Once, Rebel might’ve gotten insulted. Now, she agreed, especially since Momma said the same thing. “I know.”
“There’s especially more to life than Kaia and Diesel.”
“Kaia’s a good guy. I wish you liked him, Matt.”
She shrugged. “It’s not important ifIlike him, Reb. You’re the one with him. I’m just saying don’t rush into anything with him. Figure out your life first.”
“I’ve gone through so many changes recently…” Rebel’s voice trailed off and she abandoned that topic. “I don’t know what I want to be. If I don’t go to college, everyone will blame Momma. Say she set a bad example for me, especially if you and Harley go. Your mothers are career women. Momma’s a homemaker.”
“Are you ashamed of Aunt Meggie?”
“Of course not! But I don’t want to be the one to bring anymore criticism on her.”
“She’d be very upset to hear you say that and to think you need to alter the trajectory of your life because of how hers is. Or isn’t.”
“I don’t want her to be upset. I’m trying to protect her.”
“Aunt Meggie didn’t fight for your equality just so you’d feel as if you were required to do anything to protect her at your own expense. She wants you to be free to live your life as you see fit. Just like the boys.”
“I know. As for what I want to be? Uh, I-I want to be a-a-a, um, socialite. Have a schedule filled with, uh, social stuff. Shop. Travel. Have a beautiful house and throw lavish parties.”
Mattie sighed.
Rebel tipped her head back, her real true desire bouncing in her head.
“I admit I’m a little thrown by your new dream for your future.”
“It’s better than saying I want to be a party girl who spends her time shopping and traveling to exotic locations and going on adventures.”
“That sounds truer to who you are. An adventuress.”
Rebel agreed, but many socialites had a purpose, donating time and money to charitable causes. “I once dreamed of owning my own bike shop, where I created custom rides. However, it’s been almost a year since Daddy brought me a fixer upper. I don’t even know what happenedto the one I’d been working on before me and him went to war.”
“You were very good at rebuilding bikes,” Mattie said, ignoring the other part.
“Daddy taught me a lot.” She’d been quite young when he’d began his lessons. “I miss that.”
“I always thought he was so cool, letting you get all dirty and encouraging your ideas.”
“He was.” Uncle Mort and Harley sometimes joined them, but Uncle Johnnie and Mattie never did. “Maybe, we’ll start again.”
Mattie nodded. “You aren’t the only one who wants to be a part of the club, Reb. I do, too. Just because we’re girls doesn’t mean we didn’t live and breathe the club every day. It gets into your psyche. But I’m good with computers and cyber. The club needs that. The boys have told CJ what he should and shouldn’t do. Why can’t we?”
“I know you want to do surveillance and hacking.”
“I have an entire plan now. We have to get some of the boys onboard becausethey’llbe the club members. Cyber is different from investigations and background checks, and very hands on. The brothers might not want anyone but club members surveilling and hacking, so I’ll own the company and head everything and I’ll have some of the members work for me.”
“I like that idea.”
Mattie squirmed. “My first recruit will be Ryan.” At Rebel’s lifted brow, she flushed. “For obvious reasons.”
Yep, none of which they needed to get into since he’d used his skills to fuck them over. “What does he plan to major in, though, Matt?”
“Dunno,” Mattie admitted. “But as far as I know only Axel has college plans. All the other boys are focused on joining the club.”
Her plans were well and good, but Rebel worried that her cousin was evading what happened to discuss stuff that was months, noyears, in the future.
Putting an arm around Mattie’s shoulders, Rebel said, “Tell me about now. How are you?”
