“Ten-percent of that is goin’ back to the club,” I pointed out.
Hatch laughed. “You’ve always been a faithful tither.”
He pulled open a drawer and pulled out a patch, sliding it across the desk.
It read, “ROAD CAPTAIN.”
“Was gonna do this at Church on Wednesday, but I don’t want to wait,” Hatch said. “We’ll celebrate proper once the tour is over.”
“Works for me.” I grinned as I took the patch and slid it into my pocket. “Thanks.”
“I’ll text you the time for tomorrow,” Harmony said.
“Sounds good,” I replied before adding. “Oh, I have one more condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m bringing my bike. There’s no way in hell I’m going thirteen days, let alone thirteen weeks without riding.”
“I’m sure the crew can find room for your bike in one of the equipment trucks,” she replied before adding, “Come to think of it, I have a condition of my own.”
“What would that be?”
“No sleeping with my sister.”
“Come on,” I said. “It’s a job. Do you really think I’d put moves on the boss?”
“I totally trust you, and you’re not her type anyway, but given her… romantic history, I had to say it out loud.”
I fought back the urge to ask what she meant by me not being her sister’s type, but simply smiled and stuck out my hand.
“I believe we have a deal.”
Train
I gave Hatch a chin lift and walked out of his office, passing Katie on the way, now working with Cameron to get the donut cake sorted.
“Are you coming back?” she asked to my back.
I faced her. “Yeah, if you want me to.”
“Seven?”
“Sure. See you then.”
She grinned, clapping her hands. “Thanks, bud.”
I nodded, and walked out to my bike, heading straight to Flea and Grace’s place. I needed a beer and some advice.
Pulling up to the house, I parked my bike beside Flea’s truck, then walked up to the front door. It was already open.
“Come in, buddy,” Grace called. “I’m elbows deep into a chicken.”
I stepped inside and closed the door, making my way to the kitchen where Grace was, in fact, elbows deep into a giant chicken.
I smiled, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “That sounds dirty, sweetheart.”
“You wish.” She laughed. “Flea just ran to the store. I’m trying out a recipe Maisie sent me, and I needed a few things. Help yourself to a beer.”
I did just that, twisting the top just as she punched the chicken’s ass, then washed her hands in the sink. “Stuffing’s in. Are you staying for dinner? There’s plenty.”
“Yeah, that’d be great. You need help?”
She shook her head. “I can’t do anything until Flea gets back. Pull up a stool.”
“How’s the dancin’ goin’?” I asked, sitting at their kitchen island.
She planted her ass on the counter across from me and grinned. “Great. Cassidy and I are working on an original show.”
“I heard that. That’s kinda huge, huh?”
“Super,” she confirmed. “But also, the most fun I’ve ever had.”
I chuckled. “As it should be.”
“Baby!” Flea bellowed.
“Me or Train?” Grace bellowed back, sliding off the counter.
Flea walked in with a grin. “Your bike’s parked in my spot.”
“You need me to move it?”
“Not immediately.” Flea set a bag of groceries on the counter before leaning down to kiss Grace. “They didn’t have fingerling potatoes. I improvised.”
“Thanks, honey,” she said, pulling everything out of the bag. “This’ll work.”
“Got your text,” Flea said, and I nodded.
“You guys go play,” Grace said. “I’ve got this.”
Flea kissed her again, then grabbed a beer, and I followed him down to his makeshift man cave. He closed us in, and I flopped into one of the recliners.
“You gonna do the tour?” Flea asked, lowering himself into the other chair.
I sighed. “Meetin’ with Melody tomorrow, then I’ll decide.”
“It’s a fuck-ton of money.”
“Yeah. Means I can pay cash for the reno, and not have to deplete my savings.”
My place was functional but needed a shit load of work. It was almost a teardown, but the bones were great, as was the floorplan. One of Hatch’s brothers, Cade, was the general contractor on the project, but I was savin’ money by working alongside his crew. I still intended to do the work, but if I took the gig, I could do the whole job much faster than I expected.
“That’d be huge,” Flea said. “We’ve sunk more money into this place, and I’m about to sell it and start over.”
“What does Grace think about that?”
He rolled his eyes. “She’s not ready to concede defeat.”
I laughed. “So, you’re stayin’.”
“Yep,” Flea said, taking another drag of his beer. “I’ll wear her down, though.”
“Good luck with that.”
Before he could respond, the doorbell pealed, and Flea frowned. “Who the fuck is that?”
He set his beer on the coffee table and walked out of the room with me following. “Jesus, Grace, you’re supposed to wait,” Flea growled.
Grace wrinkled her nose as she pulled open the unlocked door. “It’s Merrick and Remi,” she breathed out. “Calm the fuck down.”
Merrick was her brother whom we all called, ‘Finch.’ He’d patched into the club a while ago and he was a great guy. I had a fondness for him, especially considering, he’d picked me to jump him in.
“Hi,” Grace squeaked, pulling Finch’s woman in for a hug. “How ya doin’?”
Remington was pregnant, and wasn’t having an easy time of it, apparently.
“I want this thing out,” she growled, returning Grace’s hug. “Plus, it’s too hot to exist.”
“Well, come in and put your feet up,” Grace said. “I’ll crank the A/C.”
“This is why you’re my favorite,” Remi breathed out, making her way to me, and hugging me after she’d done the same to Flea. “Hey, buddy.”
“Hey.”
“I’m making Maisie’s chicken thing,” Grace said as Remington lowered her body onto the sofa with a sigh.
“Don’t care what you’re making,” Finch said, pulling his sister in for a bear hug. “If you’re cooking it, I’m eating it.”
“Do you take back teasing me for putting air-conditioning in my house?” Grace challenged.
“If I don’t?”
“You starve.”
“I take it back,” he grumbled, and Grace laughed.
“Come and peel the potatoes while your wife rests,” she ordered.
Remington stretched out on the sofa as we all gathered around the island, peeling potatoes and whatever else Grace asked us to do.