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“Yeah, sure. That’s no problem,” she replied, unable to keep from grinning back at him. “Ernesto is packing up some left-over soup for you. Make sure you grab it before we head out of here.”
“Thanks, babe.” After tapping his knuckles on the door frame, he winked and left.
Well, that’d keep her there an extra fifteen minutes, but to help the club, she didn’t mind hanging around a little longer. Not like she had any plans beyond going back to Holly’s where she got to watch the happy couple ooze sweetness all over each other.
Ugh. She’d officially hit pathetic. The night before she’d laid awake staring at the ceiling of Holly’s guest room for hours, reliving every moment since the night she confessed her most painful secrets to the two men she’d fallen in love with. After hours of obsessing, once the initial sting—okay stab—of Gumby and Screw’s rejection wore off, she saw the scenario with a bit more clarity.
Gumby had panicked, which set off Screw’s anxiety, which caused them both to run. She understood, even empathized with them, but now, more than twenty-four hours later, neither had sought her out. So maybe it really was over. Maybe they’d used the time apart to realize a three-person relationship wasn’t what they wanted while she came to the firm conclusion it most certainly was what she wanted. Or maybe they just plain didn’t feel the same way about her as she did them.
The one good thing was that she hadn’t humiliated herself by professing her love to two men who didn’t want her.
With a heavy sigh and an even weightier heart, Jazz dragged herself from her office. After forcing more smiles and chit-chat, she helped clean up then waved the last of Toni’s employees off.
“See you tomorrow, Jazz,” Ernesto said as he walked toward the rear exit. “You sure you don’t want me to stick around until you guys leave?”
“Nah, get on home. I’m sure you have a date to get ready for tonight. Besides, Thunder is out there in full bodyguard mode. I’m good.”
“All right.” As he walked by, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “See you in the a.m.”
“Enjoy the rest of your day.”
A wave of his hand and he was off.
Jazz made her way back out to the dining area in time to catch Thunder walking in.
“You almost ready to go, Jazzy Jazz?” He was so good looking. And the guy could mooove. A few weeks ago, he’d given them all an impromptu twerking lesson that still made Jazz laugh to recall. “Viper will be here in a few, then we can bust outta here.”
“Sounds good,” he said as he slipped onto a stool at the counter.
“You hungry?”
“Nah, Jazzy, I’m good. Shell brought me some food on her way out earlier. Besides, I’ll grab that soup to eat later.”
Oh, right. Shit, how had she forgotten that already? “Sorry, my brain is a little fuzzy today. Slept like shit last night.”
With a nod of that handsome head he said, “Finding a buttload of heavy artillery in your yard will do that to you.”
“Huh? Oh, yeah.” Ha, she’d nearly forgotten all about that.
Losing two men would do it even more.
Thunder cocked his head. “Somehow, I don’t think it’s the guns that had you flipping off the sandman last night. Hard enough trying to make it work with one person. Can’t imagine with two. And two bikers? Shit, girl, you don’t do things the easy way, do you?”
Her jaw dropped as she blinked at him. “Wha—how?”
He winked. “I’m that good, baby. I’m that good.”
As she was about to put him in his place, the bell over the door rang and in walked Viper.
“Hey, V!” Thunder said as he got up to greet his former vice president. “How’s Cassie?”
“She’s well.” Viper practically beamed. “Really well.”
“Fuck, that’s good to hear. Give her my love, okay?” That was Thunder. Charming as fuck, and truly a nice guy.
“I got those tools loaded in the back of your truck.” Viper said as he opened his arms to Jazz. “Copper will grab them from you at the clubhouse.”
“Got it, man.”
Jazz scurried around the counter into Viper’s wide embrace.
“Hey, kiddo,” he said into the top of her head. “You smell like cinnamon.”
She laughed. “No surprise there. I think it’s permanently embedded into my skin.” She drew back looking at the smile on his face. A smile that had been absent since his wife was diagnosed with cancer, but seemed to be back now that the prognosis was extremely positive. “Thunder, let me grab your food from the walk-in.”
“You guys hang there. I’ll grab it,” Thunder said as he jogged into the kitchen. He’d been guarding her so much lately she and Toni gave him free rein of the place.
“So, how are you holding up after yesterday?” Viper asked, as he gave her a very stern, fatherly stare.
