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That had Izzy laughing a genuine laugh that felt good emotionally but terrible physically. “Ow, girl, don’t make me laugh.” Leave it to this group of women to get her out of the funk she’d been in since she woke up. “And if he gave it to you that good, getting my ass beat might just have been worth it.”
With a snort, Toni took the stool next to her. “Please, he does not need an excuse to curl my toes.” Then she sobered. “Seriously, though, you okay?”
With a nod, Izzy wrapped her hands around the warm coffee mug and inhaled the heaven-sent aroma. “I’m all right. Sore as fuck, but it’s all just bruising. And this raspy voice. No permanent damage done.”
“All right then,” Shell said. “I’m gonna go ahead and guess you don’t want us to harp on it, so we’ll just trust you know you can ask us for help with anything anytime. Now that we know you’re okay, we’ll drop it, yes?”
Fuck yes. These women rocked. “That’s perfect.”
“’Kay, let me have Ernesto make you a cinnamon roll waffle. I’ll be right back,” Shell said as she dropped the bowl of cream and sugar packets in front of Izzy.
“No, I’ll have—”
“Nu-uh.” Toni shook her head and pointed a slightly scary finger in Izzy’s face. “No egg white nonsense today. Fat, sugar, and calories for you, missy. And I better not hear you went to the gym. In fact, I told Zach not to let you in the door.”
What the hell? “I was just gonna go later for a little while. Do a slow jog for a few miles. It’s getting too cold to run outside.”
Jazz emerged from the kitchen, and Toni waved her over to the group before she spoke to Izzy. “Sorry, girl, not happening. You hear me? I’ll tell Jig on you. Let him spank your ass.”
“What?” Her sex clenched at Toni’s words. She’d never had a flicker of interest in a man’s palm cracking across her ass, but the thought of Jig’s large hand landing there with force had her blood heating. Shit, maybe the pharmacist mixed some mind-altering drugs in with the Percocet. “Jesus, Toni. That is not something that will happen. Ever. Ever, ever.”
“Wow,” Jazz said as she slid onto the stool on the other side of Izzy. “Someone’s protesting a little much, isn’t she?” With a wink, she reached over the counter and grabbed herself a coffee mug. As Shell came back out, Jazz held up her cup. She smiled as the dark liquid flowed into it. “Is it bad that this is my third cup of the day already?”
“Nope,” Izzy said. “It’s not bad. What’s bad is you bitches thinking something is going on with Jig and me.”
“Well,” Toni said. “The man has looked over here about every thirty seconds since you walked in the place. If nothing’s going on, what’s that all about? Hmm?” Her smug eyebrow raise had Izzy laughing.
“It’s probably about him having to cart my busted ass home last night. Hello? You’re with one of those guys. I can’t imagine you missed how overprotective they are.”
“Only of people they care about,” Shell fired back. “Ha! Gotcha there.”
Blowing a raspberry, Izzy rolled her eyes. “Just go check on my waffle, wench.”
They all laughed together, and Izzy realized she was feeling pretty damn good. She liked these women, really liked them. It would be hard to keep them at arm’s length, but something she’d have to work on. Because clearly, they were pulling her into the fold. That was okay. She could keep herself hard so when it eventually petered out, she wouldn’t end up filleted once again.
“There a reason you all invited me here? A reason beyond torturing me?”
“Yes!” Shell bounced on the balls of her feet, her blond curls springing around her radiant face. “Copper’s fortieth birthday is in three months, and I want it to be epic, so I want to start planning now.”
“Oh, yes!” Toni said, slapping her palms on the countertop. “Let’s do it.”
With a frown, Izzy said. “What did you need me for?”
“I’ll refrain from smacking the injured woman, but are you stupid? You’re one of us now. So you get to help.” Shell smiled.
“You could just get a bunch of skanky strippers and call it a day,” Jazz said on a giggle.
“I don’t think so.” Shell swatted her with her order pad. Then she shrugged. “They’ll probably do that after, but we’re throwing a party we can all attend first.”
Izzy studied the other woman, so excited over planning a party for a man who wasn’t hers and who’d never be hers if chatter was true.
“What?” Shell asked. “You’re looking at me funny.”
Busted. “Oh, sorry, just thinking.” She sipped her coffee and shifted her focus to a table of teenagers across the diner.
“I don’t think so. You got something to say, say it.”
