I pulled her through the locker room and over to the elevator. “You’re coming with, and you’re not going to be the third wheel because Easy said the whole club is throwing a welcome home dinner.”
“The whole club?”
I nodded and pressed the button to call the elevator. “The whole club which means Snapper is going to be there.”
“Oh gosh,” Layla gasped. “Uh, I don’t know if I want to come. What if he didn’t reply to my text because he doesn’t like me?” she worried.
“He can’t know if he does or doesn’t like you because he doesn’t know you. This can be your chance to show him just who you are.” The doors slid open, and I pulled Layla in. “I’ll drive.”
“Birdie,” Layla whined. “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
I didn’t either, but I felt better going to the clubhouse and having Layla with me.
I somehow managed to catch the attention of a hot biker, so Layla needed the same.
Chapter Fifteen
Easy
“Thought she was just your doctor?”
I glanced at Gravel and shrugged. “She was my doc.”
“And now she’s your ol’ lady?” he gruffed.
I glanced over where Birdie was camped out on the couch by all the ol’ ladies. I couldn’t pick up which one she was, but I knew she was there. “I wouldn’t put that title on her yet. I’m lucky as fuck she even looks at me.”
Gravel nodded. “Yeah, we’re all lucky as hell we got the women we do. Ethel drives me crazy with Dr. Phil on twenty-four-seven, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” He nodded to Snapper who was behind the bar. “Beer.”
“Where’s Mouse?” I asked.
Snapper nodded over my shoulder.
“I’m still partly blind, bro. I look over my shoulder, and all I see is a blur of moving colors.”
Snapper chuckled. “He’s behind you helping Meg and Bristol clean up.”
My vision still hadn’t changed much, but I was thankful to be able to see what I did. My head was pounding like a son of a bitch, though.
I wasn’t sure if it was just all of the noise or if something was going on in my head. All I had done the past days was lay on my backside, so maybe my head was just adjusting to being upright.
“How did you know Ethel was the one?” I asked Gravel.
“Shit,” Gravel chuckled. “You’re gonna make me have to think back all those years, aren’t you?”
Snapper set a beer in front of him and leaned an elbow against the bar. “I want to hear this, too.”
“I always knew Ethel was meant for me. Hell, I knew her for fifteen years before anything happened between us, though. I knew she was too good for me, and I didn’t want to taint her with the club.”
“So what changed?” I asked.
“I finally figured out that I may taint her with the club, but I would be there to protect her. I made sure she was always safe before we got together, and nothing changed when we got together except I got to have her all to myself.” He grabbed his beer and drank half of it. “Your dads and I fought to bring women into our world, but in the end, we didn’t have much say about it.” He smiled and shook his head. “I remember watching King find Meg. How it was a huge adjustment for the club, but it was good. It didn’t take long for everyone else to fall in line and know that it was better to have one loyal woman than a room full of sweet butts.”
“But how did you know Ethel was the one for you?” Snapper asked.
“I just did.” Gravel shrugged. “It’s just something you know, son. I can’t tell you how or when it will happen, but you’ll know.”
“You got your eyes on someone?” I asked. Birdie had mentioned that one of her nurse friends was who wanted Snapper’s number, but I hadn’t asked him about it.
