“They disappeared,” Cam said in disgust. “They stole our guns and disappeared.”
“They ghosted us,” Tommy said with a humorless laugh. “I always knew my history with women would come back to bite me on the ass. This is life going full circle.”
A few of the men laughed, but I didn’t. Tommy’s bullshit comments never helped, and I was sick of listening to him. Yeah, man, we get it. You’re the comic fucking relief. Now, sit down and shut up.
“They must be keeping the shit they steal,” Casper said. He wasn’t laughing, either. “It’s the only explanation that makes a damn bit of sense. There hasn’t been any word on the shit they’ve stolen hitting the market.”
“You know what their haul has been?” Dragon asked him.
“Not offhand, but I can find out,” Casper replied.
“Do that.” Dragon leaned back in his seat. “Anything else we need brought to the table?”
I waited for one of Rose’s brothers to say something. I’d spent the last couple of weeks waiting on Rose to call me, figuring that once she’d cooled down she’d want to talk shit out, but I hadn’t heard from her. I’d been getting a lot of dirty looks from the Hawthorne boys, though. There wasn’t anything they could do, no way for them to step in without Rose losing her shit—but I didn’t put it past them to say something in church, for no other reason than to call me out in front of the others.
“Alright,” Dragon said when no one spoke up. He slammed the gavel down on the table and got to his feet.
“Yo,” Casper said as we started dispersing. “Charlie’s got a birthday comin’ up. Says she wants to do paintball in the back field.”
“Daddy’s little princess, huh?” Grease joked.
“No shit, man,” Casper said with a shake of his head. “Anyway, you’re all invited. Next Saturday. We’ll barbecue.”
“No worries if you and Kara don’t have any gear,” Cam said to me. “We’re bringin’ extras, and no way will Trix be a part of any of that.”
“You think any of the women will?” I asked as we left the room.
“My mom’ll probably get in on it,” Cam said with a smile. “Lily and Rose, too. I doubt Aunt Callie will, and who knows with Brenna. She’s a dark horse. Molly—maybe. Hawk—definitely.”
“It’s gonna be a free for all,” I said, remembering the water balloon fight at Rebel’s birthday.
“No doubt,” Cam said, looking at me. “And all of the women know how to shoot, so watch your balls.”
“Fuck.”
“You knew the score when you went there, man,” he said, slapping me on the shoulder. “Take the abuse and say thank you.”
“That what you did?” I asked.
“Trix was pregnant,” Cam replied with a shake of his head. “I let them do whatever they wanted. Couldn’t be worse than what I was doin’ myself.”
I nodded in understanding.
“’Course, Farrah’s my mom, so she was firmly in my camp.” His lips turned up in a smile. “But she’s definitely not in yours.”
Fuck me.
“You’ll live,” he said easily as he walked away. “But I wasn’t joking, man. Wear a cup.”
The rest of the day passed by quick. Even though I kept my phone turned all the way up, I still checked it a hundred times. I couldn’t believe that Rose was still pissed. She’d completely overreacted to the fact that I didn’t want more kids. I’d asked her to move in with me, for Chrissake. It wasn’t like I was the villain here.
And sure, if she wanted kids, then things were never going to last long-term. But storming out and going radio silent was immature as hell. I should’ve known that hooking up with someone so much younger was going to be a fucking headache, but I’d been too caught up to care.
By the time I got off work for the night, I was more pissed than I’d been since Rose walked out. Fuck her. Fuck her dramatics and her immaturity. And fuck me for letting it get so serious that I still couldn’t think about anything else weeks after it ended.
I was walking to my bike when my phone rang, and I reached for it so fast that I got irritated all over again.
“Hey, princess,” I answered when I saw that it was Kara calling.
“Hey, Dad. Do you care if I stay for dinner? Charlie’s mom says she can drive me home.”
“You got homework?” I asked, hoping she did. I wasn’t real excited about Farrah showing at my house later.
“I finished it right after school,” Kara said quickly. “And I did all my morning chores, and I won’t be home late.”
“Fine with me, I guess.”
“Thanks, Dad!”
“Mind your manners,” I ordered as I stopped by my bike. “And help with cleanup. You’re over there so much, you definitely can’t be considered a guest anymore.”
“I always help,” she replied. “Love you.”