Stacking the Deck (A Betting on Romance Novel Book 2) (18 page)

Carter’s cousin, Jim, frowned as Carter pulled a container of cole slaw out of the refrigerator and set it next to the sandwich makings already there. Yes, Carter knew there was a grocery store, but, truth be told, it was boring sitting at home eating by himself. And Jim’s wife, Kate, had fallen into the habit of inviting him over for dinner on the days she did admin tasks for the landscaping business at Carter’s home office.

“I’m helping Kate with dinner. Plus she invited me.”

“You do realize she only asks you over out of pity. She sees how you live.”

“And you only allow it because it gives you an ego boost to show off your beautiful wife and family. Admit it. You think you’re hot shit.”

Jim reached over Carter for a soda, popped it open and relaxed into a chair at the kitchen table. “There is that. Where is my lovely bride anyway?”

“Upstairs giving Lily a bath. I think Liam is helping.”

Jim eyed the ceiling warily. “She hasn’t called for reinforcements?”

Carter tore open a bag of sub rolls. “Not yet.”

Jim sipped from the can and set it down, lord o’ the manor style, on the table. “So, what about you? Got the itch to get yourself a wife and family of your own?” He swept his arm to encompass the dishes in the sink, the toy cars on the floor and the burpie cloths stacked on the placemat in front of him. “Just think, all this grandeur could be yours.”

A loud
thump!
rattled the ceiling above them, and Liam, the three year-old squealed something about Noah and floods.

Carter nodded toward the doorway. “You want to check that out?”

Jim bit his lip. “No. I’m good. I have every confidence in my wife. Plus, that upstairs bath is too small for all of us at once. I can’t believe we’re a family of four sharing a single bathroom.”

“Ah, way to sell the grandeur of it all.”

Jim laughed, an easy chuckle, and Carter felt a momentary stab of… something. It seemed like everyone was getting married, starting families, growing up. Jim’s sister, Rachel, had her first baby just after the new year, and Lily had been born barely a month ago.

The grandmothers, of course, were ecstatic.

Carter was close enough to Jim and Kate to know the road hadn’t always been easy for them, and day-to-day life wasn’t necessarily smooth or flood-free, but he knew they were happy in a way few people were.

Maybe that kind of happy was only for some people. Jim was different. He was the responsible guy everyone turned to when they needed to get out of trouble. Carter was the guy they called when they wanted to have fun.

Or he
had
been that guy.

He thought about Liz and her brother and realized it had been quite some time since he’d been
that
guy, either.  And yet, when the crap hit the fan down at the fire department, he’d been the first one Ted had turned to when he started pointing fingers. It didn’t matter what Carter was now. It only mattered he had the reputation of being
that
guy…

Another
thump!
followed by a door slamming, the sound of running feet and more doors slamming came from upstairs.

“There’s no room for the towels in the bath,” Jim explained. “That was probably Liam getting one from our closet.”

Carter shook his head. “I know you love this place, but you should build a bigger house.”

“I’ve been talking to your brother about that very thing. He’s been talking again about buying the lot up on Blackberry Hill.”

“Not for Ian. For
you
. What does Ian need a house for? All he needs is a laptop and an internet connection. He doesn’t even have a cat.”

“His accountant said he should own rather than rent for the tax deduction. And who knows, maybe he’s thinking about settling down. Grams seems to think you both should.”

“Grams is a hopeless romantic. Thanks to you and Rachel, she has babies on the brain.”

“She told Kate she thought there was a possibility of you connecting with Beth Beacon when she’s in town.” Jim waggled his eyebrows. “Who knows? Maybe Beth is
The One
.”

“Are you kidding? I’ve been to her house all of three times since she’s been back. How would I know?”

Jim shrugged. “Is the sex good?”

Carter raised an eyebrow.  “Funny you should ask, because even though I’ve known her over ten years, not once have we slept together.”

“Astounding.”

“I know. How long was it before you and Kate slept together?”

Jim cleared his throat, then stood and began to load dirty dishes into the dishwasher. “I think that’s irrelevant.”

“Oh, that’s right. You knocked her up within like a week of meeting her, didn’t you?”

Jim paused. “In my own defense, my wife is smokin’ hot.”

Carter rolled his eyes as Jim nodded in sudden understanding. “Oh. Beth must have a terrific personality.”

Carter laughed as he stuffed pastrami into the sandwich rolls. They both knew ‘terrific personality’ was code for ‘unattractive.’ “Actually, she’s a knock-out.”

“I’m confused. I thought Grams said she was single. And she hasn’t fallen into bed with you? You’re losing your touch.”

“Single. Attractive. In town. I know. Who would have guessed you could put this,” Carter gestured to himself, “in the same room with a hot woman and in ten years we
still
haven’t had sex?”

“Mind boggling. But you’re planning to, I take it.”

“Hoping is more the word I’d use,” Carter corrected as he reached for the chips as an image of Liz’s full, soft lips popped helpfully to mind. “Definitely hoping.”

“You’re really superficial, you know that?”

“That’s not superficial. It’s honest. And you’re one to talk. At least I’m not walking around chasing widows with kids.”

“I didn’t single Kate out like that. It was… chemistry,” Jim tidied the kitchen counter around Carter and stuffed the chips bag back in the cupboard.

Carter chuckled. “Like cold fusion chemistry. The next thing you know you’ll be telling me you knew when you first locked eyes with Kate that she was
The One
.”

“It’s not like that.”

“No?”

“It’s more like a fog that creeps in and before you know it, you’re socked in.”

“Nice metaphor.”

“Thanks.”

“So, Kate is a menacing weather front now and not the love your life?”

“I don’t even know why I talk to you.”

“I keep you on your toes. Besides, we’re family. It’s like super glue. Once stuck, nearly impossible to shake off.’

“Nice metaphor.”

“Thanks. So, about Kate, and I’m genuinely curious here, why Kate? Aside from the fact that she’s—”

“What am I?” Kate asked as she padded into the kitchen with the baby splayed over her shoulder. Her T-shirt was soaked, she was missing one sock, and water dripped from the right side of her hair.

“Gorgeous,” both men said at once.

“You guys are such suck-ups. I love you.” She leaned in toward her husband for a quick kiss. “And I’d love
you
if you’d watch Liam for some male-bonding time while I mop up the bathroom floor and change.”

“What am I? Chopped liver?” asked Jim.

“No. You’re holding Lily.” She handed over the baby.

“Are we still calling her ‘Oops’?” Carter asked as he brought plates and cole slaw to the table.

“Not to her face,” Kate murmured. “And by the way, I think I feel a chill in the air.” She turned a raised brow toward her husband. “You might want to check the forecast.”

Jim winced. “You heard that, huh?”

“I heard you stuff your foot in your mouth, yes. I haven’t heard you pull it out yet.”

He stepped closer to her. “You truly want to know the first time I knew you were different from all those other women I’ve never dated?”

“Yes. Tell me.”

Jim smiled at his wife. “Chicken raft.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Get a room, you guys,” Carter said, but Jim just laughed and hugged his wife over their baby, swept his arm behind her back and silently mouthed,
this could all be yours.

CHAPTER TWENTY
____________________

L
IZ MOANED, rolled over and tried to ignore Eddie as he insistently poked his paw at her cheek, hoping she’d get up and serve him breakfast. No doubt the rustling noises and occasional clang of metal outside were the sweet sounds of progress. A quick peek at the clock told Liz it was barely seven a.m.

She groaned. Despite falling into bed some time after midnight, she had work to do. Sliding out of bed, she did a few stretches to get the kinks out of her lower back then padded to the window.

She slid the curtain aside. Carter was in the driveway lifting supplies off the tailgate of his pickup, the muscles in his lightly tanned forearms flexing with the effort. Her skin tingled, as a warm flood of purely feminine appreciation washed over her.

She frowned.

She shouldn’t be noticing his forearms. Or tan. Or musculature of any kind.

She let the curtain drop back into place and headed toward the bathroom. She should be showering and getting on with the business at hand. Like checking her e-mail for the morning. And making sure Grant didn’t need any clarification on the spreadsheet she’d sent before falling into bed the night before.

She had no business checking out Carter like he was the pool boy. It was unseemly. Unprofessional. Un—

A loud
thunk
from outside had her rushing back to the window. A heavy looking machine was on the ground beside a trailer. Carter was frowning and swearing at the machine, or so it appeared, and rubbing his shin. She must have made some noise of alarm, because he glanced up and caught her eye.

He waved hello.

Liz waved back automatically then leapt from the window with a groan.
Perfect.
She’d just waved good morning to the guy she wasn’t supposed to be having inappropriate thoughts about—wearing nothing but a T-shirt and panties!

She let out a quick breath and told herself she was being ridiculous. He probably hadn’t even noticed she wasn’t wearing pants. She would just put on some sweats, finger-comb her hair and go get her coffee like every other morning. No need to worry about her appearance. Carter was here to work, not socialize.

Liz had her hand on the bedroom doorknob then turned toward the bathroom.

It couldn’t hurt to brush teeth. Brushing teeth was simply good hygiene.

It had nothing to do with the last dream she had before waking up—a dream of kissing a sexy, dark-haired man in the rain.

“H
ELL-O,”
C
ARTER MURMURED under his breath as he straightened again, the bruise on his shin forgotten. “And good morning to you, too.”

An appreciative smile creased his face as he maneuvered the compactor to the side of the driveway and began loading hand tools into his wheelbarrow. A sight like that could bring more cheer to a man’s morning than a cup of coffee and a sunny day combined.

Carter pushed the wheelbarrow to the backyard and plugged an old radio into the outdoor socket. He waved to Liz through the slider as she got her morning coffee and counted himself a lucky man. He’d be doing this job alone.

Normally, he’d bemoan the lack of a second pair of hands. Certainly having help would have prevented the bruise to his shin from the compactor as it slid off the side of the trailer’s ramp, but a bruise was a small price to pay to spend an extra day or so on the job. Not that Pops would have been much help unloading the compactor anyway.

Carter turned as Liz opened the patio door.

“Did you want some coffee before you get started? You can drink it in the sunshine.”

Carter held up the travel mug he’d filled at home.

Her smile faded. “I guess you’re all set.”

“Can I take a rain check?”