“Aw, Tracey. He has two rooms. Maybe me and Hail could take one and you could take the other?”
“Actually, I’m thinking about asking Izzy if she needs a roommate if this job at the bar goes well. Finlay said Izzy took over her lease on the house she rented before she married Bullet and that Izzy has extra bedrooms.”
“If you two get along, that’s a good idea.”
Tracey reached for the notebook, and Josie snagged it.
“Come on,” Tracey pleaded. “It’s obviously a love note.”
Josie clutched the notebook against her chest and said, “It’s not a love note, but sorry, girlie, you can’t read it.”
Tracey followed her into her bedroom. Josie put her notebook in a dresser drawer.
“What did you write?” Tracey asked.
“It’s private.”
“There should be a girl code about that. Must tell secrets.” Tracey held up the gray wrap sweater that had been hanging from the closet doorknob. “Is this what you’re wearing tonight?”
“Yeah, with black jeans and boots. What are you wearing?”
“I’m not sure. Probably jeans and a sweater. I told Red I’d come over early to help set up. You’ll love her. She’s like everyone’s mother, and it’s no wonder Dixie takes no crap from anyone. Red’s tough as steel. This guy was hitting on me, and that huge guy I told you about, Diesel, was coming around the bar toward him. Red held one hand up, stopping Diesel in his tracks. He made this growling sound that drew the attention of all the customers at the surrounding tables. I mean, like eyes narrowed, mouth closed, and this low rumble comes out of him. The guy’s a freaking wall of stone, and there was Red, shutting him down with a palm.” Tracey held her hand up and laughed. “Then she turned to Tex, the guy who was hitting on me, and she said, ‘Keep those comments to yourself unless you want my boot up your ass. Got it?’”
“Oh my God.” Josie laughed. “Do the customers get out of hand?”
“No. Tex is a friend of theirs, and he’s really flirtatious. Izzy said he works for them sometimes over the winters at the auto shop. He’s really hot, with tattoos all over. But Red doesn’t put up with any of that. And Diesel? I saw him follow Tex out of the bar, and he came back ten minutes later.” Tracey whispered, “I don’t want to know what he said to Tex. He scares the heck out of me.”
“I’m a little nervous about going to the party. Sarah and Scotty will be there. I hope things are comfortable, but it could be awkward, seeing them and all their friends. I mean, what if Moon tries to kiss me? What if they think I’m a bad person for kissing him back? What if Hail sees me kissing him? God, I can’t kiss him in front of Hail. That would be confusing for him.”
“Just go with your heart—with your family and with Juicy Jed. Besides, I’ll be there, and if things get weird we can leave. Okay?”
“You’re a really good friend, Tracey. Thank you.”
On their way back to the recreation room, Josie’s phone vibrated with a text.
“Is that from Jed?”
“Yeah. How cute is this? He said he asked his sister to make it.” She showed Tracey the picture he’d sent of a gray baseball shirt with black sleeves and a picture of a green truck like the one he drove. HAPPY NEW YEAR was written on the side of the truck in gold letters.
“Wow. The guy really is into you and Hail.”
“Yeah.” And she couldn’t wait for him to get into her again.
Holy. Fudge. She should not be thinking about that!
“Why are your cheeks all red?” Tracey asked.
“No idea,” she lied. “But I need a glass of water. Icy-cold water.”
WHISKEY BRO’S WAS located just beyond the bridge that led into Peaceful Harbor. The old wooden building had dark windows and rough-hewn pillars. It looked like a dive—the kind Josie would normally drive by without giving it a second glance. She couldn’t believe Tracey worked there, but she raved about the place. She glanced at Jed’s strong profile as he pulled into the crowded parking lot and tried to picture him behind the bar. It was easy to imagine him watching out for the waitresses. She’d noticed at the museum that he wasn’t the kind of guy who needed to act tough around other guys. He exuded inherent strength and confidence, even when he was joking around. Josie always felt safe with him.
He parked behind the bar, in front of another rundown building.
As Josie climbed from the truck she said, “Is this part of the bar? They should brighten it up, add flower boxes, maybe a garden out front. It could be cute.”
“It’s a biker bar, babe. Cute won’t fly. And this is the Dark Knights’ clubhouse.” Jed lifted Hail from the truck and set him on the ground beside him, instantly taking his hand. “I know it doesn’t look like much, but the brotherhood these guys share is everything. I’m proud to be part of it.”
They hadn’t talked about his prospecting, and Josie was curious about the ins and outs of what it meant to be a Dark Knight.
“What’s a Dark Knight?” Hail asked, as if he’d read her mind. He reached for Josie’s hand, holding both of their hands as he’d done at the museum. He’d loved the shirt Jed had given him—almost as much as Jed seemed to like Josie’s sweater with the plunging neckline.
“The Dark Knights is a motorcycle club,” Jed explained. “A bunch of guys who like to ride motorcycles hang out together, help each other, and also help keep the community safe.”
“Do you ride a motorcycle?” Hail asked.
“I do,” he said. “When you’re bigger, if your mom says it’s okay, I’ll take you for a ride. But that’s a lot of years off.”
“Like, when you’re thirty,” Josie said.
Jed winked at her, holding her gaze long enough to make her heart beat faster. His expression turned serious, and he said to Hail, “Listen, buddy. There may be some big guys in there with beards, tattoos, and leather jackets. They might look a little scary, but I promise they’re nice, okay?”
Now Josie’s heart beat faster for a whole different reason. She loved that he wanted to make sure Hail knew what to expect and felt safe.
Hail nodded. “You have a leather jacket and tattoos and you’re nice.”
“That’s right.” He ruffled Hail’s hair and said, “Let’s go have some fun.”
As they headed around the building to the front of the bar, Josie spotted a house in the distance. “Who lives there?”
“That’s the old auto shop. Biggs’s brother started the business, and when they outgrew it, he bought the building down the street. That place has been empty forever.”
Several tough-looking guys wearing leather jackets were talking by the front of the bar. Josie tightened her grip on Hail’s hand.
“How’s it going, Jed?” one of the guys asked.
“Great, thanks.” He stopped walking and said, “Jojo, this is Crow Burke, Court Sharpe, and Court’s brother, Tex. They’re members of the Dark Knights. Guys, this is Josie and her son, Hail. Josie’s Sarah’s sister.”
Crow was the slimmest of the three, with angular features and pitch-black hair. He lifted his chin and said, “Nice to meet you.”
“How’s it going?” Tex said. He had a mop of dark hair, a scruffy beard, and a friendly face. It was easy to picture him flirting with Tracey.
“You have funny names,” Hail said.
The guys laughed, and Court stepped forward and knelt in front of Hail. He was a large, barrel-chested man, with hair and scruff buzzed to a sheen of black. He had serious but friendly eyes, and he said, “Those are our biker names. My real name is Charlie. I’m a lawyer and I spend a lot of time in court, so they call me Court. My brother Tex’s real name is Thomas. You have a cool name. Is Hail your biker name?”
Hail shook his head. “Mama named me after nature because I’m so strong.” He lifted his arm and made a muscle.
Court put his fingers and thumb around Hail’s arm and pretended he couldn’t squeeze it. “You’re a tough little dude. Maybe one day you’ll want to protect Peaceful Harbor and join t
he Dark Knights, too.” He rose to his feet and said, “Josie, I’m glad you’re here. If I can do anything for you, just let Moon know.”
“Thank you.” Sarah had told her that the Dark Knights had all pitched in and helped search for them the night she’d run from Sarah at the shelter. She was a little embarrassed by that, but there wasn’t much she could do about it now besides accepting it and moving forward.
As they climbed the porch Josie said, “He called you Moon. I thought everyone called you Jed.”
“Most people do.” He leaned down, speaking directly into her ear as he said, “Every time he says it, it reminds me of you. Then, as if Santa knew how often you were on my mind, he dropped you in my lap Christmas night.”
He pulled open the door, and Josie tried to think past the sweetness that was Jed Moon.
They stepped into a sea of black leather jackets and were greeted by the scents of testosterone, leather, and camaraderie. The din of music and laughter filled the air. Josie held tight to Hail’s hand as she took it all in. A rustic bar ran down the left side of the room, and through the crowd she saw tables filled with food and people playing pool off to their right. The crowd was a mix of clean-cut and burly bearded, tattooed men, fashionistas and jeans-clad, tattooed women. She was surprised to see a number of giggling children running around. The walls were full of pictures of bikers and neon beer signs, and strewn around the room were sparkling holiday lights giving the bar a warm, festive feel.
“Mama! There’s Bradley and Bones! Can I go say hi?”
Josie whipped her head around and spotted them through the crowd, standing with Truman and a few other guys she recognized from the Dark Knights website. Before she could say a word, she heard Sarah call her name.
“Josie!” Sarah hurried over with Lila in her arms and smiling women on her heels, some of whom she recognized, like Finlay and Penny. Lila clung to a stuffed hedgehog and wore a glittery bow around her wispy blond hair.
Jed leaned closer and said, “Why don’t I take Hail to see Bradley and catch up with you after you visit with Sarah?”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to dump him on you. He might get scared or lost. There are so many people here.”
“I’d never let anything happen to him, and it’s not dumping when I offer, okay? Go have fun and let me introduce Hail to the guys.” He winked and then he turned his attention to her boy and said, “Come on, bud. Let’s go make some friends.”
Hail didn’t even glance back as they walked away, which was a strange feeling, but also a relief, knowing he felt completely safe with Jed.
“Hi,” Sarah said, giving Josie an awkward hug around her baby bump. “I’m so glad you made it. Take your coat off. We’ll hang it with ours in the back.”
Josie shrugged off her coat.
“I’ve got it. Killer sweater. Girl, you are hot.” Penny took her coat and disappeared into the crowd.
“Mamama,” Lila babbled. She was adorable in a black frilly skirt and a pink long-sleeved shirt that had NEW YEAR’S PRINCESS written across the front in silver glitter.
“Lila is so cute.” Josie brushed her fingers over Lila’s cheek and said, “Hi, sweetie.” She glanced in the direction Hail had gone and said, “It’s a little nerve-racking. I didn’t expect there to be so many people.” She leaned to the side, trying to see through the crowd. “I just wish I could see Hail.”
“I know. I was overwhelmed at first, too, but you’ll get used to it. Everyone here is like one big family. They all watch out for each other. Look.” Sarah nudged her to the right and pointed between two groups of people.
Josie caught a glimpse of Hail sitting on Biggs’s lap. The older, bearded biker looked just like he did in the pictures on the website, big, rough, and a little intimidating. Josie’s pulse quickened. “Are you sure he’s okay?”
“Biggs is Bones’s father,” Sarah said. “He’s rough on the outside, but he’s a teddy bear. He and Red love my kids like they’re their own flesh and blood.”
“If you say so.” Josie was still nervous, but Hail was smiling so that was good, and Jed stood like a bodyguard watching over him.
“Hi. I’m Crystal, Jed’s sister,” a woman said as she stepped forward from behind Sarah. She had shoulder-length, straight black hair and the same clear blue eyes as Jed, and she looked sexy wearing a form-fitting black minidress and high-heeled black boots. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. You have nothing to worry about with Hail and the people here, other than your boy wanting to spend more time with the guys.”
Josie’s nerves flamed at meeting the sister Jed had spent years protecting. “Hi. I’m Josie.”
“I know.” Crystal threw her arms around her, startling her with a tight hug. “We’re all excited to meet you. I had no idea you knew my brother back when he was a troublemaker.”
“Only briefly,” Josie clarified, wondering if Crystal knew they’d slept together. She wanted to say he wasn’t a troublemaker but had gotten into trouble while making sure his sister had everything she needed to survive. But she worried that might come across wrong.
“Well, I guess however brief it was, it made an impact, because he’s really into you.” Crystal pointed to Penny coming through the crowd and Finlay, the pretty petite blonde she’d met with Bullet, and said, “You know Finlay and Penny.”
Finlay came forward and hugged her. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Me too.” Josie tried to calm her nerves.
A tall, thin redhead wearing tight jeans and a cap-sleeved black sweater joined them, carrying a beer bottle in one hand. “Hi. You’re Josie, right? I’m Dixie. Welcome to the party.” Colorful tattoos snaked down both of her arms, and her makeup was perfectly applied. Dixie gave off a tough vibe, but when she smiled, it reached all the way up to her eyes, softening that toughness. She was at least six inches taller than Josie and had to bend down to hug her. “I just met your adorable little boy. He’s having a great time with Bradley. They’re sitting on my father’s lap pretending they’re driving.”
“Let me guess. Hail is pretending he’s driving a construction truck of some sort,” Josie said.
“Nope. A pickup truck.” Dixie took a swig of her beer. “He said it’s green like Jed’s, only he calls him Moon, which is the cutest thing ever.”
She laughed softly at her little man. “That’s my fault. That’s what I called Jed when we met a long time ago, and it’s stuck.”
“Oh, you knew him before?” Dixie’s eyes lit up. “So, is this like a second-chance thing between you two?”
Sarah must have seen the discomfort in Josie’s eyes because she put one arm around Josie and said, “How about if we let Josie get a drink and maybe some food before you pump her for information?”
They moved through the crowd like a pack, talking and getting to know each other. They introduced Josie to so many people as they walked past, she’d never remember everyone’s names. The buffet tables were stocked with enough food for an army. There was a turkey with all the fixings, two roasted chickens, platters of sandwiches, wings, and biscuits. There were cookies shaped like little leather jackets, several cakes, and pies.
Josie was too nervous to eat, so she sipped a glass of soda. She was used to such a quiet life that as wonderful as this was, it was also a bit overwhelming. She scanned the room for Jed and Hail and saw Jed showing Hail how to hold a pool cue. He lifted his eyes, catching hers, making her heart race. He was smiling as his gaze moved back to her boy. He was so good with him. The sound of Sarah and the girls talking and laughing made her happy, but it was all too much being there, embraced by so many people. She was relieved when she saw Tracey heading her way.
“I’ve been waiting for you to show up,” Tracey said. “Are you okay?”
“Sort of. I’m just taking it all in. You?”
“I’m good, except Izzy isn’t here, so you’ve got to tell me if I’m losing my mind.” She shifted to the side and gave two fast nods toward the bar. “See the mammoth by
the bar?”
“Diesel,” Dixie said, sidling up to them. “What about him? He’s totally into you.”
Worry rose in Tracey’s eyes. “Into me, like he wants to skin me and leave me for dead, or into me, like…you know?”
Dixie threw her head back with a loud laugh. “He wants to tear something off you, but it’s definitely not your skin, and, babe, the only type of dead Diesel leaves women is orgasmed to death. I’d give my left arm to be with him.”
“Seriously? He doesn’t scare you?” Tracey asked.
“Only in the very best way. The problem with being a female Whiskey is that any man who wants to get with me has to go through them.” Dixie pointed a few feet away to where Bullet and Bones were talking with Bear, whom Josie also recognized from the website.
“Diesel could eat them for breakfast,” Josie said.
“He can eat me for breakfast.” A spark of heat rose in Dixie’s eyes. “Listen, Diesel’s like Bullet. They’re intimidating as fuck for a reason, and it’s not going to change. So you might as well get used to it. They wear their demons on the outside like war paint. But inside they’re two of the best men you could ever know.”
Dixie went to join her brothers, and Tracey said, “He still scares me.”
“Yeah, me too.” Josie sipped her drink.
“We’re going to grab a table,” Sarah said. “Join us?”
“Okay,” Tracey said.
“I’ll be there in a sec. I want to find the ladies’ room,” Josie said.
“It’s over there.” Tracey pointed to a door across the room. “Want me to go with you?”
“No. I’m good. I’ll only be a minute.” She also wanted to check on Hail so Jed could go hang out with his friends, but first she needed to get her pulse to stop racing. She headed for the ladies’ room and was relieved to find it empty. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall.
The door opened, and Josie’s eyes flew open.
“Hi, darlin’. I’m Red Whiskey. Are you okay?”
Josie swallowed hard. Red’s friendly demeanor should calm Josie, but she wasn’t as tough as some of these women. She was totally out of her element, and for some reason she was suddenly and completely anxiety ridden. So no, she wasn’t exactly okay, but she wanted to be. She liked the people she’d met, and these were Jed’s friends. She knew how much they meant to him.
Mad About Moon Page 12