“One four.” Wes placed a card face-down on the patio table, his expression even.

I swept my gaze over him, more than aware of all his tells. But nothing about his demeanor indicated he was lying.

At least I didn’t think it did.

“Two fives,” Imogene said after a beat, adding her own card to the top of the growing pile.

Everyone glanced around the table as we gauged each other very carefully. With every card added to the top, the risk grew.

As did the potential reward.

“Six to you, little man,” Wes said, beaming at his son.

Eli struggled a bit with his cards, his hands not as big as ours, making it difficult for him to hold them all without dropping them. Imogene leaned over and whispered something into his ear, as she always did when we played this game. Smiling up at his older cousin, Eli pulled a card from his hand and added it.

“One six.”

“Sevens to me,” Lachlan mused, gaze skating over his hand. Then he placed his remaining cards face-down on top of the pile. “Three sevens.”

“Bullsh*t,” I immediately stated.

What did I have to lose? If I were wrong, the game was over anyway.

But if I were right, Lachlan would have to pick up all the cards.

God, I hoped I was right.

“That’s a dollar,” Imogene sang.

Rolling my eyes, I reached into my back pocket, peeling off another dollar bill and adding it to the pile she’d amassed throughout the game. Then I returned my attention to Lachlan.

“Like I said…” I squared my shoulders. “That’s bull.”

Lachlan’s mouth curved up into a playful smile, and I instantly second-guessed myself. “You sure about that? I’ll let you retract it this one time.”

I pinched my lips together. “You say that every time.”

“What can I say? I’m a firm believer in giving people a second chance.” He winked.

“No need. I stand by my initial determination of your cards being bullsh*t.”

Before Imogene could open her mouth, I slapped a single bill on top of her pile, my eyes not straying from Lachlan’s, remaining firm in my resolve.

“You might be disappointed when you flip over my cards, love.”

“If this is all part of a ploy so I’ll retract my bullshit call, I’m not playing.” I grabbed another dollar and handed it to Imogene, my gaze still locked with Lachlan’s.

Smirking, he nodded toward the pile of cards. “You can do the honors.”

Pulse slowly increasing, I reached for the first card and flipped it over.

“Seven of hearts,” Wes announced.

I shot him a glare. “I can see that.” I looked back at the pile, ignoring Lachlan’s growing smirk when I flipped over the next card.

“Seven of clubs,” Eli teased, which earned him a high-five from Lachlan.

“Don’t you start, too,” I playfully warned my nephew.

Drawing in a deep breath, I reached for the final card, mumbling, “Don’t be a seven. Don’t be a seven. Don’t be a seven.”

I flipped it over, the entire table erupting in cheers when the card ended up being a Queen of Hearts.
“Eat it, Hale,” I joked, watching in amusement as he organized all the cards in his hand, almost unable to hold them all.

Almost.

The man had enormous hands.

And the things he did with those hands…

“I can still win. I now have an advantage in determining who’s bs-ing everyone.”

“Okay then.” I straightened my spine, placing my last two cards face-down on the table. “Two eights. What say you to that?”

He studied me for a beat, then his hand, then my face again. “Bull is what I say.”

I leaned toward him. “Are you sure about that?” I threw his words back at him. “I’ll let you retract it this one time.”

He edged closer, his proximity causing a shiver to roll through me.

“Flip it, Hale.”

He stared at me for a moment, then turned over the two cards.

A chorus of cheers erupted when he revealed I hadn’t been lying after all.

Giving him a coy smile, I lifted the imaginary crown off his head. “I’ll just take this back. It appears you’ve been dethroned as the King of Bullsh*t.”

“It appears so.” He leaned toward me, pressing a soft kiss to my neck. “But you’ll always be my queen, love.”