Twice the Match: A Menage Romance (The MFM Dating Agency Book 1) Read online

  He picked up a little metal figure, an Indian god with multiple arms and a headdress bigger than his body. “I’m in love with her, Clark. Head over fucking heels. I’m not letting her go just because she’s scared.”

  Clark stepped up next to him, hands stuffed in his pants pockets. “Then what are you going to do?”

  “Whatever it takes. She’s got feelings for me, too. I can sense it.”

  Clark rocked back on his heels. “And you think she doesn’t for me?”

  Mitch set the figurine back on the desk and ran his hand through his hair. “I didn’t say that.”

  “Then what are you saying?”

  “Fuck, Clark! It’s not like you’ve been all that forthcoming. How about you tell me? Are you in love with her? Are you willing to keep fighting for her?”

  “If I am? Then what?”

  Mitch threw up his hands. No wonder she ran out. The pair of them couldn’t be in the same room without going for each other’s throats. How could he expect her to keep playing this charade of dating the pair of them when they were like caged tigers, prowling the perimeter, waiting to strike?

  “We keep fighting like this and she’s going to dump us both. We’ll both lose.” He strode to the couch and flopped down, his head coming to rest in his hands.

  After a minute or two, Clark eased down onto the cushion next to him. “Are you ready to get your head out of your ass, or do you need to beat yourself up for a few more minutes first?”

  Mitch glanced up. Gone was the cocky bastard Mitch had gotten to know in law school. In his place was a man with a purpose. Clark Hill sat on the couch, blue eyes steely and focused, not a whisper of hesitation or doubt anywhere on his face.

  He waited for Mitch to answer, all the patience of a man with a solid plan.

  After a few calming breaths, Mitch faced him. “All right. Talk.”

  CLARK

  Fucking finally. Clark had stood there in silence while Mitch tore himself apart over Maddie leaving. He knew part of the reason Maddie loved the guy was for his more sensitive side.

  He’d always been that way. Even in law school, Mitch was the one who went out of his way to do pro bono work and help out with the charities the school supported. According to the rumors, he had been the only reason his firm created the pro bono partnership with the public defender’s office in the city. If it weren’t for Mitch, a whole lot of people on trial wouldn’t have the legal support they did today.

  The man wore his heart on his oversized sleeve. There was a reason he stayed on the contract side of the business and didn’t dig in the trenches in litigation. He’d never survive.

  Sure, maybe Clark had hardened his own heart by being aggressive in the courtroom and an asshole when it mattered for his clients. But Maddie had blown a huge, gaping hole in his armor. One glance with those eyes shimmering with tears and Clark was gutted.

  Dating the two of them—falling in love with them—had torn her apart. He couldn’t keep doing that to her. She needed stability. Reassurance. A future.

  Clark did too.

  As soon as the idea came to him that morning, he knew it would work. It was a way out of the darkness and into the light. A way forward. A path.

  He patted Mitch on the knee. “I don’t know if it will ease your concerns, but I’m just as locked in as you are.”

  Mitch glanced up, his eyes swollen and face puffy. The man looked like shit. “You are?”

  Clark nodded and stood up. “As far as I’m concerned, Maddie is the one. I love her. Fuck, I’d marry her today.” He glanced at Mitch. “If you weren’t here, that is.”

  “So you want me out of the way, is that it?” Mitch stood up with a frown. “I told you, that isn’t going to happen.”

  “Easy there, Romeo.” Clark held up his hands. “I’m not telling you to pound sand. I’m telling you I have an idea.”

  “What?”

  Clark eyed the man who could end up being more than a friend. Could Mitch handle sharing Maddie for the rest of their lives? Could he be strong enough to love her despite her loving Clark, too?

  Mitch had floated the idea a million years ago when Clark had come to see him, but it had seemed so far-fetched then. Now…

  One way to find out.

  “Say Maddie can’t choose. That it’s both of us or neither of us.” He paused before saying the rest. “I’m man enough to share Maddie. If she wants both of us, I can handle that. I love her enough to give her that freedom.”

  Mitch stared at Clark, shock all over his face. “You’re serious?”

  “Very.”

  Mitch stepped back and rubbed his cheek. “What about your firm? Your career? You think your clients will be so accepting?”

  “I don’t give a fuck what they think about my personal life. It’s none of their business.”

  “The partners at my firm… They’ll hate it, Clark.” He gripped his head like he was afraid it might float away. “They’ll force me out.”

  Clark raised an eyebrow. “Is that the worst thing? I thought you were ready to leave anyway? And what about the pro-bono partnership? Aren’t they ending it?”

  “Probably.”

  “Then they’re eliminating all the charitable work you set up. Is that really the kind of place you want to be a part of?”

  “What choice do I have?”

  Clark smiled. It was all coming together. “That’s the thing. We don’t have to choose, my friend. We can have it all.”

  Once Mitch heard his plan and they set it in motion, there would be no stopping them. The three of them—Clark, Maddie, and Mitch—could have everything they wanted. A life full of love and happiness, doing the work that made their jobs worthwhile.

  If they had the courage to go after what they wanted and not run from it, they could win. The three of them, together.

  Mitch shrugged. “All right. I’m listening.”

  Chapter 16

  MADDIE

  Hands wrapped around her face and Maddie stumbled through a doorway. “I’m telling you guys, I don’t really like surprises.”

  Mitch chuckled behind her. “You’re going to have to set that aside tonight, I’m afraid. Because we’ve got a ton of them.”

  Maddie groaned as Clark steered her further inside a building. They had surprised her in the middle of the day while she’d been out shopping for a client’s living room makeover, whisking her into a waiting car without telling her a single detail about their plans.

  Before she knew it, they had demanded she close her eyes and off they went down the expressway, out of the city and away from everything.

  “When can I open my eyes?”

  “In just a second.” Clark’s gravelly voice made her smile. Despite all her misgivings about the future, she still loved being in their company.

  “All right. On the count of three. One, two, three.”

  Clark dropped his hands and Maddie blinked the room into focus. She turned around in a slow circle, not believing what she saw. “You took me to a bowling alley?”

  Mitch shrugged. “Not just any bowling alley. The best bowling alley in northern Illinois.”

  Maddie eyed the empty lanes and concession stand. “If it’s so awesome, where are all the people?”

  Clark smiled. “Today, it’s just us. We rented it.”

  “The whole thing?” Maddie spun around. “You rented an entire twenty-lane bowling alley for me?”

  “Hey, you’re not the only bowler in this threesome, remember?” Mitch picked up a custom blue and white marble bowling ball. “I hope you brought your A-game Ms. Trubedeau.”

  He approached the first lane, bowling ball set in his hand, before he strode forward and launched it. The ball rolled clean and straight, slamming into the pins and knocking them all down. Mitch turned to her with a grin. “Ready?”

  Maddie couldn’t believe it. They’d rented an entire bowling alley just to take her out on a date. “This had to cost a fortune.”

  Clark leaned in as he s
miled. “Lucky for us, bowling alleys in the suburbs cost less than the city. A lot less.”

  “Hence the drive.”

  “Bingo. If we were billionaires, you’d be up in some private jet, touring the world right now.”

  “Instead, I’m in a bowling alley an hour outside of Chicago, about to blow your minds with my ball-handling skills.”

  Clark ran his tongue over his lips, blue eyes sparkling. “Afraid you’ve already done that quite well.”

  Maddie laughed and walked over to the rack of bowling balls. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

  A few hours later, Maddie flopped down onto a seat near the middle lane, a bag of popcorn and a soda in her hands. Oh my God. What a day. They had laughed and talked and bowled until her fingers ached and her arms could barely pick up a ball.

  It had been one of the best days of her life.

  If she had written down her requirements for the perfect, imaginary man, Mitch and Clark combined would be it. Clark had the hot temper, the take-no-prisoners attitude, the sexy swagger she couldn’t help but love.

  And Mitch. Underneath that handsome, all-man exterior sat a huge heart and more compassion and kindness than Maddie could dream of.

  The pair of them stood in the lane, laughing over something Clark had said. Maddie wished this were real life. If only they weren’t lawyers at prominent firms with clients and partners and co-workers to deal with.

  If only Mitch didn’t make her smile with flowers when she opened the door. Or Clark make her laugh as he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.

  They had been nothing but amazing, sexy, wonderful men. But no matter how hard she tried to come up with a solution, she couldn’t. It wasn’t like decorating an awkward living room or a cramped office.

  Falling in love with two guys didn’t end in double the happy ever after. It ended in a broken heart, twice as big.

  “Is the popcorn burnt?”

  Maddie looked up into Mitch’s concerned face. “No.”

  “The soda flat?”

  She shook her head.

  “Then what’s with the frown?” He sat down next to her and she exhaled. Enough hiding it. They deserved the truth. “I’m thinking about the future.”

  “And it made you sad?”

  “Yep.”

  “Why?”

  She stood up and tossed the snacks in the trash before coming back to sit down. Maddie couldn’t break a guy’s heart while smelling buttered popcorn. It would ruin the movies forever.

  “You and Clark have been great.” She reached for his hand and wrapped her fingers around it. “But… I know you have important jobs that require not just your time, but your loyalty, too.”

  Part of her expected Mitch to interrupt, stop her from saying what he needed to hear, but he didn’t. He squeezed her hand and she kept going.

  “I don’t want to stand in the way of your career. I won’t.”

  “What are you saying?”

  She closed her eyes and inhaled. When she opened them again, she looked up. Mitch sat in front of her, his face stoic and still. He’d already shut down. He knew what was coming. Damn it. “It’s not you, Mitch. It’s—”

  “Clark. You’re picking him.”

  “What? No!” Oh, God. He can’t think that! Maddie rushed to explain. “No! That’s the thing. I can’t pick. I can’t choose. Believe me, I’ve tried. Staying up all night, making lists of pros and cons, telling myself I’m completely certifiable. But I can’t. I can’t choose between you.” She swallowed. “I love you both.”

  “You love us?” Clark’s voice sounded from over her shoulder and Maddie cringed.

  “Did I say that out loud?”

  He crouched beside her, taking her free hand. “You did.”

  Maddie exhaled. “I didn’t mean to. It just slipped out.”

  “But is it true?” Mitch tugged her attention back to him. “Are you in love with us?”

  “Hopelessly.”

  Instead of the anger or sadness she expected to see on his face, Mitch broke into a huge, goofy grin. His arms wrapped around her as he stood up, practically knocking Clark to the floor as he spun Maddie around.

  “Why are you so happy?” She pushed on him, but he wouldn’t let her go. “Aren’t you disappointed? I told you, I can’t pick!”

  Clark answered. “We don’t want you to.”

  Mitch set her down and she turned to face Clark. “What are you saying?”

  “I love you, Maddie.”

  Mitch came to stand next to Clark. “And I love you, too. We won’t make you choose.”

  “You two are making no sense.” She shook her head in exasperation. “If you aren’t making me pick one of you, why are you so happy? Doesn’t this mean goodbye?”

  “Not at all.” Clark glanced at Mitch and he nodded in approval. “We don’t want you to choose because we’ve come to an agreement. We’re men enough to share you, Maddie.”

  Her mouth fell open and she didn’t try to close it.

  “We want you in our lives. Now and forever. We know you didn’t expect to fall for two guys. Hell, we never expected to end up in this position, but we accept it.”

  “What about your careers?”

  Mitch smiled. “We’ve got a few ideas on that front. Don’t worry. There’s a way to make it all work.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “Then believe me.” Clark stepped forward. “I wouldn’t be standing here, telling you I love you more than life itself if I didn’t think there was a way to have everything, Maddie.” Clark took her by the arms, his touch gentle, but commanding. “You’re worth a few sacrifices.”

  “I am?”

  Mitch stepped up and planted a soft kiss on her temple. “I’d walk away from my career in a heartbeat if it meant spending every day with you.”

  “I don’t want you to do that!”

  “Relax.” Clark ran his thumbs up her skin. “You don’t have to. I’ve got a plan.”

  “One where you two can keep your jobs?”

  “Something like that.”

  “What is it you’re not telling me?”

  Clark let her go with a grin. “One of these days you’re going to learn to love surprises.”

  Maddie pouted and turned to Mitch. “Tell me. Please.”

  He held up his hands. “It’s not my plan to tell.”

  Maddie crossed her arms. “This is so not fair.” She glanced past them to the empty lanes. Would they be able to resist a little friendly competition? She turned back to both of her loves with a grin. “How about one more game? If I win, I get to find out all the details.”

  Clark raised an eyebrow. “And if you lose?”

  “Then whichever one of you wins gets to take me home. Deal?”

  Mitch nodded and Clark reached for a ball. “May the best man win.”

  Chapter 17

  MITCH

  “I’m beginning to think you tied on purpose.” Maddie leaned into Mitch, snuggling against his chest as they headed out of the city.

  He slipped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close enough to bury his face in her hair. She smelled of honeysuckle and vanilla and all the good things in the world.

  When Clark first floated his idea of how to win Maddie’s heart, he’d balked. Crazy didn’t begin to do Clark’s plan justice. But the more he thought about it, the more it made a hail-Mary-to-the-endzone kind of sense. What was it one of his clients always said? Go big or go home.

  This is big. Really fucking big.

  The lights of Chicago faded into the distance as they entered horse country. Clark surprised him with his memory—he hadn’t realized the man even knew about his family home. But as soon as he explained, it all came together. Mitch hoped Maddie would think so, too.

  Clark glanced into the rear view. “It’s just up ahead, right?”

  Mitch nodded. “The driveway will be on the right. About half a mile.”

  “Where are we going, again?”

&n
bsp; “You’ll see. Right about… now.” Clark turned down the tree-lined driveway and the stately white home with front columns and farmhouse shutters came into view. Mitch had been out to check on the place a few weeks ago, but he hadn’t brought anyone to his family’s country house in years.

  Maddie pulled away from him to stare out the window. “What is this place?”

  Clark stopped the car in the roundabout and got out before opening Maddie’s door. He motioned her out, and Mitch climbed out a moment later. He looked up at the painted wood siding and grand front porch and smiled. “Welcome to Nestledown. My grandfather built it.”

  She turned to him. “This is yours?”

  He nodded. “When my mother died, I inherited it, being an only child and all.”

  “I thought you lived in the city.”

  “I do most of the time. But this is where I grew up and where I had always hoped to come back.”

  “It’s amazing.”

  He scratched the back of his head. “It’s got good bones, I’ll give you that. But it’s mostly empty. I don’t know what to do with it all by myself.”

  Maddie turned to him. “Then what are we doing here?”

  Clark stepped up with a smile. “You’ll see. Come on, Mitch. Give us the tour.”

  CLARK

  As soon as they pulled up to that big, old house in the country, Clark knew he picked a winner. All those empty rooms were begging for new life and hard work. He could see the three of them not just living there, but turning his plan into an incredible reality.

  Mitch escorted them through the house, opening rooms that hadn’t felt a rush of fresh air in years. The place was massive. Countless bedrooms, a winter and a summer kitchen, plenty of living and meeting space. Everything one could want in a business and a home.

  They stopped back in the entryway and Clark nodded. It would suit their needs perfectly.

  “So where do you stay when you come here?” Maddie’s eyes were saucer-wide, her head spinning with the place.