“No flan for me, thank you,” I said to the server who cleared away my empty plate.
“They have the best flan here,” Joni said.
“I don’t like sweets,” I admitted.
“But you bake for a living,” Mia said in confusion. “Are you sugared out?”
“I never really liked them,” I explained. “I prefer savory. Slash didn’t look like he believed me when I told him.”
“I would die without sugar,” Joni said.
“What time is it?” Mia asked.
Linden looked at the watch on her wrist. “A little after five.”
Mia sighed. “I need to go.”
“Me too,” I said.
“But flan,” Joni whined, placing her hand on her belly. “It’s not for me. It’s for the baby. Well, like, eighty twenty.”
“Get it to go,” Darcy suggested.
“Better plan. I can get an extra for Zip. Which he will share with me.”
The bill came and I reached for my wallet. “I got it,” Mia said, throwing down her credit card.
“Thanks, girl,” Darcy said.
“Anytime.”
“Thanks for dinner,” I added.
We ambled toward the parking lot and stood outside the restaurant. “I think the weather is about to turn,” Joni said. “Two weeks of perfect spring and then hotter than the blazes of hell.”
“I’ve been talking to Colt,” Mia said. “And I think we’re going to book an Airbnb for a few weeks this summer in New Braunfels.”
“Will you be taking the kids?” Joni asked.
“Yeah.”
“Not much of a vacation.” Darcy grinned. “But they have a water park, which I’m guessing is why you’re talking about booking it.”
“Exactly.”
Allison reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. “Yeah, I definitely have to get going. Tank is hungry.”
“Wants it right from the source, huh?” Darcy asked.
“Yup.” She grinned. “Bye, guys. Bye, Brooklyn.”
“Bye, Allison,” I said.
“I’m hitting up Leather and Ink tomorrow afternoon,” Mia said. “Anyone want to join?”
“Can’t,” Linden said. “I’m on at the clinic.”
“I’m out. It’s my turn to drive Lily and her friends to ballet,” Darcy said, shaking her head. “Four six-year-olds in pink tutus and tights. Is there anything cuter?”
I had a sudden vision of Slash holding a little girl in a tutu.
Jesus.
“I would go,” Joni said. “But nothing in there fits me right now and it just makes me depressed.”
Mia looked at me. “Are you going to make an excuse too?”
I laughed. “No. I’ll go with you.”
“Excellent!” Mia exclaimed. “We can get you something hot to wear to welcome Slash home.”
“I suggest covering your body in whipped cream,” Joni said.
“You have a one-track mind,” I said, but my cheeks flamed.
Joni pointed to her belly. “How do you think I got into this position?”
“You have a valid point,” I admitted. “It’s how I got in my position, too.”
The furniture was perfect. I slumped onto the couch the moment I got home. I shot out a quick text to Mia, thanking her for her thoughtfulness.
I’d felt like one of them. Even though it was clear they’d all been friends for a while, they welcomed me.
“Crap,” I muttered.
I loved this feeling. Of belonging. Of family. Of not having to do it all alone. I’d fully expected to be on my own while Slash was out of town. But when the Old Ladies had shown up without warning, inviting me to eat with them, it had felt like a form of acceptance. They’d bantered, and they weren’t afraid to speak their minds. I liked that. I liked that a lot. I could take them at face value.
I switched out the laundry and then got back to work finishing Duke’s pie. I kept glancing at my cell every few minutes, wondering when Slash was going to call. I debated on whether to tell him about the phone call from the bank, and then decided not to say anything. He was on the road. He would be exhausted when I spoke to him tonight. No. I’d tell him if, and only if, there was something to tell.
He’d been a leather-wearing knight in shining armor. He had taken the change in his life in his stride. I didn’t want to keep being a problem he had to fix. That wouldn’t be good for us long term if there was any hope of us making it.
While the pie cooled, I fell asleep on the couch. Sometime later, my phone rang, startling me awake.
“Hullo,” I answered sleepily.
“Damn, you sound sexy.”
I grinned. “Are you in Coeur d’Alene?”
“No. I wanted to keep going, but Acid wasn’t feeling it.”
“Acid is with you?” I asked in surprise.
“Yeah.”
“Oh. I thought you were alone. I’m glad you have someone else with you.”
“Didn’t like the idea of my riding the open road alone?”
“No,” I admitted. “I didn’t.”
“I heard you had an interesting day.”
“Heard what from whom?” I demanded. “Are you keeping tabs on me?”
“Not tabs. Just like, little updates.”
“So, you know I went to a Mexican restaurant with the Old Ladies.”
“Yup.”
“Do you know what I ordered?” I demanded.
“No. What did you order?”
“Blue corn cheese enchiladas.”
“Damn right you did.”
I laughed, feeling like all my troubles had melted away simply because I was hearing his voice. “Mia invited me to Leather and Ink tomorrow. I said yes, even though I’m not sure what it is. Is it a tattoo parlor?”
“No. It’s a clothing store.”
“Oh.”
“I heard they carry lingerie…”
“Oh, you heard, did you?”
“Yup. I’d kill to see you in lingerie.”
“What kind of lingerie?”
“Black. Lace. Crotchless.”
My face flamed. “That’s what you’re into?”
“Babe, you could wear a paper bag and I’d still want to fuck you.”
“Will you feel that way in a few months?” I asked quietly. “When my body starts to…look different.”
“Woman, I can’t wait for your body to start changing.”
“You mean it?”
“Yeah, I mean it. To see you growing my kid? Damn right, I’ll love it.”
I paused. “You make it hard to remember why I’m supposed to be mad at you.”
“You’re not mad at me.”
I sighed. “No. I’m not.”
“You miss me.”
“Maybe.”
“You miss my dick.”
“Definitely.”
“You miss my mouth between your legs.”
“Uh huh.” I got up from the couch and headed to the bedroom.
“What else do you miss?”
I bit my lip and closed the door to the bedroom. “Why don’t we do this over video chat, and I’ll show you what I miss.”
“There’s something different about this pie,” Duke said as he took a bite.
“Something bad?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No. Not bad. It’s fucking delicious. I just can’t put my finger on what’s different about it. It’s apple, but it doesn’t taste only like apple. It’s salty.”
“There’s cheese in that pie,” I said, taking a sip of tea.
Duke paused. “Cheese? No kidding.”
“It’s a big thing in New England. Apple pie with cheese,” I explained.
“Well, damn.” He shoveled in another bite.
“I have to stop off at the bakery real fast and then go to the bank.”
He nodded. “Then you’re going to Leather and Ink, yeah?”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s like I have a tracking device on me. Did Slash tell you?”
“No. Mia did. I’ll come with you.”
“You don’t have to,” I said. “It’s shopping.”
“Willa works the counter,” he explained. “I want to give her some of this pie. Apple’s her favorite.”
“What’s up with you two?” I asked baldly.
“Up with who?”
“You and Willa.”
“Nothing.”
“What do you mean, nothing?”
“I mean, we’re friends. Best friends. Willa, me and Savage. Three peas in a pod. The Three Musketeers. We’ve been friends since we were kids.”
“Yeah, so you’ve said.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“I don’t know. It’s just an interesting dynamic,” I said. “I guess if it works it works.”
“It works.”
“I’m going to hop in the shower real fast and then we can get out of here.”
Half an hour later, I came out of the bedroom.
“Why do you look like a cater waiter?” Duke asked with a smirk.
“Shut up,” I muttered.
“All that’s missing is the bow tie.”
“Hey, I can take the rest of that pie away from you,” I said.
“But you made it for me. It would be bad form to take back a present. A present that is so delicious in my belly.” He patted his stomach.
I grabbed my sunglasses. “You riding shotgun with me, or are you riding your bike?”
“You. Can’t carry a pie on my bike.”
“I have one rule,” I began.
“Shoot.”
“You don’t get to control Spotify.”
“Are you this bossy with Slash?”
“He’s the one who’s bossy. All the time. In every situation.” I quickly slapped a hand over my mouth.
Duke arched a brow.
“Say nothing and I’ll bake you another pie.”
“Deal.”
I quickly locked up and then we got into the car.
“I promise not to control Spotify, but can I at least put in a request?” Duke asked.
“Purple Rain?”
“No…”
“Metallica?”
“No.” He looked amused.
“The War on Drugs?”
“Who?”
“I’m about to change your life.”
When we pulled into the back alley behind the bakery, I parked but left the engine running. “I’ll be quick.”
He nodded.
I trekked inside, and a few minutes later, I had the printed proof of the loan repayment on the building in my purse with a confirmation number.
I went back outside and hopped into the car, ready to head to the bank.
“You can roll down the windows and cut the engine,” Duke said after I parked in the bank parking lot.
“You sure? I don’t know how long I’ll be.”
“Leave the keys. If it gets hot, I’ll turn on the air.”
Luckily, the bank wasn’t busy and there was no line.
“Hello,” the teller greeted with a warm smile as I walked up to the counter. “How may I help you today?”
“Hello. I need to speak with Mr. Thornton.”
“Mr. Thornton is unavailable.”
I frowned. “I spoke with him late yesterday afternoon and he told me to see him this morning. There’s an issue with my account.”
“One moment, please.” She stepped away and headed into the back, off the floor. A woman in a gray suit jacket and black trousers came to meet me.
“Hello, I’m Diane Huddleston. I’m the assistant manager of this branch.”
I took her offered hand and shook it. “Hello.”
“I understand you wanted to speak to Mr. Thornton, but he’s currently unavailable. Would you like to step into my office and you can tell me how I can help you?”
I followed her to the corner office and took a seat in front of the desk. She sat in her swivel chair and folded her hands together and placed them on the tabletop.
“Thank you for your time,” I began. “I spoke with Paul Thornton yesterday afternoon, and he asked me to come in person to speak to him. He said there was a problem with my last payment—as in, the bank doesn’t have record that I made it—which is incorrect.” I pulled the piece of paper out of my purse that had the screenshot of the payment confirmation number along with the Thank you for your payment.
Diane took the paper from me and quickly scanned it. Frowning, she set it down on the desk and turned her body toward her desktop computer. She clicked a few times with the mouse, typed on her keyboard and then sighed.
“This is very strange,” she said, turning the computer screen toward me. “We have no record on our end, but clearly you made a payment. I need some time to dig into this. Can I get back to you in a few days?”
“Absolutely.” I stood up. “Thank you for your help resolving this.”
“My pleasure.”