Heaven, Texas (Chicago Stars #2)(123)

“Easy!” Bobby Tom exclaimed, keeping his arm firmly around Gracie as if he were still afraid she might slip away. “I just about got myself killed today!”

“Well now, that’s too damn bad, because you almost killed Buddy last night.”

“He did not, Terry Jo.” Buddy looked discomfited. “Hell, me and Bobby Tom like to fight.”

“You just shut up. That’s only part of it. There’s also the fact that Gracie’s my friend, and since it’s obvious she’s too lovesick to look out for her own best interests, I’m going to do it for her.”

Gracie didn’t like the sparkle in Terry’s Jo’s eyes. It reminded her that most of the citizens of Telarosa, Texas, would be considered certifiably crazy if they lived anywhere else. It also reminded her that everybody here had peculiar tastes in entertainment.

“It’s all right, Terry Jo,” she said hastily. “Really.”

“No, it isn’t. You don’t realize this, Gracie, but people have been talking about you behind your back ever since Bobby Tom first announced your engagement, and now that it looks like there’s going to be a real wedding, the talk’s only going to get worse. Fact is, a lot of people have noticed you don’t seem to know too much about football, and they’re saying Bobby Tom never gave you the quiz.”

Oh, Lord.

“Some people are even saying he cheated, isn’t that so, Suzy?”

Suzy folded her hands primly in front of her. “I doubt that he would actually cheat. But there has been talk.”

Gracie stared at her. Until this moment she had always considered Suzy to be a model of sanity.

Terry Jo planted her hands on her hips. “Gracie, the truth is, even people who’re at your wedding are going to secretly question your children’s legitimacy if they don’t know for a fact you passed the quiz. Tell her, Bobby Tom.”

She gazed up at Bobby Tom only to note with alarm that he was rubbing his finger over his eyebrow. “I s’pose you’ve got a point, Terry Jo.”

Every one of these people belonged in a loony bin, Gracie decided. Especially her future husband.

He set his jaw. “But I’m only giving her five questions since she’s not from Texas and she didn’t grow up with football.” He glared at the audience that had gradually encircled them. “Anybody have a problem with that?”

A few of the women, Connie Cameron included, looked as if they had a very big problem with it, but no one protested out loud.

Bobby Tom nodded with satisfaction. He let go of Gracie and stepped slightly back, letting her know she was on her own. “Here we go. Question number one. What do the initials NFL stand for?”

The crowd groaned at his ridiculously easy question, but he silenced them with a look.

“Uh, National Football League,” she replied, wondering where all this would lead and knowing, without a doubt, that she intended to marry him whether or not she passed his ridiculous quiz.

“Very good. Question number two.” His forehead wrinkled in concentration. “Every January, the two teams with the best records in each conference play each other in the most important football game of the year. The same one where the winner gets a great big ring,” he added, in case she needed help. “What’s that game called?” More groans from the crowd.

Gracie ignored them. “The Super Bowl.”

“Excellent. You’re doing fine, sweetheart.” He took a short break to kiss the tip of her nose, then stepped away again. “Now this question’s a little tougher, so I hope you’re ready. How many goalposts—they’re also called uprights—are at each end of a regulation football field?”

“Two!” she exclaimed, unaccountably pleased with herself. “And there are ribbons on top of each post, although I don’t remember exactly how long they are.”

He clucked his tongue in admiration. “The length doesn’t matter; I’m giving you credit for a fourth question just because you knew about those ribbons. Not everybody does, you know. That means you only have one question to go. Now concentrate, sweetheart.”

“I’m concentrating.”

“For the chance to be Mrs. Gracie Snow Denton…” He paused. “If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you reconsidered that hyphen.”

“I never said I was using a hyphen! You were the one who—”

“This isn’t the place to argue, honey. No hyphen, and that’s final. Your fifth and last question…” He hesitated, and for the first time he looked worried. “How much do you know about quarterbacks?”

“I know who Troy Aikman is.”

“That’s not fair, Bobby Tom,” Toolee called out. “Gracie was talking to him last night.”

“I’ve heard of Joe Namath,” Gracie declared in triumph.

“You have?” He beamed. “All right, sweetheart; here’s your last question, and it’s a real challenge, so don’t let yourself get distracted by these jealous women. To make sure all twelve of our future children are going to be legitimate, what New York City football team did Joe Namath play for?”

Gracie’s face fell. Lord. Any fool should know the answer to this one. New York City…What football team was from New York City? Her expression brightened. “The New York City Yankees!”