Chapter Twenty-Two
Bone
I knew the sound of my mother’s car.
That probably said something about how often she came down the road to the clubhouse, but I didn’t give a shit enough to figure out what.
I was standing behind the bar with Myth, going over the plan for meeting Eli Tuesday, when the familiar rumble of her engine worked its way through the open clubhouse windows.
Myth stopped talking.
I frowned.
“Expecting your mom?”
“No.”
“Maybe she’s bringing cookies.”
“Why the fuck would she bring cookies?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Moms do shit like that.”
“My mom isn’t your mom.”
“Pink likes me,” he shrugged.
“Pink tolerates you.”
“She likes me.”
I ignored him and walked toward the front windows.
Ma’s car rolled into the lot and parked between my bike and Taco’s.
The passenger door opened and Hazel stepped out.
Well, fuck.
Whatever annoyance I’d been working up about Ma showing up without calling disappeared so fast it was embarrassing.
Hazel closed the door and looked around. She was wearing jean shorts and a loose green shirt that hung off one shoulder. Her dark hair was pulled into a messy knot on top of her head, and sunglasses covered her eyes.
I hadn’t seen her since I’d left her house this morning. Not even twelve hours and I was damn glad to see her. Which was another thing I wasn’t going to spend too much time thinking about.
Myth came up beside me. “Well.”
I looked at him. “Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Keep it that way.”
The front door opened before I reached it.
Ma came marching in like she owned the fucking place. Hazel followed a few steps behind her, looking considerably less sure about the whole thing.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “Ma.”
“Bone.”
“You couldn’t call?”
She pulled off her sunglasses and slid them onto the top of her head. “I could have.”
“But you didn’t.”
“Correct,” she smiled.
Hazel lifted her hand. “Hi.”
I looked at her.
She gave me a small smile. Fuck.
“Hey.”
Ma looked between us, then she rolled her eyes. “Good Lord.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” She walked farther into the clubhouse.
Hazel stayed near the door. I wanted her closer.
“What are you doing here?” I asked Ma.
She looked around the clubhouse. “Saving you.”
“From what?”
“This.” She waved her hand around.
I followed the motion.
The clubhouse looked like the clubhouse.
“What the fuck is wrong with it?”
Ma slowly turned toward me. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah.”
She stared at me.
Myth made a noise behind me.
I looked over my shoulder. “What?”
He shook his head. “Nothing.”
Mom walked to the nearest table and picked up two empty beer bottles. “These.”
“Guys were drinking last night.”
“I gathered that.” She put them together in one hand and picked up another bottle. “And these.”
“Same answer.”
“There’s a pizza box on top of the trash can.”
“It didn’t fit.”
“Because the trash can is full.”
“Then someone needs to take it out,” I shrugged.
“Yes, Bone. That is generally what happens when a trash can is full.”
Hazel covered her mouth.
I looked at her. “You laughing?”
“No.”
“You are.”
Her hand dropped. “Maybe a little.”
“Don’t encourage her.”
“I’m not sure Pink needs encouragement.”
“She doesn’t,” Myth muttered.
Ma pointed at him with the beer bottles. “Exactly.”
Myth nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
Traitor.
Ma moved toward the bar. “This clubhouse needs a woman’s touch.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“It absolutely does,” she sang.
“We’re fine,” I insisted.
“You have three different shoes by the couch and none of them match.”
I looked toward the couch. There were, in fact, three shoes. I had no fucking idea who they belonged to. “They’ll figure it out.”
“I’m sure they will.” Ma set the bottles on the bar. “Where are your cleaning supplies?”
I stared at her. “What?”
“Cleaning supplies.”
“We have some.”
“I didn’t ask if you had them; I asked where they are.”
I looked at Myth.
He looked at me.
Ma sighed. “Jesus Christ.”
“We have cleaning shit,” I insisted.
“Where?”
I ran my hand over my head. “Ask Munch.”
“Why would the prospect know?”
“Because he cleans,” I said.
“That is what prospects do,” Myth chimed in.
Ma put her hands on her hips. “Clearly not enough.”
Hazel laughed.
I looked at her again. This time she didn’t bother pretending she wasn’t. “You think this is funny?”
“A little.”
“Wait until she wrangles you into this. You think you are just here by coincidence?”
Hazel’s laughter stopped.
Ma smiled.
“No,” Hazel said immediately.
I almost laughed.
Ma pointed at her. “Smart girl, but you’re not going to get out of this.”
Taco came walking out of the hallway with a bag of chips in his hand.
He stopped when he saw Ma, then his eyes moved to Hazel. “Hey, Hazel.”
“Hey, Taco.”
He held up the bag. “No jam.”
Hazel burst out laughing.
I frowned.
Ma looked between them. “What am I missing?”
“Nothing,” Taco said.
“Everything,” Hazel said at the same time.
Taco pointed at her. “Don’t.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“Good.”
Ma narrowed her eyes. “I’ll get it out of one of you eventually.”
“No, you won’t,” Taco said.
Ma smiled.
Taco’s face fell. “Fuck.”
“Language,” she said.
Taco stared at her. “You raised him.” He pointed at me.
Ma shrugged. “I tried my best.”
Hazel laughed harder.
“Can we go back to why you’re here?” I asked.
“I already told you.”
“To clean.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Ma ignored me. “Munch!” she shouted.
There was a thump somewhere down the hall. A second later, Munch appeared. “What?”
He saw Ma and his whole posture changed. “Hey, Pink.”
“Hello, sweetheart. Where are the cleaning supplies?”
He pointed toward the back. “Utility closet.”
“Wonderful. Go get them.”
His smile disappeared. “What?”
“Cleaning supplies.”
He looked at me.
I shook my head and held up my hands. “Don’t fucking drag me into it. Just do what she asks.”
“But I—”
Ma lifted one eyebrow.
Munch turned around. “I’ll get them.”
Hazel leaned closer to me. “Does everyone do what she says?”
“Pretty much.”
“I heard that,” Ma called.
“Good.”
She smiled.
Taco started backing toward the hallway.
Ma turned. “Taco.”
He froze. “Yeah?”
“Where are you going?”
“Outside.”
“No, you’re not.”
“I got shit to do,” he insisted.
“So do I.”
“That’s great. I wish you all the best with that, Pink.” Taco bowed to her and turned on his heel.
“And you’re helping.”
He looked over his shoulder, horrified. “With what?”
“Cleaning.”
His mouth dropped open.
I smiled. Finally, this shit was getting entertaining.
“I don’t clean.”
Ma stared at him.
Taco looked at me. “Prez.”
“Don’t look at me.”
“Help me.”
“You’re on your own.”
“You’re a fucking terrible president.”
Ma cleared her throat.
“Sorry,” Taco muttered.
Bull came through the front door carrying a folder.
“Bone, I got those—” He saw Ma. “Hey, Pink.”
“Bull. Perfect.”
He stopped. “What?”
“You can help too.”
“With?”
“Cleaning.”
Bull looked down at the folder. “I got stuff for Bone.”
“Give it to him.”
Bull immediately handed it to me. “Here.”
I took it, and then Ma clapped her hands. “Wonderful. That’s three.”
“Three what?” Humpty asked as he walked into the room.
Ma smiled. “Four.”
Humpty stopped dead. “No.”
“You don’t even know what I’m asking.”
“I know that look.”
“What look?”
“The one you get right before you make us do shit.”
I coughed to cover my laugh.
Ma looked at me. “You can help too.”
“No.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I’m working.”
“So are they.”
“Club business.”
Humpty nodded. “Me too.”
“No, you’re not,” I said.
He glared at me. “Fuck you.”
Ma snapped her fingers.
“Language,” Ma scolded again.
Humpty actually looked ashamed.
It was fucking amazing.
Myth started moving toward the hallway.
I caught the back of his cut. “Nope.”
He looked at my hand and then at me. “Let go.”
“If I’m dealing with this, you’re dealing with this.”
Ma smiled.
“Myth, you’re number five.”
“Number five what?”
“Cleaning crew.”
His face went blank.
Taco started laughing.
Myth turned on him. “You’re already on the fucking crew.”
“I know, but you thought you were getting away.”
“I have shit to do.”
“So do I.”
“You were eating chips.”
“Important shit.”
Ma clapped again. “Wonderful. Munch is getting the supplies. Taco, start picking up bottles. Bull, trash. Humpty, you can get these tables wiped down. Myth—”
Myth held up a hand. “Pink.”
“Yes?”
He looked at her, then at me. “Whatever you want.”
“Smart man.”
He sighed.
I couldn’t stop the grin.
“You’re enjoying this way too much,” Myth muttered.
“Absolutely.”
Ma turned toward Hazel. “And you.”
Hazel straightened. “Oh, no.”
“You are going with Bone.”
Hazel blinked.
I blinked.
“What?” we said together.
Ma rolled her eyes.
“You heard me.”
Hazel looked at me.
I looked at Ma.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I’m cleaning. You’re talking.”
“To Hazel?”
“No, Bone. To the invisible woman standing beside her.”
“Ma.”
“Oh, knock it off.”
“Knock what off?”
“This.”
She waved between Hazel and me.
Hazel’s eyes widened.
I stared at my mother. “There is no this.”
Ma laughed. Actually fucking laughed. “Oh, sweetheart.”
Taco stopped picking up bottles. Humpty slowly turned away from the table. Myth suddenly looked very interested.
I pointed around the room. “Every one of you better get back to fucking work.”
Ma slapped my arm. “Language.”
“This is my clubhouse.”
“And I’m your mother.”
“That doesn’t mean you run shit here.”
“Someone needs to.”
Hazel was biting her lip. I knew she was trying not to laugh.
“Ma.”
She sighed. “Bone, I’m not blind.”
I didn’t say anything.
“And I’m certainly not deaf.”
Hazel’s face went red.
My eyes narrowed.
Ma smiled sweetly. “And last time I checked, Hazel doesn’t own a Harley that she fires up in her driveway in the mornings.”
Taco choked.
Bull dropped the trash bag.
Humpty turned completely away from us.
Myth covered his mouth with his fist.
Hazel looked like she wanted the floor to open and swallow her.
“Ma.”
“What?”
“Enough.”
She shrugged. “I’m also not stupid.”
“I never said you were.”
“Good. Then stop acting like I am.”
Hazel covered her face. “Oh my God.”
Ma patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, honey. I’m happy for you.”
“Please stop talking,” she whispered.
“I like her,” Taco announced.
I looked at him.