Chapter 24
My phone rang justas I was putting on my red cowboy boots. I saw Bad to the Bones flash across the screen and a smile immediately graced my lips.
I answered and put him on speaker.
“How many beers in are you?” I asked.
“Zero,” he said. “We’re still getting a game plan together.”
“A game plan? It’s a bachelor party. Shouldn’t there already be a plan?”
“Savage suggested renting a few cabins and tripping balls on a shitload of peyote, but the rest of us nixed the idea.”
I chuckled.
“Viper’s a chill guy. He wasn’t gung-ho for a party anyway. Mostly, he’s stewing, wondering what trouble Sutton will get into.”
“She won’t get into trouble,” I stated. “She’ll be surrounded by her friends. We’ll make sure she’s safe.”
“Sutton is…Sutton. Trouble has a way of following her.”
“I promise not to let her drink until she blacks out and forgets the night.”
“I’ll tell Viper. I’m sure he’ll appreciate that.”
“Hmm. Well, I’m about to run out the door.”
“Now? You’re going to be late.”
“I started my day behind and it’s just snowballed,” I commented.
“You’ll tell me about it later,” he said. “Tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“Yeah, tonight. When I come over.”
“You’re coming over?” I asked. “You’re not going to be partying until the wee hours of the morning?”
“We’ll have a few beers, we’ll haze Viper, then we’ll probably work on a motorcycle engine or two and call it. Most of my brothers have wives and families now. The landscape of bachelor parties has changed. Plus, I’m not twenty-five anymore. Hangovers fuckin’ suck.”
“You’re right. You’re like, what, thirty-nine? When I told you to bring over a spare toothbrush, maybe I should’ve told you to bring a pair of slippers and a robe to go with it.”
“Not funny,” he said, but his tone was light.
“So…later tonight?” I asked.
“Later tonight,” he agreed. “Keep in touch, yeah?”
“I will,” I promised.
I hung up with Bones, grabbed my purse and jacket, and was out the door.
The Spurs parking lot was nearly full and I had to park in the back. By the time I opened the front door of the restaurant, it was seven forty-five.
A cacophony of noises hit me at once. The loud clanging of the dinner bell to alert the servers that a table’s food was ready, the steady hum of conversation, the cheering of men at the bar watching some sporting event.
I stepped up to the hostess stand and told them who I was meeting.
“Most of your party is already here,” the hostess said. “Let me take you to the table.”
We wound our way through the restaurant, passing large booths that could seat six. The Old Ladies were sitting at a long rectangular table in the back.
“You’re here!” Sutton yelled, hopping up from her seat at the head of the table. She wore a plastic crown with the word bride blazed across the prongs.
She hugged me to her.
“Sorry I’m late,” I said.
“It’s fine,” she assured me. “Doc is running late too, but that’s Doc.” She gripped my hand and looked me up and down. “I said bring your honky-tonk. You didn’t bring your honky tonk.”
“I wore cowboy boots,” I said, lifting my leg and pointing to my foot to show off my red cowboy boot. “And jeans.”
“No hat.” Sutton pouted.
“Well, I think you look great,” Willa said to me. She winked. “Nice flannel.”
“Thank you,” I said, beaming.
“Let me introduce you to everyone,” Sutton said.
She went around the table. There was a range of women who looked like they were in their mid-twenties to early forties.
“We’ll periodically remind you of who we are,” Mia said, lifting her pint of beer and taking a sip.
“Thanks,” I said. “Where should I sit?”
There was an empty seat between Logan and Willa. Willa patted the chair. “Here.”
“Are we waiting until Doc gets here before ordering a round of tequila?” Darcy asked. “I’m kid-free and I want to party.”
“Count me out. I’ve got two hours before I have to get home to the baby,” Brooklyn said.
“I’ll do a shot,” Joni said.
“Me too,” Tavy added.
“Show of hands,” Sutton said.
“What about you?” Mia asked Sutton.
“What about me, what?” Sutton asked.
“Do you want a shot?”
“No, I don’t want a shot,” Sutton remarked.
“You don’t want a shot of tequila at your own bachelorette party?” Rach piped in. The pretty brunette’s eyebrows rose to her hairline. “Why not?”
“Tequila and mechanical bull riding doesn’t really seem like a good idea, does it?” Sutton asked. “And I really want to ride that bull.”
“Oh my God, you’re pregnant!” Mia yelled from the other end of the table.
There was a momentary lull in conversation, but it quickly dispelled, and everyone began talking again.
“Are you?” Logan looked at Sutton.
Sutton nodded, a little smile creeping across her face. “I haven’t told Viper yet.”
Chairs were pushed back as the Old Ladies got up and swarmed Sutton. I smiled, watching everyone laughing and talking, batting tears away from their eyes.
A blonde with a pixie cut rushed at the table. “Sorry I’m late. What’s going on?”
“Sutton’s pregnant,” Mia announced.
The woman smiled. “I know.”
“You know? How did you know?” Mia demanded.
“She came to the clinic,” the woman said.
“I guess Viper really doesn’t have to be worried about you drinking too much tequila tonight,” I said with a laugh.
“I’ll tell him at the wedding,” Sutton said. “But everyone is sworn to secrecy until then. Now, let’s order some food. I’m starving.”
“Bathroom,” Willa announced.
“Oh, same.” Logan stood up.
I wiped my greasy fingers on my soiled paper napkin and rose. “I’ll come.”
“I love that we go to the bathroom in packs,” Mia said.
“Hurry back,” Sutton said. “They’re going to start the line dancing soon.”
The four of us wove our way through the restaurant and found the bathroom.
There were four stalls and all of them were unoccupied. It wasn’t until we were washing our hands that Mia asked Logan, “How’s the new house?”
“Not at all unpacked,” Logan said with a laugh. “Smoke’s parents are coming for a visit in the next few weeks, so we need to get a move on.”
“You just went to visit them,” Mia said. “And they’re already coming down?”
“Want to make up for lost time, I guess.” Logan shrugged. “And spend more time with Tavy, too.”
Mia looked at me. “How are you doing, Hayden? Have we overwhelmed you yet?”
I laughed. “No.”
“We’ve been on our best behavior.” Mia winked.
I checked my hair, but I’d used half a can of hair spray to keep my big curls intact and I didn’t need to do anything.
“How’s Waverly? And Sailor?” I asked Willa.
“They’re fine. A little shook up, but they’re okay. Thanks,” she replied.
“What happened to Waverly and Sailor?” Mia asked.
“They were in a minor fender bender last night. They were rear-ended. They’re okay. So is the truck.”
“That truck is indestructible.” Mia chuckled. She looked at me and said, “Duke bought my old truck for the girls to share. It was the truck my grandfather used to drive.”
“And it’s still on the road,” Willa said. “Despite teenagers behind the wheel.”
We got back to the main floor. My attention was immediately drawn to the two men at the bar who hadn’t been there when I came in. They wore leather cuts, but they were turned sideways so I couldn’t see their club name written on the back.
“Hayden?” Willa called.
I turned to look at her. She and Mia had taken a few steps toward the direction of the table, but they’d apparently noticed I hadn’t joined them.
I walked to them. “Sorry, I just—there are two men at the bar wearing leather cuts. Are they Tarnished Angels I haven’t met yet?”
Mia’s gaze narrowed as she took in the men. She looked away from them to Willa. “Why don’t you guys head back to the table.”
“Sure,” Willa said, looping her arm through mine and tugging me away.
Mia stood rooted in her spot, but I watched her pull out her phone.
“Those men,” I said to Willa. “They’re not supposed to be here, are they?”
Willa clenched her jaw. “No. They’re not.”
“Who are they?”
“No clue.”
“Really?” I asked. “Or is this one of those things where you’re pretending not to know?”
“I really don’t know,” she said. “This is Tarnished Angels’ turf.”
“Turf? Like, the Jets and the Sharks? Turf like that?”
She nodded. “Exactly like that. Spurs isn’t a Tarnished Angels bar, but it’s in Tarnished Angels territory. So, the fact that there are other bikers here…”
“Oh,” I said quietly.
“Yeah. Oh. Don’t say anything to the girls, okay?”
“I won’t,” I promised.
“There you are,” Sutton said when we got back to the table. “Where’s Mia?”
“She had to make a call,” Willa said. “She’ll be here in a bit.”
“Delilah brought another round of drinks,” Rach said. “And told us the dancing is gonna start in about ten minutes.”
“Which is probably my cue to go,” Brooklyn said. “I have to relieve Slash of baby duty so he can get to the bachelor party.”
She went around the table and hugged everyone goodbye, including me. She saved Sutton for last.
“Thank you for coming,” Sutton said to her. “I know it was hard to pull yourself away from Palmer.”
Brooklyn’s smile was beaming. “Thanks for understanding.” She hugged her tight again. “And congratulations. Tell Mia goodbye for me.”
“I will. See you at the wedding.”
Brooklyn grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair and waved goodbye.
Old school country music suddenly blasted through the sound system.
“Get your kit shickers ready,” Sutton said. “We’re about to have some fun.”