When we got to The Mercantile, Bernice, another club brother’s sister, was the one to take our order.
We’d gotten our number and were chit-chatting with Bernice when another club brother walked into the room.
“Hux,” I said, offering him my hand.
His tattooed one took mine, and he said, “Gentry. Went to the hospital today and heard some interesting news.”
I sighed. “Oh, yeah?”
“Heard you’re married.”
I rolled my eyes. “Let me guess, one of the shitty nurses that you like to pretend you aren’t dating but really do?”
There was a screech as a mixer was shoved a little too hard across the countertop.
Bernice winced. “Sorry.”
My brows rose as I looked from Bernice to Hux and back.
Hux was blissfully unaware of the issue and kept talking. “It’s just a no-strings-attached thing. We’re both really happy keeping it casual.”
Bernice started to scrub extra-hard on the countertop where she’d just moved the mixer over.
I watched as the muscles in her arm worked before she yanked the mixer back into place.
Hux frowned as he looked at where my eyes were aimed.
“What?” I asked.
Hux shook his head. “Nothing.”
It was not nothing.
Bernice liked Hux, and she was trying not to let her jealousy show.
I inwardly grinned and kept talking. “How’s the meat packing business?”
“Overwhelming,” he admitted. “I need more help. I’m slowly working my life away.”
I grinned. “Welcome to the big league, boyo.”
A worker from the kitchen said, “Order up!” and Bernice walked stiffly toward the window where she grabbed Black’s and my food.
She gave it to us with a smile and then continued to ignore Hux.
Hux frowned at her.
Black headed toward a table, and I followed suit, taking a seat in the back corner where the Dixie Wardens had an unofficial assigned table.
Whenever one of us came in, we tended to take this particular seating area. The locals knew to steer clear. The ones that came in that weren’t local got told really quick that the seating was taken.
“What’s your take on the Bernice/ Hux situation?” Black asked as he took his seat and dug in.
I ate my own sandwich, thinking about what he asked before I admitted, “I think that the two of them would have to admit to themselves that there’s an attraction there. And seeing as Hux still thinks that Bernice has a thing for Odin, and Bernice thinks that Hux has a thing for anything that has a vagina…”
Black chuckled.
Black took his fourth bite of sandwich when his radio went off.
