Page 16 of Eagle

“Sit here and I’ll be right back.”

I took a seat at an empty table and thrummed my fingers on the top. My head was killing me but my thoughts were still racing. Imagining one of my own brothers with their hands all over her soft skin was making me queasy and angry at same time. After a few minutes, Mama Hen came back with a tray of goodies and snapped me from my murderous thoughts.

“Okay, drink this then you can have this coffee if you want.” She handed me a fizzy drink and a couple of pills. I downed them all quickly then sipped the coffee, wincing. “I think I’ll stick to soda for now. That tastes like shit.”

She rolled her eyes but pushed a plate in front of me. “I’ll get another drink but try to eat that.” She had made a BLT on toasted bread. She often had plenty of bacon and sausage for breakfast and I was bad about sneaking extra pieces of bacon. She made it nice and crispy. Biting into the sandwich, I moaned then took another big bite. Some food was just better for hangovers. Waffle House was great, but having something so easily available was even better.

Mama Hen came back with a glass of soda and a glass of water. “Here, water is good for you, too. You working today?”

Shoveling another bite, I took a gulp of the sweet bubbly drink and slowly started to feel like myself again. “Yep. I had a little time before I went in. Say, you seen Lacy? I needed to speak to her.”

Her brows shot up. “She wasn’t with you?”

I grabbed the napkin she had laid on the table and wiped my face. “Mama Hen, do I look stupid to you?”

She crossed her arms and quirked a brow. “You’re a grumpy drunk, Eagle. What are you talking about?”

“I know girls talk. You know what happened.” I didn’t really want to rehash yesterday with Mama Hen but she had to knowsomething.

“Girls may talk, but around here we have mostly women. Plus, youboyskeep me on my toes so I don’t have time for the bunny bullshit.”

“She’s not a fucking bunny.”

“Eagle,youare out of sorts.” Mama Hen sat down and pulled the chair closer. “I know she stormed off from you yesterday, but that’s the gist of it. I don’t meddle. And she didn’t say anything to me, so I didn’t ask. Plus, if you didn’t notice, I was busy with the party. You okay?”

Leaning back, I blew out a deep breath. “I’m okay. Maybe. I just wanted to talk to her and couldn’t find her.”

She patted my hand. “I’ll check the bunks. But maybe give her some breathing room.”

My head whipped in her direction. “I thought she didn’t tell you anything?”

Her eyes went wide. “She didn’t. My God, you are riled up. But you probably shouldn’t talk to her right now unless you want to scare her off.” Mama Hen stood and walked away.

I jumped up and walked over before she made it to the door. “I’m sorry. Iamout of sorts. Maybe I’ll just head on over to the shop. But if you find her, tell her I was looking for her and I really want to talk to her.”

She smiled up at me. She was nearly a foot shorter than me but she had a larger than life personality. And she was a woman, but she was an Old Lady, even though her man was dead. She was the First Lady for a long time, and she’d probably always be in my eyes. Whoever Hawk ended up with had some big shoes to fill. “I will. I promise. Go hop on your Harley and get some air.”

As I headed to my bike, I looked around, wondering ifmaybe she was getting some air herself. When I didn’t see her, I climbed on my Harley and fired it up. Maybe she overdid it on the booze, too, and was just sleeping it off somewhere. Mama Hen was right. I was too wound up to have the kind of talk I wanted to have.

After stopping and getting some more sports drinks at the gas station, I headed to the shop. The open air helped a little, but my head was still killing me.No booze tonight.I grabbed the drinks from my saddlebags and headed inside.

Daisy was at the desk typing away. She didn’t look up when I came in so I said, “Hey newlywed.” Her head didn’t move, but her eyes looked up. She normally greeted me and smiled when I spoke to her. Maybe she was hungover. I started to walk down the hall then stopped, turning back. She was Lacy’s best friend. “You okay, Daisy?”

She didn’t turn around and kept typing like she didn’t hear me. But she didn’t have earbuds in since we kept music playing in the shop. I walked around to the front again and stared down at her. “You got something to say to me?”

“Nope.”

“Look, she toldmeshe was leaving. Why do you have your panties in a bunch?”

“Hey,” Falcon barked from his booth. “Her panties are none of your fucking business.”

Great. Everyone was in a fucking mood today. Daisy scowled at me for a moment before I gave up and went to my booth to put my shit down. I pounded one of the sports drinks then tossed the bottle and opened the second, strolling across the hall to Falcon’s booth.

“What’s your problem?” I asked.

He motioned to close the door, so I shut it after stepping inside. “Whatever happened between you and Lacy has her in a foul-ass mood. All I did was ask what was up because she was holed up in your room when she was supposed to be banging me yesterday, then she was all depressed last night.”

My brow furrowed. “My room?”

---