“That’s not a real apology. That’s you feeling sorry over me being upset, not for what you said to upset me.”
“I’m sorry I talked shit about your mom. I don’t know her. She sounds like a fine woman.”
Shelby’s cheeks are bright pink with anger. She wants to storm off. I’ve seen her do it before in the Saloon, and I know she enjoys these drama-filled displays. I guess my face—or her game—must be too tempting because she sits her sexy ass back in the booth.
“My family means everything to me,” she says and takes an angry bite of her sandwich. “Sorry you didn’t have that growing up.”
“How do you know what I did and didn’t have?”
“Same way I knew about Jaymes and Becklyn. When you were getting paroled, I asked around for information about you. I even talked to your mother.”
Scowling now, I lean forward. “What’d you do that for?”
“To see what she would say. Duh,” she mutters and rolls her eyes. “It wasn’t good. She didn’t even compliment your height or face or nothing. I mean, shit, you ride a really fine-looking hog, but she only bitched about bikers. It was sad. I felt pity for you.”
“Stay away from my mom.”
“No problem. She hates bikers and tried to convert me.”
Crossing my arms, I grumble, “How would you like if I talked to your mom about you?”
“I wouldn’t care as long as you were nice to her. The only negative thing she’d say about me is that I don’t sleep well since moving to Shasta. Otherwise, she thinks I’m her little angel.”
Shelby’s expression when she talks about her mom pisses me off. Mostly because I have trouble distrusting her when she doesn’t spout bullshit. This woman clearly loves her family. That’s not a con. Her anger wasn’t either. She just handed me a large target to use against her. Why show me anything? I don’t get Shelby’s play here, but I never really did. I just assumed she was bored, and I was the new guy she could torment.
Now I sit here, wondering why she doesn’t sleep well. Probably has something to do with the smell from the fucking rendering plant just outside of town. I can’t imagine her hometown Ellsberg is any safer than Shasta. Towns run by criminals ain’t fucking Mayberry.
But I’m not sure if I should ask her any questions. She’s already bugging the shit out of me with her teasing and pretty looks. Why dig myself deeper into the hole she’s trying to shove me down into?
THE WEIRDO
Goliath wastes food. That might be a dealbreaker. More than his man-stink and his rude mouth or how he doesn’t seem to like me all that much. Yeah, wasting food is a bridge too far.
“Are you allergic to yummy foods?” I ask and gesture toward the sandwich he hasn’t eaten. “Or are you on a diet?”
For half a minute, his expression remains frozen on tough-guy-blank before he allows a small smile. “What if I don’t want it?”
“I’ll give it to someone else. Is Vowel here?” I ask and glance around. “He asked if I wanted to share a sandwich and a beer last week. I think maybe he was flirting, but possibly he just likes sharing food.”
“I’m not gonna get jealous if you give this sandwich to Vowel.”
Taking his challenge, I reach over for the sandwich. Goliath watches my face while I steal back the napkin-wrapped food.
“You gonna cry?” he asks, smirking.
“Maybe. I really want to like you, but it’s not really happening, you know?”
“Yeah, I know.”
“But you don’t care. Not even for a shot at access to my nipples. Talk about a body slam to my ego, but I’ll survive. Yes, I will survive,” I say and scoot out of the booth. “I’ll send Dione back over, so you can return to ignoring her.”
Goliath doesn’t throw me even a hint of a bone. He just doesn’t care. I’m chasing a horny man with barely enough interest to insert his dick in me. I refuse to think low of myself just because he does, but my feelings are still bruised.
I walk away without looking back. There’s no point. I gave it two shots, and Goliath never played games. He’s a real straight shooter. Fucking me once or twice will work, but it won’t mean anything more than when he fucks Dione or Kim or whatever that giggly new sweet butt’s name is.
“Sandi with an I,” Taylor says as she helps me finish my sandwich. “She’s the