Winning Streak Read Free Page B

Scotty’ll back you up. They all will. This is an easy fix … ” The sadness and hurt on his face almost made her look away. The rumor, she could fix. But the damage was done and irreversible to the brother-sister bond. Even once Jacey knew the truth, it wouldn’t take back the sting Madden felt now. Damn it, Saralynn wanted to hug him.
    She felt helpless. It was a foreign emotion, and she was not a fan. More bewildering was why it bothered her so much. Madden represented the kind of meaningless flirtation she was trying to grow beyond. Why did she have the crazy urge to haul him against the wall and kiss that smile back onto his face?
    He cleared his throat. “It’s fine. We better get back.”
    It wasn’t fine. Not yet.

Chapter Four
    Saturday, February 22nd
    “Hope! It’s not time for the flowers yet!” Shiloh nearly knocked Saralynn over chasing after her three-year-old daughter, who ran through the hotel suite screeching at an eardrum-piercing decibel as she threw rose petals all over the place.
    Saralynn held her hands over her ears until the screaming stopped, then smoothed her dress and shook her head to clear it.
I love my niece. But I’m never going off the pill.
Dean, her nephew and the ring bearer, huddled under the desk, watching with wide eyes. At four years old, he was quiet and shy, the antithesis of Hope. Saralynn squatted down to his level. “Hey, buddy. Still got the rings?”
    He nodded and held out a decorative pillow. Both rings were secured on top with satin ribbon.
    “Good job. I’d hide under there with you if it wouldn’t wrinkle my dress.”
    That earned a smile from him, and she winked before standing up again. Allie, the bride, stood in the middle of a three-sided mirror while Mac, her maid of honor, flitted around making sure dress, shoes, hair, and makeup were perfect. Sophie helped Shiloh wrangle Hope and pick up the strewn petals. Jacey sat alone on the couch, staring at her phone.
    Really, it was none of Saralynn’s business. Every brain cell voted to leave it alone. And yet, somehow, her feet were moving. When she stopped in front of the couch, Jacey looked up.
    “Um … ” Saralynn licked her lips. “Do you mind if I … ?” She gestured to the open cushion.
    “No, please. Sit.” Jacey scooted over and set her phone on the coffee table. “Crazy in here, huh?”
    “Actually this is pretty normal for a Reese family get-together.”
    Jacey grinned, and Saralynn almost changed her mind. Then the image of Madden’s beaten puppy face surfaced and steeled her reserve. “I uh … I don’t mean to overstep, but I talked to Madden, and it was all a mistake. He didn’t really gamble. Some of the other guys did, and they handed out chips. He put some in his pocket and forgot about them.”
    Jacey’s smile slid off her face and was replaced with pity. “I know he can be very convincing. But that’s a stretch, even for him.”
    “No, it’s true. I asked the guys this morning, and they confirmed it.”
    “They’re all friends. That doesn’t surprise me.”
    For a second, shock prevented a reply.
Would
the guys lie for Madden? Would he have lied to her? His own sister seemed to think so. But it was hard to con a con, and she’d been no stranger to bending the truth in the past. It didn’t feel like a lie. “I’ll get the security tapes from the casino.”
    Jacey stared like she was waiting for the punch line, then arched a brow. “They don’t just give those out.”
    “Let me worry about it.”
    “You really don’t have to do this. We’ll just tell the press he indulged a bit because of the bachelor party, but it was nothing big.”
    Except it
was
big to Madden. She’d seen his heart practically shatter in that hallway, and she didn’t want to see it again. “Just trust me.”
    Before Jacey could respond, the wedding planner opened the suite door. “Okay, it’s show time! Places, everyone.”
    • • •
    Saralynn sat at the bridal party table sandwiched