Page 135 of Average Joe

Words failed, so I laughed. What else could I do?

“Alice, you crazy, beautiful woman,” she yelled to the heavens. Her eyes glistened, but she wore an unbearably beautiful smile while she helped me dig deep.

Hours passed. By the time we’d removed all of Alice’s revenge roses, we’d unearthed twenty-three tubes of PVC pipe, each filled with rolled and carefully preserved hundred-dollar bills. I had a hunch there was more hidden in odd places throughout the house and property. We’d get to them eventually.

My heart was content. Money or not, Marley loved me, and a man like me couldn’t ask for anything better.

* * *

Ly brushed the clear polish over Marley’s Tinsel Town Red. “When you two marry?”

Trudy huffed, “Mama,” then shook her head and rolled her eyes.

I laughed, hit Marley with a wink, and said, “Soon as she agrees to be my bride.”

Marley had mentioned she didn’t like big weddings. I wanted to watch my girl walk toward me in a gorgeous gown in a church full of our loved ones, then steal her away to a clothing-optional, secluded beach somewhere tropical.

“You haven’t even proposed,” Marley chastised.

“You love me?” I asked, turning in my chair to face her full on.

“More than anything.” Her blush did unbearably good things to my insides.

“You ever gonna love another man?”

No delay. “Never.”

“Then what’s the problem?” I sat back, folded my arms, closed my eyes. “We’re a done deal.”

“I might not want a big wedding or a wedding at all,” she teased. “But I deserve a little effort. You need to work harder than just telling me we’re getting married.”

God, I’d never tire of riling her up.

Ly patted Marley’s leg. “Okay. You sit here few minutes.” She scooted her chair back to clean up.

Marley and I were Ly and Trudy’s only customers, so I stayed in the chair to enjoy the massage rollers even though my pedicure was finished.

“And besides,” Marley said, “I’m too busy trying to run you out of business. Your hot Joes are distracting my girls.”

Trudy chose that time to slurp on the straw of her iced drink fresh from Average Joe.

“Let’s spice things up a bit.”

Marley cracked a grin, wiggling her brows. “What do you have in mind?”

“A contest. See who can sell the most drinks in a day.”

“Winner gets?”

“You win, we elope. I win, we go all out.”

The little shit pretended to ponder my proposal, tapping a finger to her temple. “Deal. But let’s make it a charitable event. What d’ya say?”

“Looking mighty smug, future Mrs. Kaine.”

“I’ll win,” she said, chin held high.

“I might have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

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