Page 47 of Playing for Keeps

“You look the same to me,” OG Peepaw Zeb says before standing up and circling me. “Scrawny and on the ugly side.”

“Thank you, old timer,” I reply and return to my announcement. “I have known the sweet loving of my future wife. All is right in the world.”

“Such a shame you couldn’t keep it in your pants until your wedding night,” Pa-Emmett mutters. “A real man has self-control.”

“Nope, not me,” Zeb announces, winning frowns from everyone while OG Meemaw Coretta acts like she’s gone as deaf as she is blind. “I got it in good with Coretta right away and leftmy mark. No man was gonna hit that pussy like I was gonna hit it.”

“You’re beingtooromantic, OG Peepaw,” Tuesday coos. “Maybe shut up a little, will ya?”

“You were always a hussy.”

“I know, but I’m now married to a man willing to bury you in the woods. So, you know, zip it and let Val brag about his dick.”

“Thank you,” I tell my sister while Zeb wanders off, muttering how he could kick Bullet’s ass back in the day.

Tuesday curtsies before saying, “When we go dress shopping with Lola, should we bring a wheelchair to help with the limp you’ve left her with?”

“No, no, I was very gentle.”

“This feels too graphic,” West gripes after he stops making out with Alexis long enough to speak. “You’re grossing everyone out.”

Though I consider complaining about the double standards, West’s tongue has already returned to his wife’s mouth. There’s no point in complaining if he won’t be listening.

“I’m confused,” Ike mutters, having trouble thinking with Oana sitting on his lap. “Is this still an arranged marriage, even though you want her?”

Nodding, I stroke my ma’s head while explaining, “The family and club are getting something out of it. But yeah, I’m still marrying Lola, even if her dad backs out of the deal.”

“No go,” Pa-Emmett grumbles. “If Duke doesn’t want this deal, you’ll need to dump his daughter for at least a year to make him suffer for being an asshole.”

“That’s dumb,” Edith mutters, and we all look at her in shock since she’s been suspiciously quiet lately. With our gazes on her, my cousin snarls in response, just daring someone to mess with her. “I love tormenting Val as much as anyone, but he cares about this girl. His heart is not a joke.”

“Aw, that’s sweet,” I say and try to force Edith into a hug. She’s a surprisingly nimble chick, so I finally give up chasing her without being able to smother her in my love. “You’re very mature.”

“Wait, why was it okay to meddle in my love life?” Ike asks, frowning at his sister now hiding behind a tree. “But Val deserves compassion? What the frick, Edith?”

“Yeah,” Otto adds since he senses his little brother needs someone to pretend to care. “Not cool. Ike has feelings. I mean, probably, right?”

The brothers give each other dark glares before sharing a smile. I look to my siblings for support, but Tuesday is tired from helping me earlier, and West might have hurt himself from making out with Alexis for so long.

“I forgot what’s happening,” Auntie Justice says and nuzzles Court’s throat. “Are we happy or is something else happening?”

“I’m happy!” I announce. “My dream girl is crazy about me. We’re getting married. I had a Philly cheese steak last night. It’s all good.”

“Yeah, that’s great, son,” Pa Emmett replies, winning smirks from Court and Donovan. “But this is also about business. When you agreed to this arranged marriage, you volunteered to wrap your love life up with the club’s future.”

“What else was I going to do? I couldn’t have Lola marry someone else.”

“Maybe she reallyshouldmarry someone else,” Ma-Poppy mutters. “I’m back to not liking her.”

“Lola said she hopes our babies look like you,” I lie to my ma. “She saw a picture of you as a little girl and went nuts over your sweet cheeks.”

My ma beams with pride, looks at her sisters to gloat, realizes from their expressions that I’m playing her, and frowns at me.

“Least favorite son,” she mutters.

“She agreed to name our daughter after you,” I say and cuddle with my ma. “And the only reason she hasn’t cooed over your baby pictures is because I don’t have any on my phone for her to see.”

“Wait, youdon’thave your mother’s baby pictures on your phone?” Pa-Emmett asks, feigning shock. “Decent men carry that shit with them at all times.”

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