Did he want whatever they currently shared for the past couple of weeks to continue? He hadn’t come right out and said that, either.
He didn’t seem the type to be looking to settle down, which was why she said to him what she did.
Maybe he wouldn’t admit it but he did have a fear of losing his freedom. Of becoming a stone stuck in a crevice and could no longer roll out of town at any moment.
In contrast, he hadn’t left her alone since the day after her class reunion. He was always by her side when she went to deal with any of the club members. They ate every meal together. For the most part, they woke up together and fell asleep together. They even showered together most days.
She swore she spent more time with him in the last two weeks than she had with Darren in the last six months of their marriage.
Or maybe even that last year.
As soon as her husband had become scarce… working late, numerous company dinners, golfing with his boss every Sunday—using any and every excuse under the sun—she knew something was up.
It didn’t take long to figure out where Darren was supposed to be wasn’t where her husband actually was. Especially that day in the marriage counselor’s office. That had been the final straw for her.
When she confronted him about if he was having an affair, he didn’t even bother to deny it.
He also didn’t bother to fight for them.
A sure sign that counseling would never have done any good since both parties needed to want to work on their relationship.
Now that she thought about it, Darren leaving might have been the best thing to happen.
If he hadn’t, she never would’ve pushed herself to come to her class reunion.
She never would’ve met a biker named Ozzy.
She would’ve missed out on these last two weeks. Time she’d never forget.
She also wouldn’t be hanging out with an MC.
And, with the heat from the end of August day slowly dissipating as the sun dipped lower in the sky, she wouldn’t be sitting under a pavilion after a long motorcycle ride with that MC, drinking wine with a whole bunch of super friendly women who had been nothing but welcoming and warm to her.
They made her feel like one of their own right from the get-go.
She was slowly learning everyone’s names. She had already met Jet and also dealt with Reilly, Cassie and Stella. But before the run she had been introduced to the rest of the ol’ ladies: Jemma, “Red,” Chelle and Reese.
After the run, once one of the ladies carried out two boxes of wine, they all broke away from the guys to drink under the pavilion and socialize. That was where she met Saylor, Rev’s younger sister and Cassie and Judge’s house mouse, who helped care for their daughter, Daisy. Moments later, Tessa had wandered over, pushing a stroller with a baby that had to be at least a year old.
The little one was so cute, but Shay almost choked on her wine when she read Dyna’s little T-shirt.
Silly Baby,
Boobies Are
For Grandpa
Once she recovered, she realized Dyna had been the abandoned baby Ozzy had mentioned. Her father was Cage and her “mother” was Jemma. Tessa, Shay was told, was Trip’s younger sister and also a house mouse like Saylor.
“So tell me, does everyone who has kids automatically get a house mouse?” She had no idea how any of that worked. It was like an MC had their own culture. She found it fascinating.
Stella snorted softly and shook her head. “Only if we want one and can find someone willing to do it.”
“And someone we can trust,” Cassie added. “We lucked out with Saylor because she’s Rev’s sister and needed a place to land. The timing was perfect and so is she.” She shot a big, genuine smile over at the house mouse who shrugged. “Daisy loves her and Saylor has a lot of patience with her, which,” she leaned forward and said as if it was a secret, “is needed with my hell-on-wheels daughter.”
“Where is Daisy?” Reese asked, glancing around for the little girl.
“Spending the weekend with my sister and her husband,” Cassie answered.
“I only came over here to grab Saylor and tell you we’re taking off for the rest of the day,” Tessa announced.
“‘Taking off’ as in going somewhere?” Cassie asked with a frown.
Saylor nodded. “We’re headed to the mall.”
“Is Maddie going with you?” Chelle asked, her forehead wrinkled with what looked like concern.
Tessa nodded. “And Josie, too.”
“Just the mall?” Jemma asked.
Tessa shrugged. “The mall first, then we’ll grab dinner and maybe go to Crazy Pete’s later.”
Stella made a sharp noise at the back of her throat. “You know I don’t like you girls going there when me, Dodge or Trip aren’t there.”
“We’ll be fine,” Saylor said with a roll of her eyes.