She had done some pretty bad things over the years, but he always took her side, right or wrong. Now he was on Malcolm’s side. Never in a million years did she see that coming. He was her back up, her last line of defense. Malcolm wasn’t kidding, Joshua approved.
Now her heart was pumping. Now she really had to decide. She loved Malcolm, she knew that. But what if she wasn’t good enough for him? What if he changed his mind? What if she changed ten years from now, like her mother did? Their family watched her go from loving to cold, only in the last year had she warmed up again. Stephanie dropped to the bed. Maybe she just needed a nap. She hadn’t slept at all last night.
***
Joshua tromped loudly down the stairs. When he reached the kitchen, he looked at Charlie who had lost most of his winnings. Malcolm had won most of them back. “Your woman’s upstairs. You may want to go talk to her.”
Joshua knew Malcolm just reclaimed all the winnings he had lost. Fair enough, he had cleared the air with Stephanie, so it was worth it. “Here.”
Joshua took his hand and settled in next to Ayden. “Now that I’m back where I started, let’s play some cards.”
Ethan and Chase grumbled. Ayden tossed his hand in. “I’m out.”
“Me too.” Ethan pushed back.
“Coming dear,” Chase called to no one in particular and headed for the back door.
“Come on guys!” Joshua laughed. “Pussies!”
Ayden spit the soda he was drinking through his nose. Ethan turned and Chase stopped mid step to hear what came next. Joshua never disrespected women, and Charlie was still there.
“Actually the only one here with a pussy is still in, Big Dog.” Charlie blinked at him innocently. “That’s what they call you right? So tell me are you in, or are you afraid of a little cat fight?”
“My apologies. I let that slip. I didn’t mean to…”
“Are you in or out?” Charlie had been playing them, losing money at first. She was from Vegas for crying out loud. Like these guys could beat her at poker. Ayden knew it, but this dog, as they called him, was about to learn a new trick.
“Out.” Joshua’s face was red from embarrassment and guilt.
“Pussy,” Charlie challenged him.
“Excuse me?” Joshua looked at Ayden.
“Why are you looking at him? I’m the one talking to you.”
“It’s all you, Big Dog.” Ayden pushed his seat back for the show. Ethan and Chase came back to the table to watch also.
“All right. I’m in.” Joshua knew in that instant he was dead. Charlie had him, and Ayden knew it. He wasn’t going to drop her challenge. Maybe she wasn’t as good as she thought she was. He was the best.
It didn’t take long before Charlie had all of his money. She kept the same poker face the whole time. Evelyn and the others had come inside to watch the show as well. When he lost his last dollar, the women all cheered.
Charlie looked at Ayden, and he smiled a full smile at her and winked.
“Evelyn, come hold me. Charlie just whipped my ass.” Joshua feigned a tear.
“Oh, you poor baby.” Evelyn crawled into his lap and held him close. Then she smiled at Charlie with a devious wink.
Charlie felt good. She wasn’t nervous or afraid here. She was happy. They were a family, and they accepted her. It felt so good to be there. She wished they didn’t have to go back after the weekend. She really wished she could crawl into Ayden’s lap like that and celebrate with him.
***
Malcolm had slipped into bed next to Stephanie. She was asleep, and he was exhausted himself. It had been a few hours when the celebration noises downstairs woke him. His eyes opened to see Stephanie staring back at him.
“Do I get a ring in all this?” Stephanie smiled. His blue eyes sparkled. His full lips lifted into a real smile.
“It’s in my suitcase.”
“Well can I have it?” Stephanie shoved him playfully.
“In a minute. First, I have to make something clear.” Malcolm wavered on his own resolve, but he
Now her heart was pumping. Now she really had to decide. She loved Malcolm, she knew that. But what if she wasn’t good enough for him? What if he changed his mind? What if she changed ten years from now, like her mother did? Their family watched her go from loving to cold, only in the last year had she warmed up again. Stephanie dropped to the bed. Maybe she just needed a nap. She hadn’t slept at all last night.
***
Joshua tromped loudly down the stairs. When he reached the kitchen, he looked at Charlie who had lost most of his winnings. Malcolm had won most of them back. “Your woman’s upstairs. You may want to go talk to her.”
Joshua knew Malcolm just reclaimed all the winnings he had lost. Fair enough, he had cleared the air with Stephanie, so it was worth it. “Here.”
Joshua took his hand and settled in next to Ayden. “Now that I’m back where I started, let’s play some cards.”
Ethan and Chase grumbled. Ayden tossed his hand in. “I’m out.”
“Me too.” Ethan pushed back.
“Coming dear,” Chase called to no one in particular and headed for the back door.
“Come on guys!” Joshua laughed. “Pussies!”
Ayden spit the soda he was drinking through his nose. Ethan turned and Chase stopped mid step to hear what came next. Joshua never disrespected women, and Charlie was still there.
“Actually the only one here with a pussy is still in, Big Dog.” Charlie blinked at him innocently. “That’s what they call you right? So tell me are you in, or are you afraid of a little cat fight?”
“My apologies. I let that slip. I didn’t mean to…”
“Are you in or out?” Charlie had been playing them, losing money at first. She was from Vegas for crying out loud. Like these guys could beat her at poker. Ayden knew it, but this dog, as they called him, was about to learn a new trick.
“Out.” Joshua’s face was red from embarrassment and guilt.
“Pussy,” Charlie challenged him.
“Excuse me?” Joshua looked at Ayden.
“Why are you looking at him? I’m the one talking to you.”
“It’s all you, Big Dog.” Ayden pushed his seat back for the show. Ethan and Chase came back to the table to watch also.
“All right. I’m in.” Joshua knew in that instant he was dead. Charlie had him, and Ayden knew it. He wasn’t going to drop her challenge. Maybe she wasn’t as good as she thought she was. He was the best.
It didn’t take long before Charlie had all of his money. She kept the same poker face the whole time. Evelyn and the others had come inside to watch the show as well. When he lost his last dollar, the women all cheered.
Charlie looked at Ayden, and he smiled a full smile at her and winked.
“Evelyn, come hold me. Charlie just whipped my ass.” Joshua feigned a tear.
“Oh, you poor baby.” Evelyn crawled into his lap and held him close. Then she smiled at Charlie with a devious wink.
Charlie felt good. She wasn’t nervous or afraid here. She was happy. They were a family, and they accepted her. It felt so good to be there. She wished they didn’t have to go back after the weekend. She really wished she could crawl into Ayden’s lap like that and celebrate with him.
***
Malcolm had slipped into bed next to Stephanie. She was asleep, and he was exhausted himself. It had been a few hours when the celebration noises downstairs woke him. His eyes opened to see Stephanie staring back at him.
“Do I get a ring in all this?” Stephanie smiled. His blue eyes sparkled. His full lips lifted into a real smile.
“It’s in my suitcase.”
“Well can I have it?” Stephanie shoved him playfully.
“In a minute. First, I have to make something clear.” Malcolm wavered on his own resolve, but he
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