something healthy, so they volunteered to cook so you could sleep,” Ren admits.
“Yeah, we were outnumbered.” Killian grins. I can’t help laughing now.
“How were you outnumbered, dipshit? That’s two against three or three against three if you count my vote.”
“Whatever. You get your damn healthy meal while we eat like birds. You know Asher is pussy-whipped, so his vote is whatever Lily’s is. That makes it three against two.” He has a point there.
“Hey,” Asher objects. We ignore him.
“I’m going to eat that shit with my beer,” Ren chimes in. We all laugh at the banter while the women give us evil stares from the kitchen.
“Did I just hear you call our food shit?” Lily asks in mock exasperation.
“Don’t pay them no mind, babe,” Asher says, going to her side. He leans down and gives her a kiss. I want to barf. Those two are nauseatingly sweet. I’m glad he’s happy, though. I catch a glimpse of Harlow looking at them longingly. She turns back toward the stove and begins putting the chicken on plates.
“Is there something I can help with?” I ask. I’m not a complete ass. I appreciate that they cooked and let me sleep.
“No, I think we got it,” Harlow says softly. The sass from earlier has disappeared. I step aside and let her arrange the food to be served. The guys waste no time grabbing a plate as soon as they’re given the go-ahead. They talked all that noise about my healthy food, and now they’re rushing into the kitchen. It’s quite comical.
Harlow doesn’t grab a plate for herself, though. Instead, she heads toward the back of the bus.
“You’re not eating?” Asher questions before she gets too far.
“No. I nibbled while we were cooking. I’m going to go take a shower.”
“Oh. Okay then,” Asher replies. I look over at Killian. I wonder if he ever got his shower after I knocked the hell out. I know he wanted to get in there before the women. His eyes meet mine, and he answers my unasked question by giving me a thumbs-up. I must have really been out because I sure as hell didn’t hear him in there.
We all finish our food in record time. Asher volunteers to put everything away and load the dishwasher. I know we’re going to have to come up with some kind of chore schedule so this place doesn’t become a pigsty, but I’m just glad it isn’t me for tonight. While everyone heads to the card table to resume their game of Spades, I opt for some alone time in my bunk. I grab a pen and paper from my bag. I have a song I’ve been working on that I haven’t told the guys about because I’m not sure if I want it produced or not. I started this song when Harlow walked out of my life, so the lyrics make me feel vulnerable. I don’t know if I want to share that. It was around the same time that Sevyn dropped the news that our father was dying. They don’t know how much time he has left. He hasn’t come clean about his health with his investors or shareholders. From what Sevyn tells me, he’s trying to get his affairs to ensure Sevyn takes over when he’s gone.
Whatever, Claude has been dead to me since high school, and me to him. I don’t want to give him another thought. I have so much shit built up inside. My lyrics are my outlet—my release. Some of these songs will never be shared because they’re mine. It’s a part of the reason my process is so private. The guys don’t necessarily understand it, but they respect it, and it works for us. I give them the lyrics that I want to share and then help lay tracks to them. I haven’t touched this one particular song in a few weeks, but now that Harlow is back in my life, the words are flowing, so I have to get them down on paper. I can’t go back to her, though, so the quicker we get off this bus and I get some action, the better. The temptation is just too great—too real.
Chapter Three
Harlow
The smell of eggs wakes me before my alarm. I’d set it last night to get up and jot some notes about their experience so far. I had an idea to write a book about their journey if it’s okay with the group. I’ll talk with the guys later today to