“Right this way,” the hostess smiled.
“You know her?”
I looked over at Louis with my brows raised. “No. Why would I?”
“Because it says right there that they’re not seating outside because of some private party coming in later. You got to go outside.” He shrugged.
I shrugged right back at him. “I have no clue. But I’ll take it.”
We all followed along in the hostess’ wake, me trying to hold my breath so I didn’t breathe in too much of her exotic perfume.
Or, hell, it could be from Walmart for all I knew. I wasn’t a perfume connoisseur. What I was, though, was a man that knew what he liked. And a woman that was bathed in perfume? That wasn’t something that appealed to me.
No, what appealed to me was a soft woman that smelled like chocolate and cookies. A woman that tasted even better.
A woman that was directly in front of the table that the hostess had just seated us at.
“We’re only having one server work this part of the porch today,” she said. “We have a luncheon coming in at one that’s going to be massive. So y’all will have to be out of here by then.”
So, I didn’t get anything special after all.
Not when she was going to kick us out if we weren’t done by then.
“Yes, ma’am,” my father drawled as he took his seat.
I sat in the one next to him, making sure that I had a good view of the table in front of me.
At that table was an older couple, Hastings, and another woman that had to be Hastings’ sister if the resemblance was anything to go by.
“All right, Misty will be right out to take y’all’s orders,” she said as she left.
That was when the rest of our group sat around us, but I was too busy looking at the girl to notice or care.
“We want to order an appetizer?” Ford asked.
“The meat platter looks good,” my father replied.
Hastings surreptitiously looked over her shoulder.
I caught her gaze and she scowled before turning back around.
Her hands were fidgeting in her lap, and it was only when I looked down at the ground that I could see the pieces of her napkin falling to the ground as she ripped it to shreds.
My lips twitched.
“What’s so fascinating?” my father asked, momentarily bringing my gaze to him.
I looked from my dad to my cousin, then to my uncle.
We were out riding today.
It was a sunny fall day in the middle of September, and for once it wasn’t blazing hot outside.
We would be at a turning point for our weather, soon. From now on, we wouldn’t be experiencing any one-hundred-degree weather. Though, nineties wasn’t going to be unheard of. It would all be downhill from here, and likely we wouldn’t have another day like today.
So, we’d gone for a ride on our bikes.
I’d thought that the day would be good, that I’d be able to think about something other than what had been on my mind for the last couple of days—hell, if I was being honest, weeks—but then I’d seen her car in the parking lot.
Hastings.
The girl that avoided me like the fucking plague since I’d seen her pull into her driveway earlier in the week.
Honestly, it pissed me off way more than it probably should have.
“Nothing,” I muttered darkly.
My father rolled his eyes and then turned to his brother.
“So, I’m going to try to get Trance on a plane to Las Vegas to visit our parents next month. You down?” my father asked Foster.
Ford snorted when he heard what his uncles planned to do with his father.
“He’s hoping that you’ll forget he exists,” Ford teased. “I heard him tell my mom over the phone last week that he plans on heading out of town when we head over.”
Foster rolled his eyes. “We’ll find his ass. He can’t run from us.”
The men chuckled at the table, and I once again found my gaze focusing on the girl across from me.
Hastings looked once again over her shoulder, flushed red, and then stood up.
“Excuse me, I have to use the restroom.” She paused.
Nobody paid her any mind as she got up and walked away.
No one but me, anyway.
I waited for her to go into the bathroom all the way across the concrete before getting up and following her.
Instead of going to the men’s bathroom, though, I shoved my way into the women’s.
Well, I was about to, and then thought better of it.
I didn’t need to be poking my nose back into things that had to do with Hastings.
What I needed to do was stay away.
So, instead of waiting like I’d planned, I went ahead and did my own thing in the men’s bathroom before coming out.
When I came back out, it was only seconds behind Hastings, which allowed me to watch the sway of her ass and hips as she walked in front of me back to her table.
“Fuck,” I heard her say as she looked at my table and didn’t spot me.
Her steps faltered a bit, and she nearly came to a complete standstill before she started walking again, this time with an obvious dejectedness to her.
Was she sad that I wasn’t there anymore? Did she think that I went home?
Whatever the answer to that question was, I knew that I should control myself when it came to her.
The more time that I spent with Hastings, the more I realized that I wanted way more than I’d ever wanted from another woman before.
I stepped a little harder than I’d intended to step in the next instant, and it caused her to look over her shoulder.
When she saw me, her lips parted, and she stared for half a beat.
Then, right before my eyes, the tiniest of smiles graced her lips before she started moving forward again.
When she got to her table, it was to come to a sudden halt at the front of the table.
“We moved the table a bit,” her sister said. “The sun was right in my eyes.”
For some reason, I didn’t think that was the case.
I had a feeling that the sister wanted to move the table because of me, and not anything to do with the sun being in her eyes.
My lips twitched as I reclaimed my seat and watched as Hastings took hers. Hers that now was directly in line with mine, giving me an unencumbered view of her face.
The grin that split across my face at the sight of her nervousness had her eyes narrowing.
My brows rose in challenge, and she gritted her teeth and looked back at the appetizer that had arrived at their table while we were visiting the bathroom.
She poked the large cheese sticks with one finger, then hauled one onto her plate.
“…thought we could stop by that place with the jerky that’s off of twenty. I’ve been craving it for weeks,” Ford said as he took a drink of his water.
Louis looked at our cousin and frowned. “I think your cravings are worse than your wife’s.”
Ford shook his head.
“You aren’t lying,” he muttered. “I think I’ve gained fifteen pounds during her pregnancy. I’ve tried everything to control myself. But I’m just so goddamn hungry all the time.”
I looked over at him. “Did you show Ashe the Nose Frieda?”
Booth had given Dax the same damn thing at his baby shower. I’d seen the video then and nearly died.
But then Booth had given Dax this goddamn monstrosity, and then showed him how to use it by using it his goddamn self on his own kid. In real life.
Dax’s kid was born about a week ago, and he had the privilege of using it after his son caught a small cold. He’d also brought the kid to the baby shower for Ford and had given him this gift.
And when the time came to open it, Dax had pulled out his own Nose Frieda and had then proceeded to show us all how it worked.
He’d connected this tube to a long straw-l
ike device, then stuck it in his kid’s nose. Then he’d sucked snot out by inhaling and I nearly threw up everything.
“Your time will come.” Ford grinned as he caught my train of thought. “And I showed her the YouTube video. She’s fuckin’ weird. Thought it was the coolest thing ever. She bought two more on Amazon. One for the diaper bag, and one for the extra diaper bag because I refuse to carry that frilly shit that she wants me to carry. So instead, she bought this badass tactical backpack that has places to put patches and shit.”
I rolled my eyes. “What’s wrong with the diaper bag that she wanted?”
“It’s got fuckin’ frills. Lace. Ruffles. I don’t want to carry that. No thanks.” He shook his head. “I’ll stick to the backpack that she found. It’s actually a tactical backpack, too. So, there’s room for my piece in it if I don’t want to conceal carry.”
“I have no fuckin’ idea what y’all are talking about,” my father interrupted.
I looked up just in time to see Louis pulling his phone out of his pocket. He typed in a few things and then turned his screen sideways so that his father and mine could see what we were talking about.
I knew the moment they understood because their faces went disgusted and horrified.
“Fuck no.” Foster shook his head. “I loved you, kid. But not that much.”
Dad chuckled.
“There was one time that Sammy was sick when he was a baby,” Dad said as he leaned back in his chair.
Having likely heard this one a time or two, I listened as I stared at Hastings, who was definitely listening to our conversation and not the one going on around her.
Though it was kind of hard not to seeing as my father spoke really loudly.
“He was about six months old or so and had his first cold. Keep everyone away from your damn baby during flu season.” I knew that he was looking over at me. “People are inconsiderate assholes when they’re sick. They only think of themselves. Anyway, so he was sick because people wouldn’t stop fuckin’ touching him that weren’t supposed to. Kissing his face. Shit like that. And he got really sick. The sickest he’d ever been. And Mercy freaked out. Took him to the doctor. She came home and showed me this photo she took of all the snot that the doctor was able to get out of our son’s nose at the office. I’ve never seen so much snot in a kid’s face before in my life.”
The waitress left Hastings’ table and came to ours, coming right up to my side and leaning in slightly as she said, “Are y’all ready to order?”
I looked down at my menu.
I hadn’t even glanced at it yet.
Picking the first thing that my eyes landed on, I recited what I wanted then looked back up to see Hastings staring at me with her eyes narrowed.
Well, more likely, her eyes were narrowed at the lady standing next to me.
I grinned and leaned a bit closer, causing her mouth to pinch into a fine line.
I liked her reaction.
Her jealousy gave me a bit of a thrill since her ability to ignore me for a month really had put a dent in my pride.
“Now, sir,” I heard the waitress say, placing her hand on my forearm. “Your steak, do you want to smother it?”
I shook my head, keeping my eyes on Hastings.
“No, ma’am,” I replied. “Just like it is, thank you.”
“Would you like to smother your baked potato?” she pushed, not picking up her hand.
“No,” I said. “I’m not a fan of mushrooms and onions. I’ll take it loaded, though.”
“I’ll make a note that you’re not a fan of those two things. Maybe they can be super careful about…”
I ignored the rest of what she said because my eyes were too busy taking in the woman at the other table rolling her eyes so hard she was making her head bob.
“If there’s anything else?” the waitress sing-songed. “Let me know. I’ll be right over there keeping an eye out if you need me.”
I didn’t say anything as she left, but I watched as Hastings visibly relaxed and turned her attention back to her parents and studiously ignored me after that.
Which pissed me off to no end.
I wanted her eyes on me.
I wanted to look up and see her staring at me like she wanted to lick me up.
By the time the lunch was over, I was in another bad mood.
Hell, I was in a perpetual state of anger lately, thanks to her.
Everybody got up just as the table across from us did as well.
Hastings and her sister lingered at the door to the porch as their parents gave them quick goodbyes and left without another word.
I tried not to let my disappointment of her leaving before me show.
“Gonna hit another pit stop before I get on the road,” I mumbled to my dad.
I’d had way too much water.
I’d drank a shit ton and hadn’t really wanted to.
Honestly, I’d meant to stop, but I liked the reaction I got every time Hastings saw the waitress come over to our table.
“10-4,” Dad said as he walked outside directly past Hastings.
His eyes took her in as he passed, and I knew he was more than aware of who I’d been looking at the entire lunch.
My boots ate up the distance between our previous table and the bathroom.
After taking care of business and washing up, I came out of the bathroom and headed toward the exit.
I was about four steps toward the door when I spotted Hastings out of the corner of my eye taking photos.
I couldn’t stop myself, then.
Walking up behind her, I stopped when my body was really close to hers, then waited for her to notice me.
She never did.
“What are you taking a photo of?” I whispered into her ear.
She jumped and whirled, turning to face me.
I had my helmet in my hand, and she bumped into it with her stomach.
Her hand went to her belly and she laid it there protectively.
“Sorry,” I murmured. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”
She licked her lips. “You didn’t.”
My brows rose as if to say ‘bullshit.’
She flushed.
“I was taking photos for my reader group,” she murmured. “They love motorcyclists since I write about them.”
I felt my lips twitch.
Her eyes narrowed on my mouth and she stepped away.
Not wanting her to leave just yet, I took a step forward and she took another one back. Straight into the wall behind her.
“I found out who texted you. My sister,” I said softly. “She works nights and stayed at my place the day after you came home. Her house was damaged in that storm, too. Her power had been out for days.”
She scrunched up her nose.
“I’d left my phone to charge in my room, and we both have the same passcode. She thought my phone was hers. She was asleep. Texted you back,” I rumbled.
And it was true.
After doing a little thinking, there really only were two options. My sister, or me.
Funny enough, I wasn’t one to send texts in my sleep without knowing.
She turned away and shrugged. “Maybe don’t do that for the next one.”
For the next one.
For the next girl.
Son of a bitch.
“Hey, you coming?”
I turned to find Hastings’ sister standing there staring between the two of us.
Hastings slipped to the side of me and smiled stiffly before slipping away.
I watched her go to her car and get in, all the while her sister hissed to her as they walked. Every few steps both ladies would look back at me and turn back around, whisper-hissing to each other even more.
Following them both outside, I made my way to my bike that was next to her car and didn’t look over.
“You ready?” Dad asked.
I nodded once and we all started
up our bikes.
I was the first one out of the parking lot and came to a stoplight directly behind Hastings’ car.
She kept glancing into her rearview mirror and her side mirror, her face a mask of worry.
The light turned green and Hastings accelerated as if she had somewhere to be. Or someone she didn’t want behind her.
The longer I stayed behind her, the more she looked in her rearview mirror.
I stayed where I was, falling farther and farther behind, wondering what in the hell her deal was.
Her car took an exit that took her off the road I was supposed to stay on to get me to Benton.
I looked once more at the car that was traveling fast down the road that would lead to Longview and made a split-second decision.
“I’m gonna break off,” I yelled. “I’ll catch up to y’all later.”
I didn’t give them a chance to argue.
Instead, I pulled the bike to the left and made a U-turn right there in the middle of the road before following the girl.
This time I didn’t try to keep up to her. I hung back, watching her make turns, and tried to make myself invisible.
When she finally pulled into a doctor’s office parking lot about twenty minutes later, I pulled into one a couple down from hers and parked the bike next to an air conditioner unit that was bigger than my bike.
Then I watched as Hastings and her sister got out of the car.
She looked up at the sign, placed her hand on her belly, and then walked inside without glancing around at her surroundings.
We were in the medical district of Longview.
The hospital was behind me, and this area had quite a few different medical offices around.
My eyes narrowed on the place that she parked in front of, and I got curious.
Which was always my downfall when I was a kid.
That was how I broke my first bone. How I ended up getting arrested when I was sixteen. And how I nearly lost my job before I’d even started.
But those stories died a slow, sudden death the moment that I read what was on my phone.
Typing the doctor’s name in Google, I waited for the results to pop up.
What I saw when I looked up the doctor’s name on the internet made me want to vomit.
And damn, was I pissed.
Why hadn’t she told me?
***
It was a full hour and a half before she finally showed back up.
Say It Ain't So (SWAT Generation 2.0 Book 9) Page 8