Bonus Scenes for AFTER Reading Lead Me Knot

BONUS SCENE

Lauralee

“We should feel guilty for involving a kid in our plan.” I glance at Baylor sitting on the tailgate next to me.

“Beckett practically volunteered,” he says, eyeing me and then reaching down to hold my hand. Pulling it to his lap, he steals a sweet kiss before sitting up again and staring at the front door like I am.

Dangling my feet, the leather on the back of my boots hits the metal with the skirt of my dress hinged above my knees to let what little breeze there is blow across my skin. For fall, I can’t say October is any cooler than August around these parts. Maybe it’s not a hundred degrees out here, but it’s darn near close to it. “How will we know when the plan is in play?”

He chuckles. “We’ll know.” When his phone buzzes against the tailgate, he glances down at the screen. “Stocks are up.” He brings my hand to his lips and kisses the top of it. “I have some very happy clients.”

I’d almost forgotten he still keeps one hand in the financial market, helping clients make a lot of money and padding our family’s bank account. He spends more time these days managing the revitalization of Peachtree Pass.

The renovation of the expansion of Peaches Sundries & More into the next space left one available on the end. The pizzeria opens next month. My mom claimed retirement wasn’t for her and is all in on the small restaurant. That is, when she and Thomas aren’t taking long drives through the hills. Baylor’s dad has simply charmed my mom right out of feeling alone. I see where Baylor gets it.

And although my husband was skeptical at first, we recently caught them whispering and laughing while making a calzone together in the restaurant’s kitchen. On the walk back to the apartment that night, he said he doesn’t want his dad to be alone the rest of his life. Although his mom is gone, she’d want him to find happiness again.

I was only a kid when my dad left, but I remember coming to that realization. My mom deserved happiness. She deserved to be loved by more than me.  I have no idea where this relationship is headed but they’re acting like teenagers sneaking around town. It’s both hilarious and so cute I can’t stand it.

He adds, “Westcott Racing has paid off two-fold for us. They’ll be in Austin in two weeks for the race. Want to go?”

“Is there air conditioning?”

Laughing, he replies, “There is in the box above the paddock.”

“I’m in then. I’ve never been to formula racing before.”

The front door suddenly opens, pulling our attention back to the house. Baylor whispers, “Let the show begin.”

Following Christine onto the front porch, Tagger holds up a pregnancy test, and asks, “How can you already be pregnant again?” The panic in his voice is worth the effort we put into this plan.

Recruiting my best friend to get these knuckleheads back only seemed fair. She really deserves an Oscar for how well she’s holding her expression in place.

She stops, crossing her arms over her chest. When she starts to tap her foot, I know she’s losing patience. I almost feel sorry for her husband, but then I remember the bet and I sit back and relax ready to watch the fireworks. She replies, “Well, there’s a birds and then there’s the bees. When a—”

“We have a three-month old.” His tone drops like the bomb that just dropped on him. He wipes the sweat from his forehead, and says, “Three under three.” She steps closer as if he might need the support to stay upright.

“We said we wanted a big family.”

“I want all the kids with you, but I’d also like to have a night or two of sleep before the next one.” As if he’s just noticing us, his spine straightens, and he narrows his eyes. Darting his gaze to his wife, he studies her face.

It’s me. I’m the one who ruins it when I burst out laughing. Then Christine loses it because I did. Baylor chuckles and hops off the tailgate. Turning to lift me from the waist, he sets me down, so we can walk over to join them. “Sorry, brother.”

“I’m not,” I say with a shrug, still enjoying this moment too much. “You deserved a little panic, or was that stress I heard in your voice?”

He looks down at the test in his hands again. “Is this real?”

Christine wraps her arms around him but looks up at him like he’s still the brightest star in her universe. I know the feeling since It’s how I see Baylor. She replies, “It’s real. It’s just not ours.”

Tagger’s eyes shoot to Baylor and then to me. “You guys are having a baby?”

Baylor’s arm comes around my lower back when we stop near the bottom step of their porch. “We are.”

Christine takes his hand and pulls him down the steps. “I am so excited for you guys.” He throws her arms around me and says, “Our kids will grow up together.”

“Instead of only us, we’ll have our husbands, kids,” I start, hugging her, “and one day, grandkids while we rock on the front porch together.”

Tagger and Baylor slap their hands together at the end of their handshake and then he turns to me. “I’m sorry about the bet, Lauralee.”

“I know you didn’t mean to hurt anyone. Neither of you did. We’ll call us even and if I’m being honest, you got off really light. We could have really done a number on you.” Glancing to Chris, I laugh. “Your wife wanted to pretend she was having triplets to really mess with your head.”

He playfully smacks her ass. “I’d have triplets with her any day.”

She slaps his ass right back and then knocks into him with her arm. “I’m good with one at time. I’m with Tagger. Give me a few good night’s sleep and I’ll be right as rain again.”

Beckett peeks out the door. With raised brows, he cautiously steps out. “Good job, buddy. You led the target right to the trash can like a professional tour guide.”

Tagger looks back. “You were in on this?”

He comes out sheepishly, but grins. “I get free ice cream for a year when I go to Peaches.”

His dad chuckles, shaking his head. “You already get free ice cream. Perks of your godmother owning the joint.”

Baylor says, “I also promised to teach him how to drive the truck.”

“He’s nine”

“Ten, dad. My birthday just passed.”

Taggers arm flies out like he’s pointing at exhibit A. “Exactly. The kid is ten.”

“Just around the ranch,” Baylor replies. “Until he gets older.”

“I’m feeling outnumbered.” Tagger shakes his head and then grins at Christine. “You were in on this as well?”

She hugs him again. “Sorry, honey but Lauralee deserved better than what you and Bay got up to. I think you got off easy.”

I move in front of Baylor, loving how his arms come around me without asking. “Can we all agree on no more bets?” I glance up at my husband first.

“No more bets.”

When I look at Christine, she says, “No more bets.”

Tagger says, “Agreed. No more bets.” He grins at Baylor, and I see the devil enter their eyes. “How do we feel about gambling though?”

Chris rolls her eyes. “They’re the worst.” She nods toward the house. “It’s too hot to be out here. I want to throw you a baby shower. I can’t wait until you have your little girl.”

“Hey,” Baylor calls after us when we reach the porch. When we both turn around, he says, “It could be a boy, you know. Mom and Dad had two sons and a daughter. We outnumber the girl gene. That could hold for me and Lauralee.”

“Want to bet?” She’s having too good of a time with this. I get it. It feels very satisfying to keep them on their toes. “Four can play that game. So, how should we prank them next?”

Hooking my arm with hers, I whisper, “I knew there was a reason we were best friends.”

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