Page 42 of Prelude of Love (Harmony of Hearts #6)

DUKE

THREE MONTHS LATER

The morning light spilled over the garden, painting everything in soft gold.

I paused at the back door, surprised to find Chance outside.

He sat on the bench beneath the maple tree, a notebook balanced on his knee, pen moving across the page with purpose.

His sandy-blond hair caught the sunlight, making him look angelic, although I’d never tell him that. His ego was big enough already.

Three months had transformed him from an exciting fling into something essential that I couldn’t imagine living without, though admitting that still scared the shit out of me sometimes.

I stepped onto the patio, the wooden boards creaking under my weight. “Morning, Princess.”

Chance looked up, his blue eyes brightening. “Hey.” He shifted his notebook to give me room to sit. “Where’s Early?”

“He’s making coffee.” I settled beside him, glancing at his work. “New song?”

“Maybe.” He tilted the page toward me, a gesture of trust that didn’t go unnoticed. “I’m playing with some lyrics.”

I scanned the words, feeling a familiar rush of pride mixed with awe. His talent never ceased to amaze me, even when I pretended to be casual about it. “It’s good. Really fucking good.”

“Yeah?” His smile was softer than the one he showed the world.

“Yeah.” I brushed my thumb across his cheek. “You know I wouldn’t bullshit you about music or anything else.”

The back door opened, and Early appeared with three steaming mugs balanced expertly in his hands.

His blond hair stuck up at odd angles, and he looked petite in one of my T-shirts that hung almost to his knees.

Seeing him in my clothes still did things to my heart, even after all our years together.

“I told Duke we should wait until after your coffee, but he’s impatient,” he teased, handing mugs to us before settling on his other side with his own.

Chance’s eyebrows raised with suspicion. “What are you two up to?”

Early shot me a conspiratorial smile over Chance’s head. The morning sun caught in his gray-hazel eyes, turning them almost silver. I’d seen that look thousands of times over the years, but it still hit me square in the chest. That look was home.

“Nothing bad,” I assured Chance, surprised by the nerves fluttering in my heart.

The feeling was utterly foreign because I didn’t get nervous about anything.

But the unfamiliar sensation only confirmed what I already knew: Chance mattered.

He’d become as essential to me as Early, as necessary as breathing.

Chance took a long sip of his coffee. “Should I be worried? Because you two seem like you’re plotting something, and last time you had that look, I ended up with whipped cream in places that still make me blush when I think about it.”

“Never worry with us,” Early interrupted, squeezing his hand. “Not ever.”

I cleared my throat, finding it difficult to speak. “Princess, you changed everything from the moment you first walked into my bar.”

Chance’s eyebrows shot up, his expression shifting from relaxed to alert.

Early leaned his head against Chance’s shoulder. “You’ve made our lives even better than we imagined. And we had a pretty damn good life before you.”

I reached into my pocket, fingers closing around our surprise. Early and I had picked it out after weeks of discussion. The decision had been unanimous.

I pulled out the velvet box, opening it to reveal the platinum wedding band nestled inside. It matched the ones Early and I had worn for years, the same engraving that promised “Always.”

“We want you to be ours,” I said, my voice rougher than I’d expected. “In every way that matters.”

“Will you marry us?” Early asked.

Chance stared at the ring, then at our matching bands. His eyes filled with tears even as his lips curved into that familiar smirk that had first caught my attention all those months ago. “You want to make an honest man out of me?”

Early laughed, the sound bright in the morning air. “Is that a yes?”

“Like I’d ever say no to you two.” Chance pulled us both close, kissing Early first, then me. “That’s a very enthusiastic yes. A thousand times, yes.”

My hands were steady as I slid the ring onto his finger, though my heart pounded hard enough that I was sure they could hear it. The band fit perfectly, as if it had always belonged there, the same way he belonged with us.

Early kissed us both, joy radiating from him. “We love you, hon.”

“I love you both, too,” Chance murmured against my throat, his voice thick with emotion. “So fucking much.”

I wrapped my arms around them both, holding them tight against me. “We’ll always love you, Princess.” They were my family. My entire world, right there in my arms.

“You’re stuck with us now,” Early said gleefully. “No returns, no exchanges.”

Chance laughed against my chest. “Promise?”

“Promise,” Early and I said in unison.

I held them tighter, my heart full of love for the two men who had somehow broken through every wall I’d ever built. “Forever,” I added. “That’s the deal.”

And for the second time in my life, forever didn’t sound like nearly enough time.

Do you want to celebrate with the guys after Chance’s movie premiere? You can read “Afterparty” today!

Curious to see what happens to Red when he returns home to Wintervale? Continue his story in “Oops, I Did Him Again” to find out what happens next.

In the mood for a hilarious bisexual awakening when two best friends fake date? Read “Faking It Right” to enjoy a good laugh.

Want to see where the Sunnyside universe begins? Check out Bet on Love to start the adventure.