Seven Roses: Reverse Harem Romance Page 19

  “That’s my Bonnie.” He saw me staring and walked to the edge of the desk. “She was beautiful.”

  “Was?” I blinked a couple of times as I saw his tortured eyes reflect sadness when he picked up the picture frame of them in wedding attire.

  “Cancer.” He twisted his lip with a grimace and put the picture back down. “She was young too. I lost my faith after she went to heaven, but God wouldn’t let me stray forever.”

  “I’m sorry...” I clutched my grandmother’s urn close, immediately feeling sorry for the man in front of me.

  “You mentioned that I probably knew who you were because you were the only woman I’ve seen in months.” He turned towards me. “I guess someone has spilled the beans on Granite Falls.”

  “Yeah...” I muttered and shook my head. “I should have known I wasn’t lucky enough to have so many nice people looking at me like I was some kind of princess.”

  “God works in mysterious ways. You can’t discount that. When I was lost after Bonnie passed, I swear he sent an angel from heaven to tell me that my days of getting lost in the bottle wasn’t going to get me any closer to her. It might have just been the liquor in my system, but I haven’t touched a drop since.” He smiled and his face seemed to get a little calmer. “You didn’t come to Granite Falls by happenstance. It’s all God’s will.”

  “That seems a little hard to believe. I’ve never really bought into the whole faith thing.” I looked at the cross above his door. “Not that I’m actively denying it.”

  “You don’t have to believe—just have an open mind.” He walked behind his desk and took a seat. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

  “Maybe...” I started towards the door. “It was nice meeting you.”

  “You too.” He smiled one final time before I headed back towards the chapel.

  THE ENCOUNTER WITH Luther was strange, but I shrugged it off when I got back in my car. I put my grandmother’s urn in the passenger seat and wrapped the seatbelt around it. It was strange to think that her whole life was condensed into one tiny urn. I drove back towards the middle of town where my hotel was located and started thinking about the strange town of Granite Falls. I had never been the center of attention before. I had met guys who were interested in me, but the men in Granite Falls seemed to have a hunger on their breath that was different. I replayed the encounters I had with Axe, the sheriff, Blue, and even the guys at the repair shop. I made it about halfway to town when I saw lights flashing in my rear-view mirror. I had been so consumed with my thoughts that I didn’t notice the car behind me and when the lights came on, I was a bit surprised. I slowed down to a crawl and then pulled to the side of the road. I had no idea why I was being pulled over. I leaned against the door and saw Sheriff Jesse James approaching my vehicle.

  “Is there a problem?” I rolled down the window.

  “The mayor wants to see you. I can escort you to City Hall or put you in the squad car.” His voice was rather cold and I was taken aback.

  “He wants to see me? Why?” I looked up at him.

  “Don’t know.” He shrugged. “Are you going to follow me or do I have to arrest you?”

  “I’ll...” I felt my heart rate rising. “I’ll follow you.”

  I watched as the sheriff went back to his car and waited. I cranked up my car again and turned back towards the road. My heart was still beating hard in my chest. I hadn’t done anything wrong as far as I knew. I definitely didn’t know why the mayor would want to see me or why he would send the sheriff to get me. I drove to City Hall, which was more of a small trailer shaped building than an actual hall. Once my car was in park and I was sure my grandmother’s ashes were secure, I stepped out of my car. Sheriff James parked behind me and got out as well, pointing towards the entrance. It was more than just a little concerning that I was being summoned like a criminal, but I wasn’t being taken to jail, so I considered that some sort of relief. I walked up the steps to the front door and Sheriff James passed me so he could open it. I stepped into the building and followed his extended finger towards a door that had the mayor’s name on it. When I stepped into his office, I saw Mayor Danvers behind his desk. He immediately stood up when I walked inside.

  “Please have a seat.” He motioned to the chair in front of his desk. I took my seat nervously and Sheriff James walked into the office, closing the door behind him.

  “What’s this about?” I raised my eyebrows in concern.

  “You’ve been causing a bit of a stir since you arrived in town, Ms. Grant.” He took his seat again and leaned back in his chair.

  “I have?” I looked back to Sheriff James and saw him nodding.

  “I know you got an education about our town last night at The Water Barn. Blue has a big mouth, but he’s got a good heart—I can’t say the same about Axe.” The mayor sighed.

  “I can’t wait for him to fuck up so I can send him back to prison.” The sheriff sneered.

  “Prison?” I looked to the sheriff and back to the mayor.

  “Yeah, he’s a bit of a rough one.” Mayor Danvers nodded. “We tried to warn you about him.”

  “I had a few drinks with him. That’s all.” I looked between them and tried to read their faces.

  “We know.” Sheriff James walked over and took a seat beside me.

  “It is our job to keep the peace here in Granite Falls.” Sheriff James looked over at me. “That peace is coming unhinged with you here.”

  “I’m leaving as soon as my tire is fixed.” I rapidly looked at the sheriff and nodded. “Your brother is going to take care of it as soon as the new rim gets here.”

  “That’s the thing...” Mayor Danvers drummed his hand on the desk. “None of us want you to go.”

  “What?” I looked to him and back at Sheriff James who was nodding again. “I thought you just said—”

  “You’re causing a bit of unrest, but it is different with you. I’m used to seeing people go to war when pretty girl shows up—not that we see them very often.” Mayor Danvers leaned forward. “There’s something special about you—something I’m not sure I understand.”

  “I don’t think I’m special...” My words trailed off as I saw his glare, which was more intense than I expected.

  “I disagree. I think you’re exactly what this town needs.” Sheriff James cleared his throat. “We want you to stay.”

  “Why?” I looked to Sheriff James and back to Mayor Danvers.

  “This town is dying. If we don’t do something, we won’t have a town in twenty years. I think the key to that is you—you’re what we need. This may seem a bit strange, but you’ve caught the attention of everyone from our local convict to Sheriff James himself...” Mayor Danvers let out a sigh. “...and me.”

  “My brother too—even Major who hasn’t shown interest in a girl since he got back from Afghanistan.” Sheriff James smiled. “We want you to stay here with us—we want to take care of you.”

  “Take care of me?” I bit down on my lip and raised my eyebrows in confusion. “What do you mean?”

  “You would never want for anything. This entire town would belong to you. We would satisfy you in every way, show you how much we adore you, and treat you like the ravishing beauty you are.” Mayor Danvers looked to Sheriff James. “Right?”

  “Exactly that.” Sheriff James nodded. “I know it might be a bit unconventional, but nothing in Granite Falls is conventional. We’ve got a house on the edge of town. The bank foreclosed on it years ago and nobody has put in a bid on it, but we’d like to make it your castle—your home in Granite Falls.”

  “Um...” I felt a lump rising in my throat. “Are you wanting me to...”

  “We want to take care of you.” Sheriff James reiterated with a firmer tone. “In return, you’ll take care of us.”

  “I...” My words got tangled in my mouth. “I don’t think I’m the right girl for that.”

  “You are.” I heard the door open and I turned around to see Axe entering.
>
  “What the fuck are you doing here?” Sheriff James started to stand.

  “I asked him to come.” Mayor Danvers raised his hand.

  “Samantha...” Axe walked towards me with a smile on his face and knelt down beside my chair. “I saw how special you were when I met you. I wanted you all to myself and I’ll admit it was a bit greedy considering how things are in Granite Falls, but what Mayor Danvers is proposing could be a wonderful arrangement for you. Imagine—you’ll never wake up wondering if you’re loved—never have to worry about the complexities of life. Everything will be provided for you and we will shower you with love and affection.”

  “This seems really strange.” I looked at Axe and tilted my head. “Is this because I didn’t sleep with you? I’m a virgin, Axe. I can’t climb into bed with someone I just met...”

  “Wow...” Sheriff James whistled through his teeth. “You really are special.”

  “Something brought you to Granite Falls.” Axe took my hand rubbed my knuckles. “There is a reason you’re here. Let us show you how amazing life could be for you.”

  “I can’t do this.” I pulled my hand away. “I need to go.”

  “Here.” Mayor Danvers quickly wrote something on a piece of paper. “Come have dinner with us tonight. No strings attached—just a meal.”

  “I don’t know.” I sighed heavily, but took the paper.

  MY MIND WAS RATTLED with confusion when I left City Hall. I couldn’t believe they had actually asked me to remain in Granite Falls and partake in their strange arrangement. I felt like I needed a drink, but I didn’t want to go to The Water Barn so I just stopped at the gas station and got a cheap bottle of wine. I got back to my hotel room and locked the door, drinking from it as soon as my butt was on the bed.

  My life hadn’t exactly gone as I had planned. I dreamed of growing up, finding a nice man, getting married, and raising a tribe of our babies. I was content with the idea of being a soccer mom. I met a man online while I was still in college and I thought he was the one—even if he was nothing but an image on the computer screen. I later found out he was just a guy I went to school with who was obsessed with me and he didn’t look anything like his profile picture. I didn’t believe anyone should be judged for their looks, but the deceit was too much for me to handle. I didn’t feel like I could trust him when I realized I had been lied to for over a year. After that, I had a series of bad dates—some of which could have been better if I wasn’t scared of losing my virginity to someone who would end up hurting me.

  Drink. Forget this and just drink.

  The wine kept flowing into my stomach, a bigger gulp going down each time I turned the bottle up, and before long it was empty. I couldn’t deny being a bit infatuated with the idea of Axe liking me. He was incredibly delicious, even if he did venture on the wrong side of the law. Mayor Danvers looked like he was a cardboard cutout of the perfect clean-cut man and if I met him first, I would have probably considered a date with him if he asked. Sheriff James was a bit older than the two of them, but age hadn’t done anything to distract from his appearance. I wasn’t even sure if the mayor was suggesting they would be the only ones to take care of me or if he was looping in others I had met. Steve, the sheriff’s brother, was hot—so was his friend Major, but both of them seemed a bit damaged. None of it made sense. I put the wine bottle on the table and saw the piece of paper with the address Mayor Danvers gave me.

  Would it hurt to have dinner with them? Am I actually considering this crazy proposal?

  I stood up and found my knees wobbly as I opened my suitcase. It was like someone else picking out my clothes and leading me towards the mirror to get dressed. In my head, I rationalized what I was doing. If I had dinner with them, I could show them I was nothing more than a timid virgin who couldn’t possibly fulfill their fantasies. I could put all of the craziness behind me and leave Granite Falls once my tire was fixed. Once I was dressed in the only decent thing I brought, a black dress with matching heels, I started towards the door. I felt a bit buzzed, but after clacking down the stairs in heels, it had started to wear off.

  I walked outside and started to look around for my car—it was gone! Panic quickly rose up in my throat. Had it been stolen? Was this more of their game—to make sure I came to dinner? I turned to go back into the lobby when I saw a car pull up. The window rolled down and saw the face of Luther Madison peering out of it.

  “Do you need a ride?” He flashed a smile and pushed open the passenger door.

  “What? Where is my car?” I took a step back.

  “Steve had it towed. It’ll be fixed tomorrow. Come to dinner, Samantha. If you don’t like what we have to say, you can leave Granite Falls tomorrow.” He gave me a hopeful stare.

  “You’re in on this too?” I felt my mouth fall open in shock.

  “Just give it a chance—one meal.” He smiled again.

  I can’t believe I’m doing this.

  Chapter 6: Mayor Joe Danvers

  Being the youngest mayor of Granite Falls wasn’t easy. When my predecessor retired, I was left with mismanaged budgets and taxes that were rarely collected. Putting things back together had taken a toll on me. I just accepted that I would never find love, settle down, or have a family. It wasn’t like there were any candidates on the love ballot. Granite Falls was the kind of place where people just forgot about love, affection, and even their lust. I felt a change in the atmosphere when Samantha Grant rolled into town. It was more than Axe’s ego or Sheriff James’ desire to put him away for good. It transcended Steve’s thin line where he tried to balance being Axe’s friend and Jesse’s brother. It even seemed to calm the turmoil inside Major. Very few of them spent any time with Samantha, yet she was all they were talking about when we had gathered at City Hall to discuss what was on our mind. Blue’s arrival with interest on his breath stronger than the alcohol he normally put away by the gallon wasn’t nearly as surprising as watching our preacher, Luther Madison come through the door. It was clear that all seven of us only had one thought on our mind—Samantha. Our interactions were limited, but all of us craved her.

  “Is she even coming?” Blue poured a shot and downed it which caused Axe to push his glass towards the bottle.

  “She’ll come.” Axe tipped his glass back once Blue filled it.

  “We’re all clear on what we’re offering here?” I walked to the middle of the room and looked around the group.

  The collective nod combined with a few verbal confirmations echoed through the room. I knew it was an odd request but if the seven of them had been willing to consider it, then I hoped Samantha would as well. Luther agreed to go get her while the rest of us worked on making dinner. The old house at the edge of town was the perfect place for her to live and big enough for all of us to stay there. Very few people came out that way except for Sheriff James when he was checking in on the place. That would help quell the gossip some, although I wasn’t concerned about it as much as I should have been as an elected official. I felt like Samantha was worth that risk. When I heard Luther’s car in the driveway, I got everyone in position around the dinner table and waited for them to enter the house. Samantha had a stare of uncertainty on her face when she walked in and I understood it, but I hoped we could give her some semblance of peace about the situation. Luther led her to the chair at the opposite end of the table from me and took a seat. She looked around the room for a moment.

  “Thank you for joining us.” I raised my glass to her and all of the others did as well. “To Samantha.”

  “To Samantha.” The reply was almost unison, but it wasn’t perfect.

  “Samantha, I’d like to start with having the group talk a little bit about their experience in Granite Falls, why they’re interested in this arrangement, and then allow you to ask any questions you may have.” I sipped my drink and put it down.

  “Okay...” She seemed nervous, but agreed.

  “I’ll start.” Luther exhaled sharply and then lifted his head. “This
town means a lot to me. It’s where my wife and I made our memories before she was taken from me. She was a lot like you, Samantha. She wasn’t from Granite Falls, but she wandered into town on a cross-country trip when she was just a wayward young girl. I didn’t know what she was running from at the time, but she found peace in Granite Falls—with me. It’s been ten years since she passed and I honestly don’t think I could ever settle down with someone again. That part of me just seems gone. Maybe it’s the result of spending too many years wandering in sin while I drank my youth away, but when I met you—I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time...” He sighed deeply. “There is no way I could ever get married again, but I miss having someone to take care of. I miss having someone to love...”

  “I’m sorry that happened to you.” Samantha seemed a bit torn about what he said, but she didn’t immediately run away after one of us gave her their story, so I figured it should continue. I motioned to Major.

  “Afghanistan broke me.” Major picked up his beer and took a large gulp before sitting it down. “When I left Granite Falls to serve my country, I was proud to wear the uniform. I wasn’t prepared for the horrors of war. I was barely more than a kid when my boots hit that desert and I was forced to kill people to survive. It didn’t seem right—it felt more like slaughter than service. When my tour was done, I came back to Granite Falls. It’s the only place I feel peace. I had my fair share of women while I was away, but none of them really ignited a fire. It was just a few minutes of pleasure to get that sweet release. Once I returned from the desert, I couldn’t even feel that. I was fine living here without sex, but it is the companionship I’ve grown to miss... It wouldn’t be fair for me to drag a woman into my mess and leave her unfulfilled, but this arrangement would give me the companionship I need, and ensure you never feel like you want more. If I fail, there are six other guys to make sure you are well taken care of.”