“Thanks, Stone,” I manage. It’s not enough, but it’s all I can get out without breaking.
He nods, like he understands everything I can’t say, then claps me on the shoulder before checking his watch. “Well, I should head out.”
“You’re leaving the party already?”
“Not quite.” He doesn’t elaborate.
He checks his phone, then gives me a final nod. “Go enjoy the party. You’ve earned some fun, Bones.” With that, he heads to his bike, and I go back inside to find Emma. She now has a beerof her own, holding court with Kya and Andi. She spots me and gestures me over, eyes bright and mischievous.
“Come settle an argument,” she says. “Kya claims you can’t actually do a wheelie with a full-sized Harley without falling on your ass, and I say you absolutely could, but it would violate at least three traffic laws and several rules of physics.”
I look at Kya. “I totally could, if I wanted to.”
She throws her head back and laughs. “Physics says no, your ego says yes. I know which one’s gonna hit the pavement first.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Andi says. “I reckon Bones has it in him.”
“Thank you, Andi,” I say, sinking onto the couch beside Emma, feeling her body quake against me every time she laughs. The leather of her cut feels a little stiff at the seams, but it’ll break in with time. All the best things do.
The party rages for a while. Someone starts a drinking contest, then a pool tournament, and I see Poppy and Axel slow-dancing in the corner as Rose conks out against his chest, that tiny drool spot on his shirt spreading by the minute. I shift my gaze to the bar where Lee is half-listening to Duck explain his platform, then I notice Tank across the room.
He’s got his phone to his ear, expression serious. Too serious for a party like this.
He says something, nods, then heads toward the back hallway where it’s quieter.
“Be right back,” I tell Emma, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.
“Where you going?”
“Just checking something.”
I get up and catch Lee’s eye, nodding toward the hall where Tank disappeared. He follows immediately, and we find Tank in the chapel, phone still pressed to his ear.
“—OK. Yeah. I understand.” His voice is low, controlled. “You need us there?”
A pause.
“You sure? Because we can?—”
Another pause, longer this time.
“All right. Yeah. I’ll handle it.” Tank sees us standing there and gestures us closer. “Hold on, Stone. Bones and Lee are here. I’m putting you on speaker.”
He pulls the phone from his ear and taps the screen. Stone’s voice fills the room, rough and strained in a way I’ve never heard.
“I left to pick up Josie. But she wasn’t home when I got there,” Stone says without preamble. “So I rode the route she takes from work. There was an accident about two miles out. T-bone collision at the intersection by Miller Road.”
My stomach drops.
“She’s alive,” Stone continues quickly. “Ambulance got there right as I did. But she’s in bad shape. I followed them to the hospital. They’ve got her now. I’m waiting to hear more.”
“Jesus,” Lee breathes.
“You sure you don’t need us there?” Tank asks.
“No. I’m fine on my own.” Stone’s voice is firm. “I need you three to not tell anyone. Let them have tonight. Keep the party going, business as usual.”
“Stone—” I start.
