ie

I see Mercedes rushing towards me. She’s so pretty, with her long blond hair and those eyes that look just like her dad’s. Her father, Spike, is in a different club. It took a bit of adjusting, but she’s pretty much made herself at home here.

“Hey, Mercy!” I smile, waving to her.

She stops in front of me and looks up. “I haven’t seen you for ages! How are you?”

“I’m pretty good. You? How’s Diesel? Treating you well?”

She nods, cheeks flushing. “He always does.”

Jack makes a gagging noise.

“You shut up,” Mercy says to him, poking him in the chest. “At least I don’t have to stalk people to get love.”

Jack gapes at her; I burst out laughing.

“I thought we would be good as sibling in-laws, but you’re just a mean girl, Mercedes,” he says, crossing his arms.

She steps up to him, putting her arm around his waist and snuggling in. “You love me, bro.”

He rolls his eyes.

“I’ll leave you two to it, I’m going to find Mom.”

I walk inside the club house and do my usual wave to everyone lazing about. I walk into the kitchen, where I know all the ladies will be preparing for the cookout tonight. I’m right, my mom, Ash—who is Phoenix and Quinn’s mom; Jaylah—Jack and Diesel’s mom; and Pippa—Kaylee’s mom—are all standing, yabbering as they prepare salads.

“Ladies,” I say, walking in.

They all stop talking and look to me.

“Good golly, miss Molly,” Jaylah sings. “You look radiant.”

I shake my head with a soft laugh. “Only you could come up with something so incredible, Jaylah.”

She shrugs. “What can I say? I’m a genius.”

“She’s right, though,” Ash says, studying me. “You look really happy. What’s happened?”

“Is it a boy?” Mom says, eyes getting wide.

“Tell us,” Jaylah continues.

“Tell us now,” Ash demands.

“Tell us if you want,” Pippa says softly, always the soft, quiet spoken one.

“No, Pippi,” Mom says fondly to her little sister. “No, she must tell us. There are no options here.”

I laugh and slide my backside onto the kitchen counter.

“That’s nasty, I hope those pants are clean,” Mom says, smacking my leg as she walks past.

“Yes, Mother.”

“Tell us!” Jaylah cries. “The anticipation is killing me.”

“There’s nothing,” I say, throwing a hand up. “Seriously.”

“There’s a man, isn’t there?” Ash questions, staring at me through her lashes, studying me.

“He’s just a friend.”

They all squeal in unison.

“They’re never just friends, honey,” Mom points out.

“That’s not true,” Pippa adds. “Boys and girls can be friends all the time.”

“Thank you,” I say to Pippa, with a smile.

“Blah blah,” Jaylah waves. “Continue. Who is this man? What’s his name? How old is he? Is he hot? Does he ride a bike?”

I throw my hands up. “Okay, chill, I’ll tell you. His name is Roman, he’s a friend I met recently, yes he’s hot, and yes he rides a bike.”

“Tell me,” Ash says, crunching on a carrot. “How does one simply be friends with a male?”

I shrug. “I don’t know, we just are. It’s hard to explain, but we really do just get along so well. We met and it was never weird, we just clicked. It’s like I’ve known him forever. He’s going through a really hard break up.”

“Poor guy,” Pippa says, frowning. “Is the girl awful?”

I nod. “She can be. It sucks.”

“Girls,” Mom huffs. “Bitches.”

“Totally.” Jaylah nods.

“Mmmmmhmmmm,” Ash agrees.

“Who’s a bitch?”

We turn and see Dad and Mack coming into the room, holding trays of burgers for later.

“Women,” Jaylah says, smiling at Mack.

“True,” he agrees.

She flips him the bird.

I giggle.

I love their relationship. They’re the one couple I know that have something different. She drives him crazy, she talks way too much, she’s loud and sometimes annoying, but he adores her. He’s broody and quiet, a man that likes time alone, so they’re an odd match, yet they seem to work together perfectly.

“Who’s being a bitch then?” Dad asks, coming over and winking at me as he passes to put the meat on the counter.

“Her new flame’s ex,” Ash says, wiggling her brows.

My dad shoots a look at me. “Pardon?”

I sigh. “He’s a friend. Stop stirring the pot, Ash.”

She laughs.

“Do I need to meet this man?” Dad asks, crossing his arms. When he does that, it makes him look massive, and scary.

“No,” I grin at him. “I’m going to find the others. Carry on.”

“This conversation isn’t over, girl,” Dad calls as I leave the kitchen.

“Love you, Daddy!”

I disappear down the hall to the room we all set up when we were growing up. It has televisions, a pool table, a few sofas, some video games, it’s basically teenager haven. We all used to spend so much time in here during our teen years. When we have cookouts, we still all come in here.

“Yo!” I call, walking through the door.

Phoenix and Quinn are head to head playing a video game, Kaylee is on the couch reading a book, and Matilda is sitting on Jack’s lap, poking his ear while he whines excessively at her. Just the norm.

“Molly, what up?” Quinn calls, not moving his eyes from the television.

“Not much, Quinn.”

“Molly!” Jack yells. “Get your feral sister off me. She’s trying to put her filthy, dirty, nasty little wet finger in my ear.”

“You’re on your own there, bro.”

“I thought we were friends!” he cries as Matilda rams her finger in his ear again.

I laugh and sit down beside Kaylee. “Hey, chicky, how’s it going?”

She closes her book and smiles. “It’s going good, how are you?”