“Good to know,” I say, still trying to get my wits about me. “Can we back up like…I don’t know…twenty steps? What the hell is going on? What kind of poker club meets in a bakery?”
I have a million more questions, but I have to start here. I also notice the table is suspiciously devoid of a deck of cards, chips, or anything to do with poker. All I’m seeing are three professional athletes, along with bags of flour and other assorted baking ingredients.
“The kind that isn’t poker at all.” Theo steps up to me, reaching out his hand. “We haven’t formally met. Theo Lawson. The founding member of the Poker Club.”
“Will you quit with that shit,” Beau says. “You can’t be the founding member when the three of us came up with this together.”
“No, Asher wasn’t there,” Theo defends. “He came after. The idea was mine and you agreed to it. The sooner you come to terms with that, the sooner we can stop having this fight.”
I chug the bottle of water as I watch two of the biggest sports stars in Nashville argue about who started a secret club that might or might not have anything to do with poker. What the hell is my life right now?
“Guys, you’re confusing Maddox,” Asher says. “Take it easy on him. He’s going through a lot right now.”
“Thank you,” I say. “Can we back up? Like…so far back it would probably be called a prequel?”
“Yes, but there’s one thing we need to clear up first,” Beau says. I take a deep breath, because I know what’s coming. And actually, thank God it is. It’s the only thing that’s going to happen tonight that I would’ve even remotely predicted. “I know about the baby.”
I nod as I make sure to look him in the eye. I don’t want him to think for a second I’m not confident about me, Gabi, or the tiny tot. “I figured you did.”
“I talked to her today,” he says. “So I know you two had a heart-to-heart last night.”
I smile, thinking about what happened after the heart-to-heart. Which probably isn’t my best move in front of her brother. “We did. We’re on the same page.”
“And you’re ready for this?”
Now that makes me laugh. “Is anyone ready to become a father?”
That only earns a loud “ha!” from Asher.
“I’ll tell you what I told her—I’m going to be ready. I’m going to do everything in my power to be as prepared as possible, and be the best partner I can for Gabi. And really, I think that’s all anyone can do.”
“See, Devereaux, you don’t have to kill him.”
I laugh at Theo’s statement. “Was that a possibility?”
“He talks a big game,” Asher says. “But at the end of the day, pretty boy would never get his hands dirty like that.”
“Excuse me for not getting in a fight every day,” Theo says to Asher. “What’s your total up to this year?”
“You mean what’s his total up to in the fight jar his daughter implemented?” Beau adds in. “Has she got the puppy yet? You know that’s what she’s saving for.”
That makes me snicker, remembering Adalyn’s swear jar I’ve already contributed to.
“Don’t you fucking worry about it, and it’s not everyday,” Asher grumbles, throwing up a middle finger for added effect. “But can we get back to business? We properly freaked out Gallagher. You gave him your ‘what are your intentions with my sister’ spiel. Can we fucking bake now?”
Can we what now?
“Did you say can we bake now?”
“Damn straight we are,” Theo confirms. “Here’s your apron. Let’s get to mixing.”
I’m slightly slack jawed as Theo hands me an apron that says “Poker Club” with little chips around the swirly script. “So you call this the Poker Club, but you…bake?”
“Genius, right?” Theo says, his fully tattooed arms tying his apron around his waist. “Though I can’t take credit for that one. That was all Asher.”
“Only because I refuse to tell my babysitter I’m leaving her with my child to go bake.”
I know they just told me a bit of what the hell is going on, but I’m still really fucking confused. “Remember when I said we needed to start back at the beginning? Maybe we need to go before that? Because I still feel like I’m missing a few chapters.”
