Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 117494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
“There’s a lot of women around here, especially around times like this.” Shelly took over, speaking for her daughter. She gave her a smile and nodded to send her along. “I got it from here. Where are you off to now?”
“Uh…” Katie looked between us before turning to her mom. “There’s a house party at Jared’s tonight. Don’t suppose I could go?”
“You know the deal. We stay put until we know everything’s done and handled.”
Katie glanced my way again. “Okay. I’m going to my room. You need help with supper?”
“Nah. We’ve got more than enough help around here. If you think of leaving, I’m going to send your cousin after you.”
Katie’s eyebrows pinched together. “Mom!”
“Just saying.” Shelly shrugged. “You know the deal.”
Katie snorted before taking off.
“You drink coffee? Tea?”
“Coffee, please.”
She nodded to the pot, and I saw there was a whole set up, like this was a hotel. “Help yourself. We try to keep it stocked for anyone staying, and the guys love their coffee around here.”
“This is your place?” I asked as I went over and began filling a mug.
“Yeah.” She grabbed a few items and waited as I added some cream to my coffee. Then she indicated that we should go the same direction her daughter had.
We walked out of the barn and turned for the main house.
“This is my project,” she added. “Crow acts like it’s his, but it ain’t. It’s mine.”
“Are you and Crow…?”
“No! God, no.” She laughed. “Rash is my brother, like I said, and he and Crow grew up together. Crow’s my cousin. My husband used to be Red, but he died ten years ago. I got some inheritance and used that to buy this place, renovate it. It’s my business. Katie and I keep an apartment in a town not far from here. It’s where she goes to school, and we rent this place out. It does well too. Lots of companies use it for events, whatnot. Then Crow gave me a call yesterday and said the club needs it. So here we go.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“Thanks.” She sent me a warm smile, before a wondering look replaced it. “I gotta say, it’s a really big deal that Ghost and his club are here. Did you travel with them?”
“Uh.” Oh, man. She was asking questions, and I didn’t know how Shane wanted them to be answered. “No. I know Sha—Ghost from where I grew up. My sister followed the club out here and well…” It sounded ridiculous, now that I was saying it to a total stranger. “I came to get my sister.”
“Is she young?” Shelly lowered her voice, pausing halfway to the house. “If she’s eighteen, they’re not going to like you sticking your nose in their business. Eighteen and up is fair game to these guys. Since you’re with Ghost, maybe rules are different, but—”
“No.” I started laughing because at this point, how could I not? “I’m sorry.” Still laughing. This whole situation was messed up. I waved a hand, feeling some tears building.
Shelly looked at me like I’d lost my head, but that made it all the funnier.
She was warning me about the guys wanting my sister here. It was so the other way around.
“It’s not like that. At all. At. All. My sister is–” Wheeze. Now I was laughing at myself laughing.
Shelly cracked, starting to laugh with me.
My delirium wasn’t just about Claudia. It was about me. Foley. The divorce. Me working at a grocery store. The road trip. Everything—and being told if my sister was eighteen, I should leave it alone.
Finally, after I calmed down and could get some air, I shook my head. “You clearly haven’t met my sister yet.”
Shelly’s eyebrows pitched high in her forehead, and she laughed harder. “Oh. It’s like that?”
I nodded, wiping a few tears away. “Sorry. Just—so not the situation, and yeah.”
“You’re such a bitch.”
I gasped, whirling around.
Claudia stood not far from the main house’s porch. She walked my way, her arms crossed over her chest, and she looked annoyed. She also looked dressed the same way Shelly and her daughter were.
Was that the uniform for women in this world? Claudia had chosen shorts that barely covered her ass.
I looked down. I wasn’t too far off. I had the jeans, but I wore a white, v-neck shirt. It was simple, but stylish. Or I’d thought so. Now I was tempted to tie it in a knot behind me, just so I didn’t feel too old.
“Good Lord.” Claudia rolled her eyes. She turned to Shelly. “Look at her. She’s worried she’s not going to fit in because her clothes aren’t skin tight, and totally not realizing how fucking more gorgeous she is than the rest of us.”
Shelly’s eyes widened as she looked between the two of us. “Guessing you’re the sister?”
I narrowed my eyes. “What are you doing here?” This was sober Claudia. Not fun drunk Claudia.