Chapter 7
BOONE
Exile looked as pissed as I expected when I told him that I planned to ask out Nova.
I wasn’t an old-fashioned guy. I didn’t need Exile’s permission.
But I still did him the favor since I figured he was overly protective after what happened with her abusive husband and then the shooting.
Maybe my choice to play the nice guy was a mistake, though.
If Exile got to Nova before I did, he might make me look bad. I really had no idea how this shit was supposed to go down. I never dated women, let alone chased them.
My only girlfriend was in junior high. I wasn’t even interested in the chick, but the guy she was dating sucked.
I knew she liked me, so I played along to get her away from the asshole.
I kept that up for a few months until the jerk got a new girlfriend.
I still remember how much the chick cried when I broke up with her.
I said everything so nicely and blamed myself, but she still sobbed like I had broken her heart.
Thinking back to that clusterfuck nearly stopped me from entering Pax’s house. I hated when women cried. Their tears set fire to a festering pit inside me.
I entered Pax’s house to find Bebe and Dillon talking. Walking past them, I didn’t see Nova in the backyard. Her girls were sitting with Vanessa at a child-sized table.
“Where’s Nova?” I asked Bebe.
“Hiding in the bathroom,” she replied gently.
Preteen Dillon wasn’t so kind and asked, “Did you do something wrong?”
“No, I’m innocent.”
“Innocent of what exactly?” Dillon pushed, sounding like her lawyer mama.
“Of everything. I’m as sweet and uncomplicated as a newborn babe,” I said while peeking down the hallway of Bebe’s house. “Which of your many bathrooms is Nova hiding in?”
“She might just be using the bathroom,” Bebe offered. “You know, since you’re innocent, and she’d have no reason to hide.”
I stepped closer to them and revealed the crinkled paper with a smiling Eddie Murphy face. “She put this in my jacket pocket.”
“She gives those to everyone,” Dillon insisted.
Bebe, though, smiled softly like she got what was happening. “Help me check on the cookies,” she said and gestured for me to follow her into her kitchen. “Nova will be out soon, and then you can unleash your most charming side.”
Except Nova wasn’t out of the bathroom soon. I started wondering if she wasn’t hiding but actually felt ill. Would she be upset with me waiting for her while she was dealing with a sick stomach?
“Should I back off?” I asked Bebe.
“Nova did seem a little tipsy at the reception. I wonder if I should check on her.”
“This might be a mistake,” I said and studied the paper. “Or she was playing a joke.”
“You could leave a note,” Dillon suggested as she took a cookie from the baking sheet. “She left you a paper message, and you could leave her one. Ooh, maybe we can print out the face of another actor. Who do you like?”
“That seems like the behavior of a silly man.”
“You’re the biggest doofus I’ve ever met,” Vanessa said as she entered the room. “Now, what are we talking about?”
“Boone has a crush on Nova.”
“Oh, I already knew that,” Vanessa said and took a cookie before returning it to the sheet and grabbing a handful of broccoli heads. “I need more fiber.”
Bebe fixed Vanessa’s messy blonde hair and explained, “Nova gave Boone the Eddie Murphy face last night.”
“No, Stevie did,” Vanessa said, and I frowned. “Wait, Stevie gave it to Clint. Yeah, it was Nova who put it in the right pocket.”
“Were they messing around?” Dillon asked. “Is this a mean joke to make Boone cry?”
“No, Nova thinks Boone is hot. She wants to ride his hog if you get my drift?”
Bebe asked, “Did she say that?”
“Of course not. Nova doesn’t talk about men’s hogs. She’s all demure and puritan, but I sensed her mind was on Boone’s hotness and hog.”
“I think I should leave,” I said and inched away from Bebe, Vanessa, and Dillon. “I’ll hit up Nova another time.”
Dillon shook her head. “Don’t be a wuss. You should print out a smiling face of an actress and leave it for Nova. It’ll be a fun thing you can tell your grandkids.”
Stroking her granddaughter’s head, Bebe chuckled. “That would be a fun story.”
“I’m going to leave.”
“Grandma has a printer in her office,” Dillon offered.
Vanessa nodded. “Don’t be a scared bitch. Just print out a face and leave it for her.”
“What’s happening?” Clint asked, entering behind me. “What are we printing out?”
“An actress’s face for Nova.”
“What actress?”
“I’m not doing that,” I said and headed for the door.
Clint stopped me. “We should talk.”
“I don’t need advice.”
“You made it sound like you were going to make a move on Nova.”
“I thought she was interested because of the paper. But she isn’t ready or interested, so I’m bailing. Now move, or I’ll pick you up and set you aside. Do you want me to treat you like an annoying child?”
Before I could follow through with my threat against Clint, Ivy appeared from behind him. With her standing less than five feet tall, it was possible she had been behind him the entire time without me noticing.
“Nova likes you,” Ivy whispered. “She doesn’t like anyone else. Don’t be mad because she’s nervous.”
“I’m not mad. I just shouldn’t have come over and made a scene. Now, she’s hiding in the bathroom, and a group of women are trying to get me to leave a goofy message.”
“She’s hiding because we were all staring at her,” Clint said. “Also, Exile is trying to figure out if he should have a talk with you.”
“Good Lord,” I grumbled and ran my hands through my hair. “I shouldn’t have said a damn thing.”
“No, doofus,” Vanessa insisted as she ditched her veggies and walked to me.
“You’re thinking like your dad when you ought to be thinking like your mom.
I mean, we’re talking about a woman who gave you a piece of paper with Eddie Murphy’s face printed on it.
That’s not sensible shit. That’s crazy Yarrow shit.
” Vanessa placed her hands on my shoulders and declared, “Embrace your inner Yarrow.”
“Let’s all chill out,” Clint said and shooed away his cousin. “Ivy, why don’t you check on Nova while Boone and I talk about men issues.”
“Like athlete’s foot and beard maintenance?” Ivy asked her husband before snickering with Vanessa.
“I’ll go with you,” Vanessa told Ivy.
“Wait, who’s watching the girls?” I asked.
“They’re in a fenced backyard,” Vanessa said while wandering after Ivy. “Where can they go?”
Bebe frowned at Vanessa and walked outside to where her foster kids Elijah and Jenan played near Nova’s girls.
I exited the front door and headed for my motorcycle. Clint was right on my ass like I assumed he would be.
“Don’t bail.”
“It’s gotten weird.”
“I thought you liked weird,” Clint asked and tugged me to a stop. “You’ve always preferred crazy and wild. What’s got you worked up?”
“Nova’s not like that.”
“Well, she’s a little weird.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t keep my mouth shut for a few days. Now, Exile is riled up a day after his wedding.”
“But if you held off for a week or two, Nova would have been flipping out about whether you’d seen the paper and were ignoring her. Getting it out there is better.”
My chest felt heavy and weird. I wanted to ride away and get my mind on something less complicated. Of course, Clint wouldn’t let me bail.
“What’s happening in your head?”
“I stayed away from Nova because I thought she was fragile, and I don’t like fragile.
There’s a different formula for everybody when dealing with fragile.
But then, she chose to flirt by using this little face,” I said and looked at the paper.
“I thought that meant she was weird. Like, genuinely wired wrong, and you know I’m cool with weird.
But then, she hid in the bathroom, and I realized she’s more fragile than weird.
Now, I want to back off and leave. Don’t make me knock you down. ”
“Before we get physical, let me ask you something,” Clint said and braced for me to shove him. “You’ve liked Nova for months. Why her?”
“She’s new.”
“Plenty of new women show up at the clubhouse.”
“Those women are crazy sluts looking for a good time.”
“Plenty think they’ll win the heart of a bad man.”
“What’s your point?”
“If Nova is someone special, there’s no fighting it. Might as well make your move now.”
“Just because you moved in with your now-wife five minutes after meeting her, doesn’t mean other people should act that way.”
“Elle fought her feelings for Zodiac, but that didn’t stop them.”
“She got to spend her summer traveling instead of following him to Baton Rouge. Waiting worked out for her.”
Clint smiled. “I like it when you behave like a goofy, scared kid. Should I call your mom to ride up here to give you a hug?”
I moved to shove his shoulder. Clint was a step ahead and dodged my hand. I outsized him by an inch and carried my muscle in a bulkier way. That made my punches harder, but the shithead was fast as fuck.
“Quarterback bitch,” I mocked as I took a swing at him.
Clint chuckled and dodged my strike. “Lineman dipshit.”
“Did you just fat-shame me?” I asked and shook my head. “I’m telling Goldie. Get ready to listen to some big sister bitching.”
“Getting your women to fight your battles,” Clint said and chuckled again. “Typical beta.”
Giving up on the battle, I asked, “What do you think I should do?”
“I’ll give you Nova’s number, and you can text her. Nice and normal.”
“I don’t know if I can do normal.”
“I can do normal. Do you really think you’re wilder than I am?”
“Yes. Your parents are Mike and Carol Brady. My family is the Munsters, or maybe those Addams Family freaks.”
A grinning Clint asked, “In the Addams Family scenario, who would be Uncle Fester?”
“Oz, I guess.”
After chuckling at Rock’s dad, I glanced at Lula’s house. “Texting sounds good. Less drama. But what do I talk about during the date?”
“Is that a real question?”
“I’ve never gone on a date as an adult man.”
“What did you talk about when you dated Sandilee?”
“I didn’t. She babbled about girl stuff, and I nodded. No, wait, I might have grunted positively a few times. Nova will no doubt want more words from me,” I said and then shrugged. “Or maybe not. I don’t really know her.”
“But you like her.”
“She’s gorgeous. My interest is shallow shit, but I can’t get her out of my head.”
Clint grinned wider. “Exile barely knew Lula, and he showed up here like a stalker. Sometimes, your gut just knows these things.”
“So normal texting and dating, huh?” I said and nodded. “I’m a pretty normal guy, right?”
“Sure.”
Before I could embrace the normal route, Vanessa strolled out of the house and smiled at me. “I got you a date. In two days, you’ll pick up Nova at six for a movie and modest dinner at a mid-priced restaurant.”
“Wait, is this you fucking around, or did Nova agree?”
“She was hiding in the bathroom when Ivy and I shook some sense into her. Now, obviously, you’ll need to pick her up in a vehicle other than your motorcycle.”
“Did you bully her?” I asked Vanessa.
“I lovingly demanded she make herself happy. You’re welcome. Maybe take her to Bubba’s Ribs. They have yummy rolls. If I were going to date a biker, I’d want him to take me there.”
Vanessa walked away while I frowned at Clint. “Your woman ruined my chance to be normal.”
“You and I both know Vanessa was the driving force behind that plan.”
“Fine, your cousin ruined my chance to be normal.”
Clint shrugged and patted my shoulder. “You can still be normal. Pick her up in your truck. Go to a popular movie. Eat at a mid-priced restaurant.”
“And what are we supposed to talk about?”
“Ask her questions. Aren’t you interested in her life?”
“Sure, but if I ask too many kid-related questions, I might come off as a perv.”
“Ask open-ended questions like, ‘How is Skylar enjoying school?’ Then, nod while she answers. You are perfectly capable of having a normal conversation with a woman.”
“We’ll see,” I muttered.
While Clint went inside Lula’s house to find Ivy, I rode away from the drama I stirred up by taking Nova’s bait. Despite getting what I wanted, I realized I had a date with a woman who was too afraid to talk to me.