My Vegas Groom (The Greene Family #3) - Piper Rayne Page 0,8

is it?”

That’s the problem with my mom. She can pretty much sense everything that’s wrong with me and isn’t afraid to call me on my shit. She knows me better than anyone.

“I haven’t even decided about retirement. Vince will kill me if I retire anyway. I think the whole marrying a stranger thing… well, I wish I could figure out the reason why I did it.”

“Why? Log, I taught you never to ask why. What is, just is.”

That’s my mom. She believes in gut feelings—always has. She thinks we all have a path in life that’s already set out in front of us. So I know she probably believes that Nikki was brought into my life and I married her on a whim because I was meant to.

“I’m not really into chasing things that don’t wanna be caught.”

She slurps her tea. “Who said she doesn’t wanna be caught? Did she?”

“Her actions spoke louder than her words.”

“You know, I’ve seen you do a lot of fighting in your days.” She pauses as if she’s trying to be dramatic. “I’m not talking about just in the ring.”

I know what she means. Sometimes I feel as though I’ve been fighting for everything I’ve ever gotten my entire life.

“Say what you want and let’s just get on with this conversation,” I grumble.

“I love you, sweetie. You’re my little boy. But you’re as bullheaded as those bulls in the rodeo. Actually, you’re as stubborn as those stupid men who ride the bulls.”

“Gee, thanks, Mom.” Usually she’s much more complimentary of me.

“I know when your dad left us what that did to you.”

“I’d rather not talk about him right now. He has nothing to do with what’s happening.”

She scoffs. “Are you kidding me? He has everything to do with what’s going on. So she ran? I can’t imagine finding out that I married a stranger in Vegas. If she was sitting in bed with you right now, I’d probably be skeptical of her and her intentions with my baby boy.”

I didn’t imagine that my mom’s advice would actually make sense. Usually her advice is more along the lines of ‘listen to your gut, the universe is working for you, not against you, this crystal will bring you healing.’

“The fact that she’s not there with you now and that she thinks that becoming your wife might’ve been a bad decision says she might just be the girl for you.” Another slurp of her tea.

“Seriously? You think she’s the girl for me because she doesn’t want to be with me?” Maybe I was wrong. Maybe my mom has lost it.

“If the girl had stuck around, she would’ve been with you for the wrong reasons. I see those girls when I go to your fights. The ones who hang off you and try to use their bodies to sway you into doing their bidding. You need someone who’s going to challenge you.”

My mom is right. Something about talking with Nikki last night stirred something deep inside me. I have a vague memory of us talking on the balcony before too many drinks blur the rest of the night, but I do remember enjoying myself for the first time in a long time. And the fact that she never backed down about hating my profession, telling me how barbaric it was, was a total turn-on and shows she won’t cater to whatever I say.

“What do you expect me to do?” I ask my mom.

“Well, surely you know her name.”

Yeah, and the fact that she lives in Alaska. Who lives in Alaska besides moose and bear?

“Yeah, it’s Nikki Greene.”

“Nikki—I like it. And where is my daughter-in-law from?”

I lean back into the couch and push a hand through my hair. “A small town in Alaska.”

She laughs. “Alaska?”

“Yep.”

“I’ve never been to Alaska.” Here we go. She’s going to try to swindle me into bringing her if I decide to go up there.

“What do you expect me to do? Am I supposed to go up there and get on my knees and beg her to stay married to me?” Just the thought of me showing up in her town and having the press discover it, only to return home alone… just no. Who the hell wants their heartbroken face all over every media page?

“I don’t think that’s such a bad idea.”

“I’m Logan Stone. Why on Earth should I beg a practical stranger to be my wife?”

“So she should just bow down to you and say how lucky she is? Come back down to reality,