Chapter 17
BOONE
Nothing had gone to plan with Nova so far. That’s why I wasn’t particularly surprised when she changed our evening plans.
On the ride to my condo, I pointed out a few local places with good food. I wasn’t sure what Nova wanted, but I felt like she ought to be the one to choose.
“I grew up in a small town with people who never left,” Nova said in an eerie tone. “Everything they cooked was what they had been taught to cook by other people who had never tried anything new. They called it tradition, but life was stagnant.”
Nova’s big blue eyes focused on me. “After moving to Baton Rouge, I never grew as a person. I told myself I was too busy being a mom and renovating the house. The reality is I don’t know who I am, and I’m afraid to find out.”
“Why be afraid?”
“What if I’m a loser?”
Frowning, I asked, “Wait, who would be the one judging you as a loser?”
“People,” Nova said and shrugged. “Or just me.”
“Well, as someone who grew up around people with zero fucking interest in the opinion of outsiders, I believe you should be proud to be you.”
“But I don’t know who I am.”
“Because you were stuck in a small town. You also made it seem like you didn’t have any friends in Baton Rouge. Now, you have options. So, I suggest you try things to test what you like.”
“What if I like stupid stuff?”
Nova’s sour mood surprised me. From afar, she radiated a happy, good girl vibe. Was she actually a moody person?
“People laugh at me for having a tiny dog,” I told Nova. “I put ketchup on mashed potatoes. I can’t drink orange soda without wanting to puke. Are my things dumb? Maybe, but I don’t care. I refuse to pretend to like cool shit.”
Nova’s gaze sharpened, and a smile warmed her face. “Ketchup on mashed potatoes is gross.”
“I know.”
Despite her mocking words, Nova now watched me like my little confession had won her heart.
“I don’t like fancy coffee,” she said and smiled. “I’m afraid I don’t like anything interesting.”
“Why don’t we order dinner from a place with both safe food and new things?”
Nova’s gaze remained locked on me long after she nodded at my suggestion. I pulled my truck into the underground parking garage and rolled into my spot next to my motorcycle.
“How about we order Japanese food?” I suggested and shut off the engine. “I like ramen. My mom made it, so the food feels safe. Yarrow didn’t like sushi, so I’ve never tried any. How about we order ramen and sushi to test ourselves?”
Nova smiled. “What if we like it and she thinks we’re weird?”
Grinning at the thought of my mom’s reaction to me enjoying sushi, I said, “Yarrow likes weird. She might decide she ought to give sushi another try if we like it.”
One thing I had noticed about Nova was that she admired the foxes. Tough chicks were her ideal. Goldie and a few other foxes at the Sorority House insisted Nova’s wild child had been tied up and stuck in a closet somewhere. They claimed our job was to free her.
I doubted sushi would be enough to set Nova’s wild child loose. But she was more likely to try something if she knew another fox—even my mom—had done it.
As I walked around to open the passenger door, I imagined what Nova was like before people molded her into this slightly uptight, reserved woman.
After I left jail, I planned to rebuild my life exactly as it was before I left. Yet, as soon as I saw Nova, I started reconsidering everything, so I might win her heart.
Now, I took her hand and guided her to the elevator. The doors opened to reveal Jagger. For a moment, I worried Nova might swoon over the pretty boy. Though she didn’t pay him much attention, Jagger zeroed in on her and wouldn’t move out of the way.
“What?” I demanded too strongly.
“The Black Rainbow has gotten all tangled up with the Crimson Guard,” he said, stepping back and remaining in the elevator.
“What’s the problem?” I asked Jagger after pressing the button for my floor. “You’ve met Nova before.”
“Those Baton Rouge boys have been acting up since Exile’s wedding.”
“By Baton Rouge boys, do you mean your club brothers?”
Jagger shrugged. “You should be aware of their, um, annoyance. Just assume they might get mouthy around Nova or Lula.”
“What about Elle?” Nova asked.
Jagger frowned darkly. “Doesn’t she live in Baton Rouge now?”
“She’ll be around until Halloween.”
“Does that mean her man will also be around until Halloween?”
“Yeah,” I answered as the elevator dinged, and the doors opened.
Jagger shrugged again. “Well, your people would be wise to remain aware of their surroundings.”
Holding the door open, I gestured for Nova to leave the elevator. Once she was no longer between us, I frowned down at Jagger, who was an inch or two shorter.
“Are those assholes plotting something?”
Jagger smirked. “Do you think those Baton Rouge boys are the plotting types?”
“Then, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying if they get drunk or impulsive, they won’t be starting shit with the men of Crimson Guard, but the foxes would be fair game.”
“If that happens, I’ll bury them at the quarry. You might want to take a break from giving me cryptic warnings and spell shit out to your president. Tricky needs to control his people.”
Jagger only smiled. “Tricky would say the same about Clint.”
Before I could complain, Jagger hit the elevator button, and the doors shut. Nova watched me with a gentle gaze.
“It’s nice that he warned you.”
“Yeah, nice.”
“Are you upset? Should I go?” Nova asked, even while taking my hand and gently tugging me down the hallway. “I could walk home. I wouldn’t mind making myself dinner, even though you lured me here with promises of Japanese food.”
Grinning at her teasing, I enjoyed the way she blew hot air in my direction. I never wanted Nova to edit herself in my presence. She should blurt out whatever was in her head. I trusted that kind of honesty. The women I grew up with had few filters.
But if Nova did choose to censor herself, I’d adjust to her needs. That was the part I hadn’t been sure I could do when I first fell for this woman. I had feared taking on her problems or helping to raise her daughters. Now, I knew I’d rearrange my whole world to make room for Nova Shaw.