Page 56 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 4

“She would absolutely do that, but I’m with your man. Doctors are doctors for a reason, my friend.”

“But I can’t even make fun of you in your penguin suit. Another con to pregnancy! Add that to the tally,” she hollered. “And while you’re at it, can you make me a peanut butter sandwich with Lay’s potato chips in the center. Peanut butter on both sides!”

“Woman, you just ate lunch,” I heard Sutton gripe from somewhere in the background.

Oh Lord, he was risking his life…

“Yeah, and that meal fed one of your children. There’s still me and Baby B, so hop to it!” she demanded.

“We don’t have anymore Lay’s. Will Ruffles do?”

“Are you honestly asking me that?” Dakota hissed.

“I’m headed to the store now. Anything else you and our girls need?” Sutton murmured.

“Not at the moment, but if I think of something, I’ll text. Wait…as a matter of fact, gummy bears. And make sure the package has a lot of red ones. Those are the best.”

“For fucks sake.” I heard Sutton grumble then the sound of a kiss.

She finally came back to the call. “Sorry, these cravings are ridiculous, Memphis.”

“Sounds like it.”

“So, yeah, no to wedding attendance. And I doubt Savannah and Erik can come because they’re in Norway with Jack and Summer doing the whole adopting their friends’ kid thing.”

“Shoot. How is all that working out?”

“Jack lost a friend and is now a dad to a two-year-old. How do you think it’s going?” Dakota said dryly.

“Good point. Hey, subject change. I was wondering if you’d heard from Alana lately?”

Dakota groaned and whispered, “Calm down, your sammie is coming, little bug,” before she got back to my question. “You know, it’s weird, she usually calls or texts me daily. The damn woman always wants me to send her a weekly picture of the twins. Which means a picture of me looking fat and bloated in my ill-fitting clothes. Now that I think about it, it’s been a couple weeks. Weird.”

“Okay, no big deal. I’ll check in with Faith and Ruby. Wanted to get a count for the wedding,” I lied. The last thing Dakota needed was to worry about Alana when she had two small humans growing inside her, demanding all of her attention. “Keep me posted on the twins. I fully plan to be a regular part of their lives.”

“You building a house in Montana too? Jeez. Seems like everyone else is. We’ve got homes being built for Alana and Christophe, Irene and Henrik, Savannah and Erik, might as well start a commune.”

“I don’t know about all that, but I’ll run it by my fiancée and get back to you,” I laughed. “Take care of yourself and don’t be too hard on Sutton. The guy is trying.”

“Um, hold the fuck up. You’re my friend first. You’re on my side. But I hear you. He is doing everything for me. Waitingon me hand and foot. It’s annoying as fuck. He doesn’t want me walking too far. Won’t let me ride the horses. He’s even uncomfortable with me using the ATVs to get between houses. Says I need to use the truck. To hell in a handbasket. I’m pregnant, my legs aren’t broken.”

That had me laughing harder. “Boy, does he have his hands full with you.”

“And there is so much more of me too!”

“Stop it! You’re killing me, lady,” I chuckled louder.

“Hey, you happy, Memphis? This Naomi woman treating you right?”

At that moment Naomi set a double shot of whiskey in front of me with a cold bottle of beer.

“Oh, she’s taking care of me alright,” I grinned up at my beautiful woman.

“Are you happy? Do I need to kick some ass? Don’t let my size or disposition fool you. I’m an ace at gutting fish and have a lot of unchartered property to hide a body…”

“Fuckin’ hell! Yes, D, I’m happy. She’s everything. The whole damn package. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.”

“The rest, eh? Not just the three years?”

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