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Warrick wasn’t about to let Duke know his matchmaking had worked, so he hedged.
“Maybe I had something to take care of.”
“Oh yeah? Was it Isabelle?”
Fuck. Keeping his tone even, he said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Funny thing. After I left your office, I had to go to the outskirts of town and I noticed Isabelle’s SUV and your car parked out at Colton’s old homestead when I drove by.”
“Are you following me?”
“Why? Are you going to lie to me about where you were?”
“Fuck off, Duke. I don’t have to report my whereabouts to you.”
Duke laughed. “I thought so.”
“I know you’ve convinced yourself that you are a successful matchmaker, but it so happens that I ran into Isabelle all on my own last night at the courthouse getting new plates. I even walked her out to her car.”
“And then you met her at Colton’s old empty, abandoned homestead before lunch the next day.”
“No comment.”
“Are there four or five bedrooms upstairs? I forget. Although, I guess you only really needed one.”
“Duke,” he said in an exasperated tone. “Stop right there.”
“Oh, but it’s so much fun, Warrick. Plus, I feel very strongly that it’s my turn.”
Warrick pushed out a long sigh. “Maybe it is, but I’m not even certain we should move forward with her.”
“Why not? Seems like she would suit the two of you. At least from my limited interaction. Give her a chance.”
“As you may or may not know, I’m not currently looking to get married.” Permanence was fine—for others. He wasn’t against the institution of marriage for anyone else. But he and Colton had always kept their threesome relationships…uncomplicated. He’d never been moved to seek more from any woman in their past.
Well, not since moving to Montana anyway. Once he’d distanced himself from his family out East, he’d kept in touch, but never entertained the idea of getting married. It would be too complicated once his family got involved. And they would. He’d avoided even the mere thought of a trip down the aisle, solving everything except for the regular phone calls from his family’s not so gentle coaxing with regard to marriage.
“Maybe you’re jumping the gun. Does she want to get married?”
Warrick closed his eyes, hoping Isabelle would understand his firm resolve not to become permanently attached matrimonially. “I don’t even know.”
“I think you’re borrowing trouble.”
“Maybe.”
“See what unfolds naturally, or you could ask her.”
“Perhaps I will.” But he was already so entrenched after only barely a taste of Isabelle, he wasn’t certain how his peculiarities would play out.
How difficult would it be to disentangle from her if they didn’t last? What if she hated double penetration? What if she wanted to be their wife? What would she do when he told her he didn’t want to get married? Would she leave?
A twinge of panic at ever losing her crossed his mind quickly and then dissipated. He reminded himself of something he’d forgotten. He wasn’t marriage material. Plus, he was too rigid in his desires, too stubborn to change, and too set in his ways to consider another way.
These were also the things he reminded himself of regularly since living away from his too-invasive family with their hard core, legalese-filled, unrealistic expectations regarding marital union s.
Warrick sighed, wishing simply for uncomplicated when it came to Isabelle.
Duke said, “Give it a fair chance. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Because now that you’ve succumbed to Victoria’s desire to possess your very soul, you want all the rest of us fitted with our own custom ball and chain?”
“No. Jesus. You make it sound like a death sentence. It’s not. That’s all I wanted to convey. That I like it. It’s fun. Satisfying. Had I known how much I’d love being married, I might not have resisted her for so long. That’s it. Learn from me. You, too, can be happy. Not to mention you can increase the frequency of your sex life, and the intensity your love life. Win-win.”
“I’ll take your thoughts under advisement.”
“Spoken like a true lawyer. On that note I’ll let you go.”
He hung up and considered Duke’s comments on marital bliss. There was a lot of it going around in Enclave and at the OWT park.
Warrick had always thought he was very much like Kendall Forrester, the unofficial CEO of Old West Town. Warrick had been shocked as shit when he and Logan Pearson ended up being the first ones married. Their wife, Jocelyn, was a very wonderful woman by all accounts.
