Only His (Fool's Gold #6)(58)

She thought about torturing him with home shopping, but decided the state of her still quivery body deserved a reward.

“The USC game should still be on,” she told him.

He turned to her and smiled. “The perfect woman.”

“Tell me about it.”

“I DIDN’T KNOW there were this many bridal magazines,” Nevada murmured, fingering the stack on the coffee table.

“Talk about a fascinating industry,” Montana said. “I’ve decided that planning a wedding in four months is going to be a whole lot easier than taking the year all the experts suggest. There’s a lot less time to agonize over every decision.”

They were in their mother’s family room, with Dakota sprawled on the sofa, Nevada and Montana on the floor and their mother in the wing chair.

“There are still choices to be made,” Denise announced. “You two need to pick out your dresses. With the location reserved, that’s the next priority.”

Dakota patted her relatively tiny bump. “I don’t know how huge I’m going to be. Maybe I should wait until after the baby is born. Isn’t being pregnant at my own wedding a little tacky?”

“No,” Montana told her. “You’re going to be a beautiful bride.”

Denise put down her pad of paper. “If you want to wait, you can. We can use the lodge for Montana’s wedding and plan something else for you in the spring.” She glanced at Nevada and raised her eyebrows. “Maybe it can be a different double wedding.”

Nevada raised both her hands. “Don’t even think about it. The closest relationship I have these days is with Cat.”

While the statement wasn’t completely true, there was no way she was discussing her confusing and apparently ongoing liaison with Tucker.

They’d had a great time the previous night. Not just the sex, she thought wistfully. The conversation had been just as fun. He made her laugh, which she liked, and when she was around him, she could be herself. Some men were intimidated by what she did for a living—especially when they saw her on a construction site. But Tucker wasn’t like that.

He’d stayed the night, they’d made breakfast together, then had used her shower in a very interesting way. Then she’d had to leave to come here for the “girls only” family meeting. Leaving him had been harder than she would have thought.

“I met Cat,” Denise said. “I’ve never known a famous artist before. She’s very elegant and more friendly than I’d expected. I went and looked at a few of her pieces online. They’re…” She paused, as if searching for the right word. “Large.”

“Cat does enjoy making a statement.” Nevada sat up and stretched her legs in front of her. “In life and in art. I can’t imagine what she’s finding to do in a town this small. I did see her talking with Cody the other day. I hope she doesn’t take things too far with him.”

“Who’s Cody?” Dakota asked.

“One of the guys renting from me. He’s in college. Very talented—a computer science major. I don’t think he usually gets the girl. Being with Cat would be way too much for him.”

“A problem every college-age guy would love,” Montana said with a laugh.

True enough, Nevada thought, remembering how Tucker had been mesmerized by Cat all those years ago.

“Back to the wedding, girls,” Denise said firmly. “We have decisions to make.”

“Sure you don’t want to make this a triple wedding?” Montana asked with a grin. “Come on, Mom. You’re a grandmother. Are you really not going to marry Max?”

“I’d rather not.” Denise’s voice was prim. “However, if you three and the boys think I should, then I’ll consider it. Or if you think it would be better for the grandchildren.”

“I’m not going there,” Nevada said quickly. “It’s your decision, Mom.”

Her sisters nodded their agreement.

Denise sighed. “I prefer to have your father be my only husband. Having said that, Max and I are in love and together.”

Nevada shifted on the floor and fought against the need to cover her ears and hum.

“No details, please,” Dakota inserted quickly, flipping through the bridal magazine on her lap. “Remember?”

Denise grinned. “No details. However, I will warn you that Max is going to be moving in here.”

“Oh, good.” Nevada relaxed a little, now that the threat of sex talk was over. “I thought you might want to move in with him and then sell this house. Which would be okay,” she added quickly. “It’s your house.”

“No.” Her mother shook her head. “It’s the family home and I don’t want to lose it. We have so many memories here. I want Hannah to have her first Christmas with us in this house.”

“What happens to Max’s place?” Dakota asked. “Doesn’t someone have to be there for the dogs?”

Max lived on the same property his business occupied. K9Rx provided therapy dogs to the community.

“We have staff who stay with the dogs at night,” Montana said. “Eventually Max will need to figure out what to do with the main house, but for now Simon and I are going to rent it while we decide what we want to do. Build, buy or remodel. We’re not sure. So this gives us time to make the right choice.”