She frowned.“Are you trying to start a fight?”
“No.I just don’t want to plan.No more planning.No more expectations.I just want to be here in the moment and enjoy the holidays.”
And try not to fall in love with a certain mustached cowboy with a lopsided grin that makes me shiver.
I walked into the house and heard peals of Lenni’s laughter coming from the kitchen.Mildred ran to greet me, and Lottie wasn’t far behind her.
After I took off my coat and hung it on a hook, I removed my boots.I headed deeper into the house, the animals trotting ahead of me, as if leading me to the source of the noise.
Brooks, Archer and Lenni were sitting at the kitchen table playing cards.
“Your bet, Half-Pint,” Brooks said to Lenni.
“Hang on,” she said, leaning back in her chair and peering at him.“You’re totally bluffing.I’m going all in.”
She shoved her pile of candy into the center of the table.
I caught Archer’s eyes, and he winked.
My stomach flipped with desire.
“You’re playing poker?”I asked in surprise.“Without me?”
Lenni wiggled in her chair in excitement.“You play?”
“Yep.So do Hadley, Salem and Poet.Never play with Salem though, she cheats,” I warned.
“Stop stalling,” Archer said to her.“Lay down your cards.”
Lenni waggled her brows.“Read ‘em and weep, suckers.”
Archer and Brooks groaned and tossed down their hands.
Lenni dragged the pile of candy toward her like a pirate hoarding his booty.
“What do I have to do to get a piece of chocolate?”I asked her.
“Help me pack up the wooden grouse carvings?”Lenni asked.
“I can do that,” I said.
“Then you can have as much candy as you want,” she offered.
“Wooden grouse carvings?”Brooks asked.
“Part of the charming decor we found in Lenni’s room,” I said with a smirk.“They came with the house.”
Lenni rose from her chair.“I’m gonna get ready for bed.”She slapped Brooks on the back.“Night, Unc.”
She then came to me and wrapped her arms around my waist.“Did you have fun with Poet?”
I hugged her back.“Yeah, I did.”
Lenni looked at Archer for a moment and then saluted him.
Archer’s expression was a blank canvas, and I wondered what he was thinking.
Lenni headed toward the stairs, Mildred following her.Lottie attempted to go too, but Brooks scooped her up before she could escape.
