Page 52 of Wild Side
I crack myself up.
Yeah, I fucking disappeared him my damn self.
“Sounds good. I’ll work you in the next round of men. Also, might want to think about getting a place to live. Not sure a pregnant girl wants to be living at the clubhouse.”
Jerking my chin toward him, I smile. “Yeah, thought about that already. Meeting with a realtor today. Not sure what we can afford with the cash I got on hand, but hopefully, we can find a decent place to rent.”
Leaving the shop, I head straight for Piggy’s sister’s bakery. I know how much Zadie loved the shit she got there the other day.
Downtown is only a couple of minutes away, and I’m not surprised to see Lainey behind the counter when I pull into the empty spot right in front. I’m also not surprised that both Dakota and Posey are there as well. I think I would be more surprised if they weren’t all three together.
Throwing my leg over my bike, I disengage, then walk toward the door. All three women’s heads whip around at the sound of the bell over the door, and their mouths press together in a thin line, effectively stopping whatever conversation they were having midsentence.
“Did I interrupt your shit-talking?” I keep both my expression and my tone serious.
Their eyes widen, then they all burst out laughing. “Kind of,” Dakota confesses.
“Where’s Zadie?” Posey asks.
My lips twitch into a smirk before I clear my throat. “I had some shit to do early this morning, so I’m grabbing her some breakfast.”
“Nice man,” Posey says. “Smart man.”
I’m not sure I’m either, but if I’m going to get her fully committed and moved here, a little bit of buttering up never hurt anyone. Lainey smiles and moves toward the case of sweets. “Do you know what she likes?” she asks.
Looking around, I realize that I have no fucking clue. I remember she had a muffin of some kind and talked about a cupcake. No goddamn clue about anything other than that. I open my mouth to say that when Dakota begins speaking.
“Zadie liked the cupcakes, at least she told me she did.”
“How about four cupcakes and four muffins?” I ask.
Dakota laughs behind me. “It sounds like you’re taking it to a pregnant woman,” she says, “so it’s perfect.”
After I pay Lainey, I start to leave the bakery when Dakota calls out my name. Stopping, I turn to face them, not wanting to be rude and have my back to the three. Dakota’s eyes find mine. They hold my gaze for a long moment before she speaks.
“I like her,” Dakota says. “A lot.”
“When you guys figure out where you’re gonna live, let us know. We’ll help Zadie get settled.”
My eyes flick around, and I give them a smile before thanking them, then slip out and head back to the clubhouse. My mind wanders during the short ride. I think about Goose, about Zadie, and for the first time in months, I feel at peace with us.
It’s going to work out.
I know it is. I can feel it deep in my gut.
Pulling up to the gate, I jerk my chin at the prospect in the gatehouse, then ride up the driveway. I park in my usual spot next to the Jeep. Picking up my phone, I text the prospect who isworking in the bar today and ask him to take the Jeep back to the rental place.
I gather the pastry box and make my way into the clubhouse. It’s quiet inside. I don’t even see the prospect I just sent a text to, which surprises me. Shocker isn’t even sitting in his normal place at the end of the bar.
Again, a surprise.
My brows knit together as I take in the place. I don’t think it’s ever been this quiet before. I start to head to my bedroom, but then I hear some noise in the kitchen. Shifting directions, I make my way toward it, open the door, then stop as my eyes connect with her body.
Zadie is bent over slightly, her head in the fridge. Clearing my throat, I watch as she turns her head, her eyes finding mine over the door of the fridge. She straightens and closes the door, then turns to face me completely. Her lips curve up into a grin as her eyes focus on the box in my hand.
“You got something from the bakery?” she asks in a whisper.
“I did,” I murmur.
