All Bets Are On (17 page)

Epilogue

“You’re
going to c
hristen the baby? Are you insane?” his mother yelled through the phone.

Derek grinned and dropped to the carpet next to Jaclyn and his son. “You better be nice or you won’t get invited to Easter, either.”

“Lucifer’s stars,” she cursed.

“And about Lucifer. There’s something that’s been eating at me, something I need to know.”

“What now?” she demanded.

“You slept with my uncle? Really? After having me? What were you thinking?” Jaclyn’s eyes widened in shock, and he winked at her.

He could hear his mother sucking her breath through her teeth, and almost laughed out loud.

“Are you coming back to work or not? Deirdre is out of control, in case you haven’t noticed,” she snapped.

“Oh, I’ve noticed all right. But I’ve been a little busy myself.”

“Doing what?”

Derek watched Jaclyn playing with the baby, who was fascinated with Rufus’s ears. He could watch them all day. He’d never been happier in his life. Even the thought of Deirdre and her insanity couldn’t bring him down.

“Being a husband and a dad,” he said. “It’s very time consuming. And Jaclyn is doing great by the way. I’ll give her your love.”

Jaclyn smiled at him, shaking her head.

“Speaking of your wife. I’ve been hearing rumors about her foundation.”

“Yes, it’s true. We’ve grown it into Miami’s most successful homeless shelter and soup kitchen. We are doing amazing things. In fact—”

“Stop! Your enthusiasm is making me ill.”

“Sorry for being happy, Mother.”

“Just promise me you’ll think about coming back to work.”

Just then Trish walked into the room, a big panda bear in her hand. Jaclyn jumped to her feet and hugged her friend who’d been working on putting her life back together again without Robert.

Derek didn’t know what he’d done to get so lucky but he wasn’t about to do anything to jeopardize it. “Jaclyn and I will discuss it and let you know.”

There was that sucking sound again. “Joy. I’ll wait with bated breath.”

“Good-bye, Mother.” Derek hung up the phone, walked over to the baby, and picked him up, then swung him around until he was giggling hysterically.

“Your mother?” Jaclyn asked, a huge smile on her face as she watched them.

“Yep. She wants me to come back to work.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“Only if you help me.”

She smirked. “That will go over well.”

“Probably. Let’s make her sweat about it for a while.”

Jaclyn wrapped her arms around his middle and leaned her head against his chest. “You are so evil.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I’ve learned from the very best. Since Trish is here to watch the baby, how about a ride?”

She cocked an eyebrow. “Are you talking about riding a horse or riding you?”

He pulled her close and kissed her. “See, now, that’s what I’m talking about.”

The End

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Acknowledgments

Life is an adventure, and writing this book with its quirky characters and fun premise has been no exception. Thanks Liz Pelletier and Candace Havens for the fantastic ride.

About the Author

Cynthia Cooke
is an award-winning author who has published several books with Harlequin/Silhouette, Steeple Hill, and Entangled Publishing. She has co-written two books, EDGE OF SHADOWS, a thriller with CJ Lyons, and a TASTE OF GREEK, a sexy paranormal with Tina Folsom, Cynthia has a deep affection for romance, thrillers, and all things that go bump in the night. So if you choose to delve into one of her stories, don’t forget to turn on the lights. Cynthia Cooke’s books aren’t sweet and they aren’t for the faint of heart.

Embrace the Seduction.

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cynthiacooke.com

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@cynthiacooke5

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