“I just…he’s fresh out of prison. He’s in a motorcycle club, and he has no intention to toe the straight and narrow,” Frieda said. “I know you think he’s a good guy, and maybe he is, but don’t you think you have enough to worry about right now? That’s not the greatest of role models for Holt.” She cleared her throat. “And, just sayin’, I saw that he just dissolved his company with no notice. All those people were displaced from their jobs. Hundreds of them. Just boom. No job. In this economy? That’s heartless.”
I came around the board and stood at Baker’s side.
There was no way that I’d allow her to talk Baker into leaving.
Baker had made her choice, and that was me.
I would not…
“I can see this was a mistake,” Baker said as she stood up from the red metal bench. “Dad, you’re more than welcome any time. But don’t bring her.”
“Baker!” Frieda cried. “Wait!”
“But, baby…” Shad said. “She didn’t mean anything by it. She’s just worried.”
Shad shot me an apologetic wince.
I jerked my chin up at him in understanding.
Shad had been in love with Frieda for his entire life. Though, they’d had quite a few rough spots over the years, which was understandable.
Maybe it was understandable to most people, but to me? I couldn’t get over it.
I’d never liked Frieda.
I’d liked her for Shad, because Shad loved her.
However, every time I’d met her I’d felt like she was too judgmental.
She’d always referenced Shad’s time in prison, and her time waiting for him, as the “best time of her life.” How she’d “been married but hadn’t had to put in all the work. The best of both worlds.”
Shad had always laughed it off, but I hadn’t ever been able to.
I’d thought she was heartless.
“But what about seeing Holt?” Frieda asked.
“You could’ve seen Holt any time the first three months of his life, yet you chose not to,” Baker pointed out. “I’m going to need more time. And when I do finally allow you back into my life, this man will be my husband, and you’re going to have to suck all that piss and vinegar back into yourself and keep your fucking mouth shut.”
The way my heart soared…
“Love you, Dad,” Baker said as she pressed a kiss to her dad’s throat. “Come on, Copper. Let’s go to the clubhouse and enjoy the night.”
I handed her the ice cream, and she snatched it up out of my hand.
“Yum,” she said as she all but inhaled it.
The first time that I’d witnessed her do that, I’d been impressed.
But when she told me that she hated melted ice cream, I’d understood.
“Worth the brain freeze,” she said as she wolfed it down in two minutes flat.
Frieda watched Baker and I go with a sour expression on her face.
When I got to the bike and started strapping her helmet on, I said, “Married, huh?”
She flashed me a grin. “Yep. Just waiting on you to ask me.”
