“No, she’s on shift in the E.R. today.”
Hoping her friend could answer the phone, Lisa called Lottie, and after a few rings, she picked up.
“Lottie, Ryan, I mean, Splice, has a pretty nasty gash on his hand, and he’s holding his skin together with tape. If he comes to the E.R. now, can you look at him? He needs stitches.” Her friend answered, and Lisa nodded. “Thanks, lady. Splice will bring you a big latte.”
Silence filled Scarlett’s theater as she put her phone away, with all three staring. The girls grinned knowingly, as if Lisa had broken the law.
But it was the way Ryan had his head lowered to his neck, staring at her with those hot, dazzling eyes, that made Lisa’s belly flip over.
“Lottie will stitch it up for you,” she croaked. “Head to the hospital now before it becomes infected. Stop to get her a coffee.”
“Bash will kill me for buying his wife a gift.” He told her. Then he added before she could reply. “What’s my incentive?” he said. Lisa blinked up at him.
“You stop your hand from falling off with gangrene.”
He smirked and tapped the edge of her nose. “Okay. Enjoy your girls’ meeting. Will talk to you later.” He turned on his boots and Lisa, God help her eyeballs, but she watched every long stride he took until he disappeared from the room, only giving her lungs respite as she exhaled.
She had to face her friends then, and she braced for the firing squad.
“What the hell was that?” Kelly was first.
“Oof. The way he tapped your nose, I thought I was about to combust on the spot.” Scarlett was fanning her face. “Are you guys...?”
“No,” Lisa insisted, instantly seeing their kiss in her mind, feeling his mouth owning hers.
“The flirty biker is chasing our Lisa,” announced Nina, strolling in and smiling.
“Must you broadcast it to everyone? Why don’t you just take out an ad in the local paper?” huffed Lisa.
“Am I wrong? He was at my house yesterday, pacing around my kitchen, just waiting for the time to pick up Lisa. It was so cute.”
“Splice?ThatSplice?” exclaimed Kelly, her eyes widened.
“Yep. He’s got it bad.”
Flushing across her pale skin, Lisa now knew what it felt like to be an ant under a microscope when questions fired her way.
“Before I get into that, I actually need your advice about something related, but first, I wanted to suggest an idea. Monroe and the baby are coming home tomorrow. I think we should make them a few meals, so they don’t have to worry about food. What do you think?”
The girls agreed that they’d each make a dish to drop at Monroe and Chains’ house tonight. Scarlett put it in the group chat for the other girls.
Settled in a wide chair, holding a coffee, Lisa broached the subject that had been on her mind for days.
“I need your opinion.”
She quickly gave Scarlett and Kelly the cliff notes on how she knew Ryan.
“Holy shit, so you’re his first love? I am blown away,” remarked Kelly.
“Look at our gorgeous cougar queen.” Scarlett flashed a cheeky grin. “Tell me, did you whisper sweet Italian words to Splice?”
Lisa guffawed, shaking her head. “Tease me later; I need advice.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“Um. Well. The reason I broke it off with him. I blamed it on the age difference but…”
“But you guys sounded like you were in love!” Kelly, a born romantic, protested.
