Trusting a Warrior (Loving a Warrior #3) - Melanie Hansen Page 0,11

to me.

Okay, so...

Assess the situation.

She wanted to keep the baby.

Prioritize the tasks.

Talk to the manager and find out her work options. Evaluate her insurance coverage. Start saving money.

Eliminate the things you can’t control.

How she’d feel when she first held her child in her arms.

Impatiently, she dashed yet more tears from her eyes. “God, stop with the waterworks and grow the fuck up already. All you can do is your best.”

With a sigh, and one last glance after Geo, Lani took the first halting step into her new normal.

Time to go home and find herself a good OB.

Chapter Two

“Dude, you gotta tell Drew something before you leave town. We’re at the club. Get over here.”

Geo punched the Bluetooth button on his handlebar to disconnect the voice mail. Guilt burned its way through him, almost immediately followed by a secondary wave of annoyance. Shit. He’d been hoping to avoid this.

Gunning the engine, he leaned into the next curve, the chill San Diego wind whipping at his T-shirt and jeans. Brake lights glowed on the interstate up ahead, but instead of slowing, he threaded his motorcycle in between the lines of stopped cars. They flashed past on either side of him, row after row of colorful, glinting metal.

As he drove, he rehearsed what he’d say to Drew.

“I don’t want you to wait for me. Go find someone else.”

Yeah, that’d go over like a fart in church.

“If I was going to be with anyone, it’d be you.”

Geo grit his teeth. No way would Drew fall for that “It’s not you, it’s me” bullshit.

“It’s over, kid. Bye.”

Groaning under his breath, he took the next interchange to head inland, where the traffic thickened even more, demanding every bit of his attention. When he roared into the parking lot of his destination at last, he killed the engine and sat for a minute staring up at the brightly lit building, fists clenched on his thighs.

How things had changed. For so many years he’d had to sneak here, heart in his throat, afraid someone would see. Now he could walk in whenever he pleased, openly and without fear, but Geo still found himself glancing around, searching the shadows, wondering who might be watching him.

Old habits died hard.

Inside the bar, he paid his cover and received his wristband, then ran lightly down the stairs to the main part of the club where the music thumped and strobe lights flashed. Even on a weeknight, the dance floor was packed with writhing bodies, most of them shirtless. He felt the admiring glances slide over him and even held a few hot gazes himself before making his way toward the bar and the man who sat at the end sipping a club soda with lime.

He smiled when he saw Geo. “Buy you a drink, sailor?”

Geo leaned down to kiss him lightly. “I’ll get something in a second, Ash. Where’s Drew?”

“Around.” Ash hooked his foot over the barstool next to him and pulled it closer. “C’mon, sit down for a minute. He’ll find you.”

With an annoyed huff, Geo sank down onto the stool and pinched the bridge of his nose. Fuck, the pounding music was already giving him a headache, and he really didn’t feel like shouting his way through a breakup, especially not tonight.

He glanced over to meet Ash’s shrewd gaze.

“How’re you holding up?”

Shrugging, he said, “I’m dealing. I knew tonight would be rough, but I got through it.”

He smiled. With a little help from a new friend.

“What’re you thinking about?” Ash asked curiously.

Stretching, Geo linked his fingers behind his head. “Just this bartender I met earlier tonight. Lady had some serious knife skills.” He smirked at the memory of Lani and her angry lemon chopping.

“Yeah?” Ash lifted an interested brow. “What’d you do, piss her off?”

“Strangely enough, no. I think I made a friend.”

“Mm-hmm. It won’t last.”

“Hey, now.” Geo kicked him lightly on the shin. “I am capable of friendships, asshole. It’s the other I have trouble with.”

“Time to tell Drew that, I guess.” Ash lifted his chin toward a blond man who’d just walked into their line of sight. He nudged Geo’s ankle with his foot. “Go on, now. Be sure to thoroughly break his heart.”

A wave of sadness and regret swept over Geo as he looked at Drew. He was a good guy and they’d had a lot of fun together, and goddammit, there’d been way too many of these scenes over the years. Aware of Ash’s sympathetic gaze, Geo stood, crammed his hands in his pockets and ambled