Page 78 of Somehow You Knew

I’m so stunned, I freeze for a moment.

When I turn back to my plate, I can feel everyone’s eyes on us, but I don’t look up. How the hell am I supposed to explain that when I don’t even understand it myself?

Dallas, ever the instigator, seizes the moment. “Well, if you want to help some more, you could play on my team for the Carrington Cove Games in September,” he says.

I snap my head in his direction so fast I nearly give myself whiplash. “No way! You can’t recruitmyhusband!”

He shrugs. “Why not? I mean, it’s not like y’all are actually together.”

Gage clears his throat. “No offense, Dallas, but if I’m going to play in those ridiculous games, it’s going to be with my wife.”

The girls’ eyes go wide at that. Meanwhile, my heart is thrashing so wildly in my chest that I feel like I’m about to pass out.

My wife.

Every time he says that, my vagina levels up in her pursuit of luring him inside. She’s feral, and containing her is starting to become challenging.

Dallas raises an eyebrow, casting me a curious glance. To my relief, he just shrugs and turns back to his food. “That’s fine. I don’t need family to win.”

Willow chuckles. “Your confidence is getting a little out of hand, babe.”

“Come on, Goose. As long as I have you, I’m good.”

“Uh, are you forgetting that I’ll be nice and round by then?”

He kisses her temple. “It’s your mind that I love most about you anyway. I’ve got the guys from the restaurant for the physical stuff.”

Astrid leans forward in her chair, a wicked grin on her face. “I hope Hazel’s team wipes the floor with you, Dallas.”

“Is someone still bitter about losing to me two years ago?”

Penn chimes in. “Just keep talking shit, Dallas. We’ll see who gets the last laugh when we beat you by a landslide.”

Gage clears his throat and turns to my mother. “Not gonna lie, Catherine—I’m a little concerned what state your family will be in when this is all said and done.”

She looks at my husband. “I’m not. They all know that if they ever want to eat my cooking again, they’ll squash their pettiness before they walk through the front door.”

And just like that, the matriarch has spoken.

***

“So what’s going on with you and Gage?” Dallas walks up to me as I step out of the bathroom.

I lower my voice. “Nothing.”

“Yeah, I’m not buying that. He called you his wife.”

“Technically, that’s what I am.”

He shakes his head. “No, that wasn’t just a label. That was something else.”

I try not to think about what he’s insinuating. “We’re just trying to get through the next four months.”

He arches a brow. “I thought you agreed no feelings.”

“We did.”

He glances toward the living room and then motions for me to follow him further down the hall. He leads me into my old bedroom, shutting the door behind us. “I’m sorry, but the way that man is acting, I’mtellingyou—there are feelings involved.”