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Eric chuckled and passed the papers toward Corinne. “Only because I challenged those same loopholes at various times in the last decade to best the both of you.”
“Last decade?” Corinne was confused. She started rereading the papers she had uncovered at the camp. She had not been mistaken. The entire premise was which of the three of them was best suited to claim her. The jerks had each even gone into great detail about why he was sure she would select him over the others. The rules detailed the necessity of keeping her in the dark about the contest so her decision would be made without undue manipulation.
“Look at the date, Corinne-girl,” Eric insisted.
Scowling at him for a second, Corinne did as he ordered and promptly gasped.
“In case you are having trouble with the math,”—Jeffrey leaned forward and pointed out the obvious—“This was drawn up ten years ago when you were still in high school. The three of us have been competing to win you over for a hell of a long time.”
“Eric was taking a pre-law class when we drew that stupid form up. We realized each of us had been lusting after you since we were in high school but knew you were a bit too young to seduce.”
“Not to mention your father would have killed us.” Todd chuckled.
“But you never... in all the years I have worked here, none of you showed the slightest interest in me,” Corinne tossed back, trying to take everything in.
“You were married,” Eric said. “We gave up on the chance to win you over.”
“If I had known how unfulfilling your marriage was, I’d have acted on it,” Todd told her matter-of-factly.
“I think it goes without saying we all would have pursued you if we realized unhappy you really were,” Jeffrey agreed.
“But after my husband died...” Corinne ’s brain still struggled to wrap around what they were claiming.
“We thought you need time to grieve,” Todd explained her, coming to stand by her side.
“Wasted a hell of a lot of time trying to do the right thing.” Jeffrey moved to her side, too.
Eric positioned himself beside Todd and Jeffrey. “Our interest in you has only intensified with time, Corinne. Why else would I carry around an old contract? None of us was ready to give up on having a future with you.”
“When we stumbled upon your interesting internet searches, all three of us agreed it was now or never. No matter how clearly I explained that I was the best fit for you, these two refused to give up.” Jeffrey elbowed the two men.
“So, you weren’t playing games with me?” Corinne wept with joy. “I’m not just a prize to laud over the others?”
“You are the ultimate prize,” Todd insisted. “Now that this nonsense if cleared up, which one of us gets to keep you?”
“Oh, my decision hasn’t wavered. I want all three of you.”
“Ridiculous!” Eric shouted.
“Not an option, young lady,” Todd repeated.
“If you need more time, we are willing to give it to you. But try to remember we have waited a hell of a long time to be able to prove how we feel about you.
“It’s all or nothing gentlemen,” Corinne announced, feeling like a selfish person. But she loved each of them dearly. It would be better to leave all of them behind than to settle for one third of her heart.
They tested her resolve, but Corrine never wavered. At first, the three of them refused to even consider her demands. Corrine expressed her disappointment and left.
“Where do you think you are going?” Master Jeffrey demanded as they followed her outside to her car.
“New Orleans,” she replied. “I’ll send my forwarding address once I settle in.”
Todd grabbed her keys. “Stop bluffing and pick.”
Eric swore as he caught sight of her packed car. What remained of the ivy plant she bitched about them killing sat on top of a box of belongings. “Do you think any of us will allow you to run away now that everything is out in the open?”
An elderly lady dressed in her Sunday’s best gasped as she and her husband walked by. Her husband guided her along the path with a stern warning about staying out of other people’s business.
“Build me a camp,” Corrine demanded, “or set me free. It’s all or nothing gentlemen.”
