Page 37 of Queen of Diamonds
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“You’re a cool dude, dude, and Nate likes you,” Alex said.
Rand wasn’t so sure. Nate used to like him, but put Kinsey in the mix and maybe not so much anymore. “I hear a but. And did you just say the word ‘dude’ twice in a row?”
Alex scrunched his eyebrows together. “Did I?” He shrugged. “Whatever. The but is, you hurt our sister and we’ll make your life miserable until the day you die.” Alex slapped him on the back. “Now that I got that brotherly shit out of the way, you should also know that I don’t think she could have picked a better man.”
“Thanks for that, but don’t go sending out wedding invitations,dude.”
“If you’re talking about my wedding,dudes, you better include me in the discussion.” Kinsey put her hand on his upper arm and smiled. “So when are we getting married?”
Ignoring Alex’s snicker, he said, “I was thinking next Saturday would be a good day, Sunshine.” Her smile turned brilliant, and he realized that was exactly what she’d brought into his sorry life. Sunshine. He’d lived in the dark for so long, had thought it would always be this way after losing Zoe, but here this woman was, showing him a way out. What could he offer her, though?
She tsked. “Oh no. A week isn’t nearly enough time to plan a wedding and honeymoon. Let’s just elope.”
“Even better. I’ve always wanted to be married in Vegas by an Elvis impersonator.”
“There will be no eloping, little sister.” Alex tapped a finger on her nose. “Your only problem’s going to be choosing which brother to walk you down the aisle. Since I’m your favorite, you should pick me.”
Rand smirked. “What makes you think you’re her favorite?”
“Duh, dude. I’m the prettiest brother, the most fun, and I can take either one of them down without trying.”
That was true. Alex had a black belt in Krav Maga. The only one of them equal to him in the art was Taylor. He glanced at Kinsey, who had the biggest grin on her face as she stared at Alex in total fascination.
He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Alex can kill with nothing more than his pinkie. We’re definitely eloping.” They were joking around, but when she lifted those beautiful eyes that he kept getting lost in, he suddenly wished they weren’t. This thing he had for her was happening entirely too fast.
She exhaled as if her lungs could no longer hold air. Was she feeling it too?
“Get a room,” Alex muttered.
Rand tore his gaze away from Kinsey’s. Before her, if anyone had asked him to describe his ideal woman, it would have been along the lines of his ex-wife. Willowy, blonde, blue-eyed, reserved. Kinsey was none of those things, but he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted another woman.
She let out an adorable giggle-snort sound. “I’m beginning to understand what a pain in the butt brothers can be.”
“Hey,” Alex said. “I resemble that remark.”
“We’re getting hungry over here,” Court yelled as if cued to confirm Kinsey’s opinion on brothers.
Alex picked up the platter of meat. “Let’s go feed the masses.”
As he turned to follow, Rand saw Nate’s girls sitting at a small table set up next to the bigger one, and he stilled. How had he forgotten about them? As if sensing his hesitation, Kinsey slipped her hand into his.
“You hear the one about the man who walked into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm? He said, ‘A beer, please, and one for the road.’ You can laugh now.” She looked up at him, vigorously blinking her eyes.
This woman.“Thank you,” he said, squeezing her hand. He followed her to the round patio table, pulled out a chair for her, and then sat next to her. Maybe it was time to learn to be around children again. It didn’t escape him that it was because of her—maybe for her—that he would even want to be figuratively opening the curtains and letting the light in.
Across from him, Alex wore a canvas carrier, holding Michael to his chest. He stuck a pacifier in his son’s mouth. Baby Michael looked at Rand, spit out the pacifier, and then gave Rand a big, toothless, drooling grin. Rand made a face at him, and the boy shrieked and kicked his little legs, making Rand smile. It hurt enough to have him putting his hand on his chest, over his heart, but he didn’t have the urge to get up and run away.
Progress. And it felt good. Damn good. He darted a glance at Kinsey to see a soft smile on her face as she watched him. He winked at her, letting her know he was okay. She put her hand on his leg and squeezed. His heart tripped over itself as they stared at each other.
Nate cleared his throat. “When you two are done making eyes at each other, let me know so we can eat.”
“We’re not—”
“Dude, you so are,” Alex said.
“Du,” Michael screamed, kicking his feet against Alex’s stomach.
