“I didn’t. She babbled about girl stuff, and I nodded. No, wait, I might have grunted positively a few times. Nova will no doubt want more words from me,” I said and then shrugged. “Or maybe not. I don’t really know her.”
“But you like her.”
“She’s gorgeous. My interest is shallow shit, but I can’t get her out of my head.”
Clint grinned wider. “Exile barely knew Lula, and he showed up here like a stalker. Sometimes, your gut just knows these things.”
“So normal texting and dating, huh?” I said and nodded. “I’m a pretty normal guy, right?”
“Sure.”
Before I could embrace the normal route, Vanessa strolled out of the house and smiled at me. “I got you a date. In two days, you’ll pick up Nova at six for a movie and modest dinner at a mid-priced restaurant.”
“Wait, is this you fucking around, or did Nova agree?”
“She was hiding in the bathroom when Ivy and I shook some sense into her. Now, obviously, you’ll need to pick her up in a vehicle other than your motorcycle.”
“Did you bully her?” I asked Vanessa.
“I lovingly demanded she make herself happy. You’re welcome. Maybe take her to Bubba’s Ribs. They have yummy rolls. If I were going to date a biker, I’d want him to take me there.”
Vanessa walked away while I frowned at Clint. “Your woman ruined my chance to be normal.”
“You and I both know Vanessa was the driving force behind that plan.”
“Fine, your cousin ruined my chance to be normal.”
Clint shrugged and patted my shoulder. “You can still be normal. Pick her up in your truck. Go to a popular movie. Eat at a mid-priced restaurant.”
“And what are we supposed to talk about?”
“Ask her questions. Aren’t you interested in her life?”
“Sure, but if I ask too many kid-related questions, I might come off as a perv.”
“Ask open-ended questions like, ‘How is Skylar enjoying school?’ Then, nod while she answers. You are perfectly capable of having a normal conversation with a woman.”
“We’ll see,” I muttered.
While Clint went inside Lula’s house to find Ivy, I rode away from the drama I stirred up by taking Nova’s bait. Despite getting what I wanted, I realized I had a date with a woman who was too afraid to talk to me.
NOVA
Every time I attempted to leave the bathroom, I would hear voices talking about me. Like a scared turtle, I retreated into my shell. At one point, I nearly fell off the toilet when someone knocked on the door. I checked my appearance, assuming Boone had grown impatient.
Instead, I found two blondes. Ivy offered me a warm smile. Vanessa just looked confused.
Ivy asked, “Are you okay?”
“Why are you hiding from Boone?” Vanessa asked while pushing her way past me so she could brush her hair in front of the mirror. “He’s a great guy. Super submissive. I once used him as a pillow. He wanted to get up, but I forced him to stay put until I had finished watching the movie.”
I frowned at the thought of Vanessa touching Boone. Jealousy was dumb, but I didn’t want to imagine him with any woman, let alone such an attractive one.
Vanessa’s pale blue eyes flashed to me once she finished brushing her hair. “And I haven’t even spread for him. Can you imagine how submissive he’ll be with you once you put out? So, why not go out with him?”
I looked to Ivy for help. Though she was petite and sweet, she was learning to hold her own with these tougher people. Right now, she frowned at Vanessa.
“We shouldn’t pressure her.”
