Page 86 of Bone’s Choice

I headed toward the bar and a couple guys looked over when they noticed my cut.

One nodded.

I nodded back, then I took the stool at the far end, away from everyone else.

CL spotted me. He finished pouring a drink and walked over. “Bone.”

“CL.”

“What’re you drinking?”

“Usual.”

He nodded. Didn’t ask what I was doing there alone on a Tuesday night. Another reason I liked him.

He went for the cooler, and I rested my forearms on the bar and looked toward the swinging door leading into the back.

The door swung open and Hazel walked through.

There she was.

Black shorts. Bing’s shirt. Hair pulled up tonight with pieces falling loose around her face. She had a plastic tub filled with clean glasses balanced against her hip.

Her eyes were down as she pushed through the door and then she looked up.

Surprise flashed across her face, but I could tell she was glad to see me.

Fuck.

She handed the tub to CL. “Can you—” Her eyes came back to me.

CL took it. “I got it.”

She headed straight to me. That shouldn’t have pleased me as much as it did, but it fucking did. She stopped on the other side of the bar. “Well.”

I leaned back slightly. “Well?”

Her eyes moved past me. She looked toward the pool tables, then the front door, then around the rest of the bar.

“What’re you looking for?”

“The invasion.”

I almost smiled. “What invasion?”

“Your motorcycle army.”

“Not here.”

She looked behind me again. “None of them?”

“Just me.”

Her gaze settled on mine.

“Disappointed?” I asked.

Hazel rested both hands on the bar. “I’m sure Crystal will be.”