If I’m wearing my big-girl panties today, there are some other bridges I have to mend.
“Raven,” I say.
“Isla,” she says, coolly, and moves by me.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “For how I was with you when you arrived.”
Raven looks at me in confusion.
“I know,” I continue. “I’ve got a lot of things to make up for, but I really am sorry I tried to get between you and Wraith, because it’s clear to anyone that he thinks the world of you. And I’m still working through why I felt the need to act that way, but what I know is, most of it was insecurity and desperation on my part. But none of that should have hurt you the way it did. So, I’m not asking you to forgive me or trust me. I just wanted to own what I did and try to find some kind of peace between us.”
Raven studies me for a long moment, a hand rubbing circles on her stomach. “Thank you for saying that. It matters.”
She steps past me again, but this time, I get a weak smile.
It’s progress.
A start.
And it makes me wonder if I can’t be a bridge to build better relationships between club girls and old ladies. I doubt I can ever make them become best friends, but there must be something I can do.
By the end of the night, I’ve apologized to Quinn too. And immediately after, I retreated to Garrett’s side, where we’ve sat and watched Kai get progressively more drunk.
“I’m the luckiest bastard alive,” he says when he finally comes to join us.
Catfish and Smoke are at the bar, and they chuckle.
“Seriously,” Kai says. “Look at them. Look at the two of them. So fucking pretty, the pair of them.”
Smoke huffs. “Prettyisn’t a word I’d use to describe Shade.”
“Meh,” Kai says as he sways on his feet and points dramatically in our direction. “I get to love the two of them every day for the rest of my life.”
Garrett groans. “Okay, let’s get your drunk ass home.”
“No,” Kai insists. “They need to know I’ve never been happier in my life. You all get one person. I get two. Or maybe more. You want kids, Isla?” The last four words are slurred together.
“Feels like that’s a question you should ask at home,” Catfish says.
Something in my chest breaks open, because the joy in Kai’s expression is hard to fake. Even harder when you’re drunk.
“I’ve never really had a family,” I admit. “But I’ve always wanted one of my own.”
“Yes!” Kai throws his arms in the air and runs around Atom and Wraith’s table like he just scored a touchdown. He knocks into Grudge and spills his beer. “Sorry, Prez,” he shouts.
Garrett cups my cheek. “For real?” he asks, quietly.
When I look into his eyes, all I can see is love and safety and a man who wants kids, perhaps more than Kai. “Yeah. For real.”
“You and Kai will make beautiful babies.” I hear the words, but I also hear the ones he doesn’t say. I hear the undertone of not feeling worthy.
So, I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him tenderly. “And so will you and me. That’s my rule. With both of you, or, neither of you. I’m not choosing and playing favorites. Unless there’s a medical reason, but I want us all to try.”
Garrett’s wide smile touches his eyes, and that declaration from my quiet man is as loud as Kai’s victory dance.
Kai throws his arms around the two of us. “Do we negotiate the number of babies now or later?”
“Definitely later,” Garrett says.
