“Deal.”
She sighed. “Now what do we need to do?”
“Can you make hamburger patties?”
“You got eggs, bread crumbs and onions?”
“Yes.”
She nodded, grinned. “My hamburger patties are so good, you’ll never let another woman ever make them for you ever again.”
He saw the holy-crap-I-did-not-just-say-that flash across her face. Unacceptable. “You’re probably right. I’ll show you to the kitchen.”
“You should probably show Matt around the batting cage first.”
Matt! Damn, he’d forgotten all about the kid. He currently stood at the gate to the cage, helmet on, bat resting on his shoulder, frown on his face.
“Be right there, my man.”
Matt jerked his chin.
Shayne smiled. “Point me in the direction of the kitchen. I’ll figure it out.”
“Kitchen’s right through the archway. Hamburger’s in the fridge along with the eggs. Onion and bread crumbs are in the pantry. Doorway as you walk in.” He looked back at Matt, who was picking a weed out of the pavers. “Holler if you need anything.”
“Will do.” She strode off toward the kitchen.
Ricky went outside and closed the door. “Sorry about that, my man.”
Matt shrugged. “No big. She’s the reason we’re here. I’m just the afterthought.”
Ricky put hard hands on narrow shoulders, got in tight. “You listen to me. You are not an afterthought. I may get a little distracted by your beautiful mother, but you are not just along for the ride. I like you. You’re a great kid. And I want to hang out with you.”
Matt’s face lit up like The Strip. “Really?”
“Yeah, really.” He rapped his knuckles on the top of the helmet. “Now let’s hit some balls. You remember what I told you?”
“Yep.”
“Let me see your stance.”
Matt crouched down, put the bat in the right position and scrunched his features into what he probably thought made him look fierce.
Ricky thought it closer to constipated. “Good. Okay, get in there.”
Matt went inside, closed the gate, and stepped into the batter’s box.
Ricky stayed on the outside. “See the box on the gate. Press the button and wait. They’re not timed perfectly with the same amount of time in between, so you have to be paying attention.”
Matt nodded. “And watch it all the way to the bat.”
***
Shayne made herself at home in Ricky’s gorgeous kitchen. All the state of the art had her drooling. Heck, the pantry could double as a bedroom. A very organized bedroom, full of everything a girl might ever need. Ricky probably wouldn’t mind if she slept next to the sugar and salt.
She found the bread crumbs and an onion, and with a bit of effort made herself leave her new favorite place on earth to enter a newer one. It only took opening one cupboard to find a bowl, two drawers to find the wax paper, and another cupboard to find a baking pan. The guy thought just like she did, put things exactly where she would have.
Unless he didn’t put them where they currently resided to begin with. Shayne’s thoughts went to the priors in his life and her stomach went wonky. They’d only been out a couple of times. Two to be exact. With lots of phone calls in between. She felt like she knew everything about him, but there were a lot of holes. Like, they hadn’t agreed to be exclusive. For all she knew, he planned an event like this three times a week with four different women. The thought made her blood freeze.
“Easy there.”
“Huh?” She glanced up into the humored eyes of the man in question.
“You’re beating the shit outta that burger.”
“Oh.” In the bowl, she placed the ingredients and was taking her frustration out on it. Poor stuff was already dead.
“What’s got you hot under the collar?”
She plucked hamburger off her fingers. “I guess you’re kinda makin’ a mess of me, too.”
“How so?”
She shook her head. “We’ve been out twice.”
“Three times.” He grinned. “I’m counting today.”
“Okay, three times.” She squished the eggs and meat together. “I don’t want to sound jealous or anything, but—”
“I’m not dating anyone else, Shayne.”
Relief, unlike anything she’d ever felt before, warmed her better than a down quilt.
“And I don’t wanna be.” He came over to stand directly in front of her with the counter between them. “I don’t care if I sound jealous—”
“I don’t want to date anybody else either.”
“Shayne, you wouldn’t be meeting my friends if I wanted to date anybody else. This is a big deal.” An enormous shoulder lifted and fell. “At least to me it is. Dominic Kane and Mason James are my best friends. Their opinion matters.”
“What if they don’t like me?”
“They can go screw themselves.”
His answer surprised the laugh right out of her. “Are you nervous for them to meet me?”
“Nope.” He shook his head. “I’m nervous to make our relationship public to your brother, though. I kinda wish you hadn’t invited him.”
“Is that why we got the Pierce’s showing up?”
His cheeks flushed. “Pierce is the only guy I know who can chill X out.”
“Besides Frankie?” Shayne smiled, thinking of her brother and his wife.
“Yeah, besides Frankie. Maybe Pierce wasn’t needed, but it sure as hell couldn’t hurt.”
She took a glob of meat and molded it into a patty. “I think you’re exaggerating.”
“You’re his sister, and he doesn’t like me.”
“I like you.” She laid the patty on the wax paper and set out to make another one. “That’s all he needs to know.”
Even as she made her case to Ricky, she knew X wasn’t over-the-moon ecstatic about the prospect of his sister dating Santiago.
The doorbell sounded.
“Will you grab that?” She held up her burger-covered hands. “I’m a little busy.”
He rounded the counter and kissed her. Hard. “I’ll be right back.”
***
Ricky opened the door and the Pierce crowd greeted him. He ushered them inside. Grayson gave him a handshake. Jane kissed his cheek.
“Thanks for having us.” She put her hand on the back of a young girl. A very cute young girl, about Matt’s age, who was the spitting image of her beautiful mother. “This is Kamryn.”
Ricky shook her hand and thought of Matt. He’d never played matchmaker before, but he might rethink things. “Nice to meet you.”
Grayson put his hand on the shoulder of the middle-sized girl. “This is Sami.”
“Hi, Sami.” Ricky shook her hand as well. “How old are you, sweetheart?”
She giggled, blushed. “Nine.”
The littlest of the three tugged on his pants. “Do you have a dog? Everybody needs a dog. Except us. ‘Cause we don’t have a dog. My dad won’t let us have a dog. He says dogs just hump legs and shit—”
Jane put a hand over the little girl’s mouth. “And this here is Emma. Please accept our apologies for whatever she might say. Hey!” Jane jerked her hand away. She dropped to a knee to look the child right in the eye. “I told you not to ever bite me again.”
Big green eyes blinked. “And I told you not to cover my mouth ever again. Uncle Xavier!” She ran back out the door and took a flying leap right into the arms of his nemesis.
Ricky barely kept the Oh, great! to himself.
Xavier scooped her up. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. She glanced over her shoulder at Ricky. “I met him.”
X flinched.
She shook her head, pigtails swinging. “He isn’t so bad. He’s really kind of cute. I really don’t think you should hate him anymore.”
If he’d had a shovel, X probably would have dug himself a hole to hide from the mortific
ation staining his face. Ricky fought a smile. Frankie didn’t even try. “Hey, Emma, did you hear I’m gonna have a baby?”
Emma slid down Xavier’s leg. Her eyebrows furrowed. She stood in front of Frankie, hands on hips and stared at her stomach. “You’re not fat enough.”
As Emma went on about the reasons why Frankie couldn’t possibly be pregnant, two more cars pulled into the driveway. Kane got out of his sports car, glowered at the other vehicle before heading for the front porch.
“Hey, man.” Dominic Kane smiled big. “Where’s your girl?”
Ricky greeted his friend with a handshake. “She’s in the house, in the kitchen.”
“Nice. Right where a good woman should be.”
Emma snorted. “If my daddy says things like that, he has to do the dishes for a week. And we don’t have to help him.”
Kane got down on her level. “And who’s your daddy, sweetheart?”
“Grayson Pierce.” She beamed. “Who are you?”
“Dominic Kane.”
Her scowl screamed disapproval. “I’ve heard of you.”
“You have?”
“Yeah, Cain killed Abel.”
Kane grimaced. “That’s not me. I don’t kill people.”
“That’s good.” She pointed to the ground. “‘Cause you go to hell if you kill people. Why is your name Kane?”
“Why is your name Pierce?”
“It’s not. It’s Emma.”
Dominic glanced up at the girl’s parents. Pierce tossed the life preserver. “Emma, what is your whole name?”
“Emma Maddie Pierce.” She grinned at X. “Maddie after Uncle Xavier.”
“Yes, princess, after me.” X winked. “What’s your last name?”
Her lips pouted out. “Pierce.”
“My last name is Kane. My first name is Dominic. That’s what you can call me.”
Her pigtails went swinging again. “No. I like Kane. I’ll never forget your name now. You’re the guy who’s named after the guy who killed Abel.”
A car door slammed, announcing the arrival of the James’.
Frankie put her hand on Emma’s shoulder. “Come on girls, why don’t we go inside and see if we can help Shayne.”
Jane rounded up the other two girls and they all went inside.
Kane stood, muttered, “I think I’ll take my chances with Emma,” and followed the women into the house.
Ricky knew how the guy felt. They all loved their buddy, but his wife, not so much. If he thought he could have gotten away with only inviting Mason, he would have.
Chloe got out of their SUV. Her displeased voice carried. “…tell me children would be here.” She stomped toward them. Her smile as fake as her hair color. “Hello, everyone.”
Pierce raised his arm in an obvious half-hearted wave. Xavier grunted and clapped Ricky on the shoulder. He leaned in. “Way to ruin a good party.”
***
One minute Shayne stood all alone in the kitchen, the next it was standing room only. Frankie strolled in, accompanied by a woman with three girls in tow. Shayne recognized her as the sportscaster from KKLV.
Jane Pierce knelt down in front of a little girl. “You need to be careful what you say, okay?”
“But she’s not very nice, Mommy.”
“You got that right, Emma.” A modern day pirate strolled in. His shoulder-length blonde hair along with his fierce scowl made Shayne take a step back. He looked at her. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Um…sure.” She handed him a knife and a head of lettuce.
The moment his mammoth hand fisted the blade, she swallowed hard. He flashed a smile. “I’m Dominic Kane.”
“Shayne.”
“Hey,” Little Emma piped up. “I thought you said being in the kitchen was where women were supposed to be.”
He smiled and his tooth actually flashed like those cheesy toothpaste commercials. “Ah, but what I didn’t tell you is that men belong there too. Especially really handsome ones.”
Emma cocked her head to one side, her green eyes squinted. “Then what are you doing here?”
Jane whispered an apology as she rushed Emma from the room.
Wounded pride, or maybe honest-to-goodness hurt feelings, flitted across his square jaw. “I’m cutting lettuce, yes?”
“Yeah,” Shayne answered. “And you can put it in this bowl.”
“How can I help?” Frankie rested a hip against a bar stool.
Xavier walked in, looking like somebody had pee’d in his Cheerios. He kissed Frankie on the cheek, muttered something in her ear.
She frowned, shook her head, and whispered, “It’ll be okay.”
“Don’t ask.” Dominic slammed the knife through the middle of the head of lettuce. “Consider yourself lucky to be in the dark.” The blade hit the cutting board again, damn near slicing it in two. “Brace yourself. You’re about to be enlightened.”
Just then a woman with long blond hair, tanned skin, and a fake smile breezed into the room. Her capris were khaki, her blouse navy. She walked right up to Shayne, extended a hand that looked more like a dead fish. “It’s so very nice to meet you. It’s about time Santiago introduced the woman in his life. I’m Chloe James.” She turned and pointed to the man with short dark hair, blue eyes and an exhausted expression. “He belongs to me.”
“It’s nice to meet you all.” After meeting Chloe James, Shayne didn’t have a doubt the afternoon would be an exciting one.
***
Given the combination for an explosion, Ricky considered himself lucky nobody spontaneously combusted. The women sat on the grass in lawn chairs, visiting. Matt and Kamryn were in the batting cage, knocking the crap out of balls. Grayson and X played tag with Emma and Sami.
Ricky smiled and stretched forward to grab another bottle of beer from the cooler. He cracked the seal.
Kane took a swig from his bottle. “She’s a keeper.”
“Yeah.” Mason scratched his jaw. “She’s nothing like her brother.”
The three of them busted up.
X had kept his distance all day, and he’d also held his tongue. Ricky didn’t figure he could ask for much more.
“You in love with her yet?” Mason drank deep.
“Maybe.”
“I am.” Kane laughed hard.
Ricky slugged him in the arm and nearly knocked the guy off his chair.
“Don’t worry, man. I won’t make a move.” Kane flinched away from another punch. “’Cause you wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“Thanks, man.”
Emma let out a squeal that demanded everyone’s attention. She slapped X on the butt and raced toward where the women sat huddled in their lawn chairs. She giggled as she dropped down onto her hands and knees and crawled under Jane.
Xavier reached down, narrowly missing her ankle.
“You missed me,” she laughed. “Nanny, nanny, boo-boo.”
Chloe frowned so hard even the botox couldn’t fight the wrinkles around her mouth. She rolled her eyes and rolled her thumb over the screen of her phone.
The other ladies chuckled while Emma continued to move around the circle, protected by the plastic chairs. X grabbed for her, purposely not making contact. Emma let out a high-pitched giggle and raced for Chloe’s chair.
Emma’s little shoulder hit into the plastic leg. The motion shouldn’t have caused any waves. Shouldn’t have. But Princess Chloe’s throne teetered. Her arms pinwheeled. Her legs shot out. Her phone went airborne. She screamed. And went down hard on the grass.
Ricky, along with Kane, looked at Mason. He only shook his head and took another draw on his beer. Ricky had never been more proud.
Emma jumped to her feet, put her hands on her tiny hips. “Wow. That wasn’t very lady-like.”
Chloe’s shriek had Ricky looking over his shoulder for a banshee. She pushed up off the ground and brushed grass from her butt. She glared down at Emma, who grinned and handed her back her phone.
In an absolute hu
ff, Chloe snatched the phone away. Her stride bellowed pissed off. “I’m ready to go home.”
Mason took another sip. “Why, something happen?”
She glared at him, then jabbed a manicured finger in Emma’s direction. “That child—” She bristled. “Take me home.”
He finished off his beer. “Okay, but you’re going to have to drive.”
“I don’t want to drive,” she pouted.
“Well, I can’t. So unless you want to call a cab, you’re gonna have to drive.”
Her gaze darted from Kane to Ricky before finally settling on Mason. “Fine. Let’s go. Now.” She didn’t say anything else, just walked up the stairs and into the house.
“Well, I guess we’re leaving.” Mason stood. “Thanks for having us.”
They shook hands, hugged, and, Praise the Lord!, the James’ were gone.
That began the exodus. Jane called Grayson to round up the girls. A shrill whistle sounded. Three little girls looked over. He waved an arm and they began their goodbyes.
Emma raced across the grass. “Your yard is perfect for a dog.”
He patted her back. “If I get one, I’ll make sure you come over to play with it, okay?”
She squealed and threw her arms around his knees. “Okay!”
Grayson scooped her up. She yawned and laid her head on his shoulder. Grayson extended a hand. “Sorry about the—”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s about time somebody knocked Chloe off her throne. I’m glad you guys came. I don’t know that I’d ever met your girls. They’re beautiful…and seriously precocious.”
“Thanks.”
Jane came forward, Shayne and Frankie following her. The three women exchanged hugs.
A few minutes later, Ricky was alone with Shayne and Matt. The kid put forward a fist to which Ricky met with his own. “How’d you do in the cage?”
“Not bad.”
“How’d you do with the girl?”
“Not bad.” Matt blushed. “I’ll be in the car.”
Ricky took Shayne’s hand and walked with her to the front door. He tugged her into his arms. “Did you have fun today?”
Lucky 13 (Deadlines & Diamonds) Page 7