Levi laughed. “Ryatt would have to get a real bike.”
My mouth dropped open. “Be nice.”
“I’m teasing. Besides, once he’s hanging out with the Hellers, Ryatt will want a Harley.” She cocked a brow. “Romeo’s Nightster is definitely sporty. Just not like the bikes you and Ryatt ride. A sportbike would be uncomfortable on the long runs.”
A buzzer sounded from the other room. “Are you staying for lunch?” she asked as she hurried to the kitchen, her ponytail swinging. “Romeo should be back soon. He’s going to text me when he’s on his way home.”
“Is Ryatt coming with him?”
Levi stepped back into the living room and propped her hand on her hip.
“What? I’m not thirsty for him,” I said and laughed. “Okay, I think he’s lit. He has a sick bike, and I’m going to smoke his ass on the track.”
Levi rolled her eyes. “Come in here and explain.” She returned to the kitchen.
With a hand to Rosie’s back, I stood from the chair. “I’m serious,” I said and softly bounced the baby with my steps. “All I’m giving Ryatt is the friend vibe.” Not that he was giving me the amped up adrenaline rush I felt when I was with Cruz. But maybe a smidge of hot friend vibe.
I’d tell her Romeo and Blade had hot friend vibes, too. I knew Dozer well enough to know that his dark side would hit too hard. With Cruz, I liked to laugh and fight with equal ferocity. Not that it had always been good for us. We’d been through some hurts. Most guys made better friends. Cruz was the only one I’d let close enough to make me cry.
Loving him could be hard. For two years, my parents had been saying that he was bad for me, but they didn’t know him the way I did. No one did. Sometimes I hated that I understood him so well. There had been times I’d wondered if walking away would’ve been easier.
It wasn’t. I’d tried. He just sucked at seeing beyond the moment. He made decisions without thinking of the consequences.
“I wouldn’t cheat on Cruz,” I said to Levi. “We fight, but we always come back to each other.”
Levi smirked. “Sounds like a relationship made in Heller heaven.”
“Levi, I’m so hard into Cruz. I had no idea what he meant when he decided to become a prospect for the club. But I get it now. The patch means everything to him.” And not much in his life meant anything. For a time, even me.
“We’ve come through some rough patches,” I continued. But we were good now. “Neither one of us want to ruin what we have going. Yes, I think Ryatt is hot. I’ll set him up with my friend, Katrina. She rides a Ducati, and she’s seriously into biker boys.”
“In that case, yes. At least, I assume Ryatt’s coming over. I know he hates where he’s living, and he never passes up my fine cooking.”
Rosie stretched, arched her back, and opened her sleepy eyes.
“Hi, beautiful,” I said.
Her face pinched, and her little hands curled into fists.
“She’ll be hungry.” Levi washed her hands and dried them on a paper towel. “I’ll trade you.”
“Me cook?” I handed over the baby.
“It’s tuna casserole. You can’t fail.” Levi sat at the table and lifted her shirt. Rosie stopped fussing and latched onto her boob.
I stood at the stove, grabbed the wooden spoon, and stirred the boiling macaroni noodles.
“How’s Kiss doing?” she asked.
I glanced over my shoulder. “Good. Staying clean. If you’re worried, don’t be. You should see her at meetings. She’s an example on how to live clean.”
“I miss being at the MC.” She stared down at her baby. “But my bean is too little. I know Romeo is torn when he leaves us to go to the club, but he needs his brothers.” She gently stroked Rosie’s cheek as the babymade slurping noises. Her phone pinged. She checked the message. “He’s on his way.”
I continued to stir the noodles. A minute passed with only the gurgling noises of the baby in the room. The tumble in my tummy had me asking, “So did he say if Ryatt is coming with him?”
When Levi didn’t answer, I spun toward her.
“Okay. I know he’s hot, but I have a boyfriend. You’re close to Dozer so don’t tell me you can’t have guys as friends. I’m only interested in Ryatt as a friend. He rides a freaking beast of a bike, and he’s nice. Besides, he’s going to be around the MC and the track so I don’t see why I can’t get to know him better. Just as a friend,” I clarified.
