“Fucking hell,” I grumble. “I hate you both.”
“Eyes off,” Jigsaw warns. “Lynn and I already have a connection.”
“Fuck your connection.” Pants shrugs. “You can’t go behind your brother’s back.” He pats my shoulder. “That means she’s fair game.”
“Rooster,” Jigsaw pleads.
“Yeahhhh,” I say, drawing out the word to punctuate my irritation, “I’d prefer if none of you hit on my girlfriend’s mom.” I drill an I’m-not-fucking-kidding stare at Pants. “Texas is a big state full of hot women. Wet your dick elsewhere.”
Lynn and Shelby finish their discussion and walk toward us. Shelby stops in her tracks, scowling at her mom for a second. Lynn sure seems to be putting a lot of sway in her hips. Hell, maybe she won’t mind Pants and Jiggy fighting over her like two dogs snarling over a ham bone after all.
“All right, boys,” Lynn drawls in a low, smoky voice. “I don’t have enough seating inside but if y’all help me set something up on the patio, we can have dinner out there.”
“You don’t have to go to any trouble for us, Mrs. Morgan,” Dex assures her.
“I had a different answer ready,” Jigsaw says. “Lynn’s an excellent cook.”
“Thank you, Jensen.”
So many questions. I stare at Shelby with raised eyebrows. When has she cooked for him?
She seems to understand my unspoken question, answering with a shrug and shake of her head.
Not willing to be left out, Pants muscles his way in and offers to help Lynn in the backyard.
I throw my hands in the air, sidestep the four of them and wrap my arm around Shelby’s shoulders. “I’m out, chickadee. I tried.”
“My momma can handle herself fine.” She shrugs. “I don’t think she’s gonna be upset about three hot bikers fightin’ over her attention.”
I peer down at her. “Three hot—what?”
She widens her eyes, mocking me. “What?”
“We should stay at a hotel.”
“And leave her unsupervised? I don’t think so.”
“Hey, at least I listen.” Steer holds up his hands.
“Thank you, brother.”
“I’ll wait until they fuck shit up and make my move then.”
“That’s touching.” Shelby glares at him. “Thanks.”
The guys settle down and help Lynn set up for dinner. We clean off an old wooden picnic table. Shelby hands us a vinyl tablecloth that’s faded but clean.
Steer eyes the benches attached to the table. “Don’t think that’s gonna hold my big ass.” He lifts his chin at Pants. “Definitely ain’t holdin’ him.”
Pants flips him off and holds up a metal folding chair. “Lynn’s already got me covered.”
“We have more of those,” Shelby says. She holds her arms out to an imaginary audience in the back yard. “Hayley and I used to practice giving concerts out here to all our dollies.”
I rumble with laughter and hug her to my side. “I can picture that. Bet you were cute as hell.”
“Momma probably has video of it somewhere.” She waves toward the house.
This has to be the first time in my life I’ve actually wanted to watch someone’s old home movies.
“That how you got so good at being on stage, Shelby?” Dex asks with a teasing smile. “Years of practice?”
“Heck yeah. Talent competitions, singing the national anthem to any sports team that would have me. You name it.” She clutches her stomach. “I still get nervous, though.”
“Doesn’t show.” Dex pats her shoulder on his way to the back door of the house.
“Come to think of it,” Shelby stares up at me, “I’ve been a whole lot less nervous when you’re with me.”
Nothing could make me happier. “Well, that was the whole point of being out on the road with you. Spending time together, and I wanted to make your life easier.”
She hugs me tight. “You really did. I hope you know how much I appreciate it.”
Something in her attitude seems to have shifted toward unhappy.
I wrap her up in my arms. “We’re a good team.”
“We are,” she mumbles against my shirt.
“What’s wrong?” I attempt to move so I can see her face but she’s glued to me like Velcro.
“Nothing.”
“Shelby?” I glance at her and at the back door. Someone’s bound to interrupt us at any moment. “What’s going on?”
“Where do we go from here?”
“I thought you wanted to stay at your mom’s for a few days until—”
It hits me what she’s actually asking.
“We go wherever the road takes us, chickadee.”
“You and me?”
“You and me,” I confirm. “Well, I’m not gonna lie, Jiggy’s definitely going to be there for a lot of adventures.”
She sniffles and laughs. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Shelby
As promised, Momma fixes chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans.
Rooster and I set the table and bring drinks out for everyone.
Jigsaw rushes to claim a spot to the right of my momma. I climb onto the bench next to him and Logan sits next to me.
“I got no problem poking you with this fork if you hit on my momma,” I warn Jiggy, twirling the white, plastic utensil between my fingers.