“They’d probably take less.”
Stella’s head snapped back. “I’m pretty sure you heard what I said. Let me remind you that the cash isn’t coming out of your pocket. I actually think we should get them on regular rotation.”
“Don’t think they’re from around here.”
“And you know this how?”
He didn’t, but he never heard of them before so that was a pretty good sign. Especially in a town the size of Manning Grove. “The shitty converted school bus they rolled up in.”
The prez’s ol’ lady frowned. “A converted school bus? Do you think they live in it? All of them?”
“Maybe. Saw it when they unloaded their equipment. Why else would they have something that big? Most local bands have a van. And the more popular ones have a box truck. Never seen one roll up in a fuckin’ bus like that. Unless it’s the Partridge Family.”
Her face twisted. “You watched that?”
He shrugged. “When you’re inside you don’t got a choice of what you get to watch.”
“I’m surprised that didn’t cause a riot.” Stella wrinkled her nose. “Do you think she’s living with those three guys in it? I could see the guys living like that. Most young guys don’t give a shit about much, but her?”
He shrugged. “Maybe she gets some kinda benefit outta it.”
“What kind of benefit? Men are pigs. The hell if I’m living in tight quarters with three of them.”
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Then good thing Trip ain’t messy and that house of yours is big. Especially if you end up with two boys.”
“Trip is anal as fuck. You know that.”
Dodge grinned. “That I do.”
“Unlike you.”
“Ain’t gonna argue that.”
Stella rolled her blue eyes. “Which reminds me, I have to get the exterminator to spray again.”
“Least it ain’t for crabs.”
Stella shot him a look. “Not yet.”
“Funny.”
“Won’t be when you catch them.” She turned back to watch the band and Dodge’s gaze dropped down to the boss-y lady’s belly.
The other night she had taken his hand and pressed it to where Trip’s kid was kicking the shit out of her. It freaked him the fuck out that she was baking a whole other person inside her right now.
A whole fucking human being that would one day be walking, talking and maybe even raising hell.
Not maybe. Would be. That was a guarantee if Trip got his way and had boys.
He wondered if they knew what they were having yet. They hadn’t said and he wasn’t asking.
Whatever it was in her belly they were stuck with. Trip wanted boys but the universe would have to agree with that want.
Stella grabbed a pint glass and filled it with ice and water. With one hand holding her belly like it would drop to the floor at any second, she drank almost half of it. When she finished, she wiped a hand across her mouth and sighed. “They’re almost as good as Dirty Deeds.”
“Yeah,” he murmured. “Almost.” Dirty Deeds played at Stella and Trip’s wedding when the Dirty Angels MC came up to celebrate with them. Nash was their lead singer and a long-time member of that club.
That band was recording-label worthy.
The Synners was damn close. She was good enough; he wasn’t so sure about some of her bandmates. With the right musicians backing her…
What the fuck did he fucking care whether she was good enough or not?
Fuckin’ motherfucker!
He ground his teeth together.
“All right, I now need to pee and get the hell out of here before Trip starts blowing up my phone. Make them the offer and text me once you know so I can get online and update the schedule.”
Dodge nodded but didn’t bother to say anything else. Instead, he watched Stella move out from behind the bar and head toward the rear of Crazy Pete’s where the bathrooms were.
He did notice she was starting to waddle. Reese did a lot of that toward the end, too. Along with complaining how uncomfortable she was. She finally popped out Deacon’s kid about three weeks ago.
For once, he could understand her complaints since she had gotten so big, Dodge thought an alien was going to burst from her belly.
Deke was now in Daddy euphoria. He took to becoming a father like a fish took to water. However, right now their boy could only lay there, cry, shit and suck on Reese’s rack. They’d see how much he enjoyed it once Dane got older.
And maybe even got an attitude like Crazy Daze, Judge and Cassie’s daughter.
After experiencing Daisy, Dodge decided he was perfectly fine not planting his seed anywhere.
Fuck that, he was good with shooting his swimmers into a wrap, throwing that shit in the garbage and waving goodbye.
Bye, kiddies.
The only way his seed would end up in any woman’s belly, was by way of her mouth.
His attention snapped back to the stage and those damn red lips with lyrics coming out of them.