Shoulda Been a Cowboy (Rough Riders #7)(81)

He frowned. “That’s not the first word. The first word is imagine.”


“I like mixing things up. Keeping you on your toes. Making sure you can spell them out of order.”


“Domini doesn’t do it that way.”


“I’m not Domini.”


It didn’t take long and they were through the list.


“The last word is: antidisestablishmentarianism.”


Anton’s blue eyes bugged out. “What? That’s not on the list.”


Cam grinned. “I’m kidding. When I was in school that was the longest word in the dictionary. I’m sure there’s something worse than that these days. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention.”


“I bet I could spell it.”


“I bet you could too. The last word is resist.”


Anton smiled when Cam checked his paper and he’d gotten all the words right.


“You are a great speller.”


He blushed and ducked his head.


Cam knew nothing about Anton’s school activities besides when the bus let him off. That was pretty sad actually.


So change it.


“I’ll bet you’re good at math, too?”


“Yep.”


“I never was worth a crap in math.”


“Any more homework?”


“Nah.” Anton’s legs swung beneath the barstool.


Silence filled the air except for the hum of the dishwasher.


Man. He sucked at this.


You’re never going to get better if you don’t try. Start simple.


Cam sighed. “You wanna watch TV with me or something?”


“Sure.”


When Anton plopped down on Cam’s left side, close enough their hips touched, Cam didn’t mind the invasion of his space as much as he’d thought.


Chapter Twenty-Two


Week Eight…


The queasy feeling wouldn’t let up.


Domini ate crackers, drank soda water, but every time she stood up too fast, she got dizzy.


“Domini, sweetie, you okay?” Neva asked.


“Just a little lightheaded. I’m sure it’ll pass. I haven’t been getting much sleep.”


Neva smiled in her sweet, grandmotherly way. “Child, with all that you’ve been through in the last two months…not to mention being a newlywed…I don’t imagine letting you rest is on the top of the deputy’s agenda.”


How true that was. Cam was insatiable. He was fabulous. And Domini was so crazy in love with her husband it wasn’t funny.


She patted Domini’s hand. “If you need anything, you let me know, okay?”


“Thanks, Neva.”


Domini noticed a spatula underneath the prep station and bent to pick it up. When she stood, spots danced in front of her eyes, her hearing muffled, and then everything went black.


A lifetime later she heard, “Domini? Can you hear me?”


She was cold. Her head hurt. And why couldn’t she open her eyes? “Yes.”


“Stop pissing around with this, Dave, and call the ambulance.”


That brought Domini out of her stupor. “No. I’m fine, you can’t—”


“Easy.” Gentle hands pushed her shoulders down. “We’ll get you taken care of.”


“What happened?”


“You passed out, that’s what happened,” Beatrice snapped. “Dammit, you went down like a sack of potatoes.”


“I don’t remember.”


“Which is why we need to call the ambulance, because something ain’t right with you.”


Domini opened her eyes. “You can’t do that. Cam is on duty and all ambulance calls go through dispatch first. He’d hear it and freak out.”


“Honey, he is your husband. He should freak out. He should be there when you talk to the doctor.”


“No. He’s got—” no idea I’ve been keeping something really big from him, “—too much going on today to hold my hand when I’m perfectly fine.”


Bea wouldn’t let up. “I don’t know what your deal is, Domini, but you’re not perfectly fine. I’ll agree not to call an ambulance, if you let Neva drive you to the hospital. Right now.”


Dave and Neva murmured their agreement with Bea’s assessment.


“No hospital.”


“The doctor then. I’ll call Doc Monroe. I know she’ll get you in right away.”


Damn. Doc Monroe was the last person Domini wanted to see, but it appeared she’d have no choice. “Okay. Call her.” She looked at the concerned faces hovering above her. “But no one calls Cam, got it? I will talk to him after I’ve seen Doctor Monroe. There’s no reason to make him worry.”


“Neva. Get your car and bring it around back.”


Neva disappeared. Bea left to make the call, leaving Domini with Dave. She attempted a smile. “Help me up?”