Page 7 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 3

I laughed heartily and let my mother go, then turned around. “Momma, meet my girlfriend, Naomi Shaw. Naomi, this is my momma, Robin Taylor.”

“Wow, aren’t you just gorgeous!” My mother waved away the hand Naomi held out to shake and pulled her into a hug. “So, so, so good to meet you, dear. Come on in and go say hello to your father and your sisters. They’re out on the back deck. I’ll just be in the kitchen,” she said and disappeared down the hall.

I put out my hand and Naomi looked at it, her gaze and expression softening, likely remembering what my Granny had just told us about her and Grandad.

When you find the right one, you don’t waste time on what if’s. You grab the love of your life by the hand and walk into that life together.

Naomi slipped her hand into mine, and I held on tight.

“You’re going to get a kick out of my sisters,” I murmured.

“After having met your grandmother and your mom, I have no doubt.”

“Are we really going to church on Sunday, or do I need to get us out of that?” I half joked.

Naomi stopped in the center of the hallway and turned to face me. “If you think I’m going to go against your grandmother’s wishes, you’re crazy.”

“Guess it’s church on Sunday for the whole family,” I chuckled.

“What Granny wants, Granny gets.” Naomi snapped her fingers and started to walk down the hall again.

“I like this one. You should marry her,” I heard come from directly behind us. I hadn’t realized Granny’d snuck up on us. The woman was as quiet as a ninja with decades of training.

Naomi burst out laughing. “Yeah, you should marry me. I’m with Granny!”

“Granny, I’m gonna have to put a bell on you.”

“Bigger men have tried and failed. Good luck with that.” She flicked her hand for us to move out of her way. “Don’t got all day. The clock is ticking; don’t slow me down.” She shuffled silently past us.

“I think we just got your grandmother’s blessing,” Naomi whispered.

“I think we did too.” I tugged on her hand and pulled her against my chest then laid a heated, wet kiss on her. “One down, several to go.”

She smiled, and I swear my heart melted. “I can’t wait to marry you.”

“It’s a good thing you don’t have to wait long,” she teased.

“Where’s my son and his new girl?” I heard my father’s voice, joy-filled and booming, coming from the kitchen.

“We better go.” I pecked her lips once more.

“Where you go, I’ll happily follow.” She winked and put her hand in mine once more. The weight of it felt different somehow.

More important. More real. More like she’d hold my hand forever.

Episode 61

The Queen of Las Vegas

MADAM ALANA

“Hola SeñoraToussaint. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” Diego Salazar asked in his smooth Spanish accent. The man was terrifying in person but also quite the charmer.

“Bonjour,SeñorSalazar. I do believe I need your help.” I glanced at Rhodes, Maia, and then my beloved Christophe as I held my phone pressed to my ear.

“I am intrigued. It is not every day theLa Reina de Las Vegascalls for my assistance,” he chuckled.

The Queen of Las Vegas.

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