“Babe, wegottaroll!” Cole’s voice hollered from the living room
“Two minutes!” I hollered back.Really, I meant at least five if not ten, but he didn’t need to know that.
I couldn’t explain exactly why, butlooking my best mattered a lot to me tonight. Perhaps it gave me a sense ofcontrol, maybe I wanted to assure Benny and Henry that I was okay. Whatever thereason, I was obsessing about my outfit despite it needing to be simple for acasual barbeque. I finally decided on my jean shorts that showed off my tonedlegs, paired with a kick ass brown belt. I threw on my white V-neck blouse thatflattered my chest, and I left my long, red hair down and wild, the way Coleliked it. I completed the look with cowboy boots and light makeup.
Cole let out a low whistle when Ifinally appeared in the living room.
I blushed.
“Ready?” he asked, pulling me into anembrace and kissing me soundly.
“Ready.”
We took the truck so that Chief couldcome with us, and we had about a cow’s worth of ribs to bring. I bought all theingredients earlier in the day and they’d been marinating to what I hopedwasperfection for hours.
Chief had become a regular at theclubhouse and all the guys loved him, now even more so after learning what he’ddone for me. He loved being around everyone and I wouldn’t dream of leaving himat home.
“Babe, let’s not tell everyone aboutthe baby okay?” I asked after we hit the road.
“Why not?” he asked, clearlydisappointed. If I knew my man, he would hire a blimp to scream the news acrossthe sky if he could.
“Because it’s really early,” I repliedturning to face him. “We should wait until we’re out of the first trimester.And with everything that’s going on, I just want to keep this between us fornow,” I explained.
“I already told my pop,” he admitted,telling me something I already knew.
“That’s okay, obviously Kat alreadyknows, too. I don’t mind if Sal and Wes know either since they’re so close tous, but that’s it okay?”
He put his hand on my thigh intertwiningour fingers and squeezed lightly. “Okay,darlin’,” heagreed.
A few hours into the evening I wasfeeling content lounging on a folding chair by the fire pit with Connie. I kepta plastic cup filled with water in my hand so no one would suspect why I wasn’tdrinking. Chief lay contentedly at my feet. My ribs had been consumed withvigor, and though I was glad they were so well received, I feared that I wasnow on the hook to provide them at every get-together.
Despite the recent drama, all the guysseemed ready to relax and have a good time. The vibe was a positive one and Isoaked it in.
“Where’s Kat?” Connie asked as sheplopped down next to me.
“She’ll be here later, Sal is pickingher up from work,” I replied.
“How are things between those two?”she asked.
I shrugged not wanting to divulgemuch. Not much had changed as far as I could tell. Kat loved him, but she stillfelt like she wasn’t getting what she needed from him. I wasn’t sure what wouldhurdle them in one direction or the other, but something was going to have togive.
“Rosie, can we talk for a few?”Henry’s deep voice rumbled through the night air as he and Benny stood as aformidable pair over us. We’d already exchanged pleasantries, but I knew therewould be more of a talk to come.
“I’ll go find Wes,” Connie excusedherself with a “good luck” smile toward me.
“Having fundarlin’?”Henry asked.
“Yeah,” I said with a smile as theyboth sat across from me. Benny had greeted me warmly despite us not havingknown each other well when my father was alive. He was in his mid-50s with ashaved head and a goatee. He was on the shorter side but no less menacing thanHenry when he wanted to be.
“How youholdin’up?” Henry asked, concern darkening his gray eyes.
I shrugged. “Doing the best I can.” Ididn’t know what else to say about it.
“We’re doing everything we can to findthat fucker. He’s a slippery little weasel,” Benny grumbled.
“I know you are,” I assured him.
“Rosie,” Henry started, “now thatthose fucks are long gone from the club you could come home you know,” heoffered, surprising me. That was the last thing I’d been expecting. “I know youleft because of them. I don’t know all the details, but what I do know makes mewant to kill him even more now,” he added. I didn’t doubt that was true. “Butthey’re gone,” he said quietly. “You always loved the club and we all love you.I just want you to know there’s always a place for you with us even though yourdaddy’s gone,” he said sincerely.