Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 137310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Hugger glanced at Suzette, who appeared to be ignoring the men in the living room while she opened cans of refried beans, but at least she was out among them.
Hugger got a beer, hit the living room, and in twenty minutes they were all around Diana’s table, which had make-your-own tacos paraphernalia spread over it: meat, lettuce, diced tomatoes and onions, cheese, salsa, as well as Spanish rice, refried beans and some corn dish Diana called elote that was ridiculous, it was so good.
She put Pete at the head of the table and sandwiched Suzette in between Pete and herself, a cocoon of safe and familiar for Suzette to be in while she was with the rest of them.
Muzz was on Pete’s other side, and Hugger took the chair next to him so he could be opposite Diana. Eight sat next to Diana, Driver next to Hugger.
Through dinner, Suzette was silent and only acknowledged Pete and Diana, but again, she was there. She was also eating. Both good things.
The rest was just what it always had been since Hugger put himself forward to Chaos.
A lot of giving shit, taking it, telling stories, laughing, talking and bullshitting.
Diana fit right in.
“Serious? You lived in England?” Driver asked Diana when the food was all but decimated and they were kicked back, shooting the shit.
She nodded. “For six months. I scored a primo internship at the British Museum. It was totally rad.”
“Food suck there like everyone says?” Eight asked.
“No freaking way,” Diana answered. “One word: custard. Three words: bangers and mash. Two words: English breakfast. Um, let me count…four words: steak and kidney pie. I could go on. Just their cheese is orgasmic. Don’t get me started on their ice cream. Dairy products on the whole give life new meaning. And I dream of their bacon.”
“No shit?” Eight said.
“None at all,” she replied.
“What’s different about their bacon?” Driver asked.
“More meat, less fat, more flavor,” she told him. “I don’t know how they do that, because the flavor’s in the fat. But they do it. It’s like magic.”
This made the men chuckle.
All but Hugger, who simultaneously wanted to taste English bacon and watch Diana eating it.
“You go anywhere else when you were over there?” Muzzle asked.
She shook her head but said, “I did a little traveling around England. Their train system makes it easy. We should resurrect that here. It’s almost zero hassle and you can get practically anywhere. And I got a weekend in Paris, also by taking the train.” She shrugged. “I wished I could do more, but I didn’t have the time or money.”
“You’ll get back,” Big Petey assured.
She smiled at him. “I hope so.”
In the middle of her saying that, the entire table tensed, because there was a hammering at the door.
The men looked among each other, but it was Hugger who stood.
“You got neighbors who would pound on your door like that?” he asked Diana as he made his way there.
She opened her mouth to speak when they heard a male voice shout from the hall, “Diana Elizabeth Armitage, open this door!”
Diana’s eyes got big as her mouth breathed, “Holy crap. That’s Larry.”
“Larry! Calm down!” a female’s voice could now be heard through the door.
Hugger looked out the peephole, saw a man, probably in his fifties, dark hair going gray, good-looking, built, hadn’t gone soft in the slightest. With him was a tall blonde woman, also built, just a different way. She looked like she could be on the cover of a magazine, even if she, too, was in her fifties.
Ex-stepmom and sorta-stepdad, once removed, the last hearing Diana was host to a bunch of bikers, he didn’t like it and he was going to do something about it.
Hugger hit the button that slid the bolt out if its anchors and then he opened the door.
The man glowered at him.
The woman stared at him, her mouth dropping open.
The man then stormed in and Hugger allowed it, because he was Diana’s sorta-stepdad, once removed and he was there because he was worried about her.
After the woman strolled in, Hugger made sure the door was closed and bolted, then got into position to see Larry shoot a sizzling look toward Diana, a scowl around the men, but his face softened when he saw Suzette.
“Hey, darlin’,” he said gently.
“Larry,” she whispered.
“How’re you doing, sweetheart?” the woman asked Suzette.
“Okay. How are you?” Suzette answered quietly.
“I’d be better, if Larry wasn’t having a shitfit,” the woman replied.
That caused Suzette to smile, just a little.
“Speaking of…” Larry began. “Diana, a word.”
“Larry, as you can see,”—Diana swung her hand wide to indicate the table, including spent bowls, plates and beers—“we’re good.”
“A word,” Larry gritted.
Expelling an aggrieved breath, Diana stood. “Okay, but first, this is Eight.” She indicated Eightball. “He’s a member of the Resurrection MC, from Denver.”
Eight got up, approached and offered a hand to Larry.