The only drama with Misty was getting her to let her guard down and finally allow me access to her heart. And that’s not drama. It was self-preservation, and I fucking proved her right. As soon as she let me in, I broke her heart.
“I have to fix this, Lainey.”
“I didn’t realize you’d sucked face with Chanel in front of her. I’m not sure you can come back from this. She’s a single mom, Zep. Mom’s are a bit stricter with the second chances when it comes to other people.”
“Don’t I fucking know it?” I mutter. “At least I got to tell her the truth about her baby daddy and break his face in the process. That felt pretty damn good.”
“Have you talked to your mom?”
I know I should have. As soon as I understood why she lied, I should’ve gone to talk to her, but I just couldn’t. It’s hard to face her knowing the truth now, and I don’t want to cause her any more pain than she’s already been in.
“That’s what I thought. She’s a wreck, Zep. And what happened to her wasn’t her fault. You know that, and you know why she didn’t tell you.”
“Did you know?”
Relief washes over me when she shakes her head. “No, but it makes more sense than a drunken one-night stand. I’ve always thought there was something fishy about that story.”
Yeah, me, too.
“Penn, seriously, you have to stop hitting on me,” a woman I don’t recognize says from the other end of the bar.
Nodding in her direction, I look at Lainey. “Who’s that?”
“Dixie Knapp. She’s the new bartender. And Penn’s newest obsession.”
Blonde hair with hazel or light green eyes—I’m not really sure from here—a bright smile, and slim, athletic build. Yep, that’s Penn Calloway’s type for sure.
Penn’s the resident pretty boy, and he’s known to fall in love with unattainable women. It’s his go-to move, and I think it’s on purpose. He can’t get hurt if he never actually gets what he wants.
“But you’re so pretty,” Penn says with a wide smile.
The stubble on his chin covers a chiseled jaw, and when he’s clean-shaven, he looks closer to twenty-one than thirty. Take away the tattoos and he could be a Calvin Klein model.
“I have a boyfriend,” Dixie says. “And this is getting weird.”
“I bet I can do a lot of things better than yourboyfriend.”
“Maybe, but you’re not getting a chance to try. Now, can I get you another drink, or do you want your tab?”
She can hold her own. That’s what Nancy looks for, and it’s the only way to survive working in a bar with two different biker clubs. The soft ones don’t last very long.
“Hey, can you put this on my tab?” I ask. “I gotta run.”
Lainey nods. “Hey, Zep?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry.”
Frowning, I lean on the bar top. “For what?”
“Everything. I kind of retreated into myself when we lost Dad. I should’ve been there for you. Or let you be there for me.”
“It’s okay, Lainey. I get it.”
“It wasn’t fair to you. And I hope you get Misty back. She seems good for you.”
“Thanks, sis.”
