The Baby Gamble (Texas Hold'em)

“We gotta go, man,” said Cole, looking impressive in his black suit as he glanced at his watch for about the tenth time in as many minutes. “Probably wouldn’t be a good idea to keep Annie waiting.”

Annie wasn’t expecting him just yet.

“You afraid she’s going to run out on me?” Blake asked, loosening his tie. He always could retie the knot. Buy himself a few more minutes.

“This is Annie we’re talking about,” Cole said. “I can’t believe she agreed to marry you at all. Let’s get this done before she comes up with some other harebrained scheme that she’ll fight to the death to bring about.”

The knot was tied. His shirt tucked in. Belt latched. Shoes shined…

And there was a rap on the door.

“You want to get that?” he asked Cole, pretending to check the contents of his pocket, while keeping an eye on the scene unfolding before him.

“It’s probably Mom, telling us that Annie’s getting antsy.” Cole pulled open the door as he spoke, and then just stopped and stared.

“Jake?”

“I heard there was a Wild Bunch wedding going on.” The six-foot-tall, thin but muscular man stood at the door, a cocky grin on his lips, and something a bit deeper in his dark eyes, as he stared at Cole.

“Jake Chandler. I don’t believe it.” Cole just stood there, staring. “Wow.”

“Might want to let him in, Cole,” Blake said, sweating a bit as he came forward.

“Yeah, seems like I should meet the groom, if I’m going to be standing up at his wedding with the rest of the bunch.” Jake’s slow, easy walk as he stepped into the room, his longish hair, made it easy to believe the devil-may-care stories Blake had heard about him.

“Jake. Damn. I can’t believe it’s you.” Cole reached out to shake the other man’s hand, and then pulled him into a back-pounding hug.

Blake had done good.

Jake was home.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of Annie Marie Kincaid to Blake Edward Smith….”

Trembling, Annie stood in the garish red room, surrounded by velvet draperies and images of Elvis, enough flowers to make her slightly dizzy and music that was too loud. But with all of her loved ones around her, she knew that she was in the middle of a perfect moment.As she gave her hand to Blake, she had a fleeting thought of her father, as if he were smiling down at her, giving his blessing to the union.

Giving Annie away to the man she loved with all her heart.

With Becky and her mom standing on one side of them, and Luke, Jake, Cole and Brady—the Wild Bunch complete—on the other, she listened to the man who was officiating as he spoke about sacred duties, compromise and understanding. Having expected a quick, generic ceremony, considering their surroundings, and not really caring as long as she was married to Blake when they were done, Annie was impressed with the man’s offering.

Blake stood beside her, steady, seemingly calm. Holding her hand as if he’d never let it go.

There was a brief second of sadness when she glanced over to catch Luke Chisum staring at Becky Howard—with a longing in his eyes that Annie understood.

She knew that feeling. She was marrying Blake, but he wasn’t hers yet. And she needed him to be. More than anything else, she needed him sharing every aspect of her life, living with her, loving her.

Fully married to her in the eyes of God, the world, and in her eyes, too.

Did Luke still love Becky that way? Hard to believe, considering all the time that had passed. And yet, considering the force that had pulled Annie and Blake together in this place, in spite of all the history between and around them, it wasn’t hard to believe at all.

Somehow, some way, she had to get Becky to release the fear in her heart enough to talk to Luke. To at least see.

Becky deserved a chance at real happiness. Especially now, with Shane giving her such challenges. She’d gone it alone long enough.

“Do you, Blake Edward Smith, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, until death you do part?”

“I do.”

“Do you, Annie Marie Kincaid, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, until death you do part?”