Page 8 of The Jackpot Screwer
Ellie gave me a withering stare. “It’s not like he didn’t know. He was the one who stuck his thing inside of you and made a baby.” My sister grimaced and shook herself.
Turning from Ellie and back to me, Bronte sighed.
“This has to go no further than the four of us for now. I don’t want anyone else to know.”
Her chin wobbled and she took a deep breath as she glanced over to Penny, who was still busy at the other end of the bar. I knew she was worried, but if she’d just let me be there for her and help to take the strain.
“Lollipop, please just let us go back to my apartment and talk about it.”
Bronte shook her head. “Nuh uh. I know you, Carter Maples. You’ll get me in that apartment and then dazzle me with that penis of yours.”
“Ugh, please.” Ellie gagged which made Hunter chuckle.
“Do you two think you could leave us for a few minutes?” I asked, getting more frustrated by the minute.
“They don’t need to.” Bronte breathed out. “I told you. You need to be sure that you’re okay with this.”
“I am.” I took a step closer to her, desperate to touch her. Anxious to take her into my arms and tell her it would all be okay.
“You fainted when I told you and accused me of lying. How is that being okay with it?”
“You’re shitting me,” Ellie cried around a laugh. “Please tell me that’s true.”
“Oh yeah it’s true alright,” Hunter offered. “He told me himself.”
Bronte, clearly having had her fill of the shit talking, snatched up her purse and turned for the door.
“I’m going home. Ellie, you need a ride?”
Ellie grinned at Hunter and then turned back to Bronte. “I’ll go with Hunt.”
“Bronte, please,” I pleaded. “Come back to the apartment. I swear we’ll just talk.”
She hesitated for a moment, but then with a tired smile shook her head. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Carter. I just need sleep right now.”
“Are you okay? Is it the shoes, are they making your legs ache? Is the baby lying on your bladder?”
The look she gave me would have killed a lesser man. Even so, it did make me shiver with fear.
“How the hell did you get to be a veterinarian?” she asked. “You really are stupid.”
With that she turned on the damn heels and stormed toward the door. I also noticed she had a couple of extra pounds on her ass, which I had to say looked mighty fine. Maybe complimenting her was a way back into her good books.
“Hey, Lollipop?”
She stopped abruptly and I saw her shoulders heave. “What?”
“Your ass looks amazing with a little baby weight.”
I swear, if I’d have seen the shoe coming, I would have ducked, but hey the scar on my head would be something to tell the kid about when it was older.
If there was one day when I didn’t want to be waxing ladies’ cooches, today was the day. My argument with Carter the night before was playing on my mind and I could barely concentrate.
I knew he wanted to do what was right, but the right thing wasn’t always the best thing.
Of course, I loved Carter, much as I hated admitting it; but the Carter I loved was carefree, fun and spontaneous. It certainly wasn’t the grouchy, foul-mouthed, self-centered dick that he was to Ellie, his friends and sometimes his folks. He was different with me, but would he be able to step up and add sensible and responsible to his character? I wasn’t so sure.
Sighing heavily, I opened up my appointment book to check who was next in. A back wax for Jim Wickerson, the local pig farmer.
