Page 193 of Bride of Choice

A cackle of a laugh burst out of me. “Oh my god, that sounds so wrong.” I paused to catch my breath. “I love it.”

Looking very proud of himself as I swatted at him lightly, he caught my hand on the second swat. “Not just Baby miss Jo.”

I got that butterflies-raving-in-my-gut feeling as he stared down at me, sincerity ringing in his voice, shining in his eyes.

But still, thinking over what had happened before, I hesitated. “I’ll think about it, huh?”

Nodding, he quickly changed the subject. “Doogie say Jo help build Doogie hut.”

“Help? Honey, I managed.” With a snort, I lifted my nails towards my lips and blew on them. Beneath my thick lashes, I asked, “Did he tell you he’s trying it with the smiths? He’s pretty good at it. His stuff goes fast at market, or so I’ve heard.”

“Rothy say Jo help Doogie see him’s po-ten-shul.” He sounded the word out slowly. There was no mistaking his pride in his nephew.

“Eh.” I played it off. “I’d like to think he found it on his own.” My hand lifted and I gestured vaguely. “If I maybe gave him a kick in the pants in the right direction… sure, okay, but that’s all him in the end. He wouldn’t have done any of that if he didn’t want to.”

“Jo goot. Goot to Rothy, Doogie, Baby…”

“They don’t call me the potato-corn whisperer for nothing.” Another peek up at him. My lips quirked. “They call me that, you know.”

“Who call Jo that?” His mock frown was everything.

“Every cool person that ever existed.” Clucking my tongue at him, I poked a claw into his chest, zipping it upward to flick the tip of his nose.

His grin had my lips tipping. “Course,” he agreed with a chuckle, batting my hand away.

Glancing around, he asked, “Where other males?”

I blinked up at him innocently, but he just shook his head.

“Rek not come to bug, grumble, complain. Odix, Gopher, no hover.”

Picked up on that, did he?

“Big hunt. Everyone’s got shit to do.” My hands lifted helplessly.

“Come. Eat me.”

A mock gasp left me. “I thought this was a civilized pre-hunt barbecue?”

Wrapping an arm around me, letting it slide as I attempted to slip free, he locked it around my head, holding me pre-noogie captive.

“Ack! You brute!” Laughter exploded out of me. “What are you doing?!”

“Jo needs eat.” Humor laced his tone. “Kooky helping.”

“You beast! You’re ruining my hair!” I looked a mess when we got there and he finally let me go. He tried to smooth the wild tangle he’d made of my lustrous locks back into place but it was too late.

Grabbing food up quickly, we joined Dorothy and her mates, her expansive family loosely gathered around.

Mina’s daughter Lottie decided I was the better dinner companion, ditching her family group to plant herself in my lap. I babysat her from time to time and apparently I’d left an impression on her. Picking up my hands, she smoothed her fingers over my nails, pointing to each one and commenting on how pretty she thought they were. “I growed up, have big claws, just like Mojo Jojo,” she told Kooky.

Kooky’s eyebrows shot up as he tore off a large chunk of meat and chewed. Swallowing, he nodded along to what she said as he offered her toddler sized pieces, waiting until she’d finished to rumble, “Mojo Jojo?”

Before I could answer, she giggled, “She’s Mojo Jojo, Kooky! Me,” her hands pressed to her little chest, “Lottie.”

A low grumble had me glancing over at Mina’s group. Spying Rek joining Kirch, if looking reluctant to do so, my gaze quickly darted away.

“Wek!” Lottie cried, hopping up to dash away from me. I watched long enough to make sure she reached him and then pretended interest in my food.

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