Just Her Luck (82 page)

I flushed, grasping at what to say.

He nuzzled my neck, and I swallowed hard, trying to clear the dust from my dried out throat, shake the cobwebs from my brain.

Sanity finally kicked in when Ruthie cleared her throat loudly.

Reeve grumbled, but pulled back, keeping me flush up against him.

“How on earth does finding my pregnancy test make
you
the winner? And by winner, I’m assuming you mean…”

“I found out first, that was the new deal we’d all agreed on. So I win. You’re all mine, Miss Ferguson,” he finished for me.

My lips tightened in annoyance.

The new deal? What they’d agreed upon?

“Soon to be Harrison!” Barb cheered, momentarily distracting me, doing some kind of giddy, happy dance in place.

The cabbage patch, maybe? Uh, sorta.

Oh, lordy… yeesh. Not really.

I tilted my head sideways, trying to figure it out.

Brayden chuckled at his exuberant wife, nabbing her up and kissing her before he walked back into the house, Phin coming out a few minutes later, a box in his hands.

What are they doing? Moving in?

That’s a lot of crap.

Wait! Back to my original miff!

“You made a deal? Why wasn’t I informed of this new deal?” I hissed demandingly, poking him in the middle of his chest.

He grabbed my finger and sucked it into his mouth-
in front of everyone!-
letting the digit slowly slide out.

Ruthie made an exasperated noise, ruining it by laughing at us.

“You can stomp and yell at me all you want, cuss me to hell and back, my little hellcat. Hell, I’ll even let you, but first, I’m putting my ring on your finger.”

He circled the finger in question, pulling my hand up to kiss the knuckle.

“Reeve!”

Both of us jerked at the shout.

And the cavalry has arrived!

Well, looks like the gang is all here.

He scowled, muttering and cursing as he turned his head to acknowledge his brothers all barreling towards him.

All of them but Ephraim.

Hmmm.

Where is he? I wonder.

I heard hoof beats pounding towards and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened.

My poor cowboy, the last to know everything, was yet again, the last to know.

He jumped the low fence, looking sexy as hell as he maneuvered his horse, Quick draw-
yes, that’s the poor animal’s name
, with the practiced ease of someone who knew exactly what he was doing, cowboy hat firmly in place as he hopped off and tossed the reigns to Phin, who grinned and caught them immediately, tipping his hat at his son.

“This is just getting ridiculous!” I blurted, bug eyed.

Really, Ephraim? On your horse?

What? Couldn’t hop in your big red truck?

Oh, good lord, this is getting ridiculous- like something out of a cheesy romance novel bad.

My hands instinctively went to my face, hiding my expression from everyone else.

A hole? Anyone? A hole to hide in?

Anywhere would be fine.

Really. I’m not picky.

“You can’t go marryin’ her!”

“What gives you the right?!”

“You sneaky bastard!”

“You’re lucky she even lets you touch her after the shit you’d pulled a while back. Give us one good reason why we should let you marry her first?”

They all talked at once, drowning each other out.

Peeking through my fingers, my eyes ping-ponged from person to person, trying to keep up.

I couldn’t even say who’d said what exactly they all spoke so fast.

“She’s pregnant,” Reeve told them all boldly, standing up to his full height, back straight, chin jutting out, tall and confident, facing off against them all, “I found out first. You all agreed. She’s mine first, fair and square. Get over it.”

They all stopped, all the attention focusing directly on me.

“Pregnant?” Bo’s eyes widened.

“Really?” Sawyer grinned.

“A baby!” Ephraim said excitedly, grinning from ear to ear.

Ephraim was the first to reach me, wedging himself in between us to pick me up, kissing me swiftly, ignoring Reeve’s muttered expletives and bitching about meddling fathers and pesky brothers.

There was more, but I was occupied and didn’t catch the rest.

“Don’t hog her, ya show off! That’s my woman and my baby too!” Thatcher groused.

Pushing his way past everyone, he gut checked Ephraim, grinning as he cut in, hugging me tight.

“This is ridiculous!” he protested loudly, grinning into my neck, tossing over his shoulder, “You all know the babe is mine!”

I laughed, kissing his cheek, loving my blonde goof ball.

“That’s what you were doing in the bathroom,” he whispered, nipping my ear, “wasn’t it?”

I nodded, and he kissed my cheek, smiling as he pulled back, happiness shining in his big beautiful green eyes.

He didn’t say anything about being the one who technically knew first, and I was surprised by that, thinking he’d try to horn in on it too.

He stepped back and graciously let Sawyer step forward, my lion man crowding me as he impatiently melded his lips to mine, murmuring his love for me in between knee knocking hot smooches.

Bowen pressed up to my back, tired of waiting, his hands going protectively to my belly, nibbling my neck.

I tugged at his shirt collar, turning my head to give him a hot congratulatory kiss too.

He nipped at my lips and pulled back, eyeing Reeve, irritated, not liking being bested.

“Why should we let you marry her first?” he rumbled, voice deep with displeasure.

Reeve tensed, standing next to Ruthie.

“You gonna make something of it, Bo?” Reeve asked quietly, a hint of steel in his gruff voice, his jaw ticking as he clenched it to keep himself from saying anything else.

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” I tried to interject, ready to stop any fighting before it began.

If this is gonna be my cockamamie wedding day, it isn’t going to start off with a fist fight!

“Let him marry her, Bowen,” Brayden spoke up, stepping into the melee.

“Why should I?” he said stubbornly.

“Think about it, Bo, honey,” Ruthie cut in, “Who is Vieve most likely to get fed up with and dump their bum?”

“Ruthie!” I protested, giving her a look.

Reeve didn’t say anything, waiting quietly, watching, arms crossed tightly over his chest.

“Oh, psh! You know it’s true!” she snorted, “If you two aren’t screwing, you’re probably fightin’.”

That got Bowen’s attention and his expression turned thoughtful.

“What happened to watching your mouth,” I muttered, narrowing my eyes at her pleased as punch grin.

“I meant you, not me, dear heart,” she said and smirked.

“It makes sense,” Sawyer added, nodding, ever the mediator, “I mean, he
did
find out first. That was, after all, what we mutually agreed on. Plus, if you think about it, it’s true, she’d be married to him legally. It would be harder for her to leave him.”

“How so?” I protested.

Like that would ever stop me.

Not that I would, mind you, I’m just saying.

“Quiet, you,” Ruthie hushed me, tapping my thigh.

Grunting, I shooed her hand away.

“Ephraim? Thatcher?” Brayden barked, making sure everyone had their say.

“I get to marry her next,” Ephraim insisted, standing up to his full height, chest puffing up.

“Don’t I have any say in this?” I asked no one in particular.

My voice went unheard.

“Then me,” Bowen said next.

“Is anyone listening here? Hey!” I grumbled, getting a little louder.

“I can wait ‘til then, fourth isn’t so bad. Gives me time to plan,” Sawyer chuckled as he rubbed his hands together excitedly, liking the idea more and more.

“Hello, baby mama and future bride right here, earth to testosterone junkies!” I waved my arms up.

“I don’t mind being last,” Thatcher bragged, wiggling his brows, “means mine will be the best. I’ll top all of your asses. She’ll never forget marrying
me
.”

“Of course she won’t,” Ephraim snorted, “You’ll probably do something stupid to piss her off and spend your wedding night nursing your nuts with an ice pack.”

“Hey! You little…” Thatcher growled.

“Boys! Boys!” Ruthie cut in, shouting out above the crowd, “We have a wedding to get on and I aint getting any older! Let’s get this show on the road!” She clapped her hands loudly several times to get the ball rolling.

“Barb? You got anything in all that crap you brought with you for Vieve to wear? The rush is off and the cat’s outta the bag, that being said, she is
not
getting married in one of Reeve’s t-shirts and yogi pants,” she said with all the finesse of a drill instructor.

“
Yoga
pants,” Marney corrected, giggling.

“Whatever.”

“I brought just the thing!” Barb gushed.

Before she could drag me off to dress me up, I put my fingers in my mouth and let out a loud whistle.

“Nobody is doing anything right now!” I Bellowed.

Everyone stopped.

I directed my comments to my men.

Finger raised, I pointed at them warningly.

“You’ll
all
be nursing sore nuts if someone doesn’t pay attention to me and give me a little satisfaction, damn it!”

All eyes swiveled to me.

I straightened my shirt, clearing my throat.

“Thank you,” I settled down a little, “Now, I think you’re all forgetting something very important.”

Reeve sidled up behind me, his warm hands cupping my hips, massaging them gently.

“What’s that, gremlin?” he whispered, leaning down close to my ear.

I couldn’t help the hurt look on my face or my fidgeting hands.

“Nobody asked
me
,” I muttered.

“Oh, is that all?” he chuckled.

Is that all?

Oh, is that all?

Ugh!

I am not exactly in the mood to be trifled with at the moment.

I elbowed him in the gut good, tugging out of his hold, satisfied when the grunt of pain behind me signaled that for once I’d truly gotten one over on him.

Phin stopped me on my way into the house, hugging me tight.

“Welcome to the family, baby girl.”

I hugged him back.

“Thank you.”

I released him and calmly walked to Ruthie’s room, ready to hole up and pout.

“Stupid… stubborn…. mule headed…” I muttered under my breath the whole way.

Once inside, I closed the door and locked it, sitting on her bed.

I kicked off my shoes and stared down at my sock covered feet.

“Oh, is that all?” I mimicked, tempted to chuck my shoe at the closed door.

I didn’t feel like scrubbing off a scuff mark though, so I held back.

“Stupid Reeve… I hope he found the test I’d accidentally dropped in the toilet!”

I smiled inwardly, wanting to snort at the idea.

That would teach him to snoop!

I let out a heavy sigh when I saw the door knob jingle, then jiggle, then open a few minutes later.

It was Thatcher who’d picked the lock this time, slipping inside to shut the door quietly behind him.

I spoke first.

“What are you guys, thieves on weekends? Guess it’s a good thing you never chose a life of crime, you’d have the breaking and entering part down pat.”

He chuckled and walked over to me.

I studied him.

“Technically, you won, you know?” I told him.

He nodded, sitting next to me on the bed, pulling me down into his lap.

He kissed my temple, smiling warmly, hugging me close.

I leaned my head on his shoulder.

“I know.” He didn’t sound upset.

I looked up at him curiously. “But you didn’t say anything.”

He shrugged, stroking my arm.

Gone was the dramatic teaser he acts like in front of everyone else,
my drama bear,
in his place right now is the sweet Thatcher, the one I like best.

The side of him I’m pretty sure he only ever lets
me
see.

Just me.

“I don’t need the extra reassurance, love.
He
does. It really is just a piece of paper to me,” he kissed my lips lightly, giving my arm a gentle squeeze, “He may say it doesn’t matter to him, that it doesn’t bother him, but I
know
him and I know it does. It won’t hurt me any to let him have this one thing.”