Just Her Luck (81 page)

And he just dragged me into the middle of it.

Just great!

I frowned, watching him shut off his cell phone-
the one I’d made him get
- as it started to blare up, ringing off the hook, one call after another.

“What did you do and how long do you need to lay low?” I demanded.

He glanced at me, but quickly turned his eyes back to the road.

“I haven’t done anything,” he said innocently enough.

I could hear the
‘yet’
, even though he didn’t say it out loud.

“Uh-huh, that’s what they
all
say,” I muttered quietly.

He chuckled and his hand took mine, twining our fingers as he kept the other one on the steering wheel.

I leaned on his shoulder and stared out the windshield.

“This is kinda hot, you know?” I murmured quietly, “We’re kinda like Bonnie and Clyde right now.” I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, watching as the landscape sped by. “Just minus all the robberies, shooting, getaways, kidnapping, and what not. Erm, they did kidnap someone at some point, didn’t’ they?”

He snorted, and I peeked up at him, askance.

“Wouldn’t that
not
make us like Bonnie and Clyde, prison bait?”

I pinched his side, earning a grunt and a chuckle.

“Shut up and enjoy the compliment, pervert,” I grumbled a little peevishly, ruining it when I laughed, “I’m trying to romanticize here. Work with me!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“That’s better,” I huffed.

Grinning, he stifled a laugh.

We rode on in relative silence for a little bit longer, the radio on low, a man singing a country song about using a hound dog to escape jail or something.

The crooner on the radio actually had a pleasant voice and I found my foot tapping lightly along to the beat.

The song ended and both of us eventually peeked over at each other, caving at the same time, grinning like loons, laughing together.

****

“Hey, why didn’t you tell me we were going to Barry’s? I would have put on something else.”

I wrinkled my nose, glancing down at my ensemble.

“I look all…”

“Sexy?” he put in.

“Um,
nooo.
I was going for something more along the lines of
disheveled.”

He gave me a good once over, slowly climbing out of his truck, a smile kicking up the corners of his lips.

A very sexy smile.

Predatory.

“You look cute.”

Cute?

I’m not cute?

I made a rude noise.

“Cute?
Cute?
I don’t want to look
cute
. Cute is reserved for Ephraim when he wakes up in the morning, cute is for puppies and bunnies and kittens. I, sir, do
not
look cute right now. If you hadn’t have rushed me out the door like your butt was on fire, I could have changed really quick.”

“Nah, you look perfect, just like this. People will think I was tusslin’ with you before we got here.” He winked and blew me a kiss, knowing what I’d think about that.

He slammed his door shut on my indignant huffing, laughing like the bastard he is as he rounded the truck and opened my door.

I was still buckled, refusing to leave
this
seat.

Possibly ever.

“Aw, Vieve, don’t be like that?” he chuckled, trying to crowd me in the small space given.

I turned my face away when he tried to kiss me.

He growled and latched onto my neck, grinning against my skin when it didn’t even take three minutes and I was his willing puddle of goo, clutching at his wide, muscled shoulders, clawing at him like a wanton.

What was it my smart assed self had said not too long ago about men being stupid? Ruled by their pickles?

So much for gender division.

I stand corrected.

On both accounts.

This female right here- me- I think has just won the award for most ruled by body parts.

There was a click as he used my complete distraction to unbuckle me and hoist me out, scooping me into his arms.

“You’re going to get a hernia or something if you keep carrying me around, old man,” I warned him, wrapping my arms around him tight.

“It would be worth it,” he teased, kissing me soundly when I smacked him one.

Smart ass.

“Just be glad I’m in such a good mood, baby,” he warned, a small seed of threat seeping into his voice, “otherwise I’d have blistered your ass for that crack about your beautiful body.”

I snorted, rolling my eyes as we reached the front porch and he set me down, taking my hand in his before ringing the doorbell.

I smiled on the inside at the compliment.

“That or you’d have fucked it,” Is what came out of my mouth, muttering it under my breath.

He turned three shades of red as the front door burst open and Marney came hurrying out, hugging me in a tight death grip, squealing happily.

“Oh, Vieve! This is so exciting!” she gushed happily.

I’d already planted my feet firmly the second I knew it was her at the door, expecting it.

The octopus has landed! Prepare yourselves!

Yep, once that woman opens up to you, she’s all happiness and squeaks and squeals.

That librarian look is a total scam.

Deep down, she’s all huggy tentacles and shit.

Underneath that prissy, no talking in the library, zero bologna exterior is a hugger.

I’ve found myself, on several occasions, comparing the noises she makes to the little squeaker toys they make for dogs.

And she just did it again, hugging me now like it was an Olympic sport and she’d win a medal I if I popped.

She’s excited.

Like, really excited.

More so than for her normal, peppy self.

What’s up?
I wondered.

Hmmm.

We having a barbeque tonight or something?

If so, then hell, I’m excited too!

Bring on the ribs and potato salad!

I was about to ask her just that, but Barry spoke up first.

“Ease up there, Mar,” Barry chuckled, tugging his enthusiastic wife back, “she still needs to breathe, sweet cheeks.”

Marney blushed, pulling back, leaning into Barry’s chest when he pulled her close.

She looked at me worriedly.

“I didn’t hurt you or anything, did I?” she asked nervously and wrung her hands a little.

“I’m not made of glass,” I teased.

She didn’t look like that made her feel any better.

I frowned.

Why the worry? I won’t break.

In fact, she’s hugged me much harder than
that
before.

I looked at her funny, patting her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, four eyes, you’re good,” I assured her.

Smiling slowly as I teased her, she laughed as I walked past, relieved.

“Genevieve! Don’t call my wife four eyes!” Barry barked.

“What?” I sniffed, look down my nose at him, “Get over it, she likes it.”

Reeve chuckled, guiding me towards the back patio, pushing Barry over the side of the couch-
just to be a dick
-on his way, walking over to where Ruthie likes to sit in the comfy lounger we’d brought her last month.

She likes enjoying the cooler air, swathed up like a mummy in her favorite quilt.

Not too much has changed in the past few months for my favorite auntie-
thank god.

It could have gotten so much worse, but luckily it hadn’t.

A little bubble of hope welled up within me that she’d at least get to hold the babe brewing in my belly before she passed on.

She’d get her wish and I’d be able to give it to her.

I’m still terrified of losing her, it gives me chills just thinking about it, but she’s helped soften the blow in her own way, talking to me openly more about the pain she was truly in, how hard it was getting on her poor bod, on her peace of mind.

It had torn me up at first, but I’d needed to hear it.

I don’t want her to die, I don’t, but I don’t want her to stay here suffering, in constant pain, if it’s only for my own selfish benefit.

I love her too much, and I realize now that when you love someone that much and it’s a situation like this, then you can, in a way, let them go.

I’ll never truly let her go, in a sense, and she’ll always, always be in my heart, a huge part of me, part of my life, my life saver.

The mother of my heart.

I see now that I’ll always have her where it matters most, even if she isn’t physically here with me.

It’s some comfort to know she’ll be in a better place.

A hard truth, but I get it.

We walked through the slider and onto the back patio, but Ruthie wasn’t in her recliner, she was grinning from ear to ear in her wheel chair, a blanket covering her legs, a book and some papers in her lap.

“Hurry up, Reeve! We don’t have much time!” Waving her hand, she urged him closer. “Your mama just called and said our cover has been blown. Your daddy has a big fat yapper. He caught wind and went and spilled the beans.”

“Spilled the beans about what?” I asked immediately, waiting to be filled in.

What’s going on?

What on earth are these two up to?

“I know, they tried to chase after me as I pulled out,” he laughed, finding the whole thing
way
more funny than I thought necessary.

Ugh! Clue me in here people!

“What daddy spilled the beans?” I questioned.

I couldn’t picture Brayden being a blabber mouth about something, and Phin struck me as someone who liked to watch other people squirm, not a tattle tale.

“Jep,” Ruthie grumbled, muttering under her breath.

Aaaahhhh. Well, that makes sense.

“Oh, okay.”
Now we’re getting somewhere,
“What was the beans?” I glanced between them.

“You got everything you need?” she said quickly.

She was addressing Reeve, paying me no mind.

“Hello? What beans?” I waved my hand a little, catching their attention.

“Yep,” Reeve said and dug in his pocket.

“What fuckin’ beans, damn it!” I demanded.

What the hell! Is going on around here!

“Goodness, child!” Ruthie admonished, “Your language!”

She eyed me up and down as I rolled my eyes at her, irritated at them both.

I crossed my arms over my chest and gave them both a dirty look, lips pursed in disgust.

They’re doing this on purpose, I’m sure of it.

God, they’re mean.

And people say I’m mean?

Hah!

“You didn’t bring anything for her to change into, sweetie?” Ruthie asked, nose wrinkling as she eyed me and grimaced, gesturing at my person.

“Hey!” I shouted, cross as they both turned to me, studying me, eyeing me up and down as they gave me a good once over.

I hunched forward and glared at them both.

“I thought she looked cute,” Reeve said after a long moment.

He shrugged unrepentantly, grinning.

I scowled, ready to get to the bottom of this.

The more I thought about it, the more I had a sinking feeling I knew
exactly
what was going down.

Well, shit.

“Did we make it in time?!”Barb shouted.

She came running up to us, dressed up in a cute little light grey pant suit, a garment bag in her hand, Brayden trailing after with a moving box filled to the brim, Barb’s blonde curled hair bouncing and bobbing as she ran as fast as her pixie feet could carry her. “Oh, goody! There’s still time!” she giggled excitedly.

I glanced at my grump, eyes widening.

“Reeve…” I asked quietly, “What the hell did you do?”

He looked at me innocently, brushing an imaginary speck of lint off of his shirt.

“I won,” he said simply.

He coughed a little into his hand and a small smile twitched at his lips.

“You… won?” I mumbled, glancing around at Barry’s backyard, taking it all in before I came full circle, my eyes meeting his.

“Mmmm, hmmm,” he murmured, reeling me in, his arms wrapping around me tight, kissing me softly.

I gaped.

He won?

“And now you’re all mine, prison bait. Lock stock and barrel. I found your pregnancy test after you fell asleep,” he grinned suddenly, very pleased with himself, smug male satisfaction written all over his face, “then the doctor’s office called to confirm your appointment for next week.”