Mary could not believe that Toby, of all people, had just asked that. She saw knowledge of his mistake leap into his eyes. But before either of them could say a thing, Anthony chuckled.
“Looks like we’re going to be holding an intervention here, eventually. We can draw straws to see which one of you gets to spill their guts first. Will it be the up-and-coming police detective who dumped his career and his family to relocate to a small Texas city? Or the award-winning author who leaves behind the lights of New York, New York, for a hermit’s existence in a small spinster’s cottage in rural Texas?”
Mary closed her mouth, which had gaped open as Anthony had given his impression of a television announcer, which had actually been very good. Then she looked at Toby, who was as dumbstruck as she was. In his eyes she could see a bristling resentment.
She laid her left hand over Toby’s right. He turned his hand so that he held hers. Then Anthony took her right hand in his and squeezed.
She looked at Toby. “He’s got to have something, too, you know. It’s just not as obvious as ours, but we’ll find it.”
“Fucking right we will.”
That edge Toby had worn off and on since she’d met him eased some. She looked over at Anthony. “We will, you know.”
“You’d better. I’m counting on it.” He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. “So, does this mean you’re willing to try us on, cupcake?”
Mary looked from Anthony to Toby. “I don’t play these kinds of games. I never have, because I’m not very good at them.”
“Cut yourself some slack,” Toby said. “I think you don’t play them because, at heart, you’re a very honest person.” He looked over at Anthony then back at her. “And we’re not playing games, either. Not the sort you mean. This won’t be casual for us or for you.”
They might all three of them have different pieces of their pasts they weren’t willing to share at the moment. But she had the sense that this moment between the three of them had been inevitable. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in fate. It was more than that. Until meeting these two men, she’d been under the impression that fate had chosen her as its raconteur only and not its heir.
“All right. But I have no idea what comes next.”
Anthony grinned. “That’s easy. Next, we finish our coffee and then kiss you good night. We found out last night how tasty you are and cupcake, we want more. And then we’ll say goodnight and see you at the meeting tomorrow.”
“Meeting? What meeting?”
* * * *
“Should I apologize?”
Anthony shot a glance over at his partner, a quick look to judge his mood. Sometimes the tone of Toby’s voice was a clue, but other times, like now, Anthony sensed his partner held himself too tightly wound. In those times he needed to see the man’s face.
This was literally the first moment they’d had a chance to take a break all day. They were on their way back to the station after spending the better part of the day in a meeting with a couple of state cops over at the DPS. They’d had another detective from their squad, Nathan Blaine, with them on the way to the consultation. Blaine had stayed behind to get a ride from his wife who worked in the same building. They and Blaine were representing the WPD in a joint task force planning session.
Anthony believed these kinds of operations were valuable, although usually they were a trial. That was the only reason he was willing to sit through all the bullshit that sometimes fermented when the political types got involved in the cop job.
He’d been pleased to discover that Clint Parrish was one of the state cops who had been assigned to the task force. They’d been acquaintances for years. The world of law enforcement in Texas wasn’t as large a world as some might expect. He counted members of the Texas Rangers, the DPS, and even some of the federal agents of different agencies assigned to the local offices as friends.
Kate Benedict also considered Clint another grandson, so there was a social connection between them.
Anthony put his focus back on his partner. He didn’t need to ask what he was referring to. Toby hadn’t said a word about those tense moments at Mary’s last night after they’d left Lusty. But then, Anthony hadn’t expected him to.
“No. You’ll tell me what you want to tell me when you’re ready.” Anthony couldn’t hold back his smirk. “Or when Mary runs out of patience. Whichever comes first.”
Toby grinned. “She will, too,” he said. Then he took a deep breath. “I got burned pretty bad, emotionally. I just needed a certain amount of time to deal.”
“I figured. It’s cool, Toby. When you’re ready.”
“I’m going to work on getting there. If we’re going to build a relationship together with Mary, then I really need to be all in.”
“We all do.” Anthony didn’t know everything there was to know about living in a ménage relationship, but he knew more now than he had. Fortunately, the men he called friends in Lusty, all involved in solid ménage relationships, were willing to answer his questions.
It wasn’t a long drive back to headquarters, and before long the car was parked and they were on their way back up to their office.
Chief of Police Jonathan Robb met them as the elevator door opened onto their floor. “A moment please, gentlemen.”
Anthony had no clue why the chief wanted to see them. He shrugged in response to Toby’s questioning look and, with his partner, followed the man into his office.
“Have a seat.” The chief took his place behind his desk and sat back. “And relax, men. I’ve had a request, and I’m leaning toward granting it, but since the request involves the
