Why did I always attract strange men? Worse, they were either gay, married, or happily in a relationship with someone else. The truth would likely send Rick running. “I’m an accountant.”
“A third option has become apparent. You might be a fierce warrior queen. My mistake. Any woman clipped with a baseball and taking a tumble into a pond only to get up ready to rumble must be a fierce warrior queen. Anyway, Mat’ll feel terrible if something happened because you went to the reception instead of the hospital. I’ll keep you company and show you pictures of my insanely cute dog.”
“She is really cute,” I conceded.
“Puppy pictures,” he whispered in my ear.
Damn it. I’d been had. I couldn’t lose the chance to see Annabel Lee’s puppy pictures. “I’m doing this under protest.”
“Ben gave me the address of your favorite ice cream parlor.”
I scowled at the gang of traitors determined to force me to go to the hospital. “He still owes me a milkshake even if you get me one tonight.”
“I’ll make sure he knows that.”
After the day I’d had, some whining was warranted, and I didn’t enjoy the thought of having to walk to the gate. “I’m wet, I’m cold, and my shoes squish when I walk.”
Rick chuckled, and his gaze dipped to my feet, which I stuck out from under the hem of my ruined dress. “Take the shoes off. I’ll carry them, but I can’t help you with your wet dress problem. I would if I could, but I neglected to bring clothes suitable for a lady with me today. I’ll take care not to be guilty of such an oversight again.”
After the reception, I needed to tell my brother he needed to have more friends like Rick. He would have fewer life problems, if only he had better taste in friends.
The hospital wanted to keep me overnight for observation and testing. Baseballs and heads weren’t supposed to collide, and according to the doctor, I’d gotten lucky to emerge somewhat unscathed. The entire medical team took a turn with me, scolding me for my refusal to go to the hospital via ambulance.
Wolfgang, who’d accompanied me through the entire wait and triage process, joined forces with Rick and the doctor. To add insult to injury, I was denied my milkshake. I would’ve accepted even a bad milkshake, but no.
Bad women who didn’t go to the hospital right away didn’t get a milkshake at all.
While he claimed he was doing it to make me feel better, Wolfgang left to attend the reception in my stead. I knew better. The bastard wanted to escape from my wrath over being denied my hard-earned milkshake.
Rick stayed, and because he wanted to get in on the action, he taunted me with his phone’s charger—and his working phone.
After arrangements for me to go to the hospital had been made, mine had died a terrible death, giving the last vestiges of its miserable little life to ensure my captivity. I retrieved the dead device from the table and pressed the power button hoping for a miracle. Nothing happened.
“Mine’s dead. This is all Mat’s fault. He just had to marry the thoroughbride.”
“I’m really impressed she didn’t give him the run around today.”
“I threatened the ball and chain, and I caught her trying to escape out the window once. The reception’s going to be a nightmare, especially without me keeping an eye on things. If I don’t show up, it will be guaranteed to be a disaster.”
“You’re likely right. That said, it’s going to be all right. A disaster of a reception is better than not having a reception. Mat can handle his new wife. He is the one who wanted to marry her, after all. I’m sure there’s a reason for that. It probably involves blind love and good sex, but there you have it. I wouldn’t have married her, personally. I’m still sane.”
I laughed at Rick’s implication he was not a fan of my brother’s new bride. “Yet you’re skipping the reception.”
“Well, yeah. Mat bullied me into attending both. While I rather no one be hit with a baseball, I’m eternally grateful for an excuse to skip the reception.”
“I don’t like receptions, but I never expected to meet someone who dislikes them more than I do. Also, Mat is going to find creative ways to make you pay for skipping his reception. He’s lowering your guard pretending to be grateful you accompanied me to the hospital. He might wait years before seeking his revenge, but revenge is coming. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” It seemed fair to make certain Rick understood he had signed up for my brother at his worst.
“I think I’ll be fine. Anyway, I am keeping an eye on you. That’s a get out of jail free card, as I know Mat values you more than any reception, even his own. Now, we have more important matters to attend to. As I’m the only one here with a working phone, you should be nice to me. I can be talked into sharing inane news and discussing the circumstances leading up to these unique events. I’ve found some gems, and I’m willing to share them with you.”
I had no idea how Rick wanted me to be nice to him, but it sounded scandalous, and it’d been long enough since I’d had a boyfriend that I was shamefully hopeful being nice involved removing my clothes—and his. “Inane news? What are you talking about?”
“It usually involves Florida Man.”
“Ah. The mystical Florida Man. He’s surprisingly durable—most of the time.” I giggled, as I often clicked any headline featuring the mystical Florida Man. Without fail, my day seemed a lot better because I’d never done anything nearly as stupid as Florida Man.
“That’s one way to put it. I read a lot of news, and Florida Man is a welcomed distraction. Following the news is part of my job.”
“Your job sounds tedious and possibly quite awful. I’m sorry your job forces you to watch the news. The news is so depressing lately.” I grimaced at how judgmental I sounded. “I’m sorry. That was rude.”
“It wasn’t rude at all. I like your honesty. And yes, my job can be tedious and awful at times. Let’s play a game. Winner takes all.”
I got as comfortable as I could on the hospital bed. “Your loss if you bet that.”
“What do you mean? We haven’t even picked wagers yet.”
“I have a packed work schedule for the next two years, and I think I went bankrupt buying the dress I wore into the pond. The only thing I have worth wagering over is the ball and chain, and I already agreed to give it to you.”
Rick chuckled. “I’m sure I can think of something you can do for me.”
What was adding a little more work to my schedule? I could sleep when I was dead. “Household budget? I’m aces at those, and they’re a pain in the ass.”
“As my accountant cries whenever I ask her for help with my budget, you’re on. Should you win, I’ll send you on an all-expenses paid vacation for two weeks, and I’ll be responsible for hiring and paying a good temporary to cover your work.”
It’d been so long since I’d taken a vacation I couldn’t remember what they were like. “What are the rules, and how do we play? How do we keep score?”
“We’ll take turns reading crazy headlines and guessing what the article is about. A point for each correct guess. No points lost for incorrect guesses, as we’d both be in the hole if we did that.”