Micro nodded. “And I’m so going to be picking your brain about dad stuff now, thanks.” I groaned. What did I just let myself in for?
“So back to the matter at hand. Caroline’s going to help me sketch out the plans for this place. I’ll need to bring her by at some point, so I want the place as empty and quiet as possible. She’s not good with noise, or mouthy asshole men.”
“She picked you though,” Grease said with a shit-eating grin.
“You know what she’s like, man.”
He nodded. “Actually, there’s that toy drive in two days, right? Most of us will be offsite for that.”
Shit. I’d wanted to take part in that myself, but he was right. It’d free the place up for her to stop by. The local children’s hospice ward was about to receive a mass of toys from a mass of costumed up bikers, because they were having an early Christmas celebration, and we were trying to get the club a better name, plus it was a really worthwhile, and fun thing to do as a club.
“You’ll miss this one, but we’re doing the main hospital the week before Christmas, Harls. You can be there for that one.”
I nodded, but had to address the nickname. “Call me that again, and I’ll tattoo my proper name on your forehead.”
Micro laughed. “He’s threatening his President already. I thought it’d take longer.”
“Withyouas his Pres? Sure.”
“Eat shit.”
My phone had buzzed a few times in my pocket while they’d been shooting the shit, so I pulled it out and checked it. Caroline had sent me the message, as promised, to say she was there safely, which I actually really loved. This one was from her too.
Caroline: I’m going to be stuck here all night. V’s a mess. I’m sorry. I miss you way more than I thought I would.
Huh. Suddenly my night was wide open, and for once, I hated it instantly.
“Looks like I’m free tonight now. What do you want me working on?”
Chapter Twenty-Three
WOW, MUM WASN’T KIDDING about V. When I reached her house, V was in a mess, yelling and cursing her soon-to-be-ex husband’s very existence.
“Caroline! Cuz! I swear to god, avoid men, they’re all fucking assholes!” She was holding a huge glass of wine, and when I raised my eyebrows at mum, she pointed at the empty bottle, and the second one that was halfway there already.
“I um… I’m sure they’re not, cuz. Look, why don’t you sit down before you fall down.”
She laughed bitterly, raising the glass to me as if toasting something, but I had no idea what the hell she’d be toasting, or who. Definitely not her ex, that’s for sure.
“Maybe you should try it, C. I swear, alcohol is the only way to get through this shitstorm called life.”
Mum gasped, and practically forced her into a chair, jerking her head at the kitchen for me to follow her.
“How long has she been here?”
She sighed, putting the kettle on, hopefully for some strong coffee for a certain sloshed somebody.
“An hour and a half. In that time, she’s finished a bottle of wine, decimated most of a second bottle, cursed him and everyone she’s ever met, and declared life not worth living. I’m worried, kiddo. I don’t think she should be alone anytime soon.”
I heard glass clinking in the other room, and knew she was finishing that second bottle.
“What happened exactly? All I know is they’re divorcing, and she hates him. Last I heard they were trying for a baby!”
Mum prepped three mugs as she glared in my direction.
“That bastard declared that their failure to get pregnant was her faulty body, then promptly got Debbie pregnant instead.”
My mouth dropped open, and I stepped closer to her.
