“I hear a ‘but’ in there, so someone start talkin’,” Ike said.
“I got you both over here under false pretenses,” Tilda blurted out. “Sorry.”
“Dadgummit, Tilda. You’re always the first one to crack!”
“But I did it exactly like I was told to and they’re both here, aren’t they? I don’t think you could’ve done any better.”
Riss snapped her fingers. “Enough! Out with the truth about this bet.”
Silence.
Their expressions were part guilt, part mutiny.
Then Ike drawled, “You’ll find I’m not as patient as Tobin. Or as nice.”
“Ike. That is not helping,” Riss said.
“Like ‘out with the truth’ is getting results?”
“You dragged me into this, Palmer!”
“See! They’re acting exactly like Jade and Tobin, hating on each other. Told ya they’re a couple,” Garnet crowed, lifting her hands above her head in victory. “Pay up, suckers.”
“That’s what you’re betting on?” Ike demanded. “Whether me’n Riss are a couple?”
“Yes. But we’ve all got theories on why you are or aren’t together, and some of ’em are real doozies.” She rubbed her hands together. “And you will listen as we share them.”
Riss muttered, “Kill me now.”
“So you heard Garnet’s theory,” Vivien said. “Who’s up now?”
“Me.” Pearl wore a smug look. “My theory is the fightin’ between you two is real . . . but there’s a whole lotta hot hate sex goin’ on afterward.”
Ike started to sputter, but Vivien cut him off. “You’ll get your turn to confirm or deny after you’ve heard all the theories.” She nodded at Miz Maybelle. “We’re next.”
“Me’n Viv have the same theory. After one night of bed-frame-breaking sex, Ike fell hard for Riss. But she’s a playa, who’ll never settle down. Now he has to pretend to hate her so she won’t guess the truth that she broke his heart.”
“Poor baby,” Riss whispered to Ike. “Sorry I stomped on your heart. I was aiming for your nuts.”
“For the love of god, woman, you are gonna pay for that.”
“Ssh,” Vivien said to Ike. “You’ll get your turn. Tilda, honey?”
“I’m a romantic. I believe you two like to play games. Me’n my husband used to spice things up with role-playing. I’d dress up as Little Red Riding Hood and he’d be the Big Bad Wolf. My favorite was the swashbuckling pirate and he was my virgin captive.”
“We’ve heard about your dirty fairy-tale games a million times, Tilda,” Miz Maybelle said crossly. “This is about them.”
The ladies argued among themselves and Ike moved closer to murmur, “This is bizarre, right? It’s not just me?”
“It’s beyond bizarre, so it’s not just you.”
“So which theory is right?” Pearl demanded. “The stakes are high, people. You’ve been too quiet, Ike, so spill it, mister.”
“All of them were downright fascinating theories, weren’t they, sweet cheeks?” He flashed Riss a panty-dropping smile. “I’ll admit that Larissa has the part of a foul-mouthed trucker down pat. But it’s not role-playing for her; it’s who she is.”
“What about you? What role do you play?” Tilda asked.
“Maybe I’m the charmingly roguish cowboy who delights in shutting her up with a hungry kiss. Or maybe it’s wishful thinking that I could be the guy who tames her wildness . . . without usin’ a rope, although that’s always fun.” He paused and met their gazes one at a time. “But didn’t you just remind me that we’ve all got our little secrets? So what makes you think we’d tell you the truth about ours?”
The Mud Lilies were speechless for a good fifteen seconds.
And Riss was completely impressed. He’d told them nothing about their relationship, but damn if he hadn’t gotten her thinking about all the fun ways he might try that taming-with-a-rope thing.
Then, as one, the ladies looked to her for confirmation or denial.
Riss shrugged. “It’s weird that you’re betting on what is or isn’t goin’ on with us. Don’t you all have better things to do with your time?”
“Of course we do. This ‘are they or aren’t they’ game wasn’t our idea,” Vivien protested.
Ike lifted his hand. “Hold up. Was this a bet? Or a game?”
“It’s a game with betting. Like Wheel of Fortune,” Tilda said.
“Not that one,” Miz Maybelle argued. “It’s like poker. Plunk your money down and figure out who’s bluffing.”
“Wrong!” Pearl said. “It’s like Clue, where you gotta strategize to come up with a theory. Where I say I heard Riss and Ike fighting in the library, but Vivien says she saw them kissing in the kitchen. You figure out who’s lying.”
“You’re all lying,” Ike said.
All eyes moved to him.
“Whose idea was it to make us play a game, or settle a bet, or whatever this is?”
Five women blinked at him with manufactured innocence.
So Riss focused on the one who looked ready to bolt. “Tilda?”
“It was Jade and Tobin!”
“Dadgummit, Tilda! You’re as easy to crack as a pistachio,” Garnet complained. “We weren’t supposed to tell them. We were just supposed to distract them.”
Ike scanned the reception area and glanced at his watch. “Wanna take bets on what the bride and groom have been doin’ while we’ve been sitting here?”
Those bastards. Sneaking off to play another round of hide the sausage.
Riss rested her forehead on Ike’s shoulder, not caring if it looked lovey-dovey. “Low five, best man. We failed in our wedding party duties.”
“Aw, now, don’t be too hard on yourselves,” Tilda said. “It’s their wedding night. They just wanted some time alone.”
Some time. Hah. Riss doubted the Lilies knew that she and Ike had stopped the horny couple from sneaking off three other times during the reception.
“Gotta hand it to you ladies. Helluva distraction.” Ike chuckled. “I still ain’t sure exactly what we were talkin’ about with all the conversation switcheroos.”
Pearl looked smug. “Bait and switch. It’s all about strategy so they could steal away for a moment to become one with the person they’ve pledged their life to.”
“That pull is so strong.” Vivien wore a bittersweet smile. “If we had it to do all over again, we’d say to hell with the reception and sneak off like them too.”
The ladies all nodded.
It broke Riss’s heart to see how well they all understood love and loss.
Ike reached for her hand under the table and squeezed.
Sometimes he could be so sweet. She squeezed back and sent him a soft smile.
“Larissa?”
Riss turned to face Jade’s mother.
“Jade sent me to find you.”
“Duty calls, ladies.”
Ike stood before Riss did and offered his hand to help her up. She kept a hold of him until they were out of sight. Let the Mud Lilies gossip about that.
An hour later, after the bride and groom were off on their honeymoon, Riss and Ike were watching the DJ pack his equipment and the guests retrieve their coats.
Riss heaved a sigh. “I’m whupped. Bein’ the maid of honor was stressful.”
“It’s certainly been an entertaining night,” Ike said.
“Coulda been better.”
“How so?”
“It doesn’t really feel like a Wyoming wedding unless at least one fistfight breaks out.”
“Just say the word, sweet cheeks, and I’ll track Ryland down and punch him in the face for you.”
“Aw, lookit you, Palmer. Showing your chivalrous side.” She cocked her head. “Or are you just itchin’ for a fight be
cause it’s a Saturday night and you’re a cowboy?”
“I’m thinkin’ a concussion might erase the mental image of what profile pics the Mud Lilies intend to post on Tinder.”
“And Bumble.”
“You certainly went the extra mile for them.” He paused. “Why?”
“Even though they were distracting us, they wanted advice or they wouldn’t have asked. Besides . . . I feel for them. Imagine outliving your husband after being married for so long. Sounds like they were used to getting it regular, and then wham! They ain’t getting any at all and they miss it. Maybe it’s unusual that they’re not looking for companionship—they’ve already got that with each other. It takes guts to try something new to reignite their sexuality. A need for intimacy is a human thing, not an age thing. I hope I still crave that lovin’, touchin’, squeezin’ when I’m past what society considers my prime.”
Ike was quiet for a beat before he said, “You never fail to surprise me.”
Riss didn’t break the moment by asking if that was a good or a bad thing. Instead, she said, “And with that . . . I best be getting home. I have a drop-off tomorrow.”
“You okay to drive?”
“Yep.” She pushed her chair back. “Been an hour since that glass of bubbly.” She paused and debated on bringing up the subject they’d mutually avoided.
Those eerily beautiful blue eyes locked on to hers. “What?”
“Truth time: I’m all for extending this truce.”
Ike’s back straightened and his face turned stony. “Meaning?”
“Meaning, we need to seriously talk about my future runs with Jackson Stock Contracting. Last year didn’t shape up how I expected it—and we didn’t discuss it. So I’m not sure if I somehow didn’t measure up to JSC standards. Now we’ve proved that we can be civil to each other, so I’d like to know JSC’s plans for this year.”
He granted her that insincere salesman’s smile. “I promise I’ll e-mail you a preliminary schedule next week.”
Sure you will.
“And just so you know . . .” He seemed unsure whether to continue before he did. “I’ve had a blast doin’ all this wedding party stuff with you.”
“Really? I thought it sucked.”
His eyebrows shot up. “You did?”
“Nah. Just razzing ya. It’s been fun in a way I never thought it’d be.”
Ike unfolded that long lean body out of the chair, then stood close enough to cast her in shadow.
“What now?”
“Gimme a damn hug.”
Her heart pounded and that made no sense. “Why?”
“Because I suffered through your blow job philosophy, deflected rumors of our secret sexcapades, helped offer senior citizens hookup advice and interrupted our buddies consummating their marriage . . . all in the past four hours. I’m feelin’ vulnerable and I need a damn hug.”
“Whatever will people think?”
“Probably that we’re both hammered.”
Riss laughed. “Come here, baby, and let me make it all better.”
Ike wrapped her in his arms.
Oh yeah, the man gave great hugs. And he smelled amazing too. So maybe she held on a little longer than was polite.
But Ike wasn’t inclined to let her go either.
Then his breath teased the top of her ear. “Bet this’ll get tongues wagging all over town.”
“Kneeing you in the groin would stop the gossipmongers.”
“Always with the violence.” He kissed her right cheek, then her left. “You’ll hear from me soon.”
Chapter Four
Two weeks later . . .
Ike and Tobin were sitting in Tobin’s living room, watching the Avalanche getting their asses handed to them, when an old-fashioned ringtone echoed from the kitchen.
“I got it!” Jade raced out of the music room and past them.
“I’m surprised you still have a landline,” Ike said. “Didn’t Garnet take her phone number with her when she moved?”
“Yep.” Tobin snorted. “But Miz New York City decided we needed a house phone because she loved the retro look of Garnet’s old phone. But I swear she only uses it to call her cell, since she loses it at least three times a day.”
Ike laughed.
Then the Canadiens scored on a power play and they tuned back in to the game.
So when Jade returned and stood directly in front of the TV, visibly shaken, Tobin hit pause. “Jade? What’s wrong?”
“When was the last time you talked to Riss?” she asked Ike.
“Talked to? At the wedding. We e-mailed back and forth early last week.” He paused. “Please tell me she didn’t just call you to bitch about the fact I haven’t responded to her last e-mail yet.”
She shook her head. “That wasn’t Riss.”
“Then who called?” Tobin asked.
“Riss’s oldest brother, Lonnie.”
“What’d he want?”
“He’s probably askin’ which loser the wild child holed up with last night,” Ike joked.
Jade snapped, “Lonnie knows exactly where Riss is. She’s at his house recovering.”
All the blood drained from Ike’s face. “Recovering? From what?”
“An accident.”
“A car accident?”
“No, the accident happened at her house.”
“Is she okay?”
“No. She broke her right arm. Like, in three places.”
“Holy shit. This happened today?”
“Lonnie said it’s been five days. Three of those days she spent in the hospital in Casper.”
“We’re just hearing about it now? Did she break her damn fingers, so she couldn’t dial a phone?”
“Yes. Her hand is in a splint too.”
Shit. What the hell had she been doing? He scowled. “She should’ve called me.”
“Why would she call you? You and Riss aren’t friends.”
Good point. He and Riss didn’t hang out together unless they were with mutual friends.
“Lonnie knew we were on our honeymoon,” Jade continued. “Today was the first day he tried to get in touch with me.”
“Did Lonnie say why she wasn’t recovering at her place?” Tobin asked.
“Because the pipes in her trailer are frozen—that’s the cause of the accident. She was under the trailer trying to fix—thaw—them or whatever.”
“Of course she was,” Ike said hotly. “Damn woman has to do everything herself, regardless of how dangerous it is.”
Jade set her hand on his arm. “I hear you, Ike. Her I-don’t-need-help attitude drives me crazy too. But getting mad at her, berating her? That is not what she needs right now. She needs sympathy and understanding. I remember when my friend broke her arm in high school she couldn’t do anything while the bones and ligaments were mending. Immobilization the first two weeks is crucial to recovery. That’s why Riss is staying at her brothers’ place.”
“So they haven’t fixed the issues with her trailer?” Ike couldn’t imagine just saying “oh well” and forcing his injured sister to deal with a major problem.
Jade shook her head. “That’s the Thorpe brothers’ way of keeping Riss where they can watch her—by refusing to make her trailer habitable.”
“Lonnie told you that’s how they’re handling it?”
“None of them trust her to stay by herself because she’ll ignore all doctor’s orders.”
Ike whistled. “Makes sense, but man . . . that is harsh.”
“And unfair.” Jade turned to Tobin. “You’ve heard Riss refer to her brothers’ place as the Triple L Whorehouse and Gaming Emporium. I’ve met her brothers and I know that moniker fits. Riss claims Lonnie used to run gambling tables in the house when they were short on funds. Her brooding middle brother, Lloyd, alw
ays has a harem of women hanging around trying to fix him. And Louie is the life of the party; he’d have the house packed to the rafters with people every night. The kicker is all three of the Thorpe brothers are ridiculously good-looking and women flock to them. So how is she supposed to rest and recover amidst all that? She can’t. It’ll be pointless.”
That didn’t sound good.
“I can’t imagine how much this sucks for her.” Jade flopped onto the sofa. “She can’t drive, she can’t work and she can’t go home. And Lonnie said she’s completely out of contact with her friends because she’s doesn’t want pity.” Her chin wobbled. “I hate this for her. And yet I’m mad that she believes no one will step up and help her.”
“No tears, tiger.” Tobin pulled Jade into his lap. “We’ll step up. Riss can recover here for as long as she needs a place to stay.”
“You’d do that for her?” she said softly.
“Of course.”
Ike knew Tobin wasn’t doing it for Riss; he was doing it for Jade.
“Call Lonnie back,” Tobin continued. “Tell him we’ll have a place set up for Riss tomorrow.”
“Thank you. You’re the best.”
Tobin’s gaze caught Ike’s. With Jade’s face nestled against Tobin’s chest, only Ike could see the conflict in his eyes. Although Tobin and Jade had lived together before their marriage, they just returned from their honeymoon and deserved this time as newlyweds.
Given what Ike knew of Riss’s brothers, even Miss I Hate Being Dependent on Anyone would take Jade’s offer.
But Riss would run roughshod over Tobin and Jade. She wouldn’t mean to, but Tobin and Jade were too damn nice and would let her become the houseguest from hell.
He, however, would not hesitate to make her toe the line. He’d raised three younger sisters and was wise to female manipulation, girl drama and sheer orneriness. Plus, he’d dealt with his sister Lea when she’d broken her arm, so he understood the limitations, even if it sounded as if Riss’s situation was more serious.
Besides, it wasn’t like his job consumed much time. Having Riss around would give him a chance to pick her brain about a few things.
So hell yeah. He could step in and save the day.
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