Page 74 of Knockout (Whiskey Dolls 2)

“Pfft, the last thing I need is rest,” she insisted with a wave of her hand. “That doctor wouldn’t know his ass from his elbow. I’m fit as a fiddle.”

I stepped from behind Jude so I could see her clearly. “You were rushed to the hospital by ambulance with symptoms of a heart attack!” I cried. “That isnotfit as a fiddle.”

“Desperate times called for desperate measures, darling. If you two would have gotten your thumbs out of your asses sooner, I wouldn’t have had to resort to such drastic measures.”

My jaw dropped so hard it was a wonder it didn’t break on the hospital room floor. “Are you saying—”

“Youfakeda fucking heart attack?” Jude barked, his face turning an unhealthy shade of red. “Are you out of your goddamn mind?”

“My mind runs like a well-oiled machine,” Sybil harrumphed. “Don’t you get mad at me. This is all your fault after all. You’re the one who made a mess of things with Layla. I did what I had to do to clean it up.”

“So you Betty White-ed us?” I squeaked in bewilderment.

Sybil looked at me with a pleased smile. “And it worked like a charm, didn’t it? Antonio’s been undercover in the waiting room this whole time, texting me updates. Seems you two finally got your shit together. You’rewelcome.”

What in the ever-loving fuck was happening right now? “Antonio? As in your Uber driver?”

“That’s right, dear. Although, after this, I think I’ll be bringing him on as my full-time driver. He’s such a good boy. And so helpful, really.” She stowed her phone in her purse before looping the strap over her shoulder. “And speaking of, he’s waiting for me right now. We’re going to that new home goods store in Hidalgo. I’m thinking of redecorating a few of the guest rooms.”

She moved toward us, stopping just long enough to give Jude a pat on the cheek and me a hug. “Call me later this week, sweetheart, and we’ll set up a time for tea. Gotta run. Toodle-oo!”

And just like that, she was gone, leaving Jude and me standing there in stunned disbelief.

“Did that really just happen?” I finally managed to ask after a solid minute.

“I swear to Christ,” he grumbled. “After today, it’s settled. I’m putting her crazy ass in a home!”

Unable to help it, I burst into laughter. “I take it back,” I said once the hilarity tapered off and Jude pulled me into his arms once again. “We aren’t the crazy ones. Your Gram is. She’s certifiable.”

“Don’t I know it. And unfortunately, we’re stuck with her,” he said before leaning down and brushing his lips against mine.

“Don’t worry,” I teased. “I’ll have your back. We’re in this together.”

He kissed me again, this time smiling against my mouth. “And I’ve got yours. From here on out.”

Damn, I really liked the sound of that.

Epilogue

Layla

Two months later

The tune I’d been humming died on my lips as I jerked to a stop just inside the building’s laundry room.

“That rat bastard,” I hissed under my breath as I stared at my sopping wet clothes sitting in a clump on the table at the back of the room. “I’m going to kill him,” I continued to mutter to myself as I spun on my heel and started back in the direction I’d just come from. He’d done it on purpose, and I was going to make him pay.

The elevator moved at a snail’s pace as it climbed from the basement to my floor, and I used that time to fan the flames of my anger until I was worked up into a good mad, ready to throw one hell of a hissy fit as I stomped down the hall and threw the door open to the apartment Jude and I now shared.

“You son of a bitch!” I snapped, slamming the door closed behind me. “You took my clothes out of the washer again, didn’t you?” I caught the subtle scent of sandalwood and rose and my gaze darted to the lit candle sitting on the middle of the coffee table. “And is that one of the candles you stole from me months ago?”

He closed the book he was reading and tossed it aside before rising from the sofa. “It is,” he answered, calm as could be. “And I have the rest of them hidden away somewhere where you’ll never find them. I’ll pull them out one at a time to light just to drive you crazy.”

I narrowed my eyes and slammed my hands down on my hips as he moved closer to me. It was really hard to stay angry when he was looking at me like it was a hot summer day and I was an ice cream cone he wanted to lick up. “And my clothes?”

“That was payback for telling the new tenants on the twelfth floor that I’m in therapy for my foot fetish,” he murmured as he lowered his lips to my neck and gave it a little nip that shot heat through my whole body.

“Hey, that was funny. And you’re just pissy because you didn’t think of it first.”

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