Cassie was glancing around distractedly as we chatted about casual things, and we shared the bottle of tequila Rosa left us. I had a feeling her interest in those around us had to do with a guy. When I questioned her, she scoffed at me like I’d lost my damn mind.
“Men,” she told me matter-of-factly. “Good for one thing only.”
“What would you know about it?” Rosa appeared behind her with an arched a brow.
“I’m twenty-nine, not fifteen,” Cassie said as her mom took a seat beside me.
“Actually, you weren’t all that innocent at fifteen either,” she snickered.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, mother. I focused on getting good grades. Boys,” she waved a hand. “Waste of my precious time. Plus, if anyone was chasing, it was them. I do not chase any man.”
“Amen,” I told her, and she grinned at me. I drank the rest of the liquid in my glass and frowned. I’d barely started drinking it a few minutes ago. I ought to pace myself.
“Uh huh,” Rosa narrowed her eyes at Cassie. “What about Eli?”
Cassie glared at her mother, but I could see the blush staining her cheeks pink. She looked around again, making me think whoever this Eli was, he was someone she might run into tonight. She did not want him or anyone else to hear what her mom just said.
“Oh, who is Eli?” I asked, putting both elbows on the table and leaning forward.
“No one,” Cassie mumbled, pouring more shots and shoving one at me.
“No one, my ass,” her mom laughed. “You have hearts in your eyes whenever you look at him. And he looks at you the same way.”
“I’m not discussing this. Plus, you don’t know what you’re talking about. He doesn’t look at me. And you know I have no intention of getting involved with a biker.”
“What’s wrong with bikers? Your father is a biker, your uncles, friends,” Rosa said. Her words could have been sharp, but there was more of an amused tone to her voice.
Both Rosa’s kids were successful in their own rights and worked away from the club, but they still had ties here and it didn’t seem to bother them. I wasn’t convinced Cassie’s indignation was about bikers, so much as a particular biker.
“He’s a brother?” I asked, wracking my brains, trying to think who was named Eli. Could be a new guy? I looked at Rosa.
“Handlebar,” she said smugly, making my brows shoot up. Then I looked at Cassie with a huge smile and gave her a salacious wink.
“Mom!” Cassie shouted, giving away that her little speech seconds ago had been all talk. “And you stop that filthy winking,” she pointed at me. “You’re dreaming if you think I have any thoughts about Elias Adelman. Anyway, I’m dating a guy from work,” she added imperiously, crossing her legs and throwing back her shot.
Rosa waved a hand as if that didn’t matter. “Calling up some guy at work for a booty call is not dating, young lady.”
Cassie was spluttering. She looked so unlike her usual unruffled self, it was obvious Rosa was hitting a nerve. “Booty calls?” she gave her mom an incredulous look. “We date, we go out, to functions and restaurants and…things.”
“Things?” Rosa snorted, and I laughed. “Have you ever spent the day together? Have you seen the inside of his apartment, know his favorite food, met his mother? What’s his last name?”
“His mother? And of course I know his last name. What kind of woman do you take me for? Holy hell…How the fuck did we end up discussing my sex life?” she looked at the sky, then she reached for the half empty tequila bottle again.
For each shot she poured herself, I got one too. So much for watching my intake tonight. I drank it down, reveling in this conversation.
“I thought it was more than just sex?” Rosa smirked. She was enjoying herself.
“Mom!”
“Handlebar is hot,” I chipped in. Cassie whipped her head in my direction and for a second, I saw the jealousy in her eyes. “I had a huge crush on him when I was younger,” I said, stirring the pot, making Rosa laugh.
“He is eleven years older than me, he screws the club sluts-”
“Nope, he isn’t like that,” Rosa said. “That’s why I’m not concerned if you wanted to get involved with him. He’s a good guy. Solid, would do anything for his family and friends and he knows his way around a vehicle.”
“Like that is a huge plus in the ‘pro’ column.” She made quotation signs with her fingers. “I can change my own tires just like dad taught me and I have Triple A for everything else. I am not getting involved with him,” she huffed, folding her arms, and sitting back in the chair. “Or anyone else. I’m happy with my life as it is.”
“He’s good with his hands. That is a huge plus,” Rosa laughed. “Anyway, you protest too much, child of mine,” she patted Cassie’s hand. “All I’m saying is, you could do worse. You know your dad would approve.”
