many wonderful things about you.” I held out my hand, but she bypassed it, hugging me tight to her bony body. It was hard to believe such a small person had birthed Jericho, who stood over six foot.
“Your books done?” She turned serious.
“Yes, ma’am. Do you need them?” I headed to grab them.
“Nah, Stork will be by, but I plan to steal you for a late breakfast or early lunch, your call. You game?”
I didn’t think no was an option, and she intrigued me.
“Sure. Sounds great.” I stopped to lock up the shop, and we walked the block to the diner.
“You like Barden?” MJ asked.
“Yeah, a friendly town, and I’m starting to feel at home.”
“Need anything? We like taking care of ours.”
I gulped, thinking of what Dare said about my furniture. I shook my head. I planned to figure it out on my own.
We walked into the small diner and across the black-and-white-tiled floor to a newly cleared table in back—perfect timing. MJ sat down across from me.
A middle-aged waitress came by to take our order. “Hey, Jen, what’s the special?” MJ greeted her.
We ordered amid Jen and MJ catching up on town gossip. Once the waitress walked away, MJ focused on me.
“Dare asked you to the party. And you said?” MJ stared straight at me.
She was direct.
“We’re...” I searched for the right word.
“Fucking?” MJ laughed, holding her stomach. “Dear, I’ve done more of that than you can dream of.”
I was positive that was true. “Yeah, no emotions, the sex. This party feels like not casual, and I’m afraid—”
“No reason to fear the club—we’re legal and not too raunchy.” MJ’s gaze narrowed on me.
I held my palms up. “No, I’m afraid getting to know him better means heartache for me. I’m worried I don’t know the lingo, the rules, and will do something stupid, but I’m not afraid of the club.” If the woman let me finish a sentence, then she’d know my opinion.
Jen brought our coffee on a tray filled with food. The delicious smells of bacon and sausage had my stomach growling. I sipped my black coffee while MJ put enough sugar and cream in hers, I didn’t think it counted as coffee anymore.
“Those are smart worries. Good head on your shoulders.” MJ nodded and drank her coffee. “My boys say you cook like a dream, and that, I’m always looking for. Most old ladies can’t cook worth a damn.”
I didn’t know who her boys were. “Look, here’s my problem. I only understand about half of what you say. Who are your boys? What are retirees ? And what the hell are sheep ?”
MJ belted out a laugh that made her cough and pound the red Formica-topped table. “Girl, ain’t met one as green as you before. Can’t believe Jericho hired you. Must be good with the paperwork.”
I was damn good at my job, and what did the biker’s secret language have to do with managing the shop?
“Easy, girl.” MJ studied me. “Didn’t mean to piss you off. So many girls live to join the lifestyle and here you are not knowing a damn thing.”
I bit my lip. “Dare said we’d talk tonight and he’d answer my questions.”
Jen set the Denver omelet in front me, a fluffy perfection that I couldn’t make for the life of me, so I dug in and left MJ to talk.
She ate a piece of bacon and assessed me.
Should I worry about passing? Hard to care while I ate fluffy eggs with ham.
“Can’t think of a time Dare brought someone to the club, not even a sheep.” She held up a finger. “They’re girls who love the life and like to party—basically club property. Any of the guys, whose women won’t cut off their dicks for cheatin’, can have a go. Sometimes one of the boys will take a shine to one for a bit, but mostly they’re partiers who have no sense.” MJ grunted. “You’d never be a sheep.”
“Damn straight.” I frowned at her. “Not, um, anything wrong with it, but not my style.”
“We agree.” MJ ate more bacon. “Women have defined roles in the club, but
“Your books done?” She turned serious.
“Yes, ma’am. Do you need them?” I headed to grab them.
“Nah, Stork will be by, but I plan to steal you for a late breakfast or early lunch, your call. You game?”
I didn’t think no was an option, and she intrigued me.
“Sure. Sounds great.” I stopped to lock up the shop, and we walked the block to the diner.
“You like Barden?” MJ asked.
“Yeah, a friendly town, and I’m starting to feel at home.”
“Need anything? We like taking care of ours.”
I gulped, thinking of what Dare said about my furniture. I shook my head. I planned to figure it out on my own.
We walked into the small diner and across the black-and-white-tiled floor to a newly cleared table in back—perfect timing. MJ sat down across from me.
A middle-aged waitress came by to take our order. “Hey, Jen, what’s the special?” MJ greeted her.
We ordered amid Jen and MJ catching up on town gossip. Once the waitress walked away, MJ focused on me.
“Dare asked you to the party. And you said?” MJ stared straight at me.
She was direct.
“We’re...” I searched for the right word.
“Fucking?” MJ laughed, holding her stomach. “Dear, I’ve done more of that than you can dream of.”
I was positive that was true. “Yeah, no emotions, the sex. This party feels like not casual, and I’m afraid—”
“No reason to fear the club—we’re legal and not too raunchy.” MJ’s gaze narrowed on me.
I held my palms up. “No, I’m afraid getting to know him better means heartache for me. I’m worried I don’t know the lingo, the rules, and will do something stupid, but I’m not afraid of the club.” If the woman let me finish a sentence, then she’d know my opinion.
Jen brought our coffee on a tray filled with food. The delicious smells of bacon and sausage had my stomach growling. I sipped my black coffee while MJ put enough sugar and cream in hers, I didn’t think it counted as coffee anymore.
“Those are smart worries. Good head on your shoulders.” MJ nodded and drank her coffee. “My boys say you cook like a dream, and that, I’m always looking for. Most old ladies can’t cook worth a damn.”
I didn’t know who her boys were. “Look, here’s my problem. I only understand about half of what you say. Who are your boys? What are retirees ? And what the hell are sheep ?”
MJ belted out a laugh that made her cough and pound the red Formica-topped table. “Girl, ain’t met one as green as you before. Can’t believe Jericho hired you. Must be good with the paperwork.”
I was damn good at my job, and what did the biker’s secret language have to do with managing the shop?
“Easy, girl.” MJ studied me. “Didn’t mean to piss you off. So many girls live to join the lifestyle and here you are not knowing a damn thing.”
I bit my lip. “Dare said we’d talk tonight and he’d answer my questions.”
Jen set the Denver omelet in front me, a fluffy perfection that I couldn’t make for the life of me, so I dug in and left MJ to talk.
She ate a piece of bacon and assessed me.
Should I worry about passing? Hard to care while I ate fluffy eggs with ham.
“Can’t think of a time Dare brought someone to the club, not even a sheep.” She held up a finger. “They’re girls who love the life and like to party—basically club property. Any of the guys, whose women won’t cut off their dicks for cheatin’, can have a go. Sometimes one of the boys will take a shine to one for a bit, but mostly they’re partiers who have no sense.” MJ grunted. “You’d never be a sheep.”
“Damn straight.” I frowned at her. “Not, um, anything wrong with it, but not my style.”
“We agree.” MJ ate more bacon. “Women have defined roles in the club, but
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