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“You don’t remember her?” Vada asked.
“I do,” Grain blurted, taking a slow drag from his cigarette. He pointed to the picture and smirked. “Damn good club whore.”
Oh fuck, Grain. That was definitely not on the list of things to say in front of your old lady.
Hades shifted his gaze to Regina. She slowly angled her head, glaring at her man. The only one oblivious to Grain’s major faux pas was Grain.
It took the silence and rising tension of a solid ten seconds for Grain to finally see his mistake. He turned to Regina. “Before you.”
Her stare hardened. Just shut the fuck up, Grain.
“I heard.” Grain shrugged. “Oh, for Christ’s sake, I was never with her. Just remembering her being a sweet girl.”
That excuse may have been reasonable for any other old lady, but not Regina. It was going to be a long ride home for Grain. As much as he felt for his brother, Hades couldn’t help being amused.
Grain slammed his hand on the bar. “This is the thanks I fucking get for doing Vada a favor?”
A favor for Vada?
Vada jumped up from her stool, knocking into him. Hades braced his hands on her hips to steady her. She smiled. A little too bright and obviously forced.
“We should go now.” She gripped his forearms. “And have sex.”
Oh, something was definitely up and suspect. While Vada had become much more open with sex, she didn’t talk about it like some of the other old ladies. He wasn’t the only one to notice her behavior. All the others seemed just as caught off guard as him.
The corner of his mouth curled, and he leaned closer, brushing his lips against her ear. “What the hell are you hiding, baby?”
She shook her head and whispered, “Nothing.”
Liar. But he wouldn’t push. If she was putting this much stress and effort into keeping it concealed, it must be important to her. Hades straightened, grabbed her hand, and started across the room. He looked at the brothers and lifted his chin, noticing they all returned the gesture with smirks.
They knew.
Chapter Two
“Please leave a message at the tone.” Beep.
Vada drew in a breath, grasping the phone in a tight hold. She stared off into the backyard through the kitchen window, contemplating. Should I even bother? This marked the third phone call she’d made to her mother in the last week. She’d left messages, but none were returned. It wasn’t completely out of the ordinary for her mother to take a day or two to get back to her. But a whole week? They’d made huge strides in their relationship over the past year. She wasn’t quite sure what had been the catalyst for her mother’s semi-change of heart, but she wouldn’t question it. This was what Vada wanted. A semblance of a mother-daughter relationship.
Since leaving her dad’s company, residing in Ghosttown, and most importantly, being with Hades, her relationships with her father and siblings had been non-existent. They’d cut her off completely and, by all accounts, banished her from the family. Except her mother, who still took her calls and, in the last year, had started to phone Vada on her own. It was a strange turn of events, especially with the conversation. She’d come around to Vada building a life in Ghosttown and, every once in a while, inquired about the small town. As well as accepting that Vada would never be a corporate shark. The first time her mother asked about her teaching, Vada nearly choked on her coffee. Her mother also asked about Allie. Vada usually went on a long-winded tangent when it came to talking about her. And her mother just listened. She never mentioned Hades, but when Vada brought him up in the conversation, her mother didn’t shut her down or change the subject. They’d evolved. Not a lot, not even close to what her friends had with their moms. But it was something. A work in progress.
Even with her newfound relationship, there was a certain subject her mother avoided, like the plague. Vada was pretty sure it was the reason behind her most recent delayed response. Given the timing, it was easy to piece together.
It was only three weeks ’til the wedding.
Vada was still waiting for an answer. Her mother wasn’t outright rude in avoiding the subject of her wedding, but she wasn’t stealthy. The few times Vada had pushed and talked about her wedding, she was always met with uncertainty about whether her mother would be able to attend. But Vada had never gotten a definitive no. That’s what led to the two date changes for the wedding. It seemed ridiculous and absurd to everyone around her, but Vada had something a lot of people would’ve abandoned years ago.
Hope. A sliver of hope deeply embedded in her heart. No matter what she did or what others thought and vocalized, it stayed with her. Vada couldn’t explain it in words. It was a small yet, powerful feeling. I just want my mom at my wedding.
“Hi, Mom, it’s Vada. I’m not sure if you’ve gotten my messages. I know you’re busy, and I don’t want to take up too much of your time. But can you call me back, please?” Her voice cracked on the last word. She cleared her throat. “I’d appreciate it. Bye, Mom.”
Vada ended the call and rested her shoulder on the kitchen wall. She was three weeks away from what would be one of the best days of her life. After a few years with Hades and Allie, they’d officially become a family. It seemed odd to think of it that way. One day and a document didn’t constitute a family. They’d solidified theirs long ago. Still, it was a day she’d thought about since she was little.
Not every girl dreamed of getting married and starting a family. For some, it was old-school thinking. For Vada, it’d always been her life plan. She got a speedy two-for-one in the family department with Allie. She never would’ve predicted falling in love with an ex-con who rode a motorcycle and belonged to a club. Vada smiled, glancing down at the floor. It wasn’t what she’d envisioned. And it was better than anything she could’ve dreamed.
“Vada?”
Vada looked over at the doorway and started through the kitchen to the living room. Allie was standing in the front window, angling her neck for a better view down the street. Vada covered her mouth, concealing her smile, and battening down her chuckle. There was something contagious about the excitement of a seven-year-old. It was pure and genuine.
