Page 14 of Owning the Prez’s Ol' Lady

(Two Months Later)

“Shasta, did you get the drinks for table eight?” Josie questioned.

The diner was jumping with patrons today. I guess there was some big football game in town, and everyone was coming here to celebrate.

“Yeah, I’ve taken their food order as well.”

Ramona was manning the cash register because her belly was getting so big that it was getting harder and harder for her to be on her feet. She only had a few months to go before the baby would be here.

Joe somehow, by the grace of God, allowed us to continue to stay in the guest house and gave us jobs. Josie was right, he was a big ole softie underneath that big, mean exterior of his. He was just the kind of man a girl could easily fall for if she was looking.

But I wasn’t.

My heart was still back in Austin, a jumbled mess of broken puzzle pieces that seemed to belong to different puzzles. How can someone have feelings for multiple men? It wasn’t right and identifying that was the first step in recovering from my time with the Lewd Outlaws.

“You’ve gotten better,” Joe said, startling me. His breath was hot and heavy on the back of my neck, and a cool excited shiver crept down my back as his lips cusped my ear. “Behind you,” he said in a seductively wicked voice.

My entire body tensed, and I quickly moved out of his way, allowing him to pass by, so he could get food out into the restaurant.

Josie giggled.

“The sexual tension between you and my brother could light a fucking fire,” she said with too bright of a smile.

“Don’t say that,” I bit back, trying to ignore the heated glance he stole over his shoulder at me.

Josie shrugged her shoulders. “Hey now, what’s wrong with liking my brother?”

Ramona cleared her throat. “Nothing, but Shasta’s been through some shit and she’s not looking for a relationship right now. She’s still hung up on her past.”

“I can respect that. But I will say, that Joe is actually quite the catch around town. He’s one of those guys that every woman wants. So, the fact that he has eyes for you, Shasta, is something special. Since his ex, Joe doesn’t date.”

My back straightened just a tad. “Well, I don’t either. So, that’s something else we have in common.” I quickly found out that Joe and I had more in common than I liked to admit, including our favorite TV shows, movies, and music. The man was basically a clone of me.

Every night, he would pop into the guest house, and we would fall into an easy conversation over one of our favorite movies while hurling popcorn at each other. It was cute, fun, and fucking dangerous as hell. I wish I could stop feeling such a strong pull to him, but it was hard, especially when I felt so fucking lonely right now.

“Well, I still think you guys would make the cutest babies!” Josie exclaimed.

The word baby had my heart clenching inside my chest, and the emptiness in my womb never felt heavier. The fact that Ramona was only months away from having her child, gave me an unhealthy amount of baby fever, but then I remembered I was damaged goods—and the mother I’ll never be.

“I need some air,” I quickly said, unable to hide my emotions a second longer.

From over my shoulder, I heard Josie say, “Was it something I said?” just as the door leading into the kitchen swung shut behind me.

I didn’t stop running until I was outside, breathing in cool puffs of air as I tried to fight the emotions clogging my chest. Anxiety and panic weighed me down, and I felt like the world was caving in on me.

“Breathe, Shasta, honey, you need to breathe,” Ramona’s voice broke into my chaotic thoughts, forcing me to take a breath.

“Girl, I got you,” she whispered. “Just take a deep breath.”

How she got out here so fast, I’ll never know. The woman waddled like a slow penguin most days, carrying that heavy baby in front of her like a bowling ball beneath her shirt.

“What’s wrong, Shasta?”

I stared at her pregnant belly, and jealousy sparked inside of me. I wanted what she had.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, sinking down until my back was pressing against the cool concrete of the exterior walls of the diner. “I’m just going through a lot right now.”

Ramona’s hand moved through my hair. If she wasn’t seven months pregnant, she would’ve sat down right beside me, but we both know how hard it is for her to get up.

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