“Thanks. I love it,” I said, sitting in my oversized chair by the fireplace. “I’m sorry I worried you.”
Jasmine was on the sofa and Willow was in the chair next to mine.
“It’s all good,” Jasmine said.
“We really just wanted an excuse to spy on you,” Willow admitted.
“God, why do you always have to spill the secrets?” Jasmine lamented.
“Because I’ve never been able to lie.”
“That’s not lying, honey,” Jasmine said with her ‘patient’ voice.
“By omission,” Willow countered.
“Nope, not even that,” Jasmine retorted and took a sip of her coffee.
I chuckled. “Well, I already figured out your not so subtle plan, so you both can relax.”
“Are you okay?” Willow asked.
“I’m fine, Willow,” I stressed. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Are you serious?” Jasmine growled.
“You had a rough week,” Willow said, soothing our friend’s irritation.
“Right.” I bit my lip. “Sorry. I’ve been so wrapped up in all things Rabbit, I kind of forgot to check in with you.”
“You don’t need to check-in, per se,” Willow countered.
“But returning texts and phone calls is mandatory,” Jasmine said. “It’s part of the girl code.”
“Fair enough,” I said just as Rabbit brought breakfast to us.
“What service,” Willow said, taking her plate. “Thanks, Rabbit.”
“You’re welcome,” he said.
“Thanks, honey,” I said, and he leaned down to kiss me quickly before handing me an omelet filled with everything bad for me. “I love you.”
He grinned. “I know.”
He handed Jasmine hers and then stepped back into the kitchen.
“Oh my god, this is the best omelet I’ve ever had,” Jasmine said, taking another bite.
“Thanks, babe,” Rabbit called. “I’m gonna keep that nugget in my back pocket when I need to fuck with Alamo.”
Alamo was a pretty decent cook, most of the guys were, actually, but he probably wouldn’t like to hear that Rabbit’s was better than his.
“I’ll deny I said it,” Jasmine warned, and Rabbit laughed.
She grinned and took another bite.
“Girls’ night Friday,” Jasmine said.
“But it’s family night on Saturday,” I pointed out.
“Yeah. We thought we’d go out and stay at the barn Friday night,” Willow said.
“Ooh, that sounds fun,” I said.
“There’s a new bar downtown I want to check out.”
“No,” Rabbit said, walking back into the room.
“What? Why?” I demanded as he settled his butt beside me. I shifted to give him more space and he lifted me onto his lap.
“The Bike Rack’s not what you’re looking for.”
“Says who?” Jasmine challenged.
“Babe, it’s a biker bar.”
Jasmine jabbed her fork toward him. “And we’re biker women.”
“We could go to the Scratching Post,” I suggested.
The Scratching Post was a dive bar on the outskirts of Savannah, and it was a newer club purchase. I’d never been there, mostly because Rabbit always said no to taking me.
“No,” Rabbit growled.
See? He was so bossy.
“Why’d they call it the Scratching Post?” Jasmine asked.
“If you go there, you’ll leave with something that makes you itch,” Rabbit said.
“Ew,” I bit out.
“Then the Bike Rack it is,” Jasmine countered.
“There’s no way in hell your man’s okayed that,” Rabbit deduced.
Jasmine stared at her omelet.
“Just as I thought,” Rabbit said.
“Don’t be mean,” I admonished.
“Just bein’ honest.” Rabbit shrugged. “Alamo’d be good with her walking into that bar as much as he’d be good with her fuckin’ Sugar Bear.”
Willow gasped and I slapped his arm, but Jasmine burst into giggles. “Oh my god, could you even imagine? First, gross, but second, at least he’d finally be out of our lives once Alamo killed him.”
“He’s not the problem,” I said.
“We’re not having this conversation,” Rabbit said. “Shut it down.”
I met Jasmine’s eyes and she rolled hers.
“Rabb—”
“Serious as fuck, ladies, shut it down.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
He didn’t need to know what we’d discuss out of his presence, but Willow, Jasmine, and I shared secret smiles and went back to our breakfast.
* * *
Rabbit needed to head to the barn for a few hours, so I took the opportunity to go home for a bit. I took a deep breath as I drove up to my childhood home in Ardsley Park. Lordy, I loved this house. It had been my father’s home growing up, then ours.
My great-grandparents had actually built it in the 1930s