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Chapter Two
Sylas watched Ashley walk away from his and Nic’s table.
Ashley was gorgeous from head to toe. Five feet and three inches of feminine perfection. All the curves in all the right places. Bright green eyes that mesmerized him. Back when they had still been dating, she’d mentioned wanting to cut her hair short. He’d begged her not to, loving her long, dark hair. Ashley was a woman who had a strong will and a mind of her own. She wasn’t a pushover, which was just one of the many things he loved about her. But she had given in to him about her hair, promising to keep it just the way it was.
After the breakup, he’d wondered if she’d changed her mind. Thankfully, she hadn’t. Seeing her today with the same long, beautiful hair made him so happy.
She walked out of the diner. Just like when she’d walked out from him and Nic back in Chicago, he wasn’t sure how to fix the situation—if he could fix it at all. Could things get any worse?
He looked at Nic, who had been admiring her as well.
Nic shrugged. “That didn’t go as bad as it could have.”
“But it didn’t go well.” He sat back down, and so did Nic.
Neither of them spoke. The silence was something that had become the norm between them lately. The only time they said a word to each other these days was when it had to do with some case for Braxton they were both working. Nothing else. Ever.
They had been quite close in the past. Very good friends. Like brothers. They’d met in high school and had ended up going to college, and later law school, together. Nic went to work at Braxton first and had recommended him for the job in the legal department six months later. Everything had been terrific for the past several years between them—until Ashley had showed up at their offices.
The waitress returned with their lunch. “Two Blue Plate Specials with Italian dressing.” She placed the meals on the table and refilled their waters. “If you have room left after you finish, we have the most wonderful chocolate pie. Just yell ‘Desirae’ and I’ll come running.”
“Thanks,” he said. “We will.”
She smiled.
Several people walked into the diner.
“Lunch rush is starting. Let me know if you need anything else.” She walked away, greeting the new customers.
“She’s very pretty,” Nic said. “And clearly into you.”
“Yes, she is pretty, but I’m not interested.
“What about that other girl that she and Ash were talking to? She’s cute, and she has blonde hair like you normally go for.”
“You know I’m interested in only one woman, and she happens to have dark hair and green eyes.”
Nic frowned. “Damn it, Sylas. Just eat your lunch. We don’t have to talk.”
What a screwed-up mess. He and Nic had pursued Ashley. But she had made it clear from the start that she was interested in both of them. They really hadn’t truly understood the full depth of what she meant. So they both dated her. The weekends she was in Chicago, Nic enjoyed her company Friday night through Saturday afternoon. Then Sylas got to see her from then until Sunday when she boarded a plane back to Destiny.
The rivalry grew between them as they each wanted to take things to the next level with Ashley. When she walked out, their friendship was totally wrecked. In fact, this was the first time they’d been civil to each other since the breakup.
Sylas looked around the diner. The lunch crowd had arrived, but it wasn’t like any lunch crowd he’d ever seen before. The lifestyle Ashley wanted, being the center of more than one man’s attention, was on display at most of the tables. The one that held his attention the most was the threesome walking into the diner at that very moment. They appeared older than any of the other customers. He guessed them to be in their seventies. They greeted everyone as they passed by their tables. The men held the woman’s hand, one on each side of her. Seeing how she looked at the two men and how they looked at her, Sylas knew that they were in love. How long had they been together? I wish I could talk to them and get some advice.
He looked back at Nic and found him staring at the same threesome. What was going through his mind? Was he also thinking about what Ashley had said about this town? Sharing was commonplace in Destiny. How had she put it? “All that matters is love, whatever way it presents itself. Two men with one woman is not uncommon.”
Nic pushed his plate to the side and broke the silence. “Let me make this clear to you, Sylas. I intend to land the job. I’m moving to Destiny, and I intend to win Ashley back. She is the woman of my dreams. I am not going to just lay down and give up.”
“Apparently you weren’t listening to Ashley in Chicago, Nic. She stated she wanted us both and she needed to live the Destiny lifestyle. My purpose here is to find out about that lifestyle.”
“Could you possibly share a woman with me?”
Sylas leaned back in his chair. “Truthfully, I never thought about it until Ashley. Now, I’m thinking about it. I really don’t know, Nic. But I do know that it isn’t going to hurt to find out about this lifestyle. That’s what she wants. And all I want is to make her happy. Maybe Phoebe will hire you and not me. But I’m staying, no matter what.”
“Without a job?”
“Even if I have to start my own practice.”
