Up by Five (33 page)

Gabby leaned across the table, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Now what?”

“The guys and I are going to keep Ricky and his buddies busy in the other room playing video games. You and your relatives are going to spread out so there’s one of you at each of the poker tables. That way your odds of winning are multiplied.”

“I do need to call them?”

“Actually, they’re on their way.” He’d talked to her brother Reed on the way over as well and had it set up that Shane would let him know when the plan was a go.

“But they don’t—”

He cut off her protest. “They want to.”

“They’re all playing for me?”

He smiled at her, love and lust and satisfaction and hunger all warring for his attention. “All you had to do was ask.”

She pressed her lips together. “Are you mad?”

“That you didn’t come to me when you had a problem? That you went to my friends instead? That you didn’t trust me to take care of you? Yes.”

“I know. I just—”

“Need to realize that your problems are mine because I love you. I know I said that I wanted to retire, but I was wrong. This is who I am. I take care of people. So you’re just going to have to get used to that idea.”

She nodded. “I think I can do that.”

Whatever else he would have said was cut off by a loud commotion in the foyer that quickly spilled into the poker room.

“The cavalry’s here,” he told her with a grin.

“Already?”

“They were all waiting a few minutes away.”

Gabby’s eyes were wide—as were the eyes of the rest of the room—as Shane Kelley, Cody Madsen and Ryan Kaye strode into the room followed by Reed and Grant Evans and a handful of guys Conner assumed were cousins.

“Oh my god.” Ricky came up beside Conner as he stretched to his feet. “I can’t believe those guys are all here.”

“This is going to be a good time,” Conner said, putting an arm around Ricky’s shoulders.

This was a win-win. Ricky was getting to meet some of his favorite players, the guys’ egos were getting stroked, they were all going to get to play Call of Duty…and Gabby was going to get everything she needed.

“Ricky Donovan, these are my friends and teammates Shane Kelley, Cody Madsen and Ryan Kaye.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Ricky took each of their hands, pumping them enthusiastically. “I can’t believe this.” He turned to the room. “Fifteen-minute break!” he called out.

Chairs scraped and conversation swelled immediately as people stood and headed for the bar and buffet again.

“Let me show you the game room,” Ricky said.

Shane, Cody and Ryan started after him.

“How do I get into the Hawks Call of Duty game?” Nate Sullivan asked, coming up on the group.

“I don’t know, Sullivan,” Conner said, looking at Ricky. “It’s up to our host here.”

Ricky nodded. “Yeah, of course. Sure, if you want to play. Sure.”

Nate grinned. “Can’t let these guys have all the fun.”

Emma watched them go. “What’s he doing? He sucks at Call of Duty.”

Conner laughed. “You want to go play? Show them how it’s done?”

“Kind of.” Then she ran a hand over her belly. “But the buffet is amazing. I’ll be okay out here.”

“The girls should be here any minute,” Conner told her.

“They’re coming?”

“The girls?” Gabby asked at the same time.

Conner nodded. “Amanda went to pick Isabelle and Olivia up. They wanted to come check the mansion out.”

“Damn,” Emma said. “You know they’re going to drink in front of me and tell me how great it all is.”

Conner nodded. “Probably.” He hugged Emma up against his side. “I know it’s because of the baby, but whatever the reason, I have to be honest and tell you how much I love that
you’re
the one abstaining.”

Emma had always been the wild one of his sisters. It was amazing to watch her as a mother-to-be, in love and enjoying life more than she ever had.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said. But she hugged him back before extricating herself. “I’m hitting the dessert table again before they get here. Amanda keeps lecturing me about blood sugar and stuff.”

He watched her go then turned to Gabby.

She was looking at him with tears in her eyes.

“Wow” was all she said.

With Ricky out of the room, Conner quickly moved around the table and pulled her to her feet. He took her face in both hands and lowered his mouth, kissing her with all the love and desire and hope that he felt.

When he finally lifted his head, she said again, softly, “Wow.”

“And I do understand that sometimes you don’t need me to do anything,” he told her. “Sometimes you just need me to listen. Or be there. And I can do that too. Well,” he said with a shrug, “I’ll learn how to do that too. But I think you need to prepare to be doted upon. Starting with—this circus.”

“Circus?”

“My friends and family with yours. All here, being loud, creating distractions, playing poker, eating and drinking Ricky out of house and home. It’s a circus, but it’s our circus, Gabby.”

She went up on tiptoe and kissed him again. When she pulled back she said, “I’m going to medical school in two months, Conner.”

He felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. “I know. I’m behind you one hundred percent.”

“It’s going to be demanding.”

“I know. But I want to be there. Even on the bad days, the stressful days. If I’m in the way, you can tell me to get lost. If you need absolute silence, I’ll make sure it happens—”

“And I don’t think there’s any way I could do it without you. And all of them.”

Her words stopped him. He stared at her. “Seriously? You think they can be helpful?”

“If I ever need some comedic relief or a study group or a cheering section or…anything,” she said. Her eyes were bright and she gave him a funny smile. “I know they’ll be there. All of them. Any of them. Anytime. That’s worth a few headaches and a few more gray hairs and a few late nights.”

Conner took a full, deep breath. Happiness. That’s what he was feeling—pure, unadulterated happiness.

“I’ve realized that without all of that with the girls I wouldn’t be enjoying the fun times with them now as much. If I’d always just been the big brother who could buy them cool stuff and take them fun places, it wouldn’t mean as much now.”

Gabby put her hand against his cheek. “God, I love you.”

“I love you too.” He took her hand and kissed the palm.

“I just might end up being the biggest problem you’ve ever had,” she cautioned.

“I’m fully aware of that,” he said sincerely.

She laughed and swatted his arm.

“But it’s strange isn’t it,” he went on, “how your biggest problem can also be your perfect solution? How the thing that makes you craziest can also be what grounds you and keeps you sane?”

She looked at him, then around at the people who had gathered for them tonight. “Yep, that’s absolutely the best strangest thing ever.”

His heart was still pounding, but now it was with hope and excitement. “So, no more talk about things being over in two months?”

She stepped in and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Only talk about things beginning.”

He kissed her. Or she kissed him. In any case, their lips ended up on one another’s again and things got hot fast. He was walking her backward, intent on getting her against the wall where he could make things
really
good, when someone new barged into the room.

“Gabby!”

They pulled apart and spun.

It was Josh.

“Josh, what are you doing?” Gabby met him before he could take more than a few steps.

“I got the money. You don’t have to play. Or, you don’t have to win, anyway.” Josh’s eyes were bright with excitement.

“What are you talking about?” Gabby asked him.

She reached for Conner’s hand without looking and he linked their fingers, letting her know he was right there.

“I have ten thousand. I can pay everybody back.” He thrust a stack of bills at Conner. “Here’s your two.”

Conner blinked at the money. “
My
two?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Gabby told him. She grabbed the money from her brother and tucked it into the bodice of her dress. “Do I want to know how you got this money?” she asked Josh.

“I sold some stuff on eBay.” He looked very proud of himself.

Gabby frowned. “What kind of stuff?”

He rolled his eyes. “Legal stuff, Gab. Sports memorabilia mostly.”

“Where did you get sports memorabilia that’s worth twenty grand?” she demanded.

“I…won it in games.”

She groaned. “You have a problem, Josh. Don’t you see that?”

He nodded. “I do. I know. A…friend helped me see that. And helped me figure out how to make this right with selling that stuff and coming over here.”

“A friend?” Gabby asked. “Josh, some of your friends might be part of this problem.”

“Sierra is not part of this problem.”

Conner felt Gabby’s hand tighten on his in surprise. “Sierra?” she repeated. “My Sierra?”

Josh nodded. “She’s been very supportive.”

That was…interesting.

“But,” Gabby said, “you need counseling, Josh. Or a support group. Or something.”

“Gabby,” Conner said, pulling her against his side and sliding an arm around her, “breathe.”

She sighed. “Okay, fine. Great. I’m glad that she’s been supportive and that you figured out how to fix this.”

Josh pushed his hands into his pockets. “Thanks and…I’m sorry.”

Gabby nodded. Josh nodded. They stood awkwardly looking at one another.

Conner nudged her with his elbow.

Finally, she took a big step forward and wrapped her arms around her brother. “I love you, Josh.”

Josh hesitated for a moment, his eyes wide, then enfolded his sister in a big hug. “Love you, Gabs.”

Conner felt someone slap a big, heavy hand on his shoulder. He sighed and turned to look up at Mac.

“I’ve always liked you, Dixon,” he said.

Conner snorted.

“And it’s great to see you becoming less of a dumbass.”

Conner laughed. “You’re just glad I’ll be leaving your wife alone.”

“That doesn’t hurt my feelings,” Mac agreed.

“Thanks for helping Gabby out tonight.”

Mac nodded, his eyes on Gabby. “That’s what friends are for.”

“I’m glad you’re her friend,” Conner said honestly. There were a lot worse people to have on her side than Mac Gordon.

“I was talking about you.” Mac bumped him with his elbow, then he headed for the door.

Conner was still staring after him dumbly when Gabby slipped her arm through his. “So, I don’t have to play tonight.”

He focused on her. “Yeah, guess not.”

“And my family can go home.”

“Guess mine can too.”

“Yeah.”

“And we can get to bed earlier.”

“Yeah.”

They didn’t say anything else for a moment.

“Of course, everyone was so great to show up to help,” Gabby said.

“Yeah, everyone’s already here.”

They heard a shout and cheering coming from a back room. Conner assumed the game room. He looked in that direction. He did love a good game of Call of Duty.

“I mean, I don’t
need
to win tonight now,” Gabby said. “But it might be nice to play against players who can hold their own with me.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, and I promised Ricky this Call of Duty matchup. He’ll be crushed if we leave now.”

She grinned. “And heck, we’re already up by ten thousand.”

Conner looked from her to where Amanda, Olivia and Isabelle were sampling the chocolate fountain with Emma, then down into the eyes of the fifth beautiful, smart, amazing woman in his life.

“You know,” he said. “You can keep the ten K. I’m up by five…and holding.”

Five months later

“How can the ulnar nerve innervate the gastroc muscle?” Ryan asked Shane. “It’s an
arm
nerve.”

“
I
don’t have to know the answer,” Shane told him. “She does.”

He pointed at Gabby.

“But it’s your turn to answer.” Ryan pointed at the board lying on the table in front of them. The board was from an old Candy Land game, the game pieces were from Monopoly and they were using Uno cards in the made-up anatomy review game that Ryan, Michael and Dooley had created. It was to help Gabby study, but they all liked to play and even hearing their questions and answers—right or wrong—helped her review the material.

“What motion is the gastroc responsible for?” Ryan asked.

Shane shrugged. “If I shot someone in it, would they stop running?”

Ryan snorted. “Definitely.”

“So it’s probably a leg muscle.”

Gabby shook her head. Strangely these study sessions were effective.

“But what does it
do
?” Ryan insisted.

“Helps with running.”

If she didn’t have an A in her anatomy class to prove it, she wouldn’t believe it herself.

The gang was gathered around the coffee table in the break room at work.

It felt great to be here, she had to admit.

It had been two months since she’d left the crew for medical school. She’d ended up staying at work almost a month and a half longer than she’d intended, but it turned out that she’d needed less transition time than she’d thought. She was living with Conner and nothing in her family, or his, had really changed that much. She’d realized after the big poker game—where she’d been able to add ten thousand dollars to her medical school fund—that she didn’t want her life to change. She was going to add school to it, but the people in it were the same and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

She’d already had one anatomy exam and had done very well, thanks to the crazy study sessions. She was now preparing for her second, but she’d agreed to fill in tonight for Sam Bradford who had sick twin girls at home.

But even if she wasn’t working, this had turned into a great place to study. The guys loved to quiz her, which helped her a lot, and there were long periods of downtime for the guys during a shift and this was a unique way of killing an hour or two.

“Name two major vessels supplying the lower leg,” Shane read from one of the index cards.