Murphy peers down at her. “Something on your mind?”
“What? No.” Heidi’s cheeks turn pink. “Never mind.”
Shelby chuckles and takes Heidi’s hand, dragging her over to one of the built-in closets.
“This is something else, brother.” Murphy cocks his head and stares at me.
What does he expect me to say?
“It’s wildly romantic!” Heidi calls over her shoulder.
“Z know you’re gonna be on the road this long?” Murphy asks in a low voice.
“We talked about it before I left.” I’m not annoyed by the question. Not too much, anyway. “If anything, he encouraged me.”
He holds his hands in the air. “Cool. Not really my business.”
“Nah, of course it’s your business. We’re all each other’s keeper, right?” I poke him in the brother’s keeper patch stitched onto his cut. The patch we earn by killing for our club. I get his concern. He grew up around the club with Z as his vice president for years. Murphy’s one of the most loyal brothers, especially to Z. “He has a few things he wants me to check on while I’m on the road.” My explanation’s vague but enough to ease Murphy’s concern.
“I don’t think we’re going to get as far as Mississippi with you.” Murphy rubs his hand over the back of his neck.
“No worries, brother. I appreciate you coming at all.” I slap his back and steer him toward the door. “What do you think Ice has going on here tonight?”
“Hell only knows.”
Something pounds against the door. I swing it open and find Wrath filling the entire space.
“You can’t come in,” Murphy says. “There’s a weight limit.”
“Well, then you should definitely get out.” Wrath ducks his head and climbs into the RV, pushing Murphy away with a hand to his chest.
“Easy, big guy,” I warn, pointing up.
My head’s already flirting with the ceiling, so Wrath’s will definitely hit it if he tries to stand straight.
“Nice tuna can.” He nods, his gaze scanning the space quickly. “Trin and I talked about getting something similar. Good to know I’ll need the jumbo edition.” He clomps down the stairs back out into the parking lot. “See you went with a big boy truck,” he bellows in my direction. “Nice.”
Murphy chuckles. “He’s thrilled someone joined his GMC tribe.”
“He has a point.” I slap Murphy’s shoulder. “You can join too, if you ditch that F250.”
“Never.”
“Ahh, your love of motorized vehicles extends to those with more than two wheels, huh?” Shelby teases.
Heidi rolls her eyes. “My brother’s even worse. I’m convinced that’s why he bought Charlotte’s truck, so he’d have something new to play with.”
“Slick words from someone who got a Hellcat for graduation,” I remind Heidi.
She snuggles up to Murphy’s side. “I didn’t say I wasn’t spoiled. Or that I don’t love my car.”
Murphy leans down, kissing Heidi’s temple.
“What is that?” Shelby asks.
Heidi’s more than happy to show off pictures. “Next time you visit, we’ll have to take you out to Zips and you can take it for a few spins around the track.”
Murphy shakes with laughter and mouths “sorry” at me.
I shrug. As if I’d ever complain. If anything, I want to hug Heidi for making future plans that include Shelby spending time in New York.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Shelby
After showing off the RV to almost everyone, the guys are called into “church.”
Rooster takes my hand, pulling me aside. “I’m not sure how long we’ll be.”
“That’s okay.” I glance over at Trinity, who’s engaged in what seems to be a similar discussion with her husband. “We’ll entertain each other.”
“Thanks.” He leans down and slowly slides his lips against mine. For a few seconds, everything else melts away.
“Cock-a-doodle-do later, brother!” someone yells.
Rooster groans and pulls back. “Assholes,” he growls, glaring at the space behind me. I’m not sure who’s responsible for the taunt.
I reach up and pat Rooster’s cheek. “Have a good meeting.”
“I’ll try.”
The majority of the men have already disappeared behind the mysterious sliding doors that look like reclaimed barn wood. Before following the herd, Rooster and Murphy take Griff and Remy aside for what seems to be a serious talk.
“Probably giving them a list of instructions,” Trinity says, walking up to me. “Come on.” She motions toward some furniture scattered in the main room.
Trinity tucks herself into a corner of the couch with a magazine and Heidi takes the space next to her. I pull a comfy-looking, overstuffed chair closer to their end of the couch and sink into it. Griff confiscates a similar chair, placing it closer to the other end of the couch where Remy has taken up residence.
A girl who’d introduced herself as Rumer earlier drops into Remy’s lap and immediately runs her fingers through his hair. Heidi rolls her eyes and angles herself away from them.
I lean in closer to Heidi, hoping the guys can’t overhear me. “So, if we weren’t here, is that what—”
“Don’t date him if you can’t trust him.” Heidi flicks her gaze at Trinity who shrugs.
Not helpful, girls.
But I understand what Heidi’s saying. I guess the same goes for me. Rooster knows guys are all around me on tour. Either he trusts me, or he doesn’t.
Remy cocks his head and seems to be more interested in our conversation than in the girl whispering in his ear. No need for him to overhear my insecurity so he can joke about it later.
“You two don’t get an invite?” I ask, tilting my head toward Griff and nodding at Remy. I’m still not even sure why they came or how they fit into the club’s pecking order.
Remy shakes his head, ice-blue eyes glittering with mirth. “Nah, we’re here for moral support.” He flicks his gaze toward Griff. “Right, bro?”
“Huh?” Griff doesn’t look away from his phone. “Support, yes.”
Heidi drops her gaze to Griff’s phone. A slight flicker of amusement plays over her lips. “How’s Molly doing?”
Griff slowly tears his gaze away from his phone. “She’s good. Keeps asking me when you’re coming back to Zips.”
“Tell her I said hi,” Heidi says.
Griff nods and returns to his phone.
Remy scowls in his friend’s direction. “Why is my baby sister texting you instead of me?”
Unruffled by Remy’s sharp tone, Griff turns his screen toward him and wags the phone. “Probably because she knows I’ll actually answer her.”
Remy sits forward so fast, poor Rumer is thrown off his lap, landing on the floor in a heap, her short, silver skirt ending up around her hips. “What’s wrong?” Remy asks.
“Nothing’s wrong.” Griff eyes his friend with caution. “She’s at Zips with Ella.”