The Jackpot Screwer: Enemies to Lovers (Love In Dayton Valley Book 2) Read online

  “Please can you go and ask how long Dr. Baskin will be.”

  I snorted out a laugh, just as I’d done the first time Bronte had told me the name of her OBGYN.

  “His name is not Carole,” she said without even looking at me, like she’d already said it a dozen times – which come to think of it she had.

  Deciding it best not to say another word, I lifted my numb ass off the seat to go and check with the nurse on the desk. Before I’d even moved a step, the consulting room door opened again and a real handsome guy shouted, ‘Bronte Jackson’.

  I looked over my shoulder to see that Bronte was standing and putting her purse over her shoulder.

  “That’s the doc?” I asked. “Him. The guy that looks like that Somerhalder dude?”

  “Yes, why?” Bronte smiled, not for my benefit of course, and moved past me.

  “Bronte. Hi, I’m Dr. Baskin, please come through.”

  We both followed him into his consultation room where there was a nurse filling in some forms. When the doctor went over and spoke quietly to her, I moved alongside Bronte.

  “He’s so good looking he’s hurting my damn eyes,” I whispered. “Don’t they have someone older and uglier to look up your vagina?”

  Bronte didn’t respond and before I had time to add anything else, Dr. Baskin turned back to us, his Hollywood smile glowing in our direction.

  “Okay, Bronte, if you’d like to hop up on the bed, and Dad you can sit in the chair next to it.” He winked at me and while I really wanted him to look like a dick doing it, even I had to admit he looked pretty cool. “Once you’re up there, Bronte, if you’d like to roll your yoga pants and underwear down so Maggie can then cover you and put the gel on for the sonogram.”

  Bronte nodded and passed me her purse with a shaky hand.

  “Hey, Lollipop,” I said, looking her in the eye. “It’s going to be fine. We’re about to meet our baby.”

  She nodded, exhaled a shaky breath and got ready for our life changing moment.

  “Please don’t cry,” Dr. Baskin soothed. “I know it’s a big thing, but everything looks healthy and normal.”

  “I’m just so emotional. I never expected to feel like this.”

  “Carter, you want a tissue?” Bronte asked and turned to Nurse Maggie. “Do you have a tissue for him, please?”

  Maggie pulled a couple of tissues from a box and passed them to me over the top of Bronte’s bare and slightly rounded belly. The belly where our baby was cooking away nicely.

  “And you’re sure you can’t tell us if it’s a girl or a boy?” I asked, wiping my eyes.

  Dr. Baskin laughed. “I’m sorry, Carter, but it’s a little soon yet. At your next sonogram, if you want to know I’ll be able to tell you.”

  Leaning over Bronte, I peered at the screen and screeched. “There look, Lollipop,” I cried, poking her on the arm. “I’m sure I saw a dick. Did you not see it?”

  “I assure you,” Dr. Baskin laughed. “You have no way of telling at this stage.”

  “Nope, sorry, you’re wrong. I definitely saw a dick. Lollipop, don’t you see it?”

  Bronte turned her head back to the screen and sighed.

  “Oh yeah, I do,” she replied. “And it’s the same size as yours. Like father, like son.”

  “What?” I gasped. “That’s not true and you know it. Take that back right now.”

  “I’m not going to lie in front of our baby,” she said, grinning at me. “That’s not the right way to start parenthood.”

  Dr. Baskin and Nurse Maggie both began to laugh, but I was not amused. “You’ve hurt my feelings now.”

  “Oh, stop being an idiot.” She took some paper towel offered to her and began to wipe away the gel. “A tiny wiener isn’t anything to be ashamed of.”

  “I do not have a tiny wiener,” I said directly to the hot doctor and his nurse.

  “He gets embarrassed.” Bronte sighed. “I’ve told him though, it’s not a problem.”

  All three of them burst out laughing as I narrowed my eyes on Bronte who held up her pinky finger and wiggled it. So fucking funny.

  “Excuse me,” I said, feeling more than a little sulky. “I need the bathroom.”

  I left to a chorus of laughter behind me and will admit, I slammed the door a little too hard.

  After I’d been to the bathroom, I paid for Bronte’s treatment and filled in some forms with my healthcare details for future visits. I’d just about finished when Bronte came out of the consulting room holding a list.

  “What’s that?” I asked, taking it from her.

  “Just some vitamins I need to start taking. Do you mind if we go to the health store and pick them up?”

  “No, not at all. We can even grab some lunch.”

  I was feeling hopeful that maybe seeing the baby together would help Bronte realize we were meant to be. When she smiled and nodded, my heart thudded a little harder in my chest.

  “I’ll just settle up,” Bronte replied.

  “No need. All done and healthcare will be set up ready for your next visit.”

  She stopped in her tracks and stared at me, her eyes softening.

  “Carter, no. My dad gave me his credit card.”

  I shook my head. “That’s my baby, so I pay. There was never any question about that. Although, that little stunt with the tiny dick almost had me changing my mind. It wasn’t a nice thing to say.”

  She gave a cute giggle and slapped playfully at my arm. “I’ve told you, don’t sweat it. Not everyone can have a large penis.”

  Growling, I took my phone from my pocket and zipped off a text. Immediately Bronte’s phone rang out. “You’d better check that,” I said, a smirk on my face.

  She looked at me quizzically, pulled her phone from her purse and tapped at the screen. When she opened up the text and grinned, I knew she was beginning to thaw.

  There’s nothing like sending a dick pic to your girl to remind her how big you really were and exactly what she was missing.

  When Ellie and I had walked into Café Au Lait, there may have been a little part of me that hoped Carter would be there. Sitting at his usual table with Hunter, pretending to be all super fit and healthy but choosing his usual all-day breakfast. He hadn’t been of course, and now we were almost ready to leave.

  “They’ve gone to check a couple of bulls out,” Ellie said, nudging me with her elbow when my head went to the opening door for about the fifth time. “Went real early this morning.”

  “Who?” I asked, feigning disinterest.

  Ellie smirked and took a sip of her coffee. “You really should just forgive him for impregnating you, you know.”

  “Who?”

  “Oh okay,” she replied with a tilt of her head. “Exactly how many contenders are there? I thought my brother was the only one.”

  “Oh, him.” I stirred my straw around in my strawberry and blueberry smoothie, wishing I could have a cup of coffee like Ellie.

  “Yep, him. So, are you going to make up, make up, never, never break up?” she sing-songed.

  I rolled my eyes. “You idiot, and I don’t know. Depends whether he sends me any more dick pics or not.”

  Ellie’s eyes slammed shut and she gagged. “I don’t want to even think about my brother’s penis.”

  God damn it, I did. It’d been almost three weeks since I’d last seen his big, beautiful member – dick pic aside.

  “Well on other news,” I said, changing the subject and searching through my purse. “I have this.”

  I pulled out my sonogram picture and presented it to Ellie.

  “Meet your new niece or nephew. I forgot I had it with me.”

  Ellie grabbed the picture from my hand and gasped, putting a hand to her mouth.

  “Oh, my God.” She looked at me with dewy eyes. “It’s real and so damn adorable. I can’t wait for them to arrive.”

  “Of course, it’s real.” I laughed and leaned forward to look at the picture with her. “And it’s maki
ng me crave licorice and peaches in the middle of the night.”

  “Really?” Ellie’s gaze didn’t waver from the picture in her hand. “When can you find out if it’s a boy or girl?”

  “Not for a few weeks yet.” My thoughts went back to Carter and his insistence on being able to see the baby’s penis, and I couldn’t help but giggle.

  “What’s so funny?” Ellie pulled out her phone and snapped a photograph of the sonogram.

  “Oh, nothing.”

  She looked up at me and passed the picture back and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud again.

  “Liar. Tell me.”

  “Oh, just your brother. He was insistent he could see it was a boy.”

  Ellie peered closely at her phone screen. “Sorry, no I don’t see it. If it’s there it’s tiny.”

  “Exactly what I said.” I gave her a wicked grin. “Told him it was the same size as his though.”

  “No way.” Ellie gasped and then let out a deep belly laugh. “That is the funniest thing ever. I wish I’d seen his face. I’m betting he pitched a fit over it.”

  “Oh, he did. That was what the dick pic was for.”

  Ellie’s eyes scrunched together as she laughed harder. “Someone feels insecure.”

  “Yeah, well.” I sighed. “He has no need. Your brother is more than adequate in the schlong department.”

  God the memories.

  “Erm, Bronte, do you think maybe you could close your mouth.” Ellie’s forefinger went under my chin and pushed it up. “You even have drool.”

  My attention was then taken as the door opened, and along with a warm May breeze, in wandered the man who starred in my dreams and nightmares, in equal parts. The little flutter of wings in my belly wasn’t surprising because that was what Carter always did to me. The way his hair hung messily in his eyes, how his jeans always hung from his slim hips and the freckles that dotted his nose and cheeks, all added to the big package of gorgeousness. He could be inappropriate, grumpy, selfish and mean to his sister, but with me, aside from our bickering he’d always been sweet and generous. Not to mention how damn good he was in the bedroom.

  Our first time had been a little bit of a shock all around. He was so much bigger than I expected for starters, but the fact that he’d got me back to his apartment and what he could actually do with that beautiful dick of his was even more astounding.

  “Good morning, gorgeous.” Hunter reached our table and leaned down to kiss Ellie’s neck.

  “Hey, you.” Ellie was all starry eyed as she pulled him closer to whisper in his ear.

  “Hi Lollipop. How you feeling?” Carter bent to kiss my cheek and when his fingers whispered over my belly, my heart fluttered.

  “I’m good, thanks. We’re good,” I added, bringing a smile to his face.

  “Did you manage to source the rest of the vitamins from your list?” he asked, picking up a strand of my hair and twirling it around his finger.

  Although we weren’t together, the intimacy of it made my breath hitch and wish that I weren’t such an insecure idiot.

  “There’s a store at the mall which has them,” I replied, trying to ignore his touch.

  “Want me to go get them for you?”

  I shook my head. “Ellie and I are going shopping after we’ve finished here.”

  Hunter’s head popped up from nuzzling Ellie’s neck. “Oh, you know what we need, baby. We’re running out.”

  Carter’s head whipped around to face him. “No,” he snapped. “Don’t say another fucking word. I do not want to know what you need. She’s my damn sister.”

  “I might have been going to say condoms,” Hunter protested with a grin.

  Carter pointed at Ellie. “She takes the contraceptive pill and I know you got tested just after you started dating so you didn’t have to use rubbers. So, whatever it is you’re running out of, I do not want to know about.”

  Ellie gasped. “How do you know I take the pill?”

  “I needed to borrow something from you.” Carter shrugged.

  “They’re in my underwear drawer.”

  Carter shrugged again as if there was nothing at all wrong with snooping through his sister’s panties.

  “Anyway,” I said, hoping to avert World War three. “We should get going.”

  The door opened again and Jimmy Foster, Dayton Valley Fire Chief swaggered in. He was tall, dark and handsome and since Hunter was off the market, had become Dayton Valley’s most sought after single guy. He was a few years older than us but still went to the same parties and hung around Stars & Stripes every weekend. Still acting like he was twenty-two and carefree, instead of thirty-one and in charge of the town’s fire safety.

  “Jimmy,” Carter greeted him. “No fires to put out?”

  Watching him I saw Carter’s shoulders tense. I’d got drunk one night and shared with him that Jimmy and I’d had a thing once. It had lasted all of one hundred and ninety-five minutes, but it’d still happened.

  “Maybe Bronte still has a fire in her belly for me,” Jimmy said, winking at me.

  Ellie hissed. “He did not just say that?”

  Jimmy laughed and turned to her. “Looking pretty today, Ellie.”

  Hunter took a step toward him, practically breathing steam through his nostrils but Jimmy held up a hand and laughed.

  “Just messing with you.” He turned to me. “So, the rumors true, Bronte? You’re really having a kid with Carter?”

  “Yes, it’s true,” I replied a little tightly, wishing he’d leave before he wound Hunter or Carter up any further.

  “Well,” he replied with a sigh. “That’s a damn shame. I was hoping we could revisit the hot tub again. You remember that night, right?”

  “I’d hardly call it a night, Jimmy,” I replied, pushing my smoothie to one side. “And it’s not something I’d really want to do again.”

  “Ah c’mon, Bronte, you know we had a great time.” Jimmy smirked and glanced at Carter. “At least you sounded like you were having a good time.”

  “Hey now,” Carter growled out. “That’s my pregnant girlfriend you’re disrespecting there.”

  He bunched his hands into fists and made a move toward our wonderful Fire Chief.

  “It’s a little joke is all.” Jimmy placed a hand on Carter’s shoulder and squeezed it. “You’re just sore that you’re getting sloppy seconds.”

  Carter’s fist went out and Jimmy’s expression was more scared than a cat at a dog pound.

  “Carter no,” I cried when he pulled his arm back for punch number two.

  He paused, and turned to me, his face red with anger. “He disrespected you, Lollipop and that’s not acceptable.”

  He turned away from me to finish what he’d started, but Jimmy had taken advantage of him being distracted and had started to move away.

  “You’re crazy,” Jimmy cried, backing off and cradling his jaw. “I could have you arrested for attacking me. I’m the damn Fire Chief.”

  “He hardly attacked you,” Hunter scoffed. “He barely even touched you. Everyone knows Carter can’t punch for shit.”

  “Take that back you dick.”

  “I’d have put him on his ass.” Hunter shrugged. “Just saying, buddy.”

  “You know what,” Jimmy said, holding his hands up in surrender. “She wasn’t worth it anyway.”

  Without hesitation, I stood up, pushed Carter out of the way and threw my strawberry and blueberry smoothie all over Dayton Valley’s Fire Chief.

  Ellie and Hunter gasped while my beautiful, auburn-haired hunk, jumped up and down, punched the air and whooped with joy.

  “Go, Lollipop,” he cried. “That’s my girl.”

  I beamed at him and felt my heart miss a beat, because deep down I knew he was right —I was his girl.

  “Bassinet, diapers, mobile.” I ticked off the things on my list that I wanted to get for the baby. “Soothers.”

  It was pretty long, but I didn’t care. I was going to make sure Lollipop didn�
�t have to worry about a thing. Obviously, the stroller was on the list too, but I figured I should let her pick that. According to my mom, women could be real particular about the stroller they pushed their baby around in.

  “Okay, let’s do this.”

  Unbuckling my belt, I looked up at the Jackson house, wondering what reception I’d receive. The last few days Bronte and I had been getting along well. Dinner at Mom and Dad’s had been great and when I’d dropped her home with Roderick, she’d even invited me in to help get him settled. Then there’d been the doctor’s appointment and she didn’t go crazy over me sending her a picture of my dick. Yesterday, after what had happened in the café, she’d even texted me to thank me for having her back with Jimmy Foster – fucking douche. So, I was hopeful today’s visit would go smoothly; you just never knew with Lollipop and her hormones.

  “Carter,” Darcy greeted me cheerily when she opened the door. “Bronte’s not here, honey but she’ll be back soon. You want to come in and wait?”

  Only taking a moment to consider my response I nodded. “That’d be great, thanks, Darcy.”

  It was good to see her smiling and I knew why when I went into the living room and Jim was in there reading the newspaper. It looked like things were progressing well with them.

  “Hey, Jim.”

  He looked up and gave me the briefest hint of a smile. “Carter.”

  Okay, so maybe he was still pissed at me for getting his daughter pregnant.

  “You want a drink, honey?” Darcy asked.

  I was about to answer when my tooth started to throb. I’d had it all day and it was gradually getting worse. Feeling in my pocket for some painkillers I nodded.

  “Water would be great please, but not too cold.” I pointed at my mouth. “Toothache.”

  “Oh no. You got a dental appointment to get it sorted?” Darcy’s brow furrowed as she rubbed my arm.

  “Yeah, Tuesday. I can cope until then.” I showed her the painkillers.

  She gave me a sympathetic nod and then turned to her husband. “Jim, you staying for a drink?”