Page 64 of Knockout (Whiskey Dolls 2)

“That’s a man for you. Never paying attention his surroundings.” She gave his cheek a pat. “I’ve been over in the bar this whole time, enjoying agoodcocktail. Nothing like that swill your mother likes so much.” She turned to me and added, “Years of alcoholism have burned off her taste buds. She actually thinks that vile shit tastes good.”

Man, this woman was thebest! “Sybil, good to see you again,” I said as she reached for me and pulled me into a loving, warm embrace.

“You too, my darling girl, as always.” She released me, taking my left hand in hers and tilting it this way and that. “And oh my, doesn’t this ring just look the picture of perfection on you? Couldn’t have picked a better woman to wear it after me. It hardly does you justice, sweetheart.”

Chandler choked again before catching himself and schooling his features into what I could only assume was supposed to be a dutiful, loving grandson. “So good to see you, Grandmother. It’s been far too long. I was just telling Leah that we really should come for a visit.”

Sybil pulled a comical face. “As far as I’m concerned, it hasn’t been long enough. And if you show up at my door unannounced, I’ll buy the most ferocious, blood-thirsty dogs I can find just so I can sit back and watch what happens after I sic them on you.”

He laughed uncomfortably, tugging at the collar of his dress shirt as a sweat broke out on his shiny head. “Oh, you and that sense of humor. You always have me in stitches.”

She rolled her eyes like dealing with him was on par with an annoying gnat buzzing around her head. “I’m almost willing to pay you just to get you to go the hell away.”

Undeterred, Leah stepped up next, breaking away from her husband and moving toward Sybil, her expression a mixture of fear and eagerness as she spoke, “Look at you, Sybil. You look positively stunning.”

She cut her eyes at Leah. “Dear, kindly remove your nose from my ass, would you? It didn’t do you a lick of good when you were with Jude, and I actuallylikehim, which is more than I can say for that cave-dwelling vampire bat you tied yourself to.”

She blanched, falling back in beside her poor choice as he rallied and tried again. “We have some wonderful news we wanted to share with you first,” the pathetic excuse for a man continued, his long, pointy nose growing browner by the second.

“You’ve come down with something terminal?” Sybil guessed enthusiastically, and I couldn’t hold back my laughter at that one. I half expected Jude to give me a reprimanding look, but instead, his body shook with his own silent laughter.

“Uh, well, no.”

“Pity,” she deadpanned.

He wrapped his arm around Leah’s waist, too short to reach her shoulders, and together they stacked their hands over her flat stomach. “Actually, we’re having a baby. You’re going to have another great-grandchild!”

“Sweet Jesus. Just what society needs, you two breeding.” She shivered before shifting her position to put her back to them. “Come along, you two. I could use another drink or a thousand if I’m going to get through this nightmare of a weekend, and I don’t like drinking alone.”

“Oh, we’ll join you,” Chandler attempted, but Sybil held up her hand to stop him.

“In that scenario, I’d prefer drinking alone, thank you very much. We’ll see you when it’s absolutely necessary.”

With that, she led Jude and me toward the bar, and I took the opportunity to look back at the wretched couple, giving them a little finger wave with my left hand. “Bye, Charley. Bye, Lauren. See you guys later.”

“My girl,” Sybil said proudly, extracting me from Jude’s hold and looping her arm through mine as we walked. “I’m so proud of you. I watched on for a bit before deciding to save my dearly beloved grandson from those howler monkeys, and I must say, you werebrilliant. Underhanded while not being obvious about it.” She placed her palm to her heart. “When you asked Chandler who he was? Genius, sweetheart. Pure genius.”

I gave her shoulder a bump with my own before turning to look back at a smiling Jude, giving him a wink as he trailed a foot behind us. “Nothing gets an arrogant, egotistical jerk-off’s hackles up like not being recognized when he thinks he’s the most powerful person in the room.”

Sybil’s tinkling laughter filled the lobby. “Maybe this weekend will be fun after all. Joodle Bug, you have a stick of dynamite in your hands with this one. I suggest you keep a tight hold so as not to lose her, then, when the time is right, light her fuse, step back, and watch her blow.”

Warmth filled my chest as I cast one more glance back at him, and at the look of pure adoration on his face, my cheeks caught fire.

Maybe Sybil was right. Maybe this weekend wouldn’t be the steaming dumpster fire Jude suspected after all.

29

Layla

Hair and makeup already done, I sat in the middle of the humongous bed in the room Sybil had booked for us, wrapped in the plush, ultra-soft robe provided by the hotel, and took in the delectable view that was Jude moving around the room as he got ready for the evening ahead.

His hair was still damp from a recent shower, swept back off his forehead carelessly. He was dressed in a pair of pressed charcoal gray slacks that didamazingthings for his butt, and the muscles in his back and arms worked beneath his skin as he reached into the wardrobe and pulled a starched pale blue button-down from its hanger.

The man could rock the hell out of distressed jeans, and when he was naked, it was a thing of beauty almost impossible to wrap your head around, but when he dressed up? Well, it left me in a constant state of arousal. At that very moment I was close to giving in to his request to skip the family dinner all the Kingsleys were expected to attend and climb him like he was Everest.

“Are you absolutely positive we can’t skip this dinner?” he asked for the millionth time. “What about all that hot, naughty hotel sex you promised me yesterday? Or have you already forgotten?”

I’d have liked to give in, but seeing as this was supposed to be a family reunion, and we’d managed to avoid all members of said family with the exception of his grandmother, of course, for nearly twenty-four hours now, skipping this dinner wasn’t really an option.

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