Page 22 of Alice & Meg

Nikki smiled softly. “I know. He just gets a little irritated lately. It’s like he wants to be doing something more, but he doesn’t know what. With the kids taking over the club in the next few years, it’s like he’s floundering, figuring out what’s next.”

I glanced at Nikki. “Lo and the rest of the Knights went through the same thing. Hell, we’re still kind of in limbo with Hero wanting to take over but Lo not wanting to give up something that has been his for three-quarters of his life.”

“Wrecker is the same.”

“Hey,” Wrecker called. “You do know I’m standing right here and can hear everything you are saying.”

Alice patted his cheek. “Yes, baby, I know.” She sighed heavily. “I’m kind of looking forward to the kids taking the club over. Maybe I can get some more cattle to help occupy Wrecker’s free time.”

“Jesus Christ,” Wrecker huffed. “I am literally right here.”

Alice winked at me.

She was messing with him, and she loved it. “Or maybe we can start knitting. You know, that big chunky yarn that you have to use your arms as the knitting needles. I think that could be cool.”

Wrecker threw his hands up in the air. “You are unbelievable. I’m gonna go to the other side of the room while you plan my retirement.” He shook his head and weaved his way through the crowd.

“That man is going to have you committed,” Nikki laughed.

Alice waved her hand at her. “You and I both know that these men would be bored out of their minds if it weren’t for us. And he should be thankful to be graced with my presence for the past bajillion years.”

“Bajillion?” Lennox laughed. “I didn’t think you guys were that old.”

“Hush, little baby ol’ lady.” Alice winked at Lennox. “One day, you’ll be an all-knowing ol’ lady like us.”

Lennox fake curtsied and bowed her head. “I anticipate to learn the way.”

My eyes were trained on Lo as he finished the pinstriping. Pipe grabbed the brush from him and held it up victoriously.

The crowd cheered, and Lo straightened with a huge smile on his lips.

Jonas put his hands on my shoulders and squeezed. “I told you there was nothing to worry about,” he said in my ear over the loud cheering of the crowd.

I smiled proudly and patted his hand.

After all of these years, Lo still had it; nothing was ever going to take that away from him.

Chapter Nine

Alice

“And now we wait a little bit longer,” Meg called from the bathroom. We had set up the air fryer in the bathroom, and Meg had finally put her banana bread in. “I’m not sure how long it will take in there, so I erred on the shorter side. I think it needs another five minutes or so.”

“I still can’t believe you just made banana bread in your hotel room,” I laughed.

Meg sure was something else. Once the room had cleared for King’s pinstriping seminar, we headed up to Meg’s room while the guys headed off to another meeting. Today was the last day for meetings, and tomorrow was an exhibition with booths and demonstrations from companies and products for body shops.

“I need coffee,” Nikki groaned from the couch. “I don’t know why, but my ass is dragging.”

“Because you didn’t get a coffee this morning,” I called. “We came down thinking we were going to caffeinate, but instead, we ran into Meg and Lennox.”

Nikki pointed at Meg. “You are to blame, but I still like you.”

“Girl, I have learned after all of these years that nothing can and will stand in the way of my daily coffee.” I opened the mini fridge and motioned inside. “I now travel with my creamer, no matter what. And I also always have a special tool with me.”

“Mayo,” Nikki guessed.

Lennox wrinkled her nose. “My god, if you have been putting mayo in my coffee all of these years, we are going to have a talk.”

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