Page 4 of Tying the Knot with her Sweet Scrooge

The two text messages came through at the same time, causing him to chuckle gratefully at his friends. He had really been blessed in this life, even if it walked a fine tightrope most of the time. Sucking in his breath, he typed the phrase he never imagined he’d say aloud.

Jill is pregnant.

What?

Are you serious? You freakin’ stud!

I thought you said you were shooting blanks?

After being married for nineteen years – I thought so!

You never got checked?

Sure - BY YOUR MAMA

Hey, now, don’t cross that line, bro.

What’d Jill say?

She’s panicking because of her age.

Is it yours? (Sorry! I hate to ask!)

Obviously, you’ve never met my wife – and yes, the baby is mine.

Is she ugly? Houghton, are you married to an ugly chick? Bro, really? Is she a two-bagger?

She’s a freakin’ saint to put up with me – and hotter than the sun, which is why you never met her in person before this trip!

(And you’re an idiot!)

Griffin’s too pretty?

Hey! I am good-lookin – or at least Lily says that.

Jill is extraordinary, and I’m completely ga-ga over my wife and scared to lose her.

Hold up - why would you lose her?

Because he can be Houghton?

I can be a royal jerk – and again, thank you, Griffin. Remind me, why are we friends?

Because we tell it like it is, bro, and you know I love ya.

Whatev’s (love you too)

Are y’all finished? I swear I taste vomit and can hear a violin playing in the background.

Houghton chuckled thickly, grateful to have people like this in his life sometimes… only to look up and see Ortega standingthere, smirking at him. Ortega was one of Logan’s ‘matchmaking schemes’ that he, himself, had been a part of.

Logan’s matchmaking wasn’t something they discussed often, but he supported the man’s secret endeavors because it had worked for him with Jill. The dude had a gift and had somehow conned him, Lily, and Griffin into helping him pair up other soldiers with pen pals over the years – until this year. No, this year the romantic twerp had decided to help single wounded vets, pairing them up here in Laramie – and Ortega was one of them. The man had been discharged after a career-ending injury… which affected his body, not his mouth.

Greaaaat, the biggest smart alec in the world was witnessing him giggling like a twerp and texting his buddies, while hiding in the barn?

“What do you want?” Houghton said bluntly.

“In on the joke,” Ortega retorted, grinning. “Look at you. You’ve been sooo purdy with that clean-shaven face for a few weeks now. Got a hot date or something?”

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