“Who the fuck do you think you are? Nobody stands me up. You think you’re so much better than everyone since you went off and got a college degree, but you’re a fuckin’ useless bitch.” He scoffed. “Just like your brother. I should have known better than to hire the kid you raised, but I expected you to at least show some goddamn gratitude. I can’t believe you’re ghosting me again. You’re the one who wanted this fuckin’ date. Joke’s on you though, because you can tell that little shit he better not show his face at the warehouse again. He no longer has a job, thanks to you. Good job, big sis.”
The click that ended the message resonated in my bones like an exclamation point. I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at it, shocked at how quickly his anger had escalated. Luke had always had a temper, and there was a reason I’d avoided him like I had, but that last message had gone to a whole new level, making my heart race and my hands shake.
Maybe he’d been drunk, because that definitely wasn’t the guy I’d known in high school. He’d left two more voicemails and a handful of texts, but having heard enough, I saved everything in case this led to a restraining order, and then I blocked his number. Whatever he’d been on last night, we were done.
I tried to call Ben to update him on the situation, but as expected, my call went straight to voicemail. Annoyed and thoroughly shaken up, I grabbed my laptop bag from where I’d dropped it by the door last night and decided I’d get some work in.
The board’s decision about the party was just the good news I needed to focus on, so I called Julia to let her know.
“We should celebrate,” she said.
After the morning I’d had, I wasn’t in much of a celebratory mood, but the walls of my apartment felt like they were closing in on me, and I could use a little fresh air. “What did you have in mind?”
“Wanna get boba tea?”
“That’s a very specific offer.”
“It’s a pregnancy craving. Some women want to dip pickles in peanut butter. I would kill for a blended brown sugar milk tea with tapioca at least five days a week. Havoc currently has our son, so I’m free to feed my addiction. Come out and celebrate with me.”
I’d never been invited out by a donor before. But what harm was there in accepting? Besides, I needed a distraction from the shitshow that was my life like I needed my next breath.
“Sure. I need to shower first, but I can meet you in an hour.”
10
Mercy
JULIA’S FAVORITE BOBA shop was located in downtown Seattle. Since it was only a couple of blocks from the old fire station that served as the motorcycle club’s headquarters, she invited me to park in their lot to avoid the astronomical downtown parking fees. While I liked Julia, I didn’t understand the whole biker lifestyle and was reluctant to go anywhere near it.
“Will it be like walking by a construction site?” I asked. Some experiences were worth paying to avoid.
She laughed. “No. You’ll be perfectly safe, and nobody will disrespect you.”
That seemed like a hefty promise to make, but she sounded sure of herself, so I agreed. When I parked and climbed out of my Sentra, Julia was waiting for me on the sidewalk, dressed in a long leather coat and knee-high motorcycle boots, looking like a supermodel for Harley Davidson, maternity edition.
“You look like a badass,” I said, climbing out of my car and considering the umbrella on the seat. Locals avoided umbrellas unless the rain was torrential, especially in the downtown districts where overhangs, canopies, and awnings covered most sidewalks. The sky was barely drizzling now, and keeping dry wasn’t worth the stigma of being a tourist, so I left my umbrella behind.
“Thanks.” Julia beamed a smile at me. “I’m going for a ride with Havoc later, so I need to look the part.”
“Do you get a cool leather vest, too?” I asked.
“Of course. They’re called cuts. Mine has my name on the front and a Property of Havoc patch on the back.”
“And you’re okay with that?” I didn’t bother to keep the surprise out of my voice. Julia exuded strong, independent woman vibes, and I couldn’t see her allowing anyone to claim her as property, but she nodded proudly.
“That man would do anything for me or our children. I am fully his, and his fine ass is all mine.” She pointed down the sidewalk. “Come now. Heaven awaits.”
Before I could formulate a response, she took off, and I had to speed-walk to catch up. Thanks to the gym in my apartment building, I was in decent shape, but her much longer legs easily outpaced mine. By the time we reached the boba shop and joined the line, I was huffing and puffing.
“Sorry,” Julia said, and the faintest hint of pink splashed across her cheeks. “I tend to forget that not everyone is driven by ridiculous pregnancy cravings. Do you have any kids?”
“Just the fifty-eight currently enrolled in my preschool. None of my own. This is child number two?” I asked, certain she’d mentioned that during our first meeting.
“Yep. We also have a feral little terror, who’s lucky he’s cute. Everyone keeps telling me it’ll get easier as he ages, but he’s not even two, and he’s taken years off our lives. He’s into everything.” She patted her belly. “We’re hoping this one will be less of a menace. What are preschoolers like?”
Julia’s honesty surprised me, considering she didn’t know me. She was stunning, intelligent, funny, and unapologetic about her imperfections, yet she leaned into the conversation and made eye contact as if she were genuinely curious.
I desperately wanted to be her friend.
