Poppy grinned. “You better not screw it up this time.”
“I don’t plan to.” I hugged my sister, then took Tate’s hand again and guided her toward my parents. My mom was already out of her seat and heading our way.
This was Tate’s official debut as my woman, even though everyone had known about our relationship status for a few weeks, we’d kept things pretty low-key while we were reconnecting.
Mom bypassed me and pulled Tate in for a hug. “Hello, darling.”
Tate pulled her hand out of mine in order to hug her back. “Hi, Maisie.”
“So, this is how it’s gonna be?” I asked. “I’m chopped liver?”
Mom chuckled, releasing Tate just long enough to hug me. “Only time will tell. Come on over, we saved you a spot.”
“I’m happy to sit out the bowling,” Tate said. “I was kind of a last-minute addition.”
“We got extra lanes in case,” Mom said. “There’s plenty of room.”
“I’ll go grab us shoes,” I offered, leaning down to kiss Tate quickly. “Be back.”
“Go find a ball while he’s doing that, love,” Mom said, and I smiled at Tate and made my way to the shoe rental.
Once I had our shoes, I jogged back to the group, greeting a few of my biker brethren on the way, but cutting my hellos short because I just wanted to get back to Tate.
Tate was already in her socks, sitting at the table waiting for me. “You just have to talk to every single person in the world, don’t you?” she teased, sliding her feet into her shoes.
I grinned. “I plead the fifth.”
“Perfect fit,” she said. “You remember my shoe size?”
I shook my head. “I looked at your shoes before we left the hotel.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Oh, I thought maybe you were a superhero.”
I leaned down close, whispering in her ear, “Iama fuckin’ superhero and I’ll show you more evidence of that later.”
She laughed. “Can’t wait.”
Niall’s birthday party was a blast and the celebration carried on with family night at the club. My nephew felt like a rock star with all the attention heaped upon him at both the bowling alley and family night. He even got two cakes, much to Poppy’s dismay.
“He’s gonna be bouncing off the walls,” she said.
“Which is why we’re stayin’ here,” Sparky said, wrapping an arm around her waist. “There are at least a dozen recruits who will wrangle the kids so we can... do other things.”
“And that’s our cue to walk away,” I retorted, taking Tate’s hand, and leading her back to the pool tables. I sat on a chair and pulled her into my lap, kissing her neck.
“I know I’ve said this a million times before, but I love your family,” Tate said, shifting so she could meet my eyes. “All of them.”
“I know, baby. They love you too,” I said. “You feel like sneaking away?”
“Can we?” she whispered.
“Hell, yeah, we can.”
“Then, lead the way, sexy.”
* * *
Tate
