obsessive when they find someone they want. My father stalked my mother. I stalked Ramona. Shelby stalked you. It’s what we do. For us, you’re acting like an asshole. But, logically, yeah, you should want space. Relationships come with restrictions, and you want to be free of that. Five years is a long time.”
“Fucking hell, it is.”
“Then we’re good,” he says, standing up and looking normal again. “But you should know, Shelby never expects me to hassle you. My asshole behavior is all on me. If you get annoyed by my glaring, blame me, not her.”
“I always blamed you,” I admit.
Shane surprises me with a smile. “Shelby’s right. You can be funny.”
Then he walks off to sit with River. Hugh returns to the table and waits for me to say something.
“When I first met Shane, I thought he was a dickhead,” Hugh says, grinning at me.
I allow a small smile. “He looks like a dickhead.”
“Yeah, but he’s a loyal guy. Helped us pay our rent after Ramona moved out. Was always taking Kelsi and me out to meals since he knew we were broke. He’s enough of a dickhead to force Shasta to behave, but he’s good to people in his circle. After those Skullz assholes, it wouldn’t hurt for you to step into Shane’s circle, Goliath.”
“Whatever.”
“You always play so hard to get,” he says, laughing at me. “It’s good to make people work for your approval.”
Shaking my head, I wish I didn’t smile at his taunting. Hugh just doesn’t let shit bother him. When he’s around, I don’t get as wound up about shit either. Goes without saying that I’m keeping the little guy nearby during this three-day trip.
THE CHAPTER WHERE THE REAPERS RIDE
THE WEIRDO
I suspect my dad wanted to go on the ride with Shane. He almost looks sad when my brother, River, Maverick, and the rest of the Shasta Reapers ride off for their three-day trek across America’s heartland.
I know Dad misses us, and he keeps mentioning how cheap the houses are around here. Now with Ozzy’s birth and my baby on the way, my parents will want to be in Shasta more. Except Mom doesn’t handle change well. That’s why for the time being, they’ll bunk at the Victorian despite the lack of space.
“I guess I’ll need to sleep in a room once the baby is born,” I say after my parents’ bags are upstairs in my room.”
“Which baby?” Dad asks.
On the spot, I can’t believe I blurted out the secret already. “Mine.”
Dad frowns at me and then at Mom. “Did you know?”
“My babies don’t keep secrets from me,” she says and snuggles his arm. “But I didn’t want you to get upset.”
“Winnie, secrets are never cool.”
“I didn’t want you to get mad at Goliath during our visit.”
My father’s expression is exactly why I didn’t want him to know yet. He might be okay with my fling. Having a kid with a biker is a whole different matter. And Goliath hasn’t done much to impress the Ellsberg chapter.
Finally, Dad asks, “The giant?”
“You knew I wanted to ride his giant dick.”
“Don’t talk like that.”
“See?” I say and hug him. “You’re very sensitive about your baby girl’s lady lumps.”
“Don’t call them that.”
“I’m sorry. I love you. Mom should have said something.”
“Why didn’t you?” he says, refusing to allow me to wiggle out of the blame.
“I thought she had already, and then I was mad about how you hadn’t congratulated me. Geez, I have one kid out of wedlock, and you’re as cold as ice.”
Dad lifts his dark right brow and gives me a diabolical frown. “I feel disrespected.”
“Oh, Daddy, I only found out a little bit ago.”
“How little?”
“I don’t know time,” I mumble, hugging him again. “It’s still very early.”
Patting my back, he also yanks on my ponytail before letting me go. “Never keep shit from me again.”
“I have terrible gas. Not all the time, but it happens. Honesty is important.”
“I have gas too,” Desi says from nearby, and I realize I’d forgotten she and Maude were sitting right fucking there at the kitchen table.
“Farting is fun,” I tell the child. “Natural too. Never feel shame for what nature wants. That’s why you shouldn’t wax your lady region.”
“I don’t know what that means,” Desi says to Maude.
“You have plenty of time to not find out.”
Grinning, I look back at my father, who is giving my mom his tamest evil eye. She just shrugs. “I knew we were coming, and I thought this would be better.”
“Mom, you were wrong