“How have you been?” he asked.
“Good. Good. You?”
He lifted the gas. “We don’t even have a reason for this gas. We’ve got coal for barbeques, but they have me carrying it around anyway.”
She smiled. “You’re back in the good old prospect role. I got to head back to the diner.”
“Look, Teri, I know we’ve got our history and stuff, but is there any chance we can be friends?”
“I don’t know. Can we? Do you think people are going to look at us talking and think friends or lovers? People who fuck? The chance for friendship went out the window long ago. We can be civil to each other, but that is about it.” She moved around him.
“One day people will forget about that, Teri. It’s none of their business.”
In her experience so far, everyone had something to say about it.
****
James watched Teri go.
“What was that about?” Cora asked.
He nodded at Pixie. “Close the door.”
“Covert, I like it,” Pixie said, closing the door.
Skylar had come to him in private. He hadn’t known what to do about Teri. Cora was a closed book on the subject of Teri.
He liked the woman, always had. She was a down-to-earth person and like Damon had reminded him the other day, none of them were saints. They didn’t have the upper hand.
“Teri’s looking for other places of work,” he said. “She’s got an interview in the city. She may be looking to move on.”
“That’s bullshit,” Pixie said.
“Are you kidding me? Good riddance.”
James saw Pixie’s jaw clench. They all liked Cora, he loved her, and she was his woman, but this crap with Teri had gone along far enough.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I mean it, brother, you need to deal with her. Teri is one of us. She might not wear the patch, but she helped us out when we needed it, and look at what she has done to the place. The club thrived due to the profits she made. She was what allowed us to invest in the first place. Deal with it.”
Pixie left him alone with his wife.
“Wow, has like, Teri fucked every single man in this club? Is that it? You’re all addicted to her pussy.”
James slammed his palm flat on the table and stood up, shoving his chair back. He turned toward his wife and let her know he wasn’t happy.
“What the fuck, James?”
“What the fuck, James? Are you even hearing yourself?”
“I hear myself loud and clear.”
“Well, I’m hearing you, and so is everyone else, and guess what, they’re not liking what you’ve got to say. None of them are. You’re acting like Teri hurt you. She didn’t. She had nothing to do with you, and to be honest, I’m finding you attacking her unnecessary.”
“Are you serious now?”
“I’ve had that many complaints. People don’t want you around, Cora. Teri was here long before you, and yeah, they don’t like the way you’re treating her. Nothing has happened between Dane and Teri. Bear in mind, Teri didn’t even know he was married.”
“That’s no excuse.”
He held his hand up. “You know what I think? I think you’re pissed at Stacey. You’re hurting Teri because you can’t get back at your friend.”
“I’m not friends with her.”
“And you won’t have any friends here if you keep this up. Stacey let you down. I get it. She was a fucking bitch. You think I don’t know that? Teri is not Stacey, and Stacey is not Teri. Their problems are not yours. What you’re doing is driving Teri away. She’s not at the club, and the guys don’t want to be near you. Figure your shit out, Cora, or I’m going to have to exile my own wife from my club.”
Chapter Nine
“Do you have anything written down?” Richard asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Anything concrete that suggests he wanted nothing to do with your child?”
Damon held on to Teri’s shoulders. With his body pressed against her, he felt the tension mounting inside her, and all he wanted to do was take it away. Ever since Richard had entered the diner, complete with Chloe following behind him, things had been tense.
“I have text messages. That’s it. When I told him in person that I was pregnant, he told me to get out.”
“Can I see them?”
Anna nodded. She reached into her jean’s pocket, then scrolled through her phone before presenting Richard with what he asked for.
Damon stared at the man’s face, trying to get a read on him.
“This is good,” Richard said.
“It is?”
“Yes. Don’t get your hopes up. People can have a change of heart. But I can talk to David’s lawyer. We can perhaps come to a custody deal and an arrangement.”
“I don’t want to be away from my son,” Anna said. “Please, don’t let him take him.”
Richard reached over and put a gentle hand on Anna’s arm. “Listen to me, Anna. I will not allow this man to take your son. Not if I can help it. What I mean is text messages alone are not a guaranteed custody agreement. What I’m suggesting is with this evidence and some conversation, we can arrange for him to agree to grant you full custody, and he can have limited visiting rights. How does that sound?”