Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
ZERO
“Get up. I need a ride.”
Jasper’s voice made me jump and I tried to circle my arms around Isla automatically.
I’d been laying on the floor while she played with her toys, and when she fell asleep on me, I figured I’d close my eyes for a little while.
I didn’t think I’d fall asleep. Isla wasn’t sleeping on my chest anymore and my eyes snapped open as I looked around for her.
She was awake and on Jasper’s hip and he was giving me an irritated look that said he wasn’t happy with me falling asleep while caring for her.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, pushing myself up and rubbing my hands roughly over my face. “What time is it?”
“Four thirty. Get up.”
Pushing to my feet, I grabbed my keys and wallet automatically, following him out the door. It wasn’t until I was sliding into the driver’s seat that I woke up enough to question what was happening. “Wait. Where are we going?”
“Xander’s place. I told him I’d be there in ten, so hurry up.”
Blinking a few times, I tried to wrap my head around that information. “I didn’t know you two were friends.”
He shot me a dirty look in the rearview mirror. I raised my hands in surrender, putting on my seatbelt and starting the car. “Sorry, sorry. Did you grab the diaper bag?”
“Yeah. We’re set. Just go.”
I’d just pulled out of the driveway when he added, “Oh, we have to pick up Ms. Brooks first. Do you know where she lives?”
Okay, now I had questions. “What’s going on? Why would Simone need to come along for you to hang out with Xander? No one mentioned anything to me.”
“We’re going to be late,” he said in lieu of answering me. “She’s probably already waiting. Do you want her to think you’re the jerk who makes her wait?”
His dig got me moving, but I was still reeling when I pulled up in front of Simone’s place. She came out right after I pulled into the driveway, like she actually had been waiting for us, and slid into the front seat with a big tray in her lap.
“What’s that?”
“Food,” she answered vaguely. “Did you remember to pack a spare outfit?”
“I did,” Jasper answered from the back seat.
She nodded, raising her eyebrows at me when I just sat there staring at her.
“What’s going on?”
Her brows furrowed and she cast a glance at the back seat. I looked in the rearview mirror again, but missed whatever expression Jasper made. Simone shook her head, patting my leg gently. “Just think of it as a surprise. Now we should get going. I don’t like being late.”
“Told you,” Jasper sassed. I jerked my head back.
“You two are acting weird.”
Neither gave up the secret and I drove to Wraith’s place still scratching my head over what was going on. Maybe I was still asleep. This being a weird dream would make a lot more sense than whatever was happening right now.
Familiar vehicles were parked in front of Wraith’s place.
Not a bike in sight, but those cars belonged to some of my crew.
Hope filled my chest and I studied the house for any signs of what was going on as I got Isla out of the car.
Jasper had the diaper bag, and Simone had the food.
Jasper led the way toward the front door, his focus on his phone as his thumbs flew over the screen.
I frowned at him. Since when did he text anyone?
He didn’t have any friends as far as I knew. He wasn’t interested in making any yet.
Wraith’s front door opened and Xander came jogging out, waving us toward the back. “Everyone’s out here. Come on.”
I followed, still confused, but hopeful as familiar voices filled the air. Xander opened the metal gate for us, nudging Wraith’s massive dog out of the way with his knee and ushering us in. When I saw the group by the fire, I felt some of the tension in my shoulders ease.
“Zero! Settle a bet for me,” Vegas called, waving me over. He had his sleeping daughter strapped to his chest and a beer in his hand. Brewer, who stood next to him, offered me one when I approached, and when I hesitated, Simone patted me on the arm.
“Go ahead. I’ll drive us back tonight.”
Stunned, I took the offered beer, releasing Isla when Jasper snatched her out of my arms and brought her inside. I shot a confused look at Brewer, but Vegas interrupted my train of thought.
“Weirdest hook up place. Parking lot of a church or mall bathroom?”
“Uh… First one?”
Wraith, who apparently had been sucked into the conversation, made a face. “You’re more likely to get caught at a mall.”
“Yeah, but the question was the weirdest place, not most likely to get caught,” Brewer argued. “I bet tons of teens hook up at the mall all the time. That’s where they gather, right?”
He gave me a look, but I just shrugged. “Beats me. I don’t have to worry about that for a few years yet. Why are we talking about this?”
“Because I like winning,” Vegas said simply. “What about you? Weirdest place.”
Pursing my lips, I thought about it. I couldn’t decide between the laundry room and the car in the driveway. Simone and I had needed to get creative and both were a first for me.
“Uh, I guess the back seat of a car, but in my own driveway.”
All three guys looked confused. “Wait… If you were in your own driveway, why not go inside?”
I shrugged, tipping my head toward the house where Jasper had disappeared with Isla and Xander. “Kids in the house. My room is right next to Jasper’s and he doesn’t go to bed until late. We had to get creative.”
Snorting, Vegas tipped his bottle at me. “Alright, fine. You win. That’s fuckin’ weird.”
The normalcy of the conversation, the ease of it all, it tugged at something in my chest and it felt for the first time in over a week like I could breathe.
I relaxed into it, enjoying my beer and helped Wraith start a fire once the sun went down.
The food Simone brought wasn’t the only thing offered, and when Axel showed up with some nice steaks, I actually groaned, my mouth watering at the sight.
I couldn’t be trusted to cook steak. The two times I’d tried since Jasper and Isla showed up, it ended up being really chewy.
The boys came outside eventually, Isla on Jasper’s hip, giant two liter bottles of soda as their drinks that seemed like a lot of sugar all at once. I didn’t comment on it. If I could enjoy myself, then so could Jasper. It was just one night.
Wraith put his arm out when Xander joined our little circle, squeezing his shoulder affectionately. “Thanks for this. It was a good idea.”
Xander shrugged, but he looked pleased with the praise. “It wasn’t just my idea. Jasper and I planned it together.”
Sucking in a breath, I looked at my cousin. He grimaced, like he wasn’t comfortable with the recognition, but when he glanced at me, I saw the emotion there. He must’ve seen how upset I was and decided he was going to help. I beamed at him.
“Thank you. This is exactly what I needed.”
He shrugged, looking anywhere but at me. “It’s whatever. Are you and Mel related? Because she’s burning stuff in the kitchen a lot like you.”
Wraith, who’d just taken a sip of his beer, choked on it, jerking his attention to the house. “Someone let Mel cook?” He shot an incredulous look at Xander. “And you didn’t stop her?”
Xander’s grin was too wide when he admitted, “She wanted to surprise you. I thought she’d be fine with two other adults inside.”
I looked at Jasper, who shrugged again. “Ms. Brooks is helping her. That’s why Isla’s with me. I don’t need her getting smoke inhalation. Between the two of you, she’s gonna have smoker’s lungs before she even becomes an adult.”
“Hey!” I argued. My tone was definitely pouting when I pointed out, “I haven’t burned anything in…”
“Three days,” Jasper answered for me. “You tried to cook that special dinner for Ms. Brooks on Sunday, remember?”
I winced. I’d forgotten about that. We ended up going out to eat instead with all the windows open to air out the house. Brewer barked out a laugh when he saw my expression, shaking his head at me.
“I should’ve known you’d be a menace in the kitchen. You’ve been paying guys at the clubhouse to cook for you for years.”
It was my turn to shrug. “It was easier. And I didn’t risk getting reamed by Butch if I burned anything.”
Sierra came out of the house carrying a tray, Simone and Mel following after her. I raised my eyebrows at the treats, wondering if the lack of decent lighting was why they looked tasty. “I thought dessert was burnt?”
Mel gave a mock scowl to Xander, who gave her an innocent smile. “We salvaged it.”
Shaking his head, Wraith pulled her closer, smacking a kiss on her lips. “Baby, what the hell were you doing in the kitchen? You know better.”
Pulling a face, she said, “I figured I couldn’t screw up with rice krispies. It’s just butter, marshmallows, and cereal.”
Vegas picked up one of the treats, studying it closely. “It looks fine to me. How’d you save it?”
“More marshmallows,” Simone explained, plucking one off the tray and handing it to me.
When she grabbed one of her own, she took a very small piece off the corner and gave it to Isla, who looked pleased as punch for a sugary sweet.
Jasper made a face, but didn’t argue, handing her off to Simone so he could have his own treat.
He couldn’t balance that two liter and the baby while eating.
I loved seeing how easily he passed her off to Simone.
He trusted her. Which made me hopeful that she could be around for the long haul without messing with the peace we’d made recently.
Simone stepped closer to me and I put my arm around her automatically, snorting when I leaned in for a kiss and Isla patted my face with one slobbery hand. Simone just grinned against my lips, offering Isla more of her treat to distract her from putting those sticky hands on anyone else.
It was weird not wearing our colors, not to see a line of bikes out front, but it made me feel a little better knowing the crew was still the same.
The chaos that ensued when we were together was more tame, but with kids around, that was going to be true anyway.
If this was all I could have of my crew, I’d take it.
It was better than nothing. And I appreciated the hell out of Jasper for giving me a chance to have a night with my friends.
I’d need to find some way to show him how much it mattered to me.
Something that wouldn’t embarrass him, but would show my appreciation all the same.
The question was: How?