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Shelby
Shelby spent the next week hauled up in the room that she and Tanner were sharing. She couldn’t seem to make up her mind about what to do. He had admitted that he loved her and God, she was in love with Tanner too. But telling him that he only owned half of her heart didn’t feel fair. Declan held the other half and right now, it was breaking.
He hadn’t called or even bothered to text to ask how they were doing. She was worried about him, and her only solace was that Henry was giving her daily updates about Declan. He was still at the hotel trying to assemble a team, according to her friend, but Henry said that he seemed sad—lost even. Should she take comfort in knowing that Declan seemed to be as lost as she felt? She didn’t. Shelby wanted answers from him—starting with why he was ghosting her and Tanner. Had he just changed his mind about wanting her? Was being with both her and Tanner too much for him or was she just not enough? So many questions that she wished he’d answer, and he was refusing to return any of her phone calls. Shelby had half a mind to use the rest of the money in her bank account and buy a plane ticket back to France, and demand that he talk to her. The only thing that kept her from doing just that was knowing that he’d possibly tell her to get lost, and that would break her.
“Are you still trying to avoid me or is it safe to come in?” Tanner asked from the doorway.
“No,” she lied. She spent most of her waking hours avoiding him because she hated the disappointment she saw in his eyes every time he looked at her. She wished that she could be sure that the two of them would be able to work without Declan, but she couldn’t. Shelby had already had enough heartache to last her a lifetime. She needed to be sure about Tanner before she made him any promises.
“You’re not a very good liar,” Tanner said.
“You say that as though it’s a bad thing. I’m sorry Tanner, I’m just not ready to make a decision yet. I’m not ready to let him go. I love you both and it would feel like I was choosing you over him if I promised you that I’d try,” she said.
“You love us both?” Tanner asked.
She broke down in sobs—not the way she planned on telling Tanner that she was in love with him. “I do,” she cried, “and if I agree to be with only you, I’d be denying half my heart. How can I do that?” she asked. He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her.
“You don’t,” he whispered into her ear.
“You won’t have to,” Declan said from the doorway. She wiped her eyes as if trying to get a better look at him because Shelby was sure that her eyes were playing tricks on her.
“You’re here?” she whispered.
“I am,” Declan said. “I’m so sorry, Shelby,” he said. “I fucked up.”
“Yes,” she said, “you did. How could you just disappear like that on me, Declan?” she asked. “Didn’t you know how it would break my heart?” she asked.
“No,” he admitted. “I had no idea that you felt the same way about me as I feel about you. I thought that I was doing the right thing letting you and Tanner try to have a normal life.”
“A normal life?” Shelby asked. “What the hell does a normal life look like, Declan?” “People will always judge the three of us. They will think the worst of us and our relationship. We won’t be able to control what they think,” Declan said.
“No, we won’t, but that’s true with anything in life. We can’t control what people think about us or what we choose to do with our lives. But we can tell them all to go fuck off and find some happiness—the three of us. That is what you promised me, Declan—the three of us trying to find our way.”
“You’re right,” he said. “That’s why I came back. It’s what I want too—a chance for the three of us to find our way. Will you give me another chance, Shelby?” he asked. “I love you and I want to spend my life with you and Tanner,” he said.
She looked up at Tanner who was still holding her in his arms. “For the record, I’m in love with you too. I’m all in if you are,” he assured.
Shelby sighed. She didn’t need to even think about it. She wanted them both and there was no way that she was giving up her second chance at having them both. “I’m in,” she said. Declan crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
“I’ve missed you,” he said, pulling her in for a kiss. Tanner gave her the same attention when Declan finished with her.
“Marry us,” Declan said.
“Marry both of you?” she asked.
“We’ll find a way to make it work,” Tanner promised. “We can at least have a commitment ceremony and then, you can choose which one of us to marry legally.”
“I can’t choose between the two of you. I thought that we’ve already been over all of this. I won’t pick,” Shelby insisted.
“Then, we’ll flip a coin,” Declan said. “But we want you tied to us, legally. We want to take care of you, honey. We can live wherever you want. Hell, we can move back to Paris, if you want. Just say that you’ll marry us,” Declan begged.
“I’d love to,” Shelby agreed. “I’d love to spend the rest of my life with both of you.” Shelby finally felt as though she was home in between her two guys—her forever, and there was no place else she’d rather be.
