Kenna walked into the clubhouse. She spotted me and made her way over, pausing to let Merrick lean down and peck her on the cheek as she passed him.
“How’d the move go?” she asked, sliding onto the stool next to mine.
“Good,” I said. “Elena’s settled. We’ll still see them around, I’m sure.”
Kenna nodded, fingers drumming lightly against the bar. “She’s lucky you were her doctor. Not everyone gets that kind of fresh start. How many women in this town are out there right now with nowhere to go?”
Leah slid my delicious concoction across the bar with a murderous glare and pushed a margarita on the rocks to Kenna.
I sipped the drink and tried not to moan in pleasure before returning to the conversation. “Too many. And it’s not just about getting them out. It’s about giving them something after. Making sure they have stability and the confidence to make it on their own.”
Kenna’s eyes lit up. “What if there was a place for that? Somewhere to help women rebuild. We already do self-defense classes. What if we expanded into something more official? A place where women getting back on their feet could go for help?”
“Like a community center?”
“A women’s center,” Kenna clarified.
“With a clinic,” I added. “Somewhere they can see a doctor or therapist without worrying about cost or judgment.”
Kenna nodded, thoughtful. “I’ve got some money—a trust fund. It could cover startup costs. And I know how to write grant proposals.”
“You serious?” I asked, leaning in. “Because, if you are, I’m in.”
“Dead serious,” she said with a grin.
“What are you two plotting?” Eva’s voice cut in as she and Rhetta approached, drinks in hand.
“A revolution.”
Kenna turned to them. “We’re talking about a center for women. A place where they can get resources and help that they won’t find at the shelter. A place for women like Elena.”
Eva’s brows lifted. “That’s genius. I know of a good construction company that can help build it.”
I laughed. “Will you be paying in sexual favors?”
“Of course I will,” Eva said with a laugh.
Rhetta grinned. “If you’re serious, I can get Thane to approve a run to raise some money.”
Kenna raised her glass. “Then it’s settled. We’re doing this.”
Eva pulled a notepad from her back pocket—I swear the woman always had it on her—and began to scribble a plan. The ice in our drinks clinked together as our idea began to shape into something that could change lives. We were still deep in conversation when Maisie stepped out of the clubhouse kitchen, carrying a cake filled with candles.
“Who’s that for?”
Rhetta raised a brow. “You forgot Hatchet’s birthday?”
“I guess so. He didn’t mention it when we were hanging out last week, and he’s been so busy with Jessa that we’ve barely talked since she moved in.”
Eva raised a brow. “You guys hung out last week?”
I leveled a look at her. “We’re friends. We share a dog. We hang out sometimes without you guys.”
Kenna bit her lip, and her eyes flicked to mine. “Is there something going on between you two? It’s OK if there is. I just need to be prepared for the fallout. Merrick would lose his shit.”
“We’re just friends,” I promised.
Kenna, Eva, and Rhetta were still talking at the bar when a high-pitched giggle from across the room caught my attention. Hatchet stood near the pool table, one arm braced on the wall, grinning down at some woman I didn’t recognize. She leaned in too close, her hand landing on his chest.
