Page 39 of Wait For Me

“No. It’s different with you.”

“Why?”

“First, because I already knew you. We knew things about one another that wouldn’t have seemed out of place if you took me out tonight. If you handed me the mustard because you knew I liked to douse my burger in it, that wouldn’t seem strange to me.”

“I didn’t know that about you,” he admitted, and if it wasn’t for the dark, I’d swear there was a blush on his cheeks.

“I guess that’s even better then. It just felt wrong. The whole thing. He shouldn’t have been ordering me more lemons when I got my water refilled. I was supposed to do that.”

Bagger laughed. “So, you’re creeped out because he was considerate?”

“No, I’m creeped out because he knew things he shouldn’t.”

“If he was so creepy, why were you gone so long?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Darlin’ I already you know didn’t do anything with the man. What’s it gonna hurt to tell me the PG shit you got up to?”

“Why does it matter?

“Just curious what you were up to while I sat here waiting.”

“Look, Bagger, I didn’t know you were sitting here the whole time. You doing that was on you, it’s still not your business what I did on a date with another man.”

“Well, I guess not, if you’re trying to regrow your virginity and play innocent, that’s on you.” I said rather harshly.

“Regrow my virginity? What in the hell is that even supposed to mean?” That was it, Bagger had officially worn out his welcome as far as I was concerned. “Don’t you have a girlfriend you should be worried about instead? You don’t need to keep tabs on me. I’m doin’ just fine.”

“Yeah?” He asked, looking somewhat angry. “Were you doing just fine when you were off fucking a married man? Is that the kind of fine you are these days?”

I gasped. To say I was shocked that he knew about that, was an understatement. It also made me think worse of Mike, Trench, or whatever the asshole wanted to be called. He had obviously told Bagger about my time with Zane, and that made me unbelievably angry all over again.

“You are a real piece of work, you know that? How dare you judge me! I grew up watching you fucking multiple women at once because you thought you were too good for just one, and the last time I saw you before I came home, you were balls deep in someone else’s Old Lady. So, fuck you very much! I made a mistake when I was young, hurting, and looking for some kind of validation that I wasn’t some hideous troll that no one wanted. You can’t say the same. You were just a miserable prick who used people up and spit them back out at your convenience.”

The front door burst open, and Viv stood there, wide-eyed and looking sleep rumpled. “I think that is just about enough from the two of you. Bagger, go home. Star, come inside.”

I didn’t even bother glancing back at Bagger. Instead, I stood and made my way inside the house. “Sorry, Aunt Viv. I didn’t mean to wake you,” I offered my apology as I passed her on the way to the guest room. It made me wish that the apartment they used to have over the garage had still been available.

14

Bagger

“Sorry Viv,” I quietly stood and started to move off the porch when she stopped me.

“Do you really think saying those things about who she has or hasn’t slept with is going to endear her to you?”

“I don’t know what I’m thinking anymore,” I admitted.

“Maybe you should figure that out before you try to talk to her again.”

“Yep.” I took off and headed back down the driveway, where I’d parked my Harley so that I could sneak up on the woman and not have her try to run and hide before we got the chance to talk. Little did I know, she had already been out with one of my club brothers when I got there.

I ended up back at the clubhouse where another problem sat front and center at one of the tables available by where Grady was playing pool. The old fucker never seemed to go home anymore. I didn’t have time to worry about his ass though because there were bigger fish to fry. I moved over to Kip and Ashlynn. “You gonna tell your sister?”

“I ain’t in no rush,” Kip returned with more than a little attitude.

Ashlynn huffed and got up to move to the bar.

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