“Ask Stevie to bring us chocolate. She’s brushing Death to Missouri.”
Skylar and Lyric walked over to Cher’s pink-haired younger sister. Stevie sat in the grass, brushing the outdoor mutt who lived at the Sorority House.
“Why is the dog named that?” I asked while the girls stroked Death to Missouri.
“Because Missouri is where Boone was locked up.”
Hearing the handsome biker’s name left me swooning. I could barely get through a day without finding myself lost in thought over his muscled body and beautiful face. He was like every sexy man from my romance novels wrapped into one perfect package.
Normally, I wasn’t easily swayed by attractive men. Many of Dan’s friends in the Black Rainbow were handsome. I never lost my cool with Zodiac’s icy good looks or York’s rugged masculinity or Ojai’s pretty boy splendor.
I was as indifferent to the Crimson Guard men. Lula’s little brother Rowdy was very sexy and charming, but I viewed him as a big kid. The club’s VP, Rock, was striking with his hypnotic green eyes against tawny skin. I knew they were impressive, but I never swooned as I did for Boone.
I couldn’t even think of the sexy biker without a silly little heat swirling around my belly.
“Chocolate, huh? Don’t you already have lollipops?” Stevie asked, snapping me out of my lovesick stupor. The girls patiently explained how they were grumpy and needed more sugar. “Well, I can’t argue with such logic. Is your mom cool with me hopping you up with the good stuff?”
My girls looked up at me, and I shrugged. “A little candy won’t hurt.”
Those old voices from my stepfamily reminded me how I was indulging my girls when I should be teaching them self-control.
Skylar and Lyric were close in age, like Cher and Stevie. Several of my stepsisters were also close in age. I’d prefer my babies grow up to be like these wild biker girls than to turn out like those bitter pills.
“Were you wild as kids?” I asked Stevie after she brought several Snickers Mini bars for Cher and the girls.
“I don’t know. We were definitely loud, but I never felt particularly wild. I followed the rules, but our parents didn’t have a lot of them.”
“When did you start coloring your hair?”
“When we were teenagers,” Cher mumbled while chewing, “our mom was always dyeing her hair different colors.”
I ran my fingers through my long brown hair and wondered if I could pull off a quirky color.
After swallowing, Stevie told me, “Rumor has it you’re looking to get a tattoo.”
“Me too!” Lyric cried with her mouth full. “I got one here.”
Stevie examined Lyric’s thigh, where Skylar had drawn a flower. “Very cool, baby fox. You’re going to ride with my club one day, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Lyric said and nodded. “I’m a fox.”
I grinned at my daughter’s certainty. As a kid, I had wanted to play sports and run around as the boys did. Once I moved to my grandparents’ place and Laverne married her first strict husband, I was expected to wear dresses and enjoy cleaning.
As Stevie mimicked my smile, she asked me, “What about you?”
“I have a tattoo idea,” I said and showed her the picture I found online. “Hearts with each girl’s name and birthday.”
“That’s sexy,” Stevie said and rubbed my forearm where I wanted the tattoo. “Haley is a great artist. She did most of my tats. When you’re ready, I’ll come with you to pop your tat cherry.”
“Ooh, me, too,” Cher cooed from under her blankets.
“Me too,” Lyric said, and Skylar nodded.
“Do you think there’s time to do it before the wedding?” I asked while Stevie brought chalk outside for the girls to draw on the pathway.
“Sure. Something like that won’t take Haley long at all.”
I ran my fingers over my forearm and admitted, “I’m scared.”
