When we all stared at him, he glared at us. “Bite me. I’m married to a schoolteacher and babies everywhere adore her. We can’t go to the grocery store without some kid giving her googly eyes.”
“I think that’s just you,” Tate joked. “But, yeah. I’ve heard something about that too.”
The kids were probably nicer and less judgmental to Madison than most adults.
Jonah carried Eliott to the edge of the cement pad and set him down. The toddler darted over to get in line.
“I hope you know, Madison,” Jonah said, his tone serious, “Teller holds the record for the number of back-and-forth runs on Brinley’s hopscotch boards.”
Madison lifted her gaze, catching mine. A smile curved her lush lips. “Is that so?”
The urge to impress her over a stupid kids’ game that Mama would make sure generations after her knew how to play was strong. And I could be a competitive prick. “I’d tell you that it is, but I’d hate to intimidate you.”
A dark brow ticked up. “Big words for a guy who’s staying as far away from the game as he can.”
A chorus of “oh” and “whoa” rang around me. Fuckers. The challenge was one I couldn’t resist, and they knew it. I’d jumped so damn much I could barely walk the next day, but I was the reigning record holder.
Good thing I hadn’t had any bourbon with the cake. I’d need every ounce of my balance for this. “Once Junie shows us that her agility onstage is nothing but a performance, I’ll put you all to shame.”
“I tripped once, Teller,” Junie said with pretend outrage. She beckoned Rhys over to hand off Emma.
“Are we hopscotching?” Hannah called as she skidded to a stop next to her dad.
Rhys nodded. “Teller issued a challenge.”
“Can we play nine square after this?” Bethany asked after she jumped into line. The PVC nine-square court was set up next to the shop.
I reached the group. “I’d hate to show everyone up in that game too.”
The girls all started arguing with me. I wasn’t boasting. My height gave me a wicked advantage in nine square and uncles weren’t supposed to let their nieces and nephews win.
Madison handed Elsa to Wynter and finished her run, making it down and back three times. She was grinning when she came to stand by me. With the sun shining off her hair, giving it a blackened-brass luster, she was as breathtaking as ever.
My heart stumbled over itself as I drank her in. She was dressed more like me and the guys than my sisters, who favored shorts and summer dresses, but I didn’t care what she wore. She was so goddamn beautiful it hurt.
She hooked her thumbs in her jeans pockets. “You talk a big game, Bailey. You gonna live up to it?”
“Since I ate half of that chocolate cake, I’m going to have to.” I winked at her and enjoyed when the blush in her cheeks spread down her neck. How far down did it go? “The real question is, what do I get if I beat you?”
“I’m not a betting woman.”
My presence in her life said otherwise. “If I beat you, then you have to make me a batch of cookies every week until we’re done with Flatlanders.”
She clucked. “Punishments aren’t supposed to be something I enjoy. What if I win?”
“I’ll name our next special batch after you.”
Her lips parted and shock darkened her eyes. “You can’t do that.”
“I’m the boss.” I shrugged. “One of them. Wynter won’t mind. She and Ruby will figure out how to market it based on the name.”
We shuffled farther up the line.
Junie let out a whoop. “Five runs!”
“How would that work?” Madison asked, folding her arms. Her shirt was thin enough I could make out the outline of her bra. Was she wearing a black sports bra like last time? “Copper Summit Townsend? Copper Summit Madison? Neither roll off the tongue.”
She would roll right off my tongue, smooth and silky, as rich as our top-line Copper Summit Gold. “Mad Maddy Summit.”
