She stared up at the ceiling.“Yes, I know I said that, but then I chickened out when push came to shove, so maybe I changed my mind.”
Her expression shifted and she looked almost contrite, which I didn’t like.She didn’t need to apologize from what I knew about the situation.
“All right, well, don’t leave before we get there.”
She looked at me with a remorseful expression.“I’m sorry you’re going to have to ride all the way out there again, I can pay you for—”
I put a finger to her lips.“Don’t even think about it, woman.If it were any other week, I’d be making that ride every day.Forget about it.”
She nodded.“Cool.We should hurry.Mom sounded like she wanted to bail before I got there.”
I smirked.“That isn’t an elaborate excuse to ride fast, is it?”
She held up her hands.“Two things can be true, Nickel.”
The crowds at On a Lark had been steadily building over the past five weeks.The drive-by threatened all of that growth.To my surprise, when we pulled up I circled the entire lot before deciding to park across the street in the lot of a business that closed at four.The owner had told us we could use their lot for overflow, for bike parking only.
“Wow, I’ve never seen it so crowded,” Ivy said, freeing her curls from her hair tie.
I swung off my Triumph.“Yeah, hopefully that means Lark’s too busy to talk to Debra.”
She chuckled.“I just hope your sister and Killian are as good at keeping them away from Lark as you were with me.”
“I regret doing that to you,” I muttered, putting my arm around her shoulders.
She slung her arm around my waist.“Don’t be.It all worked out in the end.”
Tundra glowered at us while he stood behind the counter at the front door.“They told you not to come in here tonight, Nickel.”
“It’s my fault – or really my best friend’s fault – because he brought my mom here.”
Tundra narrowed his eyes in confusion.
“She doesn’t want Lark forced to meet her mom, and neither of us expected Chad to pull a stunt like this,” I said.
“Keep it short.Got it?We don’t need any more trouble today,” he muttered.
We moved into the main room.
“I can see why Mickayla was so upset with him this morning.He’s good at delivering a reprimand,” Ivy said.
Chad and Debra were sitting along the side of the bar closest to the entry.
Debra spun around on her stool.“Are you riding on his motorcycle without a helmet?”
Ivy ignored Debra’s question and focused on Chad.“Why did you bring her here?”
“For the same reason I told you on the phone.You wanted her to meet him.”
I loved it when I riled Ivy up, but seeing her get riled because of Chad hit me different.
She nodded once.“Has she met him yet?”
Chad’s eyes widened.“No.”He jerked his head toward me.“His triplet refuses to let Lark know we’re here, but seeing as the man hasn’t even come out of his office, I’m guessing heknowswe’re here and is actively avoiding us.”
“Or he’s trying to keep her and her mom safe,” I said.
“That’s craziness,” Chad said.
