Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Dezi is hot, Gracious,” Layna shot back, putting a little emphasis on the pet name. “But it’s more that, you know, he’s like a brother to all of us. They all are. Even that hottie ex-military Callow guy.”
“Okay, yeah, but also… Sutten,” Gracie said, fanning herself with her menu.
“Yeah, what’s the deal with him?” Hope asked. “He’s staying in the prospect room, but Finn was saying that he’s not talking like he plans to stay in Navesink Bank.”
“Best guess… they’re trying him out for a president of a new chapter,” Vi said, shrugging. “They did it with Huck and then Slash. And now there is a Golden Glades and Shady Valley chapter.”
“Why would they need a chapter in Texas?” Gracie asked. “What? I asked him where he was from! That’s a normal, polite thing to ask someone.”
“The word is lately that Golden Glades is working with a big, ah, contract now,” Layna said, choosing her words carefully since me being there meant it was mixed company. At least for the time being. Unless or until Dezi and I got serious. “And that they are going to try to use the Shady Valley crew to help them out filling orders.”
“And since it’s easy to get g… supplies in places like Texas…” Vi said.
“Exactly,” Layna said, nodding.
“I thought the new goal was for legitimacy. Hence this place,” Kit said, waving her fine-boned hand around at the diner.
“I mean, they’ll never be fully legit, though,” Hope said, shaking her head. “And the clubs just keep expanding and the men reproducing. Lots of mouths to feed.”
“This is really not appropriate brunch conversation,” Gracie concluded right about then.
“It’s okay,” I assured them. “Dezi isn’t my first one-percent biker. I get it. And I’m fine with it.”
“Really? It doesn’t bother you that they’re criminals?” Hope asked, pinning me with intense eyes that I swear could see right through me.
“No. I mean… I was raised with a mom who did sex work. And forced me to steal from her clients. I’m used to illegal shit.”
“That’s a good thing, I guess,” Vi said.
“So, since no one else is going to ask,” Layna said, leaning forward toward me. “What is with the fancy-ass manse you are living in?”
“Near,” I corrected. “I live in the guest house.”
“Which is nicer than Hope’s apartment,” Vi said, making Hope sigh.
“I’m never there! How would it become nice if I am never there to make it that way?”
“I haven’t had much time to decorate my place either,” Willa said, giving Hope an understanding smile.
“Yeah, but, like, your place came brand-new and all fancy as shit,” Vi said. “No one could tell you haven’t decorated it. Since Hope is being paid pennies to do her job…”
“Hey, at least it isn’t just an unpaid internship anymore,” Layna piped in.
“Don’t you hate it there?” Ria asked, looking across the table. “I feel like Billie said you hate it there.”
“I don’t like my coworkers, no,” Hope agreed, face going dark.
“See, what you need to understand about Hope is that she’s a stubborn ass,” Vi declared. “She somehow thinks that if she suffers enough, those assholes are going to have to show her a little respect.”
“Maybe I just like the work,” Hope suggested, shrugging.
“If you just liked the work, you would quit, and start working with my dad,” Ria pointed out, making Vi point emphatically at the woman, who must have made a really good point that I didn’t know any of them well enough to understand yet.
“Tig would never treat you like that,” Kit confirmed.
“Or Brock or Sawyer,” Ria agreed.
To that, Hope stayed silent.
But she was saved from more taunting from her friends by the server showing up to take our order.
The rest of the lunch went a lot like that. They’d get on some topic, then everyone would put in their two cents. There was a lot of humor and light-hearted jabs, but all of it was underlined with a lot of love.
“Sorry!” a voice said when we were just sitting around drinking coffee after our food.
And there at the end of the table was a super cute woman with curly hair, her skin suggesting maybe mixed race, and she was clutching a book to her chest.
“Let us guess,” Gracie said, giving the woman a soft smile. “The book had a sequel.”
“Was I supposed to come to lunch and not figure out if the mafia guy saved his house cleaner that he was starting to fall for from the clutches of his enemies?” the woman insisted, looking sick at the very thought.
“No, no, of course not,” Hope said, getting to her feet. “Take my seat. I have to get back to work,” she said. “Theo, this is Luna. Luna, Theo. And… you lost her,” Hope declared when Luna sat down and immediately opened her book again.
“Luna, when is that brother of yours going to come off tour and slum it with all of us?” Layna asked, tearing the woman out of her book and back to the present moment. She was clearly torn between what she wanted right then—to keep reading, or be a part of the group.