avoid with a deftness I found impressive.
Ten minutes later, Hawk and Payton arrived with their two boys and promptly put them to work. Obviously, no one was vaping, which gave me a huge relief.
“What do you need?” Payton asked.
“Devon and I are peeling,” Poppy said. “Case, you want to take over and I’ll help Mum with the veggies?”
“Yeah, sure,” he said. “Hunter can help, too.”
I chuckled. Hunter was currently attempting to sneak out of the room, but he was caught mid-step by his brother.
“I would so appreciate the extra help, Hunter,” I said. “Thanks, darling.”
“Really happy to help, Aunt Maisie,” he said while glaring at his brother.
Hawk smacked him on the back of the head. “Stow it.”
“Jesus, Dad,” he snapped. “I’m helping already!”
“Language,” Hawk returned.
“He’s fine, love,” I said. “As long as he peels, he can swear all he likes.”
“What do you need from me?” Hawk asked.
“If you can organize getting the big tables set up, that would be great. We’ll need about fifty chairs. Hatch and the boys are out back moving things around,” I said, and turned to Payton. “Did you bring centerpieces?”
“I did,” she said. “Maverick and Lily are going to bring them in once they get Charley settled.”
Maverick was Ace and Cassidy’s son and he was married to Lily, Hawk and Payton’s daughter. Their little girl, Charley, was about a year old now and into everything. We had a kids’ room in the back and a couple of the single women were going to help watch them while we set up.
I sighed in relief. “Thank you.”
I began to relax in stages as the rest of the crew filed in. Hatch walked back into the kitchen and leaned down to kiss me gently. “Feeling better?”
“Ask me when it’s over,” I said.
“Don’t worry, babe. You’re doing an amazing job, and everything is going to be great.”
Minus
“This is gonna be a fucking nightmare,” I said as I backed us out of the driveway and onto the road. It would have been the perfect day to ride, but we were loaded up with a bounty of side dishes and a keg of beer, so we took the truck.
“You say the same thing every time we’re going to see Hatch and Maisie,” Cricket said with a chuckle. “In fact, you said it a couple of weeks ago before Thanksgiving dinner.”
“And I’m right every time,” I replied and headed toward our destination
“Maisie isn’t a nightmare,” Cricket protested.
“You know I’m not talking about Maisie. Who could possibly have an issue with that woman?” I pointed out. “I’m talking about your asshole brother.”
“I have four brothers, honey. Three of whom you get together with on a regular basis for beer and wings.”
“Only one of them’s an asshole.”
She rolled her eyes. “I know exactly who you were talking about, and he’s not an asshole.”
“He’s not an asshole to you,” I countered. “You’re his precious baby sister and can do no wrong in his eyes.”
Cricket choked out a laugh. “You have no idea how wrong you are on that one, buddy. I’ve done plenty to piss Hatch off.”
“Like getting together with me.”
“Yeah, that’s probably at the top of the list,” Cricket said plainly.
“I thought you were trying to make me feel better about today.”
“Is that what I was doing?” Cricket asked.
“You’d better do something, because I still feel like the guy hates my guts half of the time.”
She shifted to face me. “And the other half?”
I stopped at a red light and focused on her. “I’d describe it as him mildly tolerating my presence.”
“Well, there ya go.” She smiled slowly. “That’s progress.”
“Again, not making me feel any better,” I replied.
“Well, if you really need me to make you feel better, you’re going to need to turn the truck around and head back home.”
“Don’t tempt me, woman,” I replied.
“If I knew turning around wouldn’t make us so late...,” she continued.
“We don’t need to drive back home. Vargas Park is just up ahead and there are plenty of quiet places to park down by the water,” I teased.
I saw Cricket’s thigh muscles tighten underneath the sheer fabric of her skirt as she squeezed her knees together. I was half-joking, but I knew every single one of Cricket’s ‘I’m horny’ tells, and she’d just showed one.
“Dammit, why didn’t you say something when we were back at the house?” I asked.
“What?”
“Don’t you ‘what’ me, Cricket,” I snapped, and took the next right turn.
“Where are you going?”
“You obviously need to be fucked, but you wait ’til we’re in the car and