“I didn’t mean to not eat, we just had so much going on that I forgot.” She shrugs.
“Still not acceptable. You’ve got to start paying better attention to your body. If my niece or nephew comes out skinny as a rail, I’m kicking your ass.”
She grins at me. “I know, I know. Don’t worry, we’re going to be eating a lot. So much that I’m going to be obese because now I can eat everything in sight with a damn good excuse. You’ll work out with me once I have the baby, right?”
“Of course. What are best friends for anyway?”
We stand in line for a few minutes and it moves surprisingly quick. Around the room, everyone is sitting down at various tables, eating dinner and talking amongst themselves. I haven’t seen Scott yet, and I wonder if he will be showing up. I wonder where Gater and Ryan are but since Gater is no longer in the club, and is currently off the radar, I guess that answers that question.
She’s been distant since everything went down with the war and Gater was no longer in the spotlight and got voted out as Vice President. I guess since her ol’ man was no longer “club royalty” she didn’t feel like she was good enough to hang around. I don’t understand women like her, but whatever. It’s her loss. And his. This club is the best family I’ve ever been a part of.
I fight my way to the bar through the crowd of Hounds and families to get a few bottles of water for our table. Johnny and Leo are the only two behind the bar and they’re running like crazy. Leo spots me and rushes over.
“Whatcha need?”
“Four bottles of water, please. And a beer for Cass.”
“What’s he drinking tonight?”
“He’s been on a Schlitz kick, give him one of those please.”
Leo nods and goes to grab the drinks I requested. A hand around my waist has me jolting to see who’s touching me. I look next to me and Raven’s brilliant smile greets me.
“Oh my God! What are you doing here?” I ask, hugging her tightly.
“Micah and the some of the Sinners wanted to make a pit stop on our way home. We had a ‘family’ vacation in Galveston this week and a few of us wanted to pop in and say hey to our favorite Hounds.”
“I’m so happy y’all did! How long are y’all here for?”
“Just for an hour or so. We’re riding the rest of the way home tonight so we can wake up Christmas morning at home.”
I grin at her. “Well, I’m glad y’all stopped by! We sure have missed you!”
“We’ve missed y’all, too. Everything’s been calm around here?”
“For the most part, absolutely. So much more calm than it was the last time you were here.”
Leo sets down the drinks in front of me and smiles at Raven in greeting.
“What can I get you?”
“I’ll just take a coke. Two cokes, actually.”
“You got it.”
I take a sip from one of the bottles of water. “Go get a plate! There’s plenty of food for everyone. I’ll grab your cokes.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Raven yells at me over her shoulder as she’s sifting through the crowd toward the table filled with food.
I stuff the four bottles of water in the two pockets on the front of my sweater and ignore the fact that they’re weighing ithalfway down and trying to stretch it out. I grab the two cokes and try to follow the path Raven cleared but people are walking through and clogging the path. I sigh and politely excuse myself until I’m back at the table.
Raven is already sitting down and eating. She wasn’t playing about this food. I laugh to myself and sit down to finish eating my bowl of gumbo with potato salad, green bean casserole, and a small slice of the brownies I made.
Everyone at the table is excited to see Raven and we spend the rest of the evening eating good food, enjoying good company, and handing out gifts. I got all of the guys in the club a black tumbler with their names on one side and their patch on the other side. The prospects got a ticket for one ‘upon receival of their patch’ and all of the ol’ ladies got a tumbler stating whose bitch they are. I thought it was funny and cute since they’re Hounds and the female version of a dog is a bitch.
Lindsay didn’t look too thrilled when she opened hers, but everyone else got a kick out of it.
Everyone’s gone and it’s just Cass, me, Mindy, Linc, and the two new prospects left.
