“So you're both moving into houses on this street? It's going to be so nice for Willow to have neighbors again. I know you're all on good terms with the Outlaw Sons now, but still, it's a big neighborhood for a woman to live alone.” Grace nurses her green tea while she looks around. Terry's coming to get her later, but we specified girls only. I still haven't told her all the details of being around the club, and absolutely nothing about the whole Tanner incident. Maybe I will eventually, but I'm still not putting her past staging an intervention if she hears too much about what's going on here. It's bad enough that I've been claimed as their old lady, which she's still struggling to wrap her head around, even though she was right there when it happened.
Paige smiles and rubs her belly that's now showing. “Yeah, it's going to be nice. The compound isn't a place for a newborn, and down here, my boys will be close to the club, but we also have our own space to live together and raise our little mini-biker.”
Jessica has already moved in next door. Her, Ghost, Tex and Riot. Making sure that my boys are always trying to outdo them in how well they treat me. Too much competitive instinct can be bad, but in this case, I'm perfectly willing to let them compete. She gets up to dig her toes into the soft lawn and walk a little, carrying her can of cola. “It's gotten so nice here. I can’t wait to plan my own garden. I'm glad you're our neighbor, Willow. Iknow, if anyone, you're the OG in the neighborhood, so I hope we're living up to our end, too. I have a black thumb instead of green, otherwise we could trade veggies.” Her laugh is a happy tinkle.
On a nice late summer day like this, it's hard not to be happy.
“Do you know the sex?” I ask Paige, pointing at her bump. She had an ultrasound earlier today.
“Nope. I asked them just to check that it's healthy, but not to tell me what it is. It drives Poe crazy, since he likes to keep things planned and in order.” She laughs, rich and full. “But he's going along with it. Savage and Crank think it's hilarious, so that's probably not helping, but we're leaving it to be a surprise.”
“He could've found out, even if they didn't tell the rest of you. Poe would never reveal something he was keeping a secret.”
“No, but he'd be making plans, and there would be signs as he got things ready. Gadgets being built. I don't think he'd be able not to. So we did what we did.”
The rest of the afternoon is spent just lazing in the heat, enjoying the soft breeze coming up from the river and chatting. Eventually, Terry comes to get Grace, with a promise for both of them to come over next time, and then our guys start showing up soon after, collecting Paige and Jessica, and leaving Skyhigh, Dragon and Blackout.
“Did you get Bonnie and Anne all moved in?” I let my eyes roam unashamedly across their muscular forms. Shirtless and sweaty is a very, very good look on my men, at least in my opinion.
“Yeah, they're all good. I think they'll be happy there. Definitely better for Anne now that she’s a fucking teenager. I think Bonniewould’ve had a heart attack if she started crushing on the prospects.” Skyhigh grins. “And the school bus is going to start stopping at this road again now that there's a kid here, so she can go to a local high school. I think they're gonna be happy.”
“Good. I'll have to invite them over. There's enough left for a couple more glasses of lemonade, if you guys want some. Wash the dust out of your mouths.”
“Nice.” Dragon sets a course for the kitchen, followed by Skyhigh.
Blackout hangs back though, waiting for them to go inside before he sits down next to me on the back steps.
I look at him curiously. “What's up?”
“I rode over to see my cousin’s house. At least we're pretty sure she is. Other side of town, pretty nice neighborhood, married with a couple kids. White picket fence, the whole fucking deal.” He smiles and shrugs. “Fucking weird.”
“That's amazing. How were they? Were they shocked?” I wish I could've come along, but if he felt he had to do it alone, then I can understand that too. It's a big deal.
He shakes his head. “They don't know. I never rang the doorbell. Thought about it, but I figured, why complicate things? They seemed happy, from what I saw across the street. But that was no biker neighborhood, you know? It made me happy just to see them, even if I only kinda belonged from the outside.”
“You okay with that?” I put a hand on his bare arm in support.
“Yeah. Honestly. I'll eventually want to contact them, find out what happened and where I come from, but even if they never saw me, I still got a little bit of closure. Crazy?”
I shake my head. “No. Not crazy. Just human. Do Skyhigh and Dragon know yet?”
“Yeah. I told them today. They think it's fucking wild, but they’re supportive. Just as you'd expect. Dunno why I held onto it for so long, but it just felt weird.”
Wrapping my arms around him as far as they go, I hug him close. “I'm glad you're figuring it out. And as long as you're happy, I'm happy. We know who you are, and we love you for it.”
“Fuck, now I’m getting you all sweaty.”
“I don't care.” I really don't. My shirt was getting pretty damp from the heat anyway.
“I think you definitely should go take a shower. I'll help.” He starts nudging me towards the house, not being subtle whatsoever.
“One track mind,” I say in my most exasperated tone and try to look all serious, right up until I see his mock sad face and crack up, unable to hold it any longer. “Go inside. You take a shower if you need it. I was going to try to do some outlining, and if you're set on… distracting me, I won't get any more work done today.” I swat him on his hard ass. “Shower with Skyhigh and Dragon if you're so horny.”
“Unfortunately, they just don't fill my lonely void the way you do.”
“Is this you asking to be pegged?”
His eyes widen. “How the fuck do you even know what—you know what, forget it. We've raised a fucking monster.”
I laugh as he stomps upstairs, then once he's safely in the bathroom and I hear the shower running, I follow him up and go to my desk to do some work.
A romance writer's job is never done, no matter how many well-hung bikers she's got living in her house.
