The Bet (Winslow Brothers 1)

“Make us pay?” Ty questions through a jokester’s smile. “What’s that mean, Ma?”

“It means you don’t want to know.”

“Uh oh, Wendy is getting pisssssed, Ty,” Jude comments on a chuckle. “You better shut your trap.”

“When I said boys, I meant both of you,” Wendy snaps back, and when she meets my eyes, an exasperated but happy smile lifts her mouth. “Sophie, I’m sorry my sons are idiots. We’ll all understand if you decide to leave Jude before they even bring the food.”

Ty bursts into laughter.

Remy and Flynn just grin from over their menus.

And Jude coughs out a laugh. “Damn, Ma. That was harsh.”

But she just blows him a kiss in response. “Love you, honey.”

It’s all pretty damn hilarious, and the more time I spend with Jude’s family, the more I find myself happy to be with them.

They’re fun, that’s for sure. And they never seem to stop cutting up on one another. Never stop teasing and joking and just…laughing. When the Winslow family is together, laughter is never in short supply.

In a way, it kind of reminds me of my own family and how close-knit we are. My parents might be in Miami and my sister Katelynn might not always be around because of her busy life, but when we’re together, we’re thicker than thieves.

And I’m surprised with how well I get along with all of them. His sister Winnie and his brother-in-law Wes are so laid-back and easy to talk to.

His mom and Ty are a hoot. Remy is chill, but welcoming.

And Flynn is nice, even though I don’t miss the way his eyes observe me closely. His perceptiveness is a little disconcerting, to be honest. It’s like he knows more than what’s on the surface.

Like how you’ve caught feelings?

I wish I could deny it, but I can’t. I have caught feelings. And your eyes are already starting to get filled with ideas of weddings and marriage and babies.

Jude

“We’re going to head out, guys. Lexi still has some homework, and I have to be at the stadium early because my boss is a real hard-ass,” Winnie declares and sends teasing eyes my brother-in-law’s way.

Wes just laughs and snags their check from the table.

Everyone follows their lead, my mom, Remy, Flynn, Ty and his random chick, all get ready to leave the restaurant.

“Thanks for coming out tonight to support Lexi,” Winnie says and wraps an arm around my niece’s shoulders.

“Way to kick some serious mathlete ass, Lex,” I tell her, and her face scrunches up in the cutest way.

“That’s a bad word, Uncle Jude.”

“Yeah, but remember what you told me last summer about people who curse a lot?”

“They statistically have a higher intelligence level.”

“Exactly.” I tap her nose with my index finger and am rewarded with her toothy smile.

Winnie, Wes, and my niece make their rounds around the table, saying goodbye to everyone, and when they reach Sophie and me, Lexi goes to Sophie first and gives her a big hug.

“Hey, now,” I tease. “Why does she get hugged first?”

Sophie smiles, and Lexi just giggles.

And when my niece finally decides to give me a hug, I stand up and squeeze her tight enough to lift her little feet off the ground. “Proud of you, Lex. You did awesome today.”

“Thanks, Uncle Jude.”

“Thanks for coming and supporting Lexi today, Sophie,” my sister tells her and gives her a friendly hug. “I hope we’ll be seeing more of you.”

At those words, she glances pointedly in my direction, and I do my best to ignore whatever crazy shit Winnie is trying to communicate to me with her eyes.

“I hope so too,” Sophie agrees. “This was really fun.”

I don’t know what I expected when I brought Sophie to Lexi’s Mathletes competition tonight, but I’m not surprised that my family appears to get along with her. Sophie is incredibly likable. She’s outgoing and beautiful and smart and kind. Her laugh is contagious, and she’s always fun to be around.

So fun to be around that you invited her here, knowing that the threat of prison as a registered sex offender made the possibility of sex less than nothing.

“I’m just going to run to the ladies’ room real quick,” Sophie whispers into my ear, pulling me from my weird-as-fuck thoughts.

“Meet me out front?”

She nods, and for some strange reason, I can’t hold back from leaning forward to press a kiss to her lips before she heads in the direction of the bathrooms at the back of the restaurant.

And I definitely don’t miss the way my brother Flynn eyes me from the other side of the table, but I ignore him and throw a hundred-dollar bill down on Sophie’s and my check—more than enough to pay for our dinner and tip the friendly server named Raymond over thirty percent.

Once I’m out of my seat and heading toward the front of the restaurant, Flynn catches up with me and claps a hand over my shoulder.