Love, Diamonds, and Spades (Cactus Creek #2)(43)

“Mommy, did you say yes yet? I’m getting kinda hungry.”

She laughed and cupped one hand on Rylan’s cheek and the other on Cooper’s. “Yes, honey. Of course I’m saying yes.”





EPILOGUE


March 14th the Following Year Rooftop of Desert Confections



“SO LET ME GET this straight,” said Quinn, trying to wrap her brain about what Dani was telling her. “The entire town has a bet going on not when Xoey and Isaac are getting back together, but rather, how quickly Isaac will be able to get Xoey to agree to marry him after they get back together?”

“Yep.” Dani nodded, sitting on the edge of the head table, as if she weren’t decked out in a gorgeous bridal gown that was currently very close to a plate of wedding reception cake.

Quinn slid the cake away from Dani’s butt. Just to be safe.

“Do Isaac and Xoey know about it?”

“Nooo, and you can’t tell them. Or the whole thing is off.”

“How big is the pot?”

Rylan came over to join them and fielded that one, “Well, there’s no money involved. It’s all services and products, subject to approval, of course. So I’m in with some free landscaping, Sienna’s offering a year’s worth of mechanical labor. Mrs. Wyndham wagered up one of her famous pies and cakes every night for a month, Jilly’s making a big ole sex toy basket. Lia was going to do some of her martial arts classes but everyone begged her to go in with twenty free babysitting gigs. If there’s a prize that the winner can’t use, then they’re free to auction it to someone else in town.”

“Hold up, you mean one winner is going to win ALL of that? That’s insane.”

“Why do you think the entire town is taking bets?”

“Please tell me that Mr. Callahan went in with a lifetime supply of his pumpkin bread and that insane maple butter he made last year.” Made with top grade Canadian maple syrup—all the difference in the world—Quinn would put that maple butter on everything if she could.

Rylan laughed. “Not a lifetime supply, but one a month for a year.”

“Then I’m in. Dani, are you already in?”

“They won’t let me play,” replied Dani crossly. “And it’s completely unfair.”

“Oh. Is it because you’re her best friend?”

“No.” She flat-out pouted then.

Luke filled in, with obvious enjoyment. “I believe the exact words were because Dani meddles too much.”

“I don’t meddle that much.”

Everyone within earshot burst out in laughter over that one.

“Oh yes you do,” Quinn said with a smile. “But we’re thankful for it. You got Rylan and me together.”

“See.” Dani stuck her tongue out at Luke. “I do good deeds.”

He sighed. “Please don’t encourage her.”

“Wait, so back to the town bet.” Quinn peered over at the couple in question, who were currently thumb wrestling and bickering like they always did. “So everyone in town is just assuming those two are getting back together?”

“It’s pretty much a given.”

“But no one knows why they even broke up.”

Dani shook her head sadly. “Not a clue.”

A thought occurred to her then. “Was the whole betting pool my husband’s idea?” she asked dryly. It did sound right up Rylan’s alley.

Dani shook her head. “Nope. He is running the entire thing, though. But he won’t tell anyone who’s the mastermind behind the curtain.”

Rylan wrapped his arms around Quinn. “That’s right. And I don’t care how much you try to torture the information out of me with all your sexual deviant ways, I won’t tell you.”

The man knew better than to lay down a dare like that. Brow raised in challenge, she declared, “Ten to one, I’ll be able to get the information out of you.”

He grinned. “You’re on.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “Quinn, do you even know how exactly the whole ten to one odds thing works?”

“Not even a little bit.” Quinn smiled broadly. “All I know is that it’s the magic phrase that goads Rylan into doing whatever I want. And I’ve never had to pay up once.”

Rylan slid his arms around Quinn’s waist and pulled her back to him. She cuddled up against him and tried not to smile when she felt his hand unconsciously slide over her belly.

He’d been doing that a lot lately.

Ever since they found out they were pregnant.

Nuzzling her neck gently, Rylan rumbled, “Baby, you keep rubbing that sweet butt of yours against me, and you’re going to get us into a world of trouble.”

“Promises, promises.” She settled back against him more.

He groaned. “These pregnancy hormones of yours are driving me crazy.”

Lately, Rylan had been chalking up all her sexed up teases and dares to pregnancy hormones. Which essentially meant she was getting away with endless amounts of mischief and mayhem left and right.

It was awesome.

And since her mom didn’t raise any stupid ones, she was making the most of the situation until he eventually got to the chapter in the prenatal book that would explain those particular sex drive hormones don’t kick in until the second trimester.