Cole looks over at me and scoots his barstool back, then approaches me. He’s holding a glass of amber liquor in his hand and holds it out to me.
“Here, sweetheart. You look like you could use this.”
I think about waving him off, but smile and take it, sipping it and finding it tastes like a cinnamon Red-Hot candy. I lick my lips and smile. “Fireball?”
He grins. “My daughter loves the stuff. Figured you might like it, too.”
“Thank you.”
“They’ll be here any minute.”
I nod.
His eyes drop to Tucker. “The kids sure had fun today. Running all over the place playing hide and seek. Then they played cops and robbers and used the MMA cage in the warehouse for jail.”
“There’s an MMA cage?” I lift a brow.
“Have Cody show it to you.”
“What do you do with it?”
“We have a fight night about once a month. Which reminds me, we’re overdue for one.”
“I’m sorry I’ve caused you all this trouble.”
“You’re not the first woman who’s run from an abusive man and ended up under our protection. I’m sorry you’ve had to go through that. I don’t put up with men hurting women. Period.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I guess I knew that from how protective the club is of all the girls up at Sonny’s.”
“That’s the way it should be, sweetheart.”
I sip the drink, and he shifts on his feet.
“Cody’s a good guy. None better. I saw that in the way he looked out for Fiona when she was pregnant and how he helped her get her cupcake shop up and running.”
“He served with my Ryan before he was killed,” I say, not knowing if he’s aware of the connection.
“So I heard.” He sits on the armrest of the sofa. “I remember when he told us about the bridge.”
I stare at my lap. “I’m ashamed I sunk so low I really thought that was the answer.”
“Nothing to be ashamed about. I can’t imagine being a single parent and losing the love of your life.”
I nod, my eyes filling.
“You think there’s room for someone else?”
“Cody?”
“Yeah. That boy is head over heels for you.”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I’ve taken care of Tucker alone for so long, but I think I’m falling hard for Cody. It’s just hard to trust my heart again, you know?”
“Yeah, darlin’, I know. Just give him a shot. That boy won’t fail you.”
The door opens, and the three of them troop in. Cody makes a beeline for us, but stops to pay his president his due.
“Cody.”
