“Yes, dear,” Colt chimed like a chastised husband. “There’s a spare set of house keys in the drawer next to the fridge. Use those to lock up the house.”
“Yes, dear,” I parroted.
He laughed, the sound easy on my ears. I liked knowing I was responsible for it.
I didn’t call Joni back to tell her not to bother coming over because I had a plan. A plan to get Joni and Zip in the same place and see what happened. It was pure evil, but maybe they needed a push in each other’s direction. My new friend wanted him, and I wanted to see his reaction to her.
Thanks to Laura—the club groupie who had brought over bags of used clothes—I had a wealth of new cute outfits to choose from. I settled on a comfortable spaghetti-strap, blue cotton dress that hit just above the knee. It showed off the freckled skin of my shoulders. I was just putting the finishing touches on my lashes when the doorbell rang. I went downstairs to answer it, glad to see it was Joni looking hot and tall in a pair of dark, skinny-leg jeans, a black, flowy tank top, and long, silver, dangle earrings.
“You look amazing!” I stated, waving her inside.
Her high heels clacked on the wood floor as she entered. Smiling, she said, “Thanks. You look pretty, too. You ready to go? Cheese can follow us.”
“Uh, yeah, about that. Colt wanted Zip to drive me.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “Then why am I here?”
There was a knock on the door and I shot her a look. “Just go with it, okay?” She nodded, and when I opened the door Zip stood on the porch. Leather cut, wavy blond hair, sharp blue eyes—focused on Joni.
“Hi,” he greeted.
“Hey,” she answered.
“I’m such an idiot,” I chirped. “Joni offered to give me a ride, and I forgot to call her and tell her you were driving me.”
“No sweat,” Zip said.
“Why don’t we carpool?” I suggested.
“Isn’t it easier if Joni takes her car?” Zip asked.
“She wants to drink,” I blurted out. “And I don’t want her to drive.”
Zip’s eyes slid to Joni.
“Uh, yeah. I want to drink,” Joni stated. “A lot.”
“Okay,” Zip sighed in feigned annoyance, though it appeared to be all for show. “You guys ready to go?”
“Yeah,” I said. I grabbed my cell phone off the coffee table and a spare key, realizing that I didn’t have a purse.
“I can hold those for you,” Zip said after I locked up. Cheese was on his bike. Revving the engine, he waved and then pulled away.
“Thanks,” I said, handing Zip my two items of importance. I was excited to get out of Colt’s house. As comfortable as his home was, I was about to scale the walls just to have something to do.
I climbed into the back of Zip’s black SUV before Joni could. I wanted to give her the front seat. It was unbelievable watching them. They repelled like magnets, except for their gazes. They couldn’t stop looking at one another. I wondered if Colt had any idea about the attraction between his VP and his sister.
The drive to the clubhouse was quiet. I stared out of the window, watching the flat land swish past. The entire ride was filled with tension and silence. When we arrived at the clubhouse, I immediately hopped out of the car, wanting to escape Joni and Zip’s weird bubble of avoidance and sexual tension.
I waited for Joni to get out of the car and then followed her inside. We moved through the expansive living room to the open-designed kitchen. Darcy stood at the granite island, cling-wrapping a plate of raw hamburger patties.
“Hey, sugar!” Darcy greeted, leaning over to give me a cheek brush. “How did you feel this morning?”
“Slow to start,” I admitted. “But after my second cup of coffee, I felt okay.”
She nodded. “Girls’ nights can get rowdy. That one was pretty tame. Wait until we go out dancing.”
I paused, surprised that she was already inviting me to another girls’ night out.
“I’m so glad I didn’t have to work at the hospital today,” Joni said with a laugh. “I was fairly useless until about ten this morning.”
“Didn’t we drink the same amount?” I looked at her. “Did I drink you under the table?”
“It would appear that way, yes,” Joni said with amusement.
I gestured with my chin to the counter. “What can I do?”
“Take that plate of hotdogs outside and hand them to Gray. He’s at the grill.”
“Put me to work,” Joni commanded.
“Condiments need to go on the tables,” Darcy dictated.
“Got it.” Joni went to the fridge and rooted around the shelves, pulling out bottles of mustard and ketchup. Her butt was on display in her amazing jeans and I caught Zip staring at it.
“Zip, find me a prospect and send him in,” Darcy said. “I need another case of beer brought up from the basement.”
Zip grinned. “These parties would be a shit show without you here.”
Darcy rolled her eyes. “They turn into a shit show after a few bottles of bourbon.”
He kissed her cheek on his way toward the hallway. He gestured for me to follow and when we got to the back door, he opened it, allowing me to go out first.
Before I could continue to the grill, Zip put his hand on my arm and stopped me.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
I frowned in confusion and lifted the plate of hotdogs. “I thought it was obvious.”
“Not that. The shit you pulled with me and Joni?”
“You and Joni?” I asked, feigning innocence. “There is no you and Joni.”
Zip’s jaw clenched and his blue eyes went frosty. “Stay out of it.”
“Stay out of what?”
“For fuck’s sake,” he muttered. He reached into his pocket to retrieve my phone and keys before stalking away to join a few Blue Angels sitting around in folding chairs, coolers of beer nearby.
Smiling to myself, I approached the guy at the grill who was at least ten years older than Darcy. His salt-and-pepper hair was pulled back into a ponytail, his muscled arms heavily inked. He shut the lid of the gas barbecue grill and glanced at me.
“Those for me, darlin’?” he asked, gesturing to the plate of hotdogs.
“I think they are.” I handed the plate over and said, “I’m Mia.”
He grinned, white teeth appearing through a salt-and-pepper beard. “I know who you are.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Welcome. Grab a beer and get to know the boys.”
“I’ll do that,” I murmured.
I had plans to introduce myself to everyone, but Joni was a step ahead of me and took it upon herself to lead me around after she set out the condiments. I sipped on a beer while conversing with Boxer—the blond flirt I’d met the first day. He was charming and carefree, but I didn’t think for a second he couldn’t be strong and forceful. He was a Blue Angel.
Kids ran around, yelling and laughing. Adults conversed near the salsa and chips while Gray manned the grill. When Boxer left me alone to grab another beer, I escaped. Everyone was nice, but curious, so the questions had been steady for the better part of an hour.