Page 34 of Gator

I’ve died and gone to carb heaven!

Sliding into a corner booth, I scanned the menu absently. My stomach still protested the thought of anything too rich, but a warm bowl of oatmeal and a side of toast sounded promising enough. As I waited for my order, I stared out the window at the city’s early hustle.

My phone buzzed again, its vibrations persistent against the wooden tabletop. This time, I answered.

“Wade,” I said, my voice flat.

“Finally!” he barked, his voice filling the receiver with a mix of relief and exasperation. “Why haven’t you answered your phone?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, sighing. “Morning sickness. Triplets, remember?”

There was a slight pause. “Fair enough. But I need you to shove a beignet in your mouth and get your ass to the police station.”

“And why would I do that? I just sat down for breakfast,” I said as the pretty waitress placed my food in front of me and my stomach grumbled.

God, I hoped it tasted as good as it smelled.

“Because we’ve spent the night in jail and when I called my woman to come bail me out, her phone went straight to voicemail!”

“Sounds like you should get a new woman,” I moaned as I scooped a big spoonful of the oatmeal into my mouth. “God, this is so good. Wade, you really need to try this oatmeal. Where are you?”

“Woman, are you even listening to me?” he snapped. “I’m in jail, so get down here before I end up on the news for strangling someone.”

“Charming,” I muttered, setting my spoon down and glancing longingly at the bowl of oatmeal. “What exactly did you do that landed you in jail?”

“Devlyn,” he growled. “Swing by the bar and pick up Juju’s hearse that’s parked out back. Keys are hanging on the back wall in the kitchen. Bring cash and come bail me out!”

“Oatmeal first,” I said, then disconnected the call as I took another spoonful of oatmeal, savoring the warmth that spread through me.

Oh, yeah... this was hitting the spot.

So good.

Sometime later, long after my morning breakfast and a stop at some place calledMomma’s Vittles, where I proceeded to eat my weight in crawfish, I finally made it to the New Orleans Police Station. Walking in, munching on a po’boy that was so damn good I wanted to cry, I approached the counter and mumbled through a full mouth of yummy goodness, “I’m here to bail out my baby daddy.”

The officer behind the counter quirked an eyebrow and grinned. “Got a lot of those in the back, honey. Gonna need ya to be more specific?”

I swallowed the last bite of my po’boy and gave the officer my best unimpressed stare. “Wade Montague Crawley. Goes by Gator. President of the Bourbon Kings MC. Ringing any bells?”

The officer chuckled, shaking his head as he began typing on the keyboard. “Ah, Gator,” he said with a smirk. “Yeah, we’ve got him. Caused quite the scene last night, didn’t he?”

“Well, that’s what he does best,” I replied dryly. “How much is it going to cost me?”

“Let’s see here... public intoxication, disturbing the peace, and an impressive display of creative profanity directed at one of my colleagues. You’re looking at $1,500.”

I winced. “He better be worth it,” I muttered under my breath, fishing out my wallet.

“Is he?” the officer asked with a knowing grin, printing out some paperwork.

“Depends on the day,” I said, handing over the cash. “Today? He owes me big time.”

The officer chuckled again, sliding the receipt across the counter and motioning for me to follow. “He’s in holding cell three. Try not to let him sweet-talk you into covering more of his messes.”

“Oh, he doesn’t sweet-talk me,” I said with a laugh. “He whines. And it works. Unfortunately.”

As the officer opened the door to the holding area, I caught sight of Wade leaning casually against the bars, looking far too relaxed for someone who’d spent the night locked up. “Took you long enough,” he drawled, flashing me a grin that could probably melt steel. “What took you so—Oh, wait, let me guess. Food?”

I tossed the receipt at him, rolling my eyes. “You’re lucky I like you, Wade. Now, let’s get out of here before you find a new way to annoy me.”

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