanted to throw her arms around Des and welcome him back. She wanted to yank Alex’s arm and make him see reason. Wanted a second chance at what they’d begun last weekend. But she didn’t say anything. Didn’t do anything.

If she, Des and Alex were ever to have a future, then the two men had to sort out their differences. Alex had been her rock up until now, her champion—going to see Des like he had. But the one thing he hadn’t done was express his feelings on the whole matter.

It was irrelevant that her heart hammered with excitement, and every dream she’d ever dared to dream was suddenly a hairsbreadth away. If this were to work out the way she hoped, she’d shut up and let them have it out.

“I was wrong.” Des’s words carried through the house. “I panicked, and I made the wrong choice.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “My whole life I’ve always thought I’d get married and have kids.” He nodded at Megan. “You were perfect, Meggy. You’d have made the perfect wife. Realizing that wasn’t what you wanted? It fucking tore me apart.”

Not what she wanted? Damn it, she’d fantasized about it for four years. Until Alex entered the picture.

“You think I didn’t have the same aspirations?” Alex snapped. “You think I haven’t been thinking about marriage since the day I met Megan?”

She slapped a hand over her heart, sure it had stopped beating. They wanted to marry her? Both of them?

Alex glared at Des. “You fucked up my plans.”

“Yeah?” Des raised an eyebrow. “Well you fucked up mine, so I guess we’re even.”

The two men stood in the middle of the lounge room, glowering at each other.

“Shit,” Des muttered. “Shit, shit, shit.” He held his hands up. “I didn’t come here to fight. I came to apologize.”

Alex didn’t give an inch. “For what?”

“For my behavior. For acting like a dickhead and running away when I didn’t get what I wanted.”

“Dickhead’s a fairly accurate description,” Alex agreed.

“I don’t want marriage anymore,” Des said.

Alex continued to glower, so Megan asked the question, pretending her heart hadn’t just broken. Pretending Des hadn’t just offered her everything she’d ever wanted with him, then hauled it back before she’d had time to accept. “So what do you want, Des?”

Des looked at her with those soft, gooey eyes. “I want us, Meggy-mine.” He looked at Alex then. “All three of us. I want to take what we started last weekend and make it a permanent arrangement. Hell, I wanna spend the rest of my life building and perfecting our second level.”