Page 101 of A Whim and a Prayer

“You bet,” he said as they approached Winnie’s table. Because she sure made me eat mine. He exchanged greetings with the other table where Bella, Laney, Will, and Kit were playing Monopoly before he zeroed in on Winnie, who hadn’t noticed him yet, too busy laughing with Ted.

“Let’s get this game started, Cuz,” Abby said with a smug smile, “because my secret weapon is finally here.”

Winnie turned and the moment their gazes connected, the doe-like look of those wide blue eyes was like a 200-volt shock, convincing him this could be a lot harder than he thought.

“Hey, kiddo,” he said with a carefree smile that was anything but, pulling out the chair next to Winnie to sit down. “Ready to wave the white flag?” He gave a nod to Ted before his smile flat-lined. Because my arm’s sure getting tired.

To his satisfaction, her cheeks sported a bright shade of pink instead of the wiseacre smirk she usually tossed his way in a tease—a definite departure from the banter of a friend. Which, to him, meant that over and above the obvious embarrassment from the rescue incident, she felt the attraction between them as much as he did, but would never allow it.

“Hey, Beck,” she said with a shy smile, “Merry Christmas.” Those thick lashes quickly lowered to the cards in her hands as she began to shuffle, hands shaking so much, they scattered onto the table.

“Merry Christmas, kiddo,” he returned with a chuckle, adapting his former big-brother persona to help put her at ease. “You never could shuffle worth a plug nickel, Dennehy, so let me have those.” He took the cards from her, and the touch of their hands was like static electricity, shooting sparks through him, and apparently her, too, because she jerked back so quickly, he had to stifle a grin.

Friendship, Campbell, remember?

“Who wants something to drink?” Winnie shot up, loudly rocking her chair. “And maybe some cookies?”

“Oooo, me, me …” Abby raised her hand, all but bouncing on her seat.

“What do you have, kiddo?” Beck asked, peering up with a paternal smile.

Winnie offered a lift of her shoulders as she pushed in her chair. “Whatever you want.” The moment the words left her mouth, her cheeks fused scarlet, and it was all Beck could do not to laugh out loud.

He shifted his chair over to give her more room to breathe. “Then I’ll take a Coke, please.”

“Anybody else?” She inched further away.

“I could use a Coke too,” Teddy said, swiping his forehead with his handkerchief. “It’s like a furnace in here. Oh, and some of those snickerdoodles, Win.”

Abby giggled. “You think it’s hot now, Cuz, with almost fifty people stuffed in this house, wait till we turn up the heat to whip you at spades.” She fluttered her lashes at Winnie. “Two chocolate chip cookies and a Coke, please.”

Winnie delivered a mock scowl. “Sorry, only water for you,” she said with a nudge of her chin before hurrying off to do their bidding.

By the time she returned, cards were dealt and conversation civil.

Until Beck turned his attention to Teddy. “Hey, Ted, forgot to wish you Merry Christmas, although that may be in question after Abs and I take you and the kid to the cleaners. I bid three tricks.”

“Says who?” Teddy collected the cards Beck dealt him with a wide grin. “Four tricks.”

“Says me!” Abby’s chuckle was diabolical as she took a drink of her Coke, her grin cocky at best. “Beck was the spades champ at St. Stephen’s game-night fundraiser last year, remember?” She arranged her cards with a definite gloat. “You guys don’t have a prayer. Four tricks”

“Ha! Don’t need one,” Winnie finally spoke up, her blue eyes issuing a challenge that confirmed his big-brother approach was finally putting her at ease. “Because we have all the brains, talent, and grit we need to get the job done, buckos.” She turned to lock gazes on him with a once-familiar smirk. “And a shovel”—her eyes went little-girl wide as she put a hand to her chest—“excuse me, I mean a great big ‘spade’ to bury you so deep, Campbell, you won’t see the sun for a good long while.”

Shaking his head, Beck forced a laugh as he led with the ace of spades.

Sorry, Dennehy … already there ...

Chapter Sixty-Nine

“We won, we won!” Abby shot up like a champagne cork, rounding the table to give Beck a giant hug before turning to Winnie with a sassy smile. “Hand over that ‘spade,’ Win, and we’ll dig you out.”

Laughter rolled from Winnie’s lips despite the loss, because when all was said and done, it actually was a win.

Because, finally, she felt comfortable with Beck again.

She watched him collect all the cards around the table before he turned to her with a lazy smile. “I have to say, Pooh, you’re taking this loss better than usual.”

She tossed her head, curls bouncing with the motion. “That’s because I’m a mature eighteen, going on nineteen, Campbell, and don’t you forget it.”