While We Waited (Smuggler’s Hideaway #3)

Chapter 25

Bribery – is A-OK with Nova as long as she gets what she wants

Nova

“Y ou ready?” Hudson asks when I step outside of the brewery into the parking lot.

I beam up at him. I am ready. I’ve thought about it all day and I’m just going to enjoy Hudson for now. I’m not making any big decisions until baby Sprog is born. I have nearly four months to enjoy Hudson and being pregnant.

After then…. Well, after then, I’ll figure it out.

“We don’t have to go out.”

I frown at him. “What? You promised me a date.”

“If you’re not in the mood or aren’t feeling well, we can go home. I’ll cook you some of my famous chicken noodle soup and we’ll watch a movie.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Your chicken noodle soup is famous now?”

“You moaned the entire time you ate it.”

I roll my eyes. “Because I was hungry.”

He shakes his head. “What’ll it be? Home or date? No pressure.”

“It’s hard to decide when I don’t know what the date is.”

“I’m not telling you the surprise.”

I blow out a breath. “You’re mean.”

“You’re impatient.”

I place a hand on my baby bump. “I can be patient.”

He lays his hand over mine. “I can’t wait to meet Sprog.”

I love how excited he is to meet our baby. He didn’t even want a baby to begin with. Hold on. I don’t know if he didn’t want a baby.

“Did you want children before you met me?”

He opens the truck passenger door and lifts me into my seat. He reaches across me to buckle the seatbelt but I grab his hand to stop him.

“Are you going to answer me?”

“In the truck,” he grumbles.

Uh oh. Mr. Grouchypants is back from his vacation.

“And?” I ask once he’s sitting beside me. “Did you want children before you knocked me up?”

He places a hand on my thigh and squeezes. “I never thought about having children before.”

“You’re thirty-two. You must have thought about it.”

He switches on the engine and backs out of the parking space before speaking again. “My entire focus has been on my football career.”

“But your football career ended three years ago.” He cringes. “I’m sorry. I know it’s a sore subject.”

“It’s not a sore subject.”

“Which is why you cringe or shut down every time I mention the end of your football career.”

“When I returned to Smuggler’s Hideaway, I was too busy building the resort to worry about anything else.”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice how you changed the subject.”

“I thought the subject was whether I wanted children before you.”

I wag a finger at him. “I’ll allow you to avoid the sore subject for now.”

“Good.” He pulls into a parking spot in front of Smuggler’s Cove. “Because we’re here.”

I stare at the restaurant. “We can’t be here.”

“Why not?”

“The Smuggler Reenactment Dinner is tonight. It’s impossible to get tickets.”

“I got tickets.”

“Did you bribe someone?” He shrugs and I gasp. “You did! You bribed someone.” I giggle. “You’re getting the hang of Smuggler’s Hideaway after all.”

He kisses my nose. “I did grow up here.”

“What are you waiting for? Let’s go. Let’s go.” I reach for the door handle and he growls.

“Wait for me.”

“Hurry up, Grumpystilskin. There are smugglers waiting.”

“Smugglers wait for no one,” he claims but he does get out of the truck and walk around to open my door.

I jump into his arms. “Let’s go, Mr. Grumpalotoulos.”

“Am I Greek now?”

“Tall, dark, and handsome is Greek.”

He smirks. “You think I’m handsome.”

“Duh. I made this baby with you, didn’t I?”

He sets me on my feet and places his hand on my lower back to guide me into the restaurant. It’s crowded when we enter. I start to push my way through the throng of people but Hudson maneuvers so he’s in front of me and can lead the way.

“Reservation for Hudson,” he barks at the waitress.

I wave to her. “Hi, Hazel!”

“Nova, how are you doing?” She opens her arms to hug me but Hudson growls at her.

“Sorry, the caveman is out tonight.”

She giggles. “I heard you snagged the most eligible bachelor on Smuggler’s Hideaway.” She nods to my belly. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” I thread my arm through Hudson’s.

She grins. “The girl banned from cheerleading is now dating the football player.”

I roll my eyes. “I wasn’t banned from cheerleading. You can’t ban someone from cheerleading for life.”

She snorts. “I was there. Broken bones happened. They totally banned you for life.”

“It wasn’t my fault.”

“Hey!” someone behind her shouts. “Can we get some service here?”

Hazel rolls her eyes. “Sorry. The Smuggler Reenactment Dinner always brings out the tourists.”

Which is the entire idea. Once the summer ends, the number of tourists visiting the island dwindles. The idea of the Smuggler Reenactment Dinner is to bring in tourists during the offseason. Based on how crowded the restaurant is, it’s working.

“Come on.” She grabs two menus. “I’ll show you to your table.”

We follow her to a private table in the corner. From here, we can watch the action but it’s not as loud.

“Best table in the house.” Hazel slaps the menus on the table. “You’re a lucky girl. It’s a set menu tonight but you can order off the menu if you want.”

“How much did you bribe the owner?” I ask Hudson.

He shrugs.

I was joking. He’s clearly not. “You did bribe the owner.”

“You and your friends were planning a heist to steal all the tickets to tonight’s event. I had no choice.”

Hazel nods. “Good decision. You know they would have totally pulled off a heist.”

I scowl. “The tickets are electronic. A heist wouldn’t have helped.”

“Except the mayor’s office has ten paper tickets.”

I lift my menu to hide behind it since I’m a sucky liar. “I didn’t know.”

Hazel giggles as she walks off. “Good luck with her.”

“He’s lucky to have me,” I holler after her.

Hudson grunts.

“I interpret your grunt as agreement.” I lay my menu on the table. “When does the action start?”

“You’re not mad I bribed the owner?”

I wave my hand in dismissal. “Of course not. I got what I wanted.”

“You’re easy.”

“Duh.” I point to my belly.

He reaches across the table for my hand. “I didn’t mean you’re easy in that way.”

“I know, but it’s sweet you’re worried.”

“I’m not sweet,” he grumbles.

The door flies open and a gang of bootleggers rush into the restaurant. “Shush. The reenactment is starting.”

“We need to hide. Where can we hide?” The first bootlegger asks as he scans the restaurant.

I raise my hand. “Over here! Over here!”

The group starts toward us but Hudson growls at them and they halt.

I slap Hudson’s shoulder. “Don’t ruin my fun.”

“You’re not hiding a group of five men under our table.”

“Spoilsport.”

The smugglers decide to hide under another table. They’ve barely had a chance to conceal themselves before the door bangs open again and a group of policemen enter.

“It’s Weston.” I wave at Sophia’s brother. “Hey, Weston!”

He saunters toward me. “Have you seen any smugglers this evening?”

I widen my eyes and feign surprise. “Smugglers? Here in the Smuggler’s Cove restaurant in the town of Smuggler’s Rest on the island of Smuggler’s Hideaway. Why would there be smugglers here?”

“You’re obviously hiding them.”

I waggle my eyebrows at him. “Do you want to look under my table?”

“No one’s looking under our table,” Hudson grumbles.

“This is cause for suspicion. Lift up the tablecloth or I’m hauling you into the police station.”

“You can try,” Hudson growls.

I clasp my chest. “Oh no, Hudson. This will be your third offense. You’ll never get out of prison in time for the birth of the baby.”

I bat my eyelashes at Weston. “Can you let him go this one time?” I place a hand on my belly. “I’m pregnant.”

Weston scowls at Hudson. “You knocked up an innocent woman. And you haven’t married her to salvage her reputation. You are a criminal.”

I jump to my feet. “Just look under our table. I promise we didn’t do anything wrong.”

Hudson stands and moves behind me. “Don’t touch Nova, or we’ll have problems.”

“What kind of problems?” Weston asks.

I flip the tablecloth up to reveal the empty space. “See? No smugglers here. In fact, we haven’t seen any smugglers at all. The town and island are not living up to their reputation. I’m mighty disappointed.”

Weston glares at Hudson. “I’ll let you off this time but if you step out of line again, I can guarantee you won’t be free when your baby is born.”

I clutch Hudson’s hand. “He won’t step out of line. I’ll make sure of it.”

Weston tips his hat to me. “He’s lucky to have you.”

He saunters away to continue the search for the smugglers and we settle back into our chairs to watch.

“This is too much fun.”

“I need to start a bank account for all the bribes and bail money I’m going to need with you around.”

“I promise to behave.” I wink.

“I don’t.”

My panties dampen at the growl of the promise of those words.

“I’m going to hold you to those words.”

My worry about the future is completely forgotten as his eyes flare.

I’ll worry about the future tomorrow.

Or maybe next week.

Or maybe after the baby is born.

For now, I’m throwing my arms in the air and enjoying the ride.