Page 167 of Vegas Heat

“What are you laughing at?” Cooper asks, leaning over to get a peek at my phone.

I hold it a little closer. “Noneya.”

His brows dip. “Noneya?”

“None-ya business.”

He barks out a laugh, and it’s the hearty, deep laugh that I fell in love with in the matter of one weekend.

I giggle at the laugh. “It’s Justin. He’s been hooking up with someone and he sent me the latest.” I flash him our text chain and he spies the fire emoji.

“Good for him. I always liked that kid.”

I think back over the short time Justin has been a part of my life, and it’s definitely my turn to bark out a laugh at that statement.

CHAPTER 26: COOPER

We’ve spent the last three days with my family, and it’s literally better than I could have imagined…you know, minus the wholemy brother almost diedthing. They spring him from the hospital Friday morning, and Friday evening, the adults are sitting around Connor and Marissa’s table eating dessert after a huge but heart healthy meal. The boys are up in their rooms on their tablets, and Marissa just ran upstairs to grab some of the journals she’s been selling on TikTok.

Gabby excuses herself to the restroom after she finishes her cake, and my mom leans in close to me as she sits between my brother and me.

“You better marry that girl.”

I choke on my bite of ice cream, my eyes bugging out as I glance at my brother for interference.

He nods. “She’s right, you know. And knock her up good and quick before some guy better than you swoops in and steals her out.”

God, he’s so fucking useless.

My mom mock smacks him in the arm. “Stop it.” Then she turns to me and claps her hands a little. “But do it! I need more grandbabies. Maybe a girl at some point.”

“Jesus Christ, you two,” I say, a warning edge to my tone.

“When are you going to do it?” my mom presses.

I roll my eyes. “When we’re both ready.”

“So you’re gonna do it?” Connor asks.

“Do what?” Gabby asks, walking back into the room.

I shake my head. “You leave the room for two seconds and these two are all,you need to marry her.” I raise my voice a few octaves to imitate my family.

My mom has the grace to look embarrassed that I outed her, but Connor sure as shit doesn’t, the fucker.

“We told him to put babies in you, too,” my brother says.

You’d think I’d be embarrassed by him, but I’m just used to him.

I roll my eyes and jut my thumb in their direction as I wait for Gabby’s reaction. “See what I have to deal with?”

“I think it’s sweet.” She reaches over and squeezes my bicep. “They just want you to be happy.”

“And it’s clear she makes you happy,” my mom adds. “She makes all of us happy. She brightens the room when she walks in it.”

I toss an arm around Gabby’s shoulders. “She does. And I’m confident all that is in our future when we’re both ready. Gabby wants to graduate college and establish a career before she has to deal with a husband and taking time off for a newborn.” I glance at her and nod, confident I’ve said enough to shut off the peanut gallery beside me, and I take a bite of my cake.

“I’m flexible on that,” she says, and goddammit, I choke on my cake again.

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