Chapter Eight
Carter started fussing in Taylynn’s arms. Tania knew he smelled the food and wanted some for himself.
“You might slide some off to the side and cut it up fine so it can start cooling,” Tania said to Smokey then turned to Tania. “I’ll take him, if you don’t want to deal with him fussing. He’s hungry.”
“I’ve got him,” Taylynn said. “Rene will get back with that plate soon then we’ll settle him in with some food, won’t we?
” The last was said to Carter, not Tania, but Tania couldn’t help but smile at the way the other woman interacted with her son.
“Besides,” Taylynn said. “I get the feeling you haven’t had a chance to eat many hot meals without him on your lap recently. ”
Tania tilted her head in acknowledgement but didn’t say anything.
Instead, she picked up her fork and dug into the enchilada casserole she’d asked for.
Flavor burst in her mouth, and she savored the taste of not just something she didn’t have to prepare, but she didn’t have to plan it or shop for it.
She hadn’t had more than the rare meal out, usually some business meal that Rod insisted she and Carter attend, that she hadn’t cooked since before Carter was born.
She focused on eating, listening to what was going on and letting the others deal with Carter, but still listening in case he needed her.
She was halfway through the serving when she noticed the way her mouth burned.
Reaching for her glass, she drank half the water in it before setting it aside, but it didn’t seem to help.
Rene appeared with two more plates, setting them in front of Raven and Taylynn. He started to leave when Smokey stopped him.
“Can you bring us a glass of milk?” Smokey asked.
“Sure thing.”
A moment later, Rene reappeared, a glass of milk in one hand, he set it on the table and Smokey slid it over in front of Tania.
“Try that. It will work better than the water.”
She stared at him like he’d lost his mind but took a drink. Almost instantly, the fire that burned her mouth and down her throat was diminished. Not completely gone, but better and now tolerable.
“Wow,” Tania said when she could speak without feeling like she was breathing fire.
“I’m glad we didn’t give any of that to him.
” She motioned to where Carter was smearing sauce and cheese all over the tray to the highchair, and smashing noodles into his hair.
He’d need a bath after this. She didn’t want to think about the logistics of that, especially since the bathroom in the room they were now sharing with Smokey only had a shower. That was a problem for later.
“Yeah, that probably wouldn’t have been good,” Smokey said.
She could imagine the crying that would follow and how inconsolable he would be.
No, best to keep to blander foods until he was older.
With the milk to keep the burning to a tolerable level, Tania finished the rest of her meal, then pushed the plate away, fuller than she could remember being in a long time.
“What now?” she asked as she watched Smokey push his own plate away.
“Now we wait and see,” Raven said.
“What do you mean?” Tania frowned.
“I’ve got my men doing research. The attorney is working on divorce papers.
Once he’s got them ready, he’ll come in and have you sign them, then file them.
I’d like to have a little insurance so that fuckwad doesn’t fight you on this.
If he wasn’t so visible, and from one of the more prominent families in the county, then we’d just hack the system and plant the files granting you a divorce.
” Raven met her gaze and held it for several seconds, as if he was willing her to understand what he was saying.
She thought she got it but how could she be sure?
How could she be sure she wasn’t reading more into what he wasn’t saying than he intended.
Tania took a deep breath and held it for several seconds.
She’d accepted long ago that there were some things just out of her control, now she had to take a moment and accept that this was one of those things.
She’d given up on being able to get away from Rod, now it was here and she would have to do what these people told her was best. Could she trust them?
She wasn’t certain but she trusted Smokey, always had, and he trusted them so she would put her trust in them to, at least until, or if, they betrayed that.
“I think someone needs a bath, then you said something about him needing a bottle?” Smokey turned to look at her.
Tania nodded. “He doesn’t eat enough to keep him growing, at least not yet.
” She looked at Carter, with the red streaks along his face, his hands covered in red and white goop and more goop mashed into his hair.
“And I’m not sure how to bathe him in the shower.
“That’s not a problem,” Smokey said. “I’ll take a shower with him.”
“Are you sure? He gets slick when you coat him with soap, and he wiggles and squirms. I’m too terrified of dropping him to take a shower with him.”
“Well, it’s either that or the bathroom sink and he’s too big for that.”
She stared at him for a moment before nodding. She didn’t see any other way. Plus, Smokey might not have known about him before this morning, might not have had any part in the last eight months of Carter’s life, but it was clear how much her old friend cared for their son.
Their son.
That was a phrase she would have to get used to, at least as it related to Smokey and Carter.
“Come on, spaghetti monster,” Smokey said, lifting Carter out of the highchair. “It’s time to get you cleaned up. Then we’ll see about that bottle your mommy keeps talking about.” He picked their boy up and carried him up the stairs.
Tania was torn. She wanted to go up and help with the baby but couldn’t stand to leave the mess Carter had made for someone else to clean up. He was her son, his messes were hers. She needed to clean this up.
“What happened to that rag and spray bottle you had earlier?” Tania said to Taylynn.
Taylynn waved one hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. Go up and get that bottle ready, and be prepared when you get two wet, slick guys out of the shower.” Tania shot her a grin.
“Rene!” Raven called.
“Yessir?” came the call back from behind the bar.
“Clean this mess up. And keep the highchair handy. We’ll be needing it regularly for a while.
” Raven turned to pin a look at Tania. “Now you have no excuse. And don’t feel bad about the prospects cleaning up.
The mess Carter made is nothing compared to cleaning the bathrooms around here or cleaning up after a party, and both are part of prospecting. ”
“Why do they do it?” she asked with a frown.
“To prove their dedication and loyalty to the club.”
“How long do they prospect?” She watched as Rene came in and fumbled with the high chair for a couple of minutes, until Taylynn took mercy on him and showed him how to take the tray off.
After that, he made quick work of getting it cleaned up and moved it to a corner where it would be out of the way until it was needed again.
“I better go make that bottle. Thank you for the company, and especially for occupying the baby while I ate. That was very sweet.” She hugged Taylynn as the woman had been nothing but sweet to her from the very beginning, then headed for the stairs.
She hoped she’d have a few minutes to herself to calm down and put a few things in perspective.
Somehow, things were moving way faster than she’d ever expected.