Page 19 of Forced Knocked-Up Mate

“Here we go,” Kyle says as he mercifully returns, placing a tall glass bottle on the table in front of us. He hands out four shot glasses and pours the amber liquid into each one.

“What is it?” I ask, eyeing it suspiciously.

“I don’t know what you’d call it,” Kyle answers. “It’s homemade. Not quite whiskey, but just shy of bourbon? I don’t know. Try it.”

I gulp down a fiery sip and sigh with pleasure as the strong alcohol sends tingles through my body. It’s sharp, sweet, and very strong.

“Excuse me?” Jen appears in front of us, slapping the table so hard, I jump out of my seat. “Did ya get enough glasses for us all?”

“No, ma’am,” Kyle says. “I’ll go get some.”

“See that you do,” she answers, scowling. “I’m not missing out on a fine drop like this, especially since we’re celebrating.”

“Look, lady—” I start, but Jen cuts me off.

“Call me Jen, sonny. I ain’t now nor never been no lady.”

It’s a good thing I’m fluent in hick.

“Okay, Jen,” I say. “You aren’t really suggesting that I marry Lucy, are you?”

“No, of course not,” Jen says, stealing my glass and taking a sip.

“Thank God,” I say, slumping with relief. “You scared me for a second there.”

“I’m not suggesting—I’m downright tellin’ ya.”

“What?”

She shrugs, taking another sip. “You do whatever you want to do, sonny. I’m just sayin’, this has worked in the past. If you want to stay within fifty feet of Lucy for the rest of your life, then don’t do the wedding.”

“But if I marry her, we’re still stuck together for life!”

“Only legally,” Jen says, shrugging.

I cover my face with my hands. Rider pats my shoulder.

“Are you planning to leave town?” he asks.

“No,” I answer, shaking my head. “I wanted to check out your pack, your new home. I wasn’t going to run off so fast.”

“Then, my advice is that you just do the ceremony—”

“No!”

“Listen! Do the ceremony. See if it works. If it does, you can go wherever you want. If it doesn’t, the marriage is only a formality. It can be dissolved later.”

“But I’ll still be stuck with Lucy!”

“You’re already stuck with Lucy,” he points out, shrugging. “And is that such a bad thing? She’s been checking you out. I’m sure of it.”

Despite myself, I pause. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Well… no, wait! It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to marry her!”

“So, don’t,” Rider says simply, sitting back in his chair. “We’ll all just sit here and argue all day, then.”

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