All In: Betting on a Full House (Gambling With Love) Read online

  Hers today had been:

  "Can't wait to see you tonight."

  "Definitely getting Jonathan headphones before I go home."

  "Grab dinner on the way home so we can head straight to bed."

  And my favorite:

  "Did this morning really happen or was it all a wonderful dream? Oh never mind, just saw us making out on TV again, and there's a ring on my finger, so now I know it definitely happened."

  I went by my apartment to get my clothes for work, then headed to Jess's. When she opened the door, I launched myself at her, kissing her as I carried her to her bedroom, shut the door, and laid down with her.

  Once we'd gotten that out of our systems, I finally said hello to her.

  "Hey," she replied with a satisfied grin. "I saw you on TV a little while ago."

  "Shit. I'm sorry about all that. The higher ups said I need to drag it out, and get all the good publicity we can. Let people see me as a good guy in love, and not a crazy, trigger happy cop."

  "It was sweet. You looked good. Have you read the comments on the articles?"

  "Ah, no. Why?"

  "Well apparently the women in this city are all in love with you, and hoping we don't get married."

  "Fuck them. I'm marrying you. In four days."

  "Are you sure we're not crazy?"

  "No. You haven't changed your mind have you?"

  "No."

  "Good. Now, I better call my mom before she blows my phone up. I've got four missed calls in the last hour," I told her, after I pulled my phone from my discarded pants on the floor.

  "She's excited. It's sweet."

  "I know. Hey, mom," I said when she answered.

  "About time! Did you know the picture and video of you proposing is all over the internet and news?"

  "You’ve seen it up there?" I asked in surprise.

  "Yes, it's everywhere. My friend in California has seen it. You two have stolen everyone's hearts."

  "I don't know about that. People are just nosy and want to know everyone's business."

  "Well, I think it's a beautiful picture. But anyway. So, I hope you don't mind. Your dad and I have booked a flight for Friday afternoon out of PTI. Is ten tickets enough?"

  "You bought ten plane tickets?" I asked, and Jess's jaw dropped.

  "Should we have bought more?"

  "No mom, you bought too many. You didn't have to do that."

  "Tyler, you're getting married. We want to do this for you."

  "Thank you, and Dad. This is great, and will save us a lot of time and money."

  "Um ..." she started, then hesitated.

  "Spill it mom."

  "Well, we also booked five rooms in a hotel, with the honeymoon suite for you two."

  I laughed. "You don't do anything halfway do you woman?"

  "Oh hush. We can't wait. I assumed Jonathan and Nathan will come of course, along with Lauren and Caleb, and Dylan and Will. Is that okay?"

  "Yeah, that's great. That's everyone we'd planned to invite. I'll call them and tell them not to buy any tickets."

  "Great! Oh and I got all return tickets for Sunday except for you and Jess. You've got roundtrips for whenever you decide to come back. I thought you might want to spend a few extra days there if you can both get off work."

  "That's awesome. Thanks mom. Love you guys, and we'll talk again before Friday."

  "Okay. I'm so happy for you sweetie! I knew this weekend that she was the one for you, and not because of the babies."

  "Yeah she is," I told her. "Love you, Mom."

  "Love you Ty," she said, ending the call.

  Jess had been watching quietly from her pillow, and since I didn't have it on speaker she'd only heard half.

  "So I take it plane tickets are taken care of?" she asked with a smile.

  "Yep, and hotel rooms."

  "Oh wow! That's too much. They don't have to do that for everyone."

  "That ship has sailed, and we'll all just have to hop on, baby."

  "I'll call Lauren and Nathan's mom, if you want to call Will and Dylan?" she asked.

  "Okay."

  She frowned and I knew what she was thinking. "Are you sure you're okay with them?"

  "Yeah. I am. I was pissed when I first found out about you and Dylan, but I hadn't been treating you the way I should have then. And now I know you only want me, not either of them, or anyone else."

  "Damn right. Now let's make some wedding plans," she said with a quick kiss.

  …

  Jess

  "Hey, Lauren. So I hope you haven't already bought plane tickets."

  "What? Why not? Is the wedding off? I'll kill that bastard-"

  I laughed at her quick assumption and defensiveness. "No, I meant Tyler's parents bought them already."

  "Oh. Shit. Don't freak me out like that. I'm living vicariously through you and it has to be perfect for your sake and mine."

  "Oh, so you want to get drunk, get knocked up, and then decide you love the man that did the knocking up and marry him? Damn Lauren, I think you might be blind."

  "I know what you think, but you guys love each other and are making it official. I want that, and I want babies too."

  "Wow, I guess I've never thought of it that way."

  "Yeah, you've got it made. So, what's the plan?"

  "We're flying out of PTI Friday afternoon."

  "Okay, where are ya'll staying so we can try and get rooms there?"

  "That's taken care of too"

  "What? You're kidding? Tyler's parents are awesome."

  "Yeah, they are."

  "So when are you going to go dress shopping?"

  "Oh shit! I guess I need to do that. Tomorrow? Will you meet me there after work?"

  "Fuck yes. Try and keep me away," she said and I laughed.

  "It is the duty of the maid of honor."

  "Really? You want me … to be your …" she sobbed.

  "Are you crying?"

  "No. Maybe. I'm so happy for you."

  "Well, Tyler and I do have you to thank for us getting together. It was you that asked me to dance naked for your men, and you that gave me permission to go down on one of your boyfriends."

  "Please don't tell anyone that story. Let's just make a new story up. You met when you came over to the house and it was love at first sight."

  "Okay. And we conceived our twins on our wedding night," I laughed.

  "Of course. That's the story we'll go with."

  "Except for the fact that half the country knows I'm knocked up and he just proposed today."

  "I have seen that picture and video like forty times, but I never get tired of it. Every woman wants to be you, and every man wants to be Tyler."

  I laughed. "I don't know about all that."

  "It's true. Men think you are hot, and some of the comments are x-rated about how they'd knock you up too, and way too many specific details of how they'd go about it."

  "Oh my God."

  "Yeah, and women are hoping you call off the wedding."

  "I know! They are vicious."

  "They're just jealous and want what you've got. Hell, I want what you've got."

  "You-you do?"

  "Oh God, not like that. I swear I love Caleb and only want him. I just want him to want to marry me."

  I let out the breath I'd been holding. "Okay, that's good to know, and I’m sure Caleb will come around soon to the idea.

  “I sure hope so,” she said with a sigh.

  “Well, I better go. I've got to call and convince a fifteen year old boy's mom to let her son go with his friend to his knocked up, former stripper sister's wedding in Vegas."

  "Ha! Good luck!"

  "Thanks. See you tomorrow?"

  "Yeah. Five-thirty at David's Bridal?"

  "Hell yes," I told her.

  …

  Tyler

  "Tyler?" Will answered after a few rings.

  "Hey, what's up?"

  "Ha, you tell me. You're getting married? How the fuck
did that happen in what, like two weeks?"

  "Yeah. I finally woke the hell up."

  "Good for you! But you're screwing over all us single men, and setting the bar too high. Now women are expecting your whole sweep-her-off-her-feet routine."

  I laughed. "Sorry. I had no idea people were taking pictures. I just … I had to have her, and prayed she said yes."

  "Well, congratulations."

  "Thanks. So what are you and Dylan doing this weekend?"

  "Um, probably trying unsuccessfully to pick up women. Pretty much the usual."

  "You might have more luck in Vegas," I told him.

  "Fuck yes! So the media's rumors are true?"

  "Yeah, we're flying out Friday, and you and Dylan have tickets and hotel rooms if you want to go."

  "Holy shit! That is awesome. You can bet your ass I'll be there. I'm sure Dylan will too. I mean, who can turn that down? Your parent's doing?"

  "Of course. They found out I was getting married and that they're going to be grandparents in one week. They are ecstatic, and going nuts."

  "I can tell. So, I'll call Dylan and tell him the plan. Thank your parents for us, and we'll see you all Friday at the airport."

  "Will do," I told him, hanging up to call Caleb. It was a relief to get back to being longtime friends again, since we were no longer in love with the same woman.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Jess

  "That's the one! That's the one!" Lauren shouted.

  I looked in the long mirrors and turned to the side to examine the strapless, satin and organza, white A-line gown. The snug, beaded and embroidered bodice hid the small baby bump that was forming along my lower abdomen. The chapel train was just the right length, not too long, and not too short.

  I smiled. "I really do love this one. You think it's the one?"

  "Oh yeah! Look at the way your face is all lit up. It's the one!"

  I grabbed the hanging tag and steeled myself to look at the price. Originally four hundred, ninety-nine dollars but on clearance for one ninety-nine. Couldn't beat that.

  "Alright. I agree, and it fits perfectly, which is nuts. With some heels even the length will work for my short ass."

  I changed back into my work dress, then carried the beautiful dress up to the clerk with the pair of satin, strappy heels I'd picked out that matched.

  "I'm all set," I told her and she started ringing me up.

  "Oh, this is a great dress," she noted.

  "Yeah, and if you can believe it, the fit is perfect, which is awesome because I'm getting married Friday night."

  "Aw. Congratulations. Wait," she said putting the dress down on the counter and looking at me with her mouth hanging open. "It's you! The pregnant woman the police officer proposed to yesterday!"

  "This is her!" Lauren confirmed excitedly.

  "Holy crap. Melissa! Guess who's here! The pregnant woman that got proposed to by the police officer yesterday!"

  My face flamed red in embarrassment. Not only did everyone know me, they knew I'd gotten knocked up outside of marriage.

  "It is her! You are even prettier in person. So, it's all true? You really are getting married to that sexy cop?"

  "Yep. This weekend in Vegas actually."

  "Wow. Could you imagine the publicity we could get?" the first clerk asked the one named Melissa.

  "Hold on one second," she said, walking off to call someone.

  "Oh-kay."

  "You're famous. It's cute," Lauren said from beside me.

  "I should tell them how Tyler and I met," I joked and she cringed.

  "Ooh, ooh. How did you meet?" Melissa overheard and asked.

  I grinned at Lauren then went with the lie. "I was over at my best friend Lauren's house, and Tyler was there. He's her boyfriend's best friend. It was love at first sight."

  "Aw. That's so sweet. I absolutely love your picture. I swoon every time I see it."

  "Ah, thanks. It means a lot to me and Tyler, but I'm not sure I get why a picture of us went viral."

  "Because you can see the love between the two of you, and it's like a fairytale romance, or something from a Hollywood movie," the woman said. "The fact that it really happened gives all us single girls hope that we might find a man like him, and a love like that someday."

  "Oh…well thank you! I just figured everyone would think he's only marrying me because he knocked me up."

  "God no! A man who feels forced to marry a woman he knocked up doesn't look that damn happy and horny. Your man looks like he just won the lottery, a lifetime supply of beer, and got the best blow job of his life, all on the same day."

  Lauren and I busted out laughing at her assessment and hadn't recovered when the other clerk walked back up.

  "So I just spoke to my supervisor and we'd like to give you these shoes and the dress free of charge."

  "I'm sorry, what was that? I just had a hallucination."

  "The dress and shoes are our compliments, as long as you let us advertise that the police officer's fiancée bought her dress here, and show pictures of the same one. And if anyone asks, you tell them it's from David's Bridal."

  "Wow. That is awesome. I get three hundred dollars in free merchandise and I just need to tell anyone that asks where I got them, exactly what I would have said anyway?"

  "Yes."

  "Then ladies, you can tell the world that the pregnant police officer's fiancée shops here because you guys are awesome!"

  "You are very welcome! And one other thing," the clerk hesitated and blushed slightly. I thought great, here comes the fine print.

  "Do you need any lingerie for your wedding night?"

  "Damn right she does! Even though he'll tear it off her within five seconds," Lauren exclaimed before I'd processed the question. When I did, heat rushed south and pooled between my legs.

  "Yes please," I squeaked out, and we all excitedly made our way over to the naughty section of the store.

  "So, off the record, is he as good in bed as he looks?" Melissa asked.

  "No," I sighed. "He's even better. Oh and can I ask a favor? You can tell anyone you want I bought my dress here, but will you not show which one until after Friday. I want it to be a surprise for him."

  "Of course, and we'll keep the details of the lingerie to ourselves too."

  …

  Tyler

  "Could you please stop making out in public? Everyone is looking at us."

  I pulled away from Jess with a smile after Jonathan's admonishment. We were at the airport with our friends and family, waiting to board our plane to Las Vegas.

  "They're not looking because they're making out. They're looking and taking pictures because they're famous," Will laughed from his seat beside us in the waiting area outside of our gate. "Hell, I'm hoping that just being seen with this asshole will be enough to get me laid."

  "Will! My brother is only fifteen, watch your mouth!" Jess scolded.

  "Hey, I'm not the one with my tongue in someone else's mouth in front of him," he replied, making everyone laugh.

  "I thought they'd be over us by now. This is crazy," I told them.

  The media hadn't calmed down much, what with Jess getting her dress and the store telling the world, and then the news of our plans for the weekend wedding kept things rolling right along. I was a little concerned we'd be noticed when we got married. Which was in just a few hours, and I couldn't fucking wait.

  "How long until we get there?" I asked Jess, brushing my lips against her ear and making her shiver.

  "Eight hours, but with the time difference when we get there it'll only seem like five hours," she replied.

  "Too long," I groaned then kissed her again, tuning out everything and everyone else.

  "Um, guys. Sorry to interrupt, but our flight's been boarding for like fifteen minutes and they'll be closing the gate soon without us," Lauren said, pulling me from Jess.

  "Fine, I can't wait to join the mile high club. Come on baby," I told Jess. as we got up and follo
wed Lauren and Caleb. Her cheeks instantly turned red.

  "Tyler!"

  "Lauren and Caleb are the only ones in earshot, and they're probably thinking the same thing."

  "Damn right," Caleb said without turning around.

  "TMI!" Jess exclaimed.

  I pulled out our boarding passes, and showed them to the flight attendant.

  "Oh-my-gosh! It's you two! Are you on your way to get married?" she asked.

  "Yeah. Tonight actually," I told her.

  "Aw. Can I take your picture? You're too cute."

  I looked at Jess and she gave a small nod and smile, so I wrapped my arm around her and we said cheese. And boy was I glad we'd been nice to the attendant.

  "We've got a few extra seats in first class and would love to bump you up. There's more room and the bathrooms are more … comfortable," she said with a wink.

  "Hell yes. That would be awesome."

  "Thank you. That's so nice," Jess said, her face even redder.

  We waited while she printed new boarding passes, then we went through and headed to coach to tell everyone where we'd be.

  "There they are! I was afraid we were going to leave without you," my mom said.

  "We made it, but guess what. They bumped us to first class, so you guys be good and we'll see you in a few hours," I told the group.

  "Thank God. If I had to watch you two make out this whole flight I was going to throw up," Jonathan ranted from his seat between Nathan and Will's younger sister, Jules. I was a little surprised to see her, since Will's so protective of his younger, eighteen year old sister. And I knew from growing up with them that their family wasn't the wealthiest, so I hoped my parent's had bought her ticket too.

  "Jonathan, you and Nathan better behave back here," Jess warned the teenagers.

  "Jules, you'll keep them in line, right?" I asked the pretty, innocent looking girl I'd known since she wore pigtails. I didn't envy the wrath of Will that'll come down on her future boyfriends. And from the looks the two younger boys were giving her, it seemed like they were already crushing on the slightly older woman.

  "These two don't seem like trouble. Besides, I’m sure Will and Dylan are going to babysit all three of us," she said with an eye-roll. My two friends did both seem to be carefully watching the trio from their seats across the aisle.