The Jackpot Screwer: Enemies to Lovers (Love In Dayton Valley Book 2) Page 4

  “Oh my God, I’m going to be a grandma!”

  Mom came rushing into the living room wearing just a robe and a huge damn smile on her face.

  “Mom,” I cried. “Have you been listening in?”

  Ignoring my question, she rushed over and practically threw herself at me, wrapping her slim arms around my neck.

  “My baby is having a baby. Oh sweetheart, I’m so happy for you.”

  “Melinda, honey,” Dad sighed. “You’re not supposed to listen in on private conversations, you know that.”

  Mom extricated herself from me and turned to Dad. “Oh, you’d have told me later anyway. You know you would.”

  “He promised,” I protested.

  “Son, I swear, I would never.”

  Mom waved him away and plonked herself next to me and took my hand in hers. “He would’ve sweetheart; you know he would. Now, tell me is Bronte taking her vitamins and when is her due date? Is she going to move into the apartment with you?”

  “Well, you obviously weren’t listening that carefully,” Dad said. “Bronte had dumped his ass.”

  Mom gasped and looked between me and Dad before finally settling her gaze on me.

  “What for?”

  Shrugging I said, “I think she thinks I feel obliged.”

  “And do you?” Mom’s eyes were hard and steely, daring me not to shame her.

  “No, Mom. Of course, I don’t. I love her. I want us to be a family.”

  Mom sniffed and turned to Dad. “Oh Henry, how beautiful is our boy?”

  “Yeah, beautiful and fertile,” Dad replied.

  “That’s what I wanted to speak to Dad about.” I told Mom. “I wanted to know how to get her back.”

  Mom gave me some sort of dreamy smile that I normally only saw after they’d had ‘alone time’. “Oh, your dad is real good with the ladies. I bet he gave you some great advice.”

  Closing my eyes, I shuddered. My parents had to be the weirdest fucking people on the planet. They were sex crazy at forty-eight years of age. It wasn’t right.

  “I should call Darcy,” Mom said excitedly, bringing me back from my nightmare thoughts.

  “No,” I cried. “You can’t. Bronte hasn’t told her folks yet. We agreed to wait. You can’t let her know that you know. Promise me, Mom.”

  Mom’s promises I trusted, so much more than Dad’s. I knew she could keep a secret. She’d kept the fact that Ellie and I had broken Dad’s great-aunt’s vase, the one holding her ashes, from him for years. He still thought they were in a safe place and that the stuff in the jar in the cupboard under the stairs was bath salts of some kind.

  “I swear,” she replied. “But they’re going to have to find out soon.”

  “Yeah, I know, but that’s Bronte’s call, okay?”

  Mom nodded and leaned in to kiss my cheek. “We'll help you fix things with her.”

  I wasn’t sure how keen I was on that, but I probably needed all the help I could get. Contemplating it, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to find a text from Alaska which opened up a picture of a woman’s hand with a square diamond on her ring finger and the words ‘she said yes’.

  “Ah fuck,” I groaned. “That’s all I need.”

  “What is it?” Mom asked, peering over at my phone.

  Another text came in telling me that he was having a party in three weeks’ time for his and Jen’s engagement party.

  “More loved up couples,” I said and showed it to Mom.

  “Oh, my goodness, that’s so exciting and he did good with that ring.” She grabbed the phone from me to take a closer look. “That’s it,” she cried. “That’s how you get Bronte back. Ask her to marry you.”

  She stared between Dad and me with a starry-eyed smile and we both moaned in unison, knowing for a fact that this was one of those occasions when she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  Watching another couple be all in love and shit was not what I’d call a good night out. My heart felt heavy and aside from the baby in my tummy, it felt kind of empty – pretty much like the rest of me. I missed Carter and just wanted to be at home wallowing in my sadness.

  Alaska and Jennifer were good friends though, and not turning up would’ve been just rude. Hence, why I was sitting at a high table in Stars & Stripes with a glass of coke looking like the cheese had fallen off my cracker.

  “Your mom and dad are going to notice if you don’t smile.” Ellie nudged me with her elbow as her mouth chased after the straw in her drink. “I’m guessing you still haven’t told them.”

  “Nope.” I kept my gaze fixed firmly ahead. “It’s not the right time.”

  I could feel Ellie’s eyes on me and knew she was staring me down. Well, that game didn’t work unless you were both looking at each other, so that spoiled her fun.

  “When will that be?” she finally asked. “When you’re pushing a stroller around? Or when your mom wants to know why you can’t fit into those tiny denim shorts that you always insist on wearing on Saturdays whatever the weather?”

  “Do not,” I bit out. “I only wear them during the summer.”

  “Bullshit.” Ellie put her glass down on the table, if a little forcefully. “You wore them to the Christmas Fete and your legs were almost as blue as your hair is now.”

  “Ellie,” I sighed. “You’re getting on my last nerve. Where the hell is your boyfriend to take you away from me so he can fuck you around the back somewhere?”

  “He and his dad are talking to Jason Miller. And just so you know, we would not ‘fuck around the back somewhere’ at someone else’s engagement party.”

  I snorted because I truly doubted that. They were damn insatiable for each other.

  “Where’s your boyfriend, anyway?”

  My head snapped around to face Ellie. “Well, that’s just plain nasty,” I replied, giving her the stink eye.

  She laughed and pulled me into her side for a hug. “Got you to actually look at me though, didn’t I?”

  I rolled my eyes and sighed. “I guess. Where is your brother anyway?”

  Ellie shrugged. “No idea. He is coming though because he bought himself a new shirt especially for the occasion.”

  “That man has more shirts than there are days in a year, I’m sure of it.” The idea of Carter’s shirts made me smile. He kept them in color order in his closet and never wore the same one twice in one month.

  “Seriously though,” Ellie ventured. “When are you going to tell your mom and dad?”

  A pain thudded in my temples and I wished that I could just run and hide for the next seven months. My pregnancy wasn’t something I wanted to face with my mom and dad. Once I did it would be real and just another problem to add to their worries.

  “I have no idea,” I replied. “They’re going to counselling and have enough shit to deal with.”

  Ellie opened her mouth and took a deep breath, no doubt ready to give me another of her pearls of wisdom, but I cut her off.

  “I know that you think they’ll be great about it and welcome a grandchild, but I can’t be sure about that, El. As much as my mom will probably be as happy as a hog in mud about a grandbaby, it’s hardly what she would have wanted for me; twenty-four and unmarried with a bun in the oven. Carter may also find himself on my dad’s shit list.”

  Ellie nodded and exhaled. “You know best and I’m sorry I keep trying to tell you what to do. It’s your decision.”

  She pulled me in for a hug and squeezed me tight and I felt my body finally relax.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, looking over her shoulder and seeing Carter walking toward us. “Oh shit, your brother looks hot.”

  Ellie let me go and turned. “Well, if you like that kind of thing.”

  “I really do,” I groaned.

  Moving purposefully toward us, Carter looked so damn yummy I was pretty sure there was drool on my chin. He was wearing grey dress pants and a purple dress shirt which clung to his muscular arms and chest. It was tucked into the pants
and showed off his narrow waist and slim hips to perfection. Even his hair looked hot, swept back with a piece hanging sexily in front of his hazel eyes.

  “Ladies.” He kissed us both on the cheek. “Looking lovely.”

  Ellie frowned and felt Carter’s forehead. “You ill or high?”

  “No, I’m not ill and I haven’t had time to get high. I only finished sewing Mr. Calhoun’s dog’s ball back into its nut sack an hour ago. Then I had to go home shave, shower and shi… well you get the picture.”

  “Something’s wrong,” Ellie retorted. “You’re being nice to me.”

  “I can be nice,” Carter protested. “Can’t I, Lollipop?”

  Choosing not to answer, I took a sip of my coke and watched as Ellie and Carter broke out into a fight of knuckles.

  “Please stop,” I sighed. “This is an engagement party, not a fifth birthday.”

  Carter gave Ellie a little nudge. “Sorry, Lollipop.”

  “Shit, where did your balls go?” Ellie muttered.

  “Same place as your personality, apparently.” Carter gave her a smirk and then turned his attention back to me. “You think you should have a comfier seat than that stool?” he asked.

  “Not really, no.”

  “Well, I do.” He looked around the room. “There, that one looks real comfy. I’ll get it for you.”

  “Carter,” Ellie cried. “You can’t do that Jennifer’s grandma is sitting on it.”

  Eighty-five-year-old, Mrs. McGillicuddy was seated on a high-back, plump, red velvet chair, surrounded by her four children and various grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was in a prime spot, enabling her to watch the party carrying on around her.

  “She can find another seat,” Carter said.

  “She’s old, Carter,” I objected.

  “And you’re pregnant,” he replied, thankfully lowering his voice. “I think a pregnant woman trumps an old lady.”

  “I don’t. So just leave me on my stool and Mrs. McGillicuddy on her throne.”

  He let out a breath through his nostrils and pouted. “Fine, but at least let me get you another coke.”

  “Okay, thank you.”

  I passed him my glass as Ellie shoved hers at him too.

  “Vodka and diet please.” She gave him a sweet and sickly smile. “Also, can you rescue Hunter and Jefferson from Jason, please. You know how he bores them both to sleep.”

  Carter picked up our glasses. “I’ll rescue Jefferson, but I may just leave Hunter there. Payback for all the shit he does to me.”

  “What shit?” Ellie asked.

  “Dating you for a start, because you do know if you ever get married, I’ll be the best man.”

  “And?” I asked, noticing that Ellie’s cheeks had gone a beautiful shade of pink.

  “It means I’ll have to be nice to her for a whole day. Who the hell says shit to a bride on her wedding day?” Carter replied with a shrug of his shoulders and walked off to the bar.

  “And you wonder why I don’t think he’s ready to be a father,” I sighed watching his perfect ass walk away from me.

  “Are you sure you don’t want a foot rub?” Carter asked for the tenth time.

  “No, I told you,” I hissed. “I’m fine.

  He, along with Hunter, Ellie and everyone else at the damn party were drunk; even my folks had been two-stepping together. Carter though was particularly drunk and had been wobbling a little too much.

  “What about a titty rub then?” he asked with a grin.

  Hunter almost spat out his beer. “Oh, shit buddy, you’re in so much trouble now.”

  “Sorry.” Carter giggled like a twelve-year-old girl and took another drink of his whisky.

  “Don’t be too hard on him though, Bronte,” Hunter added. “He didn’t eat any buffet.”

  “No, don’t stop her,” Ellie said, wrapping herself around Hunter, demanding his attention. “It’d be good to see her ripping him a new one.”

  Hunter laughed and immediately fused his mouth with Ellie’s—it was becoming clear that alcohol had made them hornier than usual.

  “How about you give me a little kiss?” Carter’s lips puckered like a cat’s behind as his kissy face loomed toward me. “Just a little one, because I know you love me.”

  “Carter no, you stink of booze and it’s making me feel nauseous.” I held a palm in front of his face.

  “Ah give him one kiss,” Hunter said, pulling his lips away from Ellie’s.

  “How the hell could you hear that?” I asked, still wrestling Carter away from smelling distance. “You were having your lips suctioned off by Ellie.”

  Hunter grinned. “I can multitask.”

  “Since when?” Carter asked, grabbing a hold of the table to stop himself from falling.

  “I can eat Ellie out and whistle at the same time.”

  “Oh baby,” Ellie sighed, looking up at him as if the sun shone from his ass.

  “Oh, sweet Jesus, you’re disgusting.” I slapped a hand at Hunter’s chest, but he merely grinned and went back to sucking off Ellie’s face.

  “I did not want to know that.” Carter hiccupped. “That’s my sister.”

  “You’re all a disgrace. You’re too drunk and they’re too horny. I can’t cope with y’all without alcohol.”

  Carter gasped. “No. You can’t drink.”

  “I don’t intend to, you idiot. What do you think I am?”

  “I think,” he replied on a hiccup. “You’re the most beautiful woman I ever met, and I just wished you loved me like Ellie loves Hunter.”

  His lips pouted and his gorgeous hazel eyes were a little shiny – probably through alcohol, but even so he looked adorable and I felt bad. I only had to say the word and I knew he’d fuck me to heaven and back and we’d be good. Problem was, I had a baby to consider.

  “I do love you.” I ran a hand down his chest and let out a breath. “But you know I have to be sure it’s what you want.”

  Carter nodded slowly and then leaned in and gave me a chaste kiss to my cheek. As he pulled away his face lit up and I just knew something monumental had crossed his mind.

  “I’m so serious about this,” he said, narrowing his eyes and nodding. “And I’m going to show you.”

  “C-Carter,” I stammered. “What are you going to do?”

  Before I had a chance to grab a hold of him, he turned and started to plough through the people on the dancefloor. Shoving and pushing them out of the way.

  “Oh, shit. Hunter, stop him!”

  Hunter looked up from his make out session, slightly dazed. “What?”

  “Carter’s about to do something stupid,” I said, jumping down from my stool and chasing after him.

  Pushing through people, I almost caught a hold of his arm until Henry and Melinda, doing some outlandish synchronized dance to Mylie Cyrus’s Party in the USA, blocked my way. As they shimmied their shoulders together and then kicked their legs up with a whoop, it was more than obvious which genes ran through Carter and Ellie’s DNA.

  “Excuse me, I need to get through,” I yelled above the music but when they obviously couldn’t hear me, I made a quick diversion past them. I was too late though because Carter was taking the mic from Crazy Mike the DJ.

  “What’s going on?” Hunter asked, coming up beside me.

  Pointing to Crazy Mike, who had a mass of wild, grey hair and a pink beard which reached his chest, Hunter followed my gaze and cursed. Carter was tapping the mic’ as Crazy Mike turned down the music.

  “Please try and stop him, Hunter.”

  Hunter nodded and continued forward, but as he put out a hand to grab Carter, he ducked the other side of the DJ console.

  “Hey everyone,” he shouted. “Can I have your attention, please.” There was a screeching noise and Crazy Mike leaned across to pull the microphone away from the sexy red head’s stupid big mouth.

  “Hey,” I heard Alaska call from behind me. “You doing a congratulatory toast or something?”


  Carter paused and grimaced. “Sorry, no man, but erm yeah, congratulations.”

  “Well thanks, seeing as this is our engagement party.”

  I turned to speak to Alaska to find him grinning and Jennifer hanging off his arm, gazing up at him.

  “Alaska,” I called. “Get him down. It’s rude.”

  “Oh, it’s fine,” he replied. “As long as he doesn’t take all night, ‘cause I kinda want to say something about my girl.” He then dropped his head and began making out with Jennifer and I knew he had no care in the world about Carter taking over.

  Turning back to face my damn baby daddy, I felt my stomach roll as once again he dodged Hunter’s grasp.

  “So, I have something to say,” he continued. “Y’all ever heard of a Jackpot Screwer?” He looked around his audience, but apart from a few people muttering, no one answered. “Well okay. It’s someone who sleeps with someone to get pregnant—”

  “Carter Maples, don’t you dare.” My heart dropped to my boots, but Carter just grinned back at me.

  “What the hell is he doing up there?” I heard Jefferson ask.

  “No idea,” Henry replied. “But I wonder if he’s about to make a big mistake. Son, come on down.”

  “Anyway,” Carter continued, ignoring his dad. “Like I said, it’s someone who sleeps with someone else purposefully to get pregnant. But in my case, I just want you to know it’s totally different. It’s different in my case, because I’m the Jackpot Screwer.”

  I groaned and dropped my head to my hands, hoping to every Lord above that he wasn’t going to say what I thought he was.

  “And that’s because every damn time I hit the jackpot. Every damn time I ring my Lollipop’s bells.” He then kissed his knuckles and pointed, liked he’d just scored a Superbowl touchdown and was dedicating it to me. “Isn’t that right, Lollipop?”

  “Why’s he calling her Lollipop?” I heard his dad ask as my dad made a strange noise that sounded like he was in pain.

  “I’ll tell you when we get home, honey,” Melinda replied around a cough.

  Carter, unaware of the conversation, carried on. “But it’s not just about giving it to her good, I hit another jackpot too—”

  “No! Don’t you dare.”