Page 61 of Hounds Ascend
“Good morning!” Mindy beams.
“Good morning,” I smile, my voice throaty and still laced with sleep.
“What time is it?” I ask. I’d forgotten to charge my phone last night and it’s somewhere in my ‘office’ likely deader than a door nail.
“Eleven thirty. Lunch time!” Carrie chirps.
I lean in Carrie’s direction to get a better look at what’s in the pot on the stove behind her. “Whatcha cooking? And better yet, where’d you get ittocook it? Cause, we lack groceries for the moment.”
“Youwerelacking groceries, but not anymore. Leo and I went out earlier and filled the fridge, freezer, and part of the cabinets for you. I’m cooking a chicken and sausage gumbo, and the potato salad is done already and, in that bowl,” she points to a red bowl on the counter that had a piece of foil wrapped on top of it.
“Oh my God, I haven’t had a gumbo since the last one my mom made…shit!” I curse.
“What’s wrong?” Lucy asks, looking at me with a worried frown.
“My mom. I haven’t talked to her with all this madness going on and she’s gotta be worried sick. I’m not good at juggling this shit, in case you couldn’t tell.” I sigh and rub my temple with my right hand.
“Just go call her andkind offill her in.” Mindy’s reassurance is always just what I need.
“It’ll have to wait. My phone’s dead. What’s another few hours added on to the last week?” I ask sarcastically. Hanging my head, I take a seat at the bar beside Mindy.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like I got run over by an old, rusty train.”
I lean forward and give Linc a glare around her. “You better not be letting her engage in anystrenuousactivity.”
I glower at him unwaveringly. He doesn’t even attempt to hide the laugh that bubbles up after a few seconds beneath my glare. “I don’tlether do anything, you should know that. She does what she wants.”
Mindy’s cheeks redden and I realize that although I was joking with them, it appears I was accurate. He and Mindyhadbeen doing some ‘strenuous’ activity.
“You better be careful, you’re going to end up hurting something if y’all keep trick-fucking,” I tell Mindy, quietly, since the rest of the room has resumed their own conversations.
“We aren’t trick-fucking. Calm your tits. But a girl does need dick every now and then…”
“Trust me, I understand. Just try to be careful. I worry enough about you already.”
“I got this.” Mindy smiles.
I rest my head on my hand as the rest of the room is filled with chatter. I haven’t seen the other out of town prospects nor have I seen Raven, Brock, Ryan, or Gater.
“Where’s everybody else? Did they leave?” I ask.
“Ryan and Gater left right after Cass and Scott got here lastnight,” Linc says.
“Raven’s still in bed,” Mindy points over her shoulder toward my bedroom.
“Brock too,” Leo chimes in.
“Bobby left for the clubhouse a few hours ago. His charter is heading out tonight and they wanted to make sure he was taken care of before they took off on their long trip home,” Shorty says a little loud from across the room.
Everyone is returning to their normal lives outside of all of this mess and that makes me a bit too giddy. The war is ending. I won’t have to worry about Cass’s safety anymore or anyone else’s for that matter. Of course, there’s reason to be concerned daily because they do ride motorcycles after all, but at least there will be a little bit of calm. Hell, maybe I’ll even be able to go back to work! I can hardly contain my excitement.
“So, it’s over then?” I ask, looking at all the guys standing around.
“I think so,” Leo beams.
“We’ll know for sure soon,” Linc said.
