Verek (Savage Kings MC - South Carolina #3) - Lane Hart Page 0,38
at the magistrate’s office. Then, we’re throwing them a reception and boom, they’re going out of town for their honeymoon!”
I let that information sink in, trying to figure out his angle. “So you think I should sneak back to town while he’s gone?”
“Winston will be acting president, and he’s all sunshine and rainbows now that he’s with Zoe with a kid on the way. We could vote you back in while Roman’s not at the table.”
“I’m sure Roman will fucking love that when he gets back,” I mutter.
“Dude, it’s been what, six months now? You know Roman. He may have been okay with you coming back before now, but he’s just too stubborn to admit it. Your best bet is to show up at the reception, wish him and the bride well, and tell him you’ll help hold down the fort while he’s gone on his honeymoon.”
“Hold on,” I say with a sudden realization. “If Charlotte and Roman are going on their honeymoon, then what’s Tessa going to do? Go with them? Stay home by herself?”
“Your girl just got herself an apartment,” he says.
“She did? Where?” I ask while holding my breath.
“Here in town,” he says, and I finally relax a little.
“By herself or with someone…”
“By herself. Roman’s got the two prospects watching out for her.”
“Prospects? We have prospects? Since when?”
“Ah, yeah, we voted them in three months back. They’re both twenty-one and grew up in town together. Apparently, they hate each other, but they’re loyal to the club.”
“Roman’s leaving Tessa’s safety in the hands of babies who don’t get along?” I exclaim.
“They’re not much younger than you, and we’ve put them through their paces. They’ve got balls and aren’t stupid.”
“I don’t like it,” I tell him. “Tessa won’t either – two strange guys who are always lurking around her place? What the fuck?”
“She seems to like them. They’ve been hanging out at Roman’s, helping move her things and put together furniture in the new place. I think she’s getting a dog too.”
“A dog and two kids? That’s how he’s going to leave her while he goes wandering off to wherever with his new bride?”
“I can tell he doesn’t really like it, Tessa moving out and having to leave her behind for a few days. Charlotte is obviously worried about her too.”
“Obviously!” I exclaim.
“Which is why I don’t think he would deck you if you were to show up at the reception and tell him you’ll be around in case Tessa needs anything.”
“Oh,” I say in understanding. “Yeah. That could work.”
“I think it’s your best shot. Roman will be happy, he’ll be leaving, and he isn’t going to do anything to make his new wife pissed at him, like get into a fight at the reception.”
“That’s all true,” I agree. “So Tessa’s not back with that Paul guy or whatever?”
“I haven’t heard Roman say a peep about him if she is,” Cannon replies. “Doubt he would have prospects hanging around if she had a man.”
“You’re right,” I say with a sigh of relief. “I’ll settle up things here and see you Friday afternoon.”
“The party starts at seven, but you should give Roman until around eight or so to get a few drinks in his system. I doubt if he’ll stay long,” Cannon says. “Just come in long enough to get his blessing to stay in town before he leaves. That way, if I can convince Winston to have another vote, it won’t look like such a dick move.”
“Okay. Sounds like a good plan. Thanks, Cannon. I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to call.”
“Just had to wait for the right time, and they kept putting the damn wedding ceremony off,” he mutters.
I don’t have to ask to know that it was probably because Charlotte didn’t want to have to rush Tessa out of the house before she was ready.
Is she ready now or just acting tough for their sake?
Guess I’m about to find out.
Chapter Seventeen
Tessa
* * *
“This really is a great apartment,” Charlotte says as she wanders around the open floor plan, glancing out the windows. “And the second floor is safer than the first.”
“I know,” I reply when I slump down on my new royal blue, velvet sofa. “It’s a great place. Once I’m settled in, I’ll start looking for a job in a local law office so I can actually afford it.”
Charlotte waves that idea away with a swat of her hand. “Don’t worry about that. We’ve got it covered,” she says, referring to her