“Come on, Daddy, we’re going to be late,” I say, prodding my Dad along.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” he huffs. He looks handsome in a Dad sort of way, in his jeans and wooly cardigan. To be honest, it’s just nice to see him in something other than his plaid pajama pants.

We’re off to the clinic to get his vitamin B shot, and then we’re meeting Sam and Bennett for dinner.

The guys had insisted on getting Dad a new oncologist when I confessed to them how poorly he was still doing, despite being in remission. Sure enough, his new doctor was horrified at the lack of follow up care from his other doctor, and immediately put him on a range of hormone and vitamin therapy to help with his energy levels, and antibiotics for a minor lung infection. She also referred to him to a therapist to deal with what she thought might be some undiagnosed depression.

I feel insanely guilty that it took Bennett and Sam’s intervention to get this ball rolling, but all of that is outstripped by the feeling of pure relief I get when I see Dad looking chipper and healthy again. It’s only been a month, and we’ve already seen such marked improvement that every day feels like a miracle.

At the clinic, I wait in the waiting room while Dad goes in for his shot. All the nurses here already love him, and they dote on him to no end.

I flip through a decorating magazine while I wait. Now that Sam and I have both moved in to Bennett’s house, I’ve been itching to do a little redecorating. Nothing major — just soften it up a little. Put my stamp on it.

Of course, when I told Bennett this, he told me I was more than welcome to put up naked portraits of myself all over the house. If I really wanted to see myself in the space, he said.

He relented once I asked how he’d feel the next time he had clients over for a soiree and they spent the night gawking at my naked body.

We compromised on some new throw pillows.

I use my phone to snap a picture of a light fixture in the magazine that I like, and just then Dad reemerges from the back. He looks peppier already, and I give another silent thank you to the universe for giving him this second chance.

As soon as he’s done, we hop in the Malibu and drive downtown to run a few errands. Sam had wanted to buy me a new car, but I told him I was still too attached to my own. To be honest, it’s just that so much has changed in the last few months, that it kinda feels like my head is spinning. All of it’s good, of course — amazing, really — but the Malibu feels like the last vestige of my old life. And for now it does just fine, getting me to and from my new job at Full Boom.

The new editor Bennett and Sam hired is amazing, and I’m learning so much working for her. I’ve never been so excited to get up and go to work every day.

Dad and I finally make it to the restaurant and I toss my keys to the valet as we head inside. We find Bennett and Sam already waiting for us.

The guys get up when we arrive and give me a chaste kiss on the lips before shaking Dad’s hands.

“Good to see you again, Mr. Emery,” Bennett says stiffly.

Dad waves his hand. “How many times have I told you boys to call me Mike? Mr. Emery was my father,” he teases.

It was a bit awkward explaining to my Dad about my relationship with Sam and Bennett. I’m not sure any father in the world wants his daughter to be in a relationship with two men at the same time. He’d come around slowly, though, especially after he saw how devoted they were to me and how they took such good care of me. It was hard for him not to like them when they doted on me so much.

In fact, these days it’s Bennett and Sam who have to loosen up a little. They’re still so worried about my Dad that they call him “sir” and “Mr. Emery,” and tend to get all tongue tied around him. To be honest, I think he secretly enjoys it.

The four of us enjoy a nice dinner, until Dad starts yawning during dessert. Even though he’s doing much better, he still gets tired easily, and today has been a long day.

I run him home, and then, after I’ve gotten him settled, zip back down to Malibu. I’m hoping we can find a solution that gets him closer to us, but so far he doesn’t seem interested in selling the house, so I’m not sure where that’ll land. I know better than to try to push a man when he’s being stubborn.

Unless of course, I muse, thinking of Sam and Bennett, all he needs is a push. Then pushing can work out quite well indeed.

I head into Bennett’s house — our house, I remind myself — expecting to settle in for a cozy night of Netflix and wine, but instead find Sam and Bennett dressed to the nines. Sharp suits, silk ties, shoes so shiny I can see my reflection in them.

“What’s going on?” I ask, looking them up and down and trying to reign in the extremely lusty feelings those well-cut suits are giving me.

“We’re going out,” Bennett announces. “We haven’t been out in ages, and we want you to see you all dressed up.”

“Oooh — where are we going?”

“Orchid,” Sam grins.

The lusty feelings in my gut grow. We always have a great time at Orchid, and I’m still thankful Ava didn’t ban me after my little incident.

“Private room?” I ask, biting my lip.

“Hell yes,” Bennett says. Sam waggles his eyebrows.

“Give me twenty minutes to get ready,” I say, rushing upstairs to the bedroom we all share.

I don’t know what adventures Orchid will hold for us tonight, but I do know one thing for sure — as long as I’m with Sam and Bennett, it’ll be absolutely perfect.

Want more of The Orchid Room? and be the first to know when my new book, Taken By Two, is available!