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He shrugs and grunts. He never really says much to me. Just drives me to and from the clubhouse. I’m okay with it. I get enough noise during the day at work with all the children. I don’t need a chatty roommate.
“Are you taking me to the clubhouse today?” I ask, my voice small. Viper blinks in surprise, frowning as he uncrosses his arms.
“You’re okay to go to work?”
“Well, yeah.” I shrug, twisting my hands together in front of my stomach. “I still need rent money.”
“I’m not charging you rent.”
My cheeks heat. “Oh. I can pay.”
“Not an issue, Peaches. Don’t push it.”
O…kay. I drop the subject, turning to the fridge. “I need money for my share of the expenses.” A peek over my shoulder tells me he’s still frowning. “Like vegetables.”
His fridge is very…bachelor pad. There are old takeout containers, beer, some meat, and things. There isn’t a single vegetable. I’m not vegan or anything, but I could eat, like, a carrot.
He nods. “Be ready to go in twenty minutes.”
I watch as he strides out of the kitchen, disappearing toward the bedrooms and the bathroom while I make myself some toast.
I’m ready beside the front door in exactly twenty minutes. Viper checks the time on his phone and smirks, ushering me out the front door. His motorcycle is parked in the garage. He drives it out, closing the garage door and fetching the helmet from the saddle bag.
Setting it on my head, he fixes the clip under my chin. I stand still, watching his face. Maybe I should dislike that he does it for me like I’m a child, but I like the feeling of being looked after. I have looked after Mama for so long. It feels like a million years since someone looked after me.
The ride to the clubhouse is faster from his house than mine. I wonder how far out of the way he was driving to pick me up and drop me off. I move to undo the clasp under my chin when Viper sweeps my hands away, unclipping it and lifting the helmet off my head. That’s new. Again, it makes me feel a tiny bit cared for, so I let it happen.
Stowing the helmet in his saddle bag, he straightens, placing a hand on the small of my back as he guides me inside. It’s early, so there are no groupies here. From what Shelley has said, they seem to congregate after I leave.
Shelley looks up with a smile as I walk into the room. Her eyes dart over my shoulder to Viper, and I turn to him with a smile.
“Thanks. For everything.”
He nods, his eyes searching mine. “I’ll see you tonight, Peaches.”
He melts away as Shelley stands beside me, bumping my hip with hers.
“How are you doing?”
I glance over at her concerned face and sigh. “I’m okay. It’s just a house. Right?”
I don’t sound convincing, but Shelley nods, crossing to continue to set up the play zones.
“Right. It’s just a house. How was Viper’s last night?”
“Okay. I’m in a kind of…femaleroom.”
“What’s a female room like?”
“I don’t know. There are plant prints on the walls and pale green curtains.”
“Merch has never said anything about Viper having a sister or anything. Maybe it’s what it was like when he moved in.”
“Yeah. Maybe.”
I don’t think so. It had a lived-in feel. It was very cozy. His whole house feels cozy except for the fridge. I need to go to the grocery store.
“Wren said the Hawks are happy to pay you extra if you need it to make rent,” Shelley continues, kneeling on the carpet and building a wooden railway track.
