Page 45 of Sold to the Single Daddies (Southern Heat Reverse Harems #4)

Reagan

“Are you going to answer that?” Harley spoke around a big bite of her breakfast sandwich. “If you aren’t, maybe turn it off? I’m starting to hear that ringtone even when your phone isn’t ringing.”

I ignored the call, just like I had the first fifty.

It was clear the guys weren’t handling my disappearance very well.

They hadn’t expected me to be gone when they woke up.

Harley had been awake when I texted her, though, and she was desperate for something to get her mind off the upcoming auction so she’d gotten in her car and come straight to me.

I’d snuck out with my things and Lucky before the sun came up.

“Well?” Harley swallowed and turned to look at me. “Judging by the tears and the pouting, it doesn’t seem like you actually want to leave them. And judging by the incessant phone calls and texts, it doesn’t seem like they want you to leave.”

I picked at my own sandwich and rested my head on the seat with a heavy sigh.

“I’m doing the right thing.”

“I’m not sure either of us know what the right thing is anymore.

You got knocked up during a sex auction and I accidentally got high and lost my virginity so I wouldn’t lose it during a sex auction.

Your supposedly wrong thing led to Lucky being born.

I’m still waiting to see what mine brings…

” Sighing back at me, she shrugged. “I just think you were happy with them.”

“You hated them until a couple of days ago.” I rewrapped my sandwich and tossed it back in the bag. “This sucks. Everything sucks.”

“I hated them until I saw them with you and Lucky. They’re probably stupid but they love Lucky.” She hesitated. “I would’ve sworn they loved you, too.”

I scoffed. “Don’t.”

My phone started ringing again but when I looked at it to ignore the call again, I saw that it was Maxie. Harley saw, too, and nodded for me to take the call. I didn’t even get to say hello before Maxie was talking.

“Reagan? Are you okay? Mills just called me and said you left and they didn’t know where you went. They’re freaking out and now I’m freaking out because I’ve never heard Mills sound like that.”

That was all it took for me to start crying again.

“I’m okay. I’m just moving out.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m with Harley. We got breakfast and now I’m about to—”

“Come over.” Maxie didn’t sound any less stressed. “You’re not going back to the motel and there’s nowhere else for you to stay in town. You’ll move in with us. We have plenty of room. You can have an entire side of the house to yourself.”

I hesitated and when I did Harley took it as her chance to speak up.

“She’ll do it!” She looked at me and my shocked face. “What? You need a place to stay and Maxie is awesome.”

“Thanks. You can come, too, Harley. If you get tired of Dallas, I mean.”

“I might take you up on that depending on how this auction goes. Did Reagan tell you about it?” Harley saw me shake my head no and smiled.

“Of course, she didn’t. She’s the best, isn’t she?

Well, I’ll tell you everything when we get there.

Is one of your fine husbands going to be cooking breakfast? I’m still hungry.”

Shep spoke up. “This fine husband will start cooking now.”

I sat there in silence as they finished the call without me. Harley grinned at me when she handed my phone back. I just sighed and shook my head.

“I don’t even know what to say.”

“You’re welcome. You have a home now.” She pulled out of the empty parking lot we’d been loitering in and headed towards Maxie’s ranch. “This keeps you close enough to reconsider things, too.”

“Oh, my god, Harley.” I ran my hands through my hair and tugged at it. “I’m not reconsidering things. This is for the best. They don’t trust me and they’re just going to keep hurting me. I love them but it’s not enough.”

“You love them?”

I groaned. “Just drive, Harley. I don’t want to talk about it.”

My phone rang again and I saw it was Mills. Again. I silenced my phone and dropped it into my purse so I wouldn’t see the screen light up. My chest hurt and it just got worse with every call.

“Fine.” Harley managed to stay quiet for thirty seconds before she couldn’t contain her thoughts anymore. “Reagan, you love them. Did you tell them?”

“No.”

“You should’ve told them.” She grunted when I elbowed her. “I’m serious. You’re shooting yourself in the foot. The guys aren’t perfect by any means but I think they’re perfect for you. Whether you can admit it right now or not.”

“Why are you doing this?” I wiped more tears away. “I need your support, Harley.”

She frowned but nodded.

“Fine. I’ll be quiet for now.”

I did my best to pull myself together but when we pulled up to Maxie’s ranch and she stepped outside with her three husbands, I lost it.

I doubled over in my seat and quietly sobbed.

Jealousy and doubt consumed me until I wasn’t sure which way was up or down.

I felt lost. Those butterflies of hope which had been fluttering at the idea of a family with the guys had lifted me so far off the earth that the crash felt like it was going to kill me.

“Oh, Rea.” Harley leaned over and held me. “It’s going to be okay. I’ll make sure of it.”

I tilted my head to look at her.

“I love them. I just can’t accept pieces of them when I can’t be sure they’ll ever fully trust me, right?

They want me, though, and this feels like walking away from the family I always wanted.

I don’t know what I’m doing. I was so sure last night.

I was sure ten minutes ago. But I swear to god, Harley, seeing Maxie with her husbands feels like being kicked in the chest. What if I’m making a huge mistake? ”

“Oh, babe.” She held me tighter. “It’s just one day. You get some space today and when you wake up in the morning, think about it again. One day won’t break anything. Just give yourself the time to think about it. I want you back with them, too, but you need to be sure of your decision.”

Maxie opened my door and knelt beside the car to join Harley in hugging me.

“Oh, Reagan. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened but I’m here for you.”

I cried harder.

“I shouldn’t be here. You should be comforting your brothers. Not me.”

“Oh, hush. I can do both. Now get out of this car and get inside. Shep’s making waffles.”

Harley groaned.

“If dying from jealousy was a thing, y’all would be ordering carnations for my funeral right now. Don’t do that, though. I hate carnations. I know they’re the funeral flower but I don’t want it. I want anemones, something hard as shit to keep alive and fickle as hell.”

Maxie let out a muffled laugh.

“Noted.”