“She handles this kind of thing all the time.” She was brilliant at deflecting negative press.
“Yes, for other people. She’s never been in the eye of the storm herself, and I don’t think she’ll handle her own scandal well. She nearly broke down when I found you with her. She was ready to walk away from everything because she didn’t want to face us again. She walked away from everything rather than deal with the fallout. Her embarrassment was more important than her job, it seems.”
“Maybe it was her broken heart. You hurt her with your terrible accusations and she probably couldn’t think of a single reason why she should stay and hear more of your contempt.” Callum offered an alternate suggestion with a sardonic lift of his brow.
Oliver gave him a half-shrug, as if admitting that his younger brother might have a point. “I think you’re going to have a hard time convincing her she can handle the pressure.”
Put like that, her actions concerned him. “Do you think she believes we’re not worth it?”
“I’m not certain she’s figured that out yet. I worry she won’t allow herself to. I suspect she intends to leave for America soon.”
“How do you know that?”
“I don’t. But I know how to run away from a problem, Cal. I’m an expert at it. Why do you think I’m here? I’m looking for closure so I don’t make the same mistakes again. I hate myself for what I did to Tori that night. I don’t want to hurt another woman the way I hurt her.”
“How are you going to handle it once she’s married to Rory and me? I know you doubt it’s going to happen, but I can’t live without her. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.”
“To be honest, I don’t know.” Oliver sighed. “That’s another thing I’m trying to figure out.”
“There’s always a place for you with us,” Callum offered, hoping that Oliver truly listened. “Just think about it. You wouldn’t have to worry about who would take care of Tori if something happened to you. You also wouldn’t have to worry about her suddenly turning into Satan because I obviously have better taste in women than you.”
“You think so?” Oliver laughed. “I will point out your fling with Thea.”
Callum couldn’t argue that. “Yes, but I’ve come up in the world. Tori is nothing like Thea.”
“She’s not Yas, either. I know that. I simply don’t know how I would feel about sharing her. I can be possessive.”
Holy hell. They were talking about it. Oliver was actually talking about the possibility of sharing Tori. Callum wasn’t sure what his older brother had been doing whilst he was away, but it seemed to have done Oliver a world of good. “Rory and I are both figuring it out moment by moment. We want the same thing out of life. That’s a start.”
“Well, it seems all the good places are taken.” Oliver deflected his seriousness with a smirk.
“Oh, we rotate, brother, and that girl has a saucy mouth.”
Oliver’s grin widened. “You’re quite creative when it comes to penetrating a woman.”
“It’s a calling.” Callum winked, thinking that maybe Ollie wasn’t the only one who needed to apologize. “I’m sorry about the fight we had. I should have talked to you before I decided to claim Tori. I knew both you and Rory had a thing for her. I was being selfish. I hadn’t thought it through.”
“I’m sorry about the fight, too. I lost my temper.”
Callum paused, looking for the right words. “You know… I truly think sharing Tori is a good solution for all of us.”
“I’m not certain of that. I’m not certain of anything except that I need to talk to her.”
“Do you still want her?” Callum asked.
“Yes, more than I want my next breath, but I’m not sure I’m good for her.”
It was a start. “That’s the beauty of this relationship, brother. We bolster each other’s weaknesses. She’s always got the three of us.”
Oliver seemed to ponder that for a long moment. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”
The door flung open suddenly, and Rory dashed inside, his eyes wild. He’d put on his tux, but his tie was undone and it looked as if his hair had endured a windstorm.
Rory stopped short, staring at the two of them. “You’re not fighting.” He sounded shocked. “I realized Cal was gone and I figured he’d come here.”
Oliver sent Rory a deeply superior stare. “Callum and I are adults and we get on quite well.”
It was good to feel like they were on the same side. Rory could be very bossy.