Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“It was supposed to be a surprise.”
“Well, I think it was great. He seemed really happy.”
“He deserved it. He worked hard and it paid off.”
Once he finished talking to one of the other brothers, I stepped over and gave him a quick hug as I said, “Congratulations.”
“Thanks, Jen. Appreciate it.”
I’d just released him from my hug when Lawson leaned over to me and said, “Jud and Stacie are here.”
“Really?” A strange look marked Skid’s face as he turned and started searching for them. “I didn’t know they were coming.”
As soon as he spotted them, Skid left us and went over to greet them. He spoke to Jud for a moment, then turned his attention to Stacie. It was obvious by the way he was talking to her that he was interested in her, and I couldn’t blame him.
She looked stunning in her short skirt and black cowboy boots. Her sweater was slightly fitted and showed off all of her curves, but not overly so. She had her hair down, and it was curled loose around her shoulders. It was clear she’d taken a good bit of time and care to get ready for the party, and it had paid off.
She’d drawn the attention of one of the nicest guys around. I could see her blushing from across the room, so I told Lawson, “I’m gonna go over and say hey.”
“Go ahead. I’ll catch you in a bit.”
“Grab a beer for Stacie. Looks like she’s gonna need it.”
“Sure thing.”
I walked over, and Stacie’s face lit up when she saw me. “Hey! You’re here!”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” I reached over and hugged her. “Grim told me you guys might stop by. I’m really glad you decided to come.”
“I don’t think we’ll stay long.”
“That’s okay. We’ll make the best of it while you’re here.” I motioned to the back. “Why don’t we go find a table?”
“That would be great.”
We wedged our way through the crowd, and by the time we got to a table, Lawson had made his way over with the beers. We sat down, and it wasn’t long before Memphis and Ghost came over and sat down with us. Stacie leaned in close as she whispered, “I never knew bikers were so hot.”
“Yeah, they’re not so bad.”
“No, not bad at all.”
Stacie drank her beer and then another. She wasn’t much of a drinker, so it was no surprise that it only took the two to give her a buzz. She was all smiles as she looked over to Memphis and asked, “I hope you don’t mind, but I gotta ask... How’d you get a nickname like Memphis? Is there a hidden meaning behind it, or did you like Elvis or something?”
“Nah, it ain’t got nothing to do with Elvis.” Memphis had a Jax Teller look about him with his shaggy blond hair and baby blues, and he had a similar gruff attitude. “It’s where I was conceived.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, the guys have a sick sense of humor.”
“I don’t know. I kind of get it.” Stacie glanced to her left. “But I’m not so sure about Ghost. Does he see dead people or something?”
“No, he just has a way of sneaking up on ya, and it’ll scare the hell out of ya when he does.”
“OH.” She took another drink. “I certainly hope he doesn’t ever try sneaking up on me, or we’ll both get a scare.”
The guys chuckled, even Ghost, and that tickled Stacie.
I was glad she was having a good time. I was, too. It was nice getting to know the guys a little better. It was also nice seeing Lawson in his element. He seemed truly at home with his brothers, and it meant a great deal that he was sharing that with me.
Stacie had just finished off her beer and was about to ask for another when Duggar started walking over. She immediately leaned over to me and whispered, “Who’s that?”
“That’s Duggar. He’s one of the club’s prospects.”
“What’s a prospect?”
“It’s someone who’s working to be a brother but isn’t one yet.”
“Oh.”
She appeared a bit skeptical as he approached and offered her a drink. “I thought you might like a cold one.”
“Thanks.” She took it from his hand and smiled. “I appreciate it.”
“You interested in a dance or a game of pool?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” She glanced over at me, then right back to him. “It’s really nice of you to offer, but I think I’m going to pass.”
“Okay. Suit yourself.” He raised his bottle and smiled. “You ladies have a nice night.”
I wasn’t surprised that she’d turned it down. She’d had her eye on Skid the entire night, and he had been eyeing her, too. I had a feeling there was something going on there, but it was clear that neither of them was going to do anything about it. So, I left it alone and hoped they would figure it out on their own.