I kept my promise by putting my baby news on the backburner and focusing on Sutter. After he finished first grade, we traveled to LosAngeles to visit the Griffith Observatory and Disneyland with Clint and his tiny, blonde fiancée, Ivy.
The big plan for the summer was for Sutter to attend a day camp called the Institute of the Gifted and connected to Bryn Mawr College. My parents came along for the trip, claiming to be curious about Pennsylvania. I suspected they were actually worried about our safety after what happened with Lula.
The four of us stayed at a rental house. During the week, my parents and I explored the area while Sutter did his big brain stuff with other genius kids.
By the time we returned to Little Memphis for my brother’s wedding, I’d gotten used to my unexpected pregnancy. My symptoms were mild. I felt like myself with a slightly bigger belly and a new obsession for tortilla chips.
However, one sticking point remained.No one had told Zodiac Bondi about the baby.
His club VP knew, of course. Exile, his sister Nova, and her two girls, Skylar and Lyric, had moved to Little Memphis to live with Lula. My cousin’s house was two doors down from my parents’ place, meaning Exile was in the mix during our family drama. Yet, the cowboy hat-wearing biker hadn’t shared my secret with his club president.
Ideally, I could wait until the baby was born to spring the news on Zodiac. Clint kept telling me how that wasn’t possible. Zodiac and his other club guys often visited Little Memphis. I had begun to show. Zodiac was a big guy at over six-four. His kid would likely make me huge.
The issue finally came to a head when Boone and Goldie Chester visited our house. Earlier in the year, Boone had been locked up in a Missouri jail over a brawl he didn’t start. His release had spawned a week of celebration in Little Memphis and our sister town of Rawlins, where his parents lived. I’d nearly run into Zodiac twice during the endless parties.
The sexy biker was on my mind while I sat outside with Boone, Goldie, and Clint. My brother and Boone were tight. The two men—tall, wide-shouldered, and dark-haired—stood side by side near the lake.
Nearby, Goldie ran her fingers through her bleached blonde hair. She and Boone had inherited their dad Blackjack’s dark eyes. I saw hers flashing at me regularly, and I grew suspicious of who she was texting.
Following Clint to where I sat, Boone asked, “What’s happening with the baby situation?”
Feeling on the spot, I went with my more rational plan. “I was thinking I’d wait until late into the second trimester to tell Zodiac. He and I can take a NIPP test. Once he knows he’s got a kid on the way, he can go away while I finish cooking the baby.”
Clint shook his head nearby. “You need to tell him sooner. Exile can’t keep your secret for much longer. It’s bound to cause issues in their club.”
“I don’t care about anyone except me, my family, and friends, and maybe a few select strangers.”
“Isn’t Exile your friend?” Clint asked while Boone eyed me.
“No, he’s more of an acquaintance.”
Boone was a big, burly guy with thick brown hair, a bushy beard, and kind brown eyes. He could be a grouchy bitch at times. Other days, he was downright terrifying. Today, he acted like a goofy bear by wrapping his powerful arms around me and squishing me to his buff chest.
“You got knocked up by a guy whose name you know,” he announced, winning snickers from Goldie. “What a glorious experience this must be for you.”
Failing to free myself from his bear hug, I asked, “If a woman told you about a baby you made during a quickie at the clubhouse, would you respond positively?”
“No, because I have quickies with crazy sluts. Can you imagine my poor kid’s future?”
“What if she wasn’t a crazy slut?”
“Well, then, I’d be suspicious about why she was hooking up with me.”
Frowning up at his face, I asked, “Can you please let me loose?”
“No, I plan to hug you until you agree to share your big news with the sperm donor.”
“Why rush toward that clusterfuck?”
“You’re healthy and happy right now. Why wait until you’re bloated and miserable?”
Frowning up at Boone, I found him waiting for my negative response. He flashed me a smile and released his bear hug.
“You’re a tough fox, Elle. No one can understand why you’re hiding from this guy.”
“I’m not hiding. I recently saw Zodiac in passing and waved.”
“Really? Because I remember when you hid in the bathroom at my welcome back party at the Sorority House. Oh, and I also recall you begged the foxes to warn you whenever Zodiac was around. Why are you scared of a guy you nailed?”
