Cocky Earl - Annabelle Anders Page 0,108

once every five years. I won’t have my children not knowing their grandfather.”

His brows shot up. “Jules, eh? Not His Lordship? That sounds awfully familiar.”

And damned if that didn’t send a flush to her cheeks. Because she and Jules were becoming quite, quite familiar with one another.

“The wedding’s in two weeks,” she confessed.

And with that, the American Whiskey King threw back his head for the second time that morning and roared with laughter. “Double-crossed by my own daughter.” But his eyes twinkled when they landed back on hers.

Charley reached a handout, “We have a deal then?”

Shaking his head ruefully, her father grasped hers and gave it a shake. “That we do, Charlotte Arabella Jackson. I believe we do.”

Jules smiled to himself from where he watched Charley and her father through the window. Although several yards distant, he could make out that they were shaking hands, and by the skip in her step, she seemed quite pleased with herself.

Seeing her happy squeezed his heart. He’d spend the rest of his life doing whatever was required to ensure that she never regretted marrying him.

“Stone insists that you cannot balance two balls on top of one another.” Chase’s voice taunted him from across the room.

“Doubting me, Spencer?” Jules turned his back to the window as the soft music Peter had been playing on his cello went silent.

“It’s physically impossible.” Mantis studied the felt surface with a scowl.

Stone was studying Jules, tossing one of the balls back and forth between his two hands.

“What are you betting, Stone?” the marquess asked. “And how many attempts is Westerley allowed?”

This was always the tricky part. A few hundred pounds was one thing, an embarrassing or uncomfortable stunt, quite another. But Jules merely rocked on his heels and waited.

“One attempt.” Stone too, was examining the table. “If you fail, I’ve the use of your baby throughout the Season.”

This was a tricky proposition, indeed. Although, there was something he wanted from Stone, as well… And if he took Charley up north to tour the distilleries for a wedding trip, he’d not have need of his prized vehicle anyway. Risk would be minimal.

“If I succeed”—Jules withdrew two balls from the pocket nearest him—“in balancing these two balls atop one another, I’ll expect a boon.”

“So long as you don’t expect me to act as your butler.” Stone grinned.

Mantis flicked his gaze toward Greys, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Speaking of which, when do you expect Blackheart to join your London staff?”

“One week before the Season commences.”

“Do you agree to a boon then?” Jules addressed Stone again, who then nodded.

“Very well.”

Charley apparently wasn’t only adept at cards and had shown the trick to him the afternoon before… after Jules had shown her a few tricks of his own, realizing that the felt table came in quite handy for—

Jules forced the memory to the back of his mind before he created an embarrassing distraction for himself.

“Only one attempt,” Stone confirmed, looking satisfied with himself. And he should look satisfied, Jules conceded, because balancing two round objects atop one another was an impossible feat.

Unless, that was, the balls were supplied by a feisty American redhead.

Ominous notes sounded from the corner where Peter was kindly providing a musical dose of dramatic tension.

Very well then. Jules flexed his hands around the balls, cradling them, and then lowered one to the felt. Once he was certain he’d placed the red ball correctly, he set the green ball on top of it, shifted it slightly, and feeling less than one hundred percent honorable, backed away from the table.

In the spirit of showmanship, Jules reached for the nearest cue stick, lined up the cue ball, and with one smooth stroke, sent the red ball rolling into the side pocket, leaving the green ball to drop to the table —where it sat motionless—in its place.

“What the hell?” Stone came forward and retrieved the red ball to study it. “This ball’s been altered.”

Jules merely tipped his head. “A bet’s a bet.”

“He did say, and I quote, ‘balance these two balls on top of one another,’” Mantis offered helpfully.

“Damn you, Jules.” Stone was scowling now. “What’s this boon?”

“I’m going to take Charley up north for a wedding trip, which means we won’t be in London for the first half of the Season. I’m going to surprise her.”

“The distilleries?” Peter asked.

“Every last one between here and the North Pole.” Jules grinned.

“And what does this have to do with the boon?” Stone was scowling. It really had not been a fair bet. Not sporting