Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
We all know February and Harrison now because they moved to Magnolia Ridge to open Pour Some Sugar On Me and we are all there frequently.
Anyway, they are flying out here to Vegas and they’ll use The Trifecta as a place to bake the cake.
The Trifecta is an all-male revue show that has a kitchen which serves light food on their menu. It’s owned by Hartford’s triplet cousins, Ben, Axel, and Damien. They had started out as male revue dancers, and saved all their money to open their own place.
They no longer dance, and have all gotten married. They have their wives sitting with them around the table.
Ben’s married a very sweet woman named Clara. Clara and Hartford are really close, and I had already met her before because she has come out and visited Hartford in Magnolia Ridge. Axel’s wife, Emma has a daughter and together they all appear very happy. Emma has told February she can help decorate the cake. Shayne, Damien’s wife, is all in as well.
I love how excited they are for Hartford, and how everyone’s on board to help make the wedding cake. It also makes me feel a burst of pride knowing my girl came up with the idea. Well, she’s not my girl. And I need to keep remembering that.
So, like I said, the crisis was averted.
“Everything is now officially on track,” Anya says with a big smile.
“I’m so relieved,” Hartford says, resting her head on Paxton’s shoulder.
He kisses the top of it as he wraps his arm around her. “Me too. It was breaking my heart seeing you so upset.”
I glance over at Anya and Griffin, watching as she tastes the steak he offers her. She kisses him and they smile at each other.
I turn my attention to Shepherd and Felicity. He’s holding his son, August, smiling proudly. Felicity wipes August’s mouth and smiles up at Shepherd. I see him mouth the words ‘I love you’ before pressing a kiss to her lips and a soft kiss to his son’s cheek.
My siblings are deliriously happy, it’s so obvious and I’m so happy for them. They all deserve it. But there’s a part of me. A small part of me that I don’t even like admitting is jealous and makes me wonder if I will ever find that because my luck with women makes me doubt it.
“You’re very quiet tonight. Everything okay?” Willow asks, leaning closer to me.
I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her closer to me. “I’m good now,” I say.
The worst part, the part that will keep me up all night is I don’t know if I’m saying it for the audience around us or if I mean it.
Chapter 11
Willow
“Is it weird that I find your brother ridiculously handsome?” I ask Anya the next morning while all the girls hang out in the back of the Trifecta kitchen, watching as February and Emma bake.
“Well, you’re dating him so I would hope you’d think that,” Anya says, wrapping a purple boa further around her neck.
Did I mention we’re sitting in the kitchen of the Trifecta? One of Vegas’ premier all-male revues. Like this place is a legend. Every time I’m watching TV and a commercial about this place comes on, I don’t fast forward through it.
Sure, the club is closed right now. It’s early, but still, we’ve already raided through the prop area, and Anya’s got a purple boa and a white cowboy hat on.
She’s not the only one sporting a cowboy hat. I’ve got on a brown one, and Hartford’s wearing a pink one.
We’ve also got boas, silks, and other props.
However, Anya’s mother, Carol is decked out with a black SWAT vest and matching black hat. She’s also been carrying a police baton in her hands, smacking our butts playfully every once in a while.
“So, men dance on stage wearing this?” Carol asks, and Anya’s green eyes grow wide and we all laugh.
“Yes, and tonight for the bachelorette party we’ve already got one of the private VIP rooms booked for you all,” Clara says with a wink. Her short brown hair falls around her shoulders, and she laughs after she sees Carol blush.
“Oh no, I can’t watch that,” Carol says with a wave of her hand.
“You have to,” I say, laughing along with the rest of the women in the kitchen.
“You’ll definitely see me there,” Hartford says. “As long as my cousins aren’t dancing.”
Shayne laughs. “I don’t think Ben, Axel, and Damien even remember any dance moves.”
Clara’s eyes shoot over at Shayne. “Speak for your own man. Ben gives me my own showing every night.”
Hartford covers her ears. “I seriously don’t want to hear about that.”
Emma laughs. “Yeah, Axel definitely still has the moves.”
Shayne shrugs. “Dang, I need to make Damien dance for me. Oh, I’m doing that tonight.”