He reaches to a pile of papers, retrieving an envelope. “This is your commission.”
I take the envelope in surprise. “You don’t need to give me commission. I was only here to help out.”
“That was a big sale, and you deserve it,” Walter says. “And if you’d be interested in coming to work for me… it doesn’t have to be full time… just let me know.”
There’s a black leather seat opposite Uncle Walter and I perch on the edge, cradling the envelope in my lap. “Thank you. That really means a lot.”
“Have you decided what you’re going to do?” He leans back in his chair, clasping the back of his head with both hands.
“No. Not really. I still have college to consider. I haven’t been able to face finishing clearing Dad’s things yet. The boys have been great but…”
“But what?”
“It’s a lot to take on board. And there was this man who came around the other day.”
“Man?” Walter drops his arms and leans forward with interest.
“He says he’s offered the boys money for the house. He wants to buy it.”
“Did they tell you about the offer?”
I shake my head. It’s what I’d hoped would happen, but for whatever reason, they haven’t been forthcoming with the information. “No.”
“What does the man look like?”
I give Walter the best possible description that I can, and he nods thoughtfully. “I think you’re talking about Tristan Copeland. He’s new in town. He’s been buying up property around the outskirts. At first, no one thought anything of it, but now it seems to be a tactical buy-up of property rather than someone just looking for general investments.”
“What do you think he’s planning?” I ask.
Walter holds his hands in the air, palms up. “I wish I knew, Maggie. Why, are you thinking about taking him up on his offer?”
“I don’t know what his offer is yet. I played like I knew what he was talking about. And anyway, I don’t own the house outright. I’m a one-twelfth share holder. I don’t exactly have a say.”
“You do,” Walter says. “If you wanted to sell, the boys would have to take your wishes into consideration.”
“It’s their home. I’d feel terrible.”
Walter shrugs and I’m surprised at his flippancy. He’s known the boys for years, way longer than me, and yet I’m already feeling a greater sense of loyalty toward them. “Tristan has an office at the end of Main Street. Why don’t you take a drive down there and find out all the information? No one can make a decision without knowing all the facts.”
“Okay,” I say. “I will.”
“The triplets will be back in a minute to collect you. Why don’t you finish up and wait outside?”
“Sure. And thanks for this and everything,” I say, flopping the envelope back and forth.
“It’s nothing. You’re family, Maggie. I’m here for you, whatever you need, okay? And keep those boys on their toes,” he says with a wink. “Danna’s given lots of people funny ideas about relationships. Who knows what those boys are thinking with a pretty girl like you living under their roof? All their Christmases have come at once.”
I blush, remembering how it felt to be sandwiched between the twins. Does that constitute as keeping them on their toes? I don’t think so!
“I will, Uncle,” I say.
I spend the next few minutes tidying up the refreshment table and throwing away the trash. When the triplets pull up to collect me, my mind is still lost in the mind-blowing places their brothers have taken me.
17
The house is empty when we return, and I take my shoes off in the hallway, the cold wooden floor like a balm beneath my tired feet. I follow the triplets into the kitchen, where they gulp down huge glasses of water, still thirsty from their practice.
"My legs are still twitching," Dwayne says, sticking out his thigh. His quad muscle jumps, and I blink in shock.
"Wow, you must have worked out hard."
"We were doing ladder drills and cone work. It's a lot of leg work." Donovan explains.
"But I've still got energy." Dwayne hooks his arm around my back, pulling me flush against his body. I can smell the scent of something fresh on his skin, mixed with his own sexy pheromone smell, which does something weird to my brain. "You look hot today. Hot enough to get that douchebag at Walter's store all worked up."
"She had her legs wrapped around him, and her titties pressed up against his back. If she did that to me, I'd have been driving