I’d say, if only to myself for the time being, we’d been becoming afamily.
I finally foundmyself atNo Surrender.
After dropping Stormi off at school, I went to meet some of my new friends for a morning self-defense class. It was Friday so I hadn’t worked the evening before and I had the day off. On top of that, with Bronson working, it was perfect timing when they asked me to join them.
Not that I couldn’t go if the man wasn’t working, but lately if we weren’t at our jobs, we seemed to be attached at the hip. It felt marvelous and also odd if I was being honest. Back in the day we’d been like that too, but there was one monumental difference now.
We had off-the-charts sex as often as possible.
I shook off the thoughts that had my cheeks warming and pressed the call button to get buzzed in. There sat Patience at a desk in the entrance of a very spectacular looking building. And that was just the initial view when people first walked in.
The guys had quite a place.
I couldn’t believe that my co-worker, Huntley, had been going toNo Surrender.He’d mentioned it a few times but never went into any great detail. It was still hard to wrap my head around the fact that he and Bronson had spoken.
“Hey, Lake. Are you ready for the class?” Patience asked in a soft, friendly tone.
The young woman reminded me of Jurnee with her girl-next-door look and sweet disposition. But unlike Jurnee, she was still a bit lost and sad. I was no therapist like my new-found sister butI could guess it had a lot to do with her past and her best friend, Jett, being gone.
I knew all too well what that felt like.
She was a bit younger than me when she had become a single mother, but she’d been lucky to have found Jett and the group early on. I was so happy she’d had that. And I think her son, like my Stormi, was what made her happy and kept her moving forward.
I made my way right up to the desk and smiled at her. “I’m excited,” I told her, finally answering her question.
She caught my gaze as it shifted down to a notebook by her hand. “I was just messing around with some lyrics.”
My eyes lifted back up to hers in curiosity. “You write songs?” I’d heard Jett was very musically talented but had decided to go into the military instead of pursuing his other passion first, but I didn’t know about Patience.
A blush colored her cheeks. “I just dabble in it, but only for myself. It’s kind of therapeutic for me.”
I immediately thought about River. “My sister,” I started. “God, that sounds weird to my ears.” I let out a little laugh. “I think she would love to hear that and be really proud of you for finding an outlet.”
Patience smiled. “I think it’s wonderful you found her. Writing lyrics releases all my feelings. It also makes me feel closer to Jett.”
She sucked in a breath and her eyes rounded. I could tell she didn’t mean to announce that, it had just spilled out.
“Whatever helps, I think that it’s wonderful. When Bronson left for the military, I’d lost my best friend. Only he didn’t keep in touch and it was torture.” I knew she’d already heard some of this at the parties when all the ladies talked, but it felt different sharing it with her now, just the two of us. “Then my parents died and I was all alone with a baby while still a teenager.”
I was startled when she reached out and touched my arm briefly before dropping it again. “I’m sorry about all that and I wish you would have found the ladies earlier on like I had. Jett and the group have been a godsend.”
The buzzer sounded just then and Patience smiled. “Brace yourself, the crazy clan has arrived,” she announced with laughter and so much affection in her tone.
I turned to see most of the ladies jumping around and waving at the door. Patience hit the button and let them in. Before they could descend on us like vultures, she said, “Maybe sometime I will let you read one of my songs.”
Touched by her words, I swung back around toward her and placed my hand on her arm like she’d done moments ago. “I’d absolutely love that. We have a lot in common and I’m always here if you ever need another ear. Even though you have a whole slew of them.”
We both burst into laughter as we were swarmed.
“What’s so damn funny? I hate missing the fun,” Gemma said.
“Inside joke,” I teased.
Gemma stuck her tongue out at me and Patience. “That’s not gonna fly and you know it.” She pointed at Patience.
“She’s right. We may as well spill the beans,” Patience said as she began to share a bit of our conversation.
Ruby walked around the desk and threw her arm around Patience. “This girl has serious talent but keeps it mostly to herself. If she shares with you then you are one lucky girl.”
