Page 80 of Love’s Silver Bullet

Blaze held up six fingers.

“Oh, thank God they have as many words as we did,” Libby said.

Raising clasped hands over his shoulder, Blaze proceeded to lash his arms down as if he were swinging a pick axe.

“I’ve Been Working on the Railroad!” Finn shouted in a rush, and Blaze let out a loud whoop that all the men echoed while the ladies groaned in unison.

Jake slapped Blaze on the back with a loud chuckle. “Thunderation, Donovan, that’s a new record at two seconds, my boy, so the men now have a winning streak of four games running.”

Slapping hands to her hips, Aunt Libby stamped her foot with a pretend scowl. “No fair. Finn was a railroad man, so he had an unfair advantage.”

“As do you, darlin’, with me,” Finn said with a laugh, reeling Aunt Libby in for a kiss. “Because you can wheedle me into just about anything, Liberty Bell.”

“Except charades,” Dash piped up with a lazy grin, helping Jake and Blaze set the table and chairs back in place.

Everyone laughed as Sheridan glanced at her watch. “Hey, it’s only ten o’clock, so who’s up for fresh lemonade and a game of hearts?”

“Sorry, sweetheart.” Uncle Finn led Aunt Libby to the door. “We’ve got a busy day tomorrow, I’m afraid, darlin’, what with church and lunch at the Gold Hill Hotel. It was a fun evening, everyone, but you might want to consider making it an early night.” He shot a grin over his shoulder as he gave Libby’s waist a teasing pinch. “Because we’ve got a to-the death horseshoe tournament in the afternoon, so you ladies’ll want to get up nice and early to practice. G’night, all.” Good-nights rang out as Finn ushered Libby inside.

Chuckling, Blaze moseyed over to hook an arm to Maggie’s waist with a cocky grin. “Real nice and early if you ladies want to catch up with us men, so we’re going to pass, Half-Pint, because I’m beat.” He pressed a kiss to Maggie’s head. “After all, it’s hard work winnin’ all the time.”

“Well, don’t worry, darling,” Maggie said with a brisk pat of his cheek before she slipped from his hold with a smirk, “I’ll see to it you get plenty of sleep.” She hurried over to join Grace, Shay, Dash, and Jake at the table while she blew him a kiss. “Sweet dreams, darling.”

Sheridan jumped up to retrieve a deck of cards from the game chest Uncle Finn had built at the edge of the porch. “Yay, Maggie!”

Blaze blinked. “Wait—you’re not coming with me?” His brows sloped up in a little-boy sulk.

“Soon, sweetheart,” Maggie said as she blew him a kiss. “I think I’ll play one or two hands of ‘hearts’ first”—She arched a teasing brow—“you know, so you have time to humble yours?”

“Very funny.” Blaze’s mouth took a twist. “Okay, but don’t be long, all right?” He offered a backhanded wave before he disappeared through the door.

Sheridan giggled as she plopped the deck of cards on the table in front of Dash. “Why don’t you get the game started, Dash, and I’ll go make us some fresh lemonade.”

Grace and Maggie immediately started to rise as if to help, and Sheridan stared them both down with a firm arch of her brow. “No, you two stay and play. I am perfectly capable of making lemonade on my own, thank you, so you girls need to redeem our female pride by putting these two”—she nodded to Dash and Jake with a smirk—“in their places.”

Dash opened the deck of cards with a wide grin. “I’d make that lemonade real nice and sweet if I were you, Half-Pint,” he said, shuffling the cards with all the ease of a card shark at the Ponderosa Saloon, “because I guarantee that when you ladies lose?” He had the nerve to send Grace a brazen wink. “Things will be sour enough.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

“Things will be sour enough.”

Sweet mother of mercy, Jake sure hoped not as he swooped up the cards Dash had just dealt and handed them right back while he rose from his chair. “Deal me out this round, will you, Dash?” he said, pushing his chair back in with a smile. “I think I’ll go help Sher.” Ignoring the blinks of surprise from both Maggie and Grace, Jake ambled toward the back door with a set of his jaw, hoping to do exactly what Sheridan had told Dash to do.

“Putting these two in their place.”

Sher. Him. Their friendship.

Because now was the perfect time, after a solid month of good times and easy fun between Sher and him during family games, outings, dinners, and tournaments, be it fishing, croquet, cards, cornhole, or horseshoes. They’d laughed, talked, teased in total comfort the entire time, forging a friendship as far away from “friendship plus more” as Jake could possibly want. Where he could love her from afar without the promise of more. A friendship that was finally rock solid.

And strong enough for the truth.

That he had no intention of getting married.

Ever.

And a truth he hoped would keep the sweetness of their friendship from turning sour because God knows he didn’t want to lead her on.

Easing the screen open without a squeal, he entered the kitchen, grinning at her off-key singing interspersed by grunts as she put everything she had into squeezing those dad-gum lemons, just like she did with everything these days. Her studies, her family, her friends, her friendship with him—with sweetness and love flowing as freely as lemonade into a glass.