“Well, hot damn!That’s the best news I’ve had all week.”
The doorbell rang while I was washing the romaine lettuce.“Can you get that?I’m sure it’s Chad, but you can check the doorbell app on my phone if you want.”
“I got it, babe,” Ryan said, sauntering to the door.
A moment later, I heard people moving into the townhouse and I looked toward the foyer.
“Okay,” Chad said, sailing into the kitchen with a bottle of wine.“Your man says he’s helping.How is he doing that?”
“He’s helping by manning the grill and the deep fryer.”
“Come again?He should not be taking care of two tasks.Is his brother coming?”Kristen asked, perching on a stool at the breakfast bar.
“You wish his brother was here,” Chad muttered under his breath.
“Zip it, Chadwick,” Kristen said with a saucy smile.
“No, we’re grilling shrimp so it’s not even that much work.For dessert, we’re having beignets – hence the deep fryer,” I said.
Kristen smiled.“Awesome!Are we having Cajun sides?”
I shrugged a shoulder at her.“We could, but I picked up Boursin so you could make your uber-rich mashed potatoes.”
Chad held up a bottle of wine.“I brought two bottles of wine tonight.”He looked to Ryan.“Do you drink wine?”
Ryan smiled.“I do, but I made a pitcher of gimlets if either you want one.”
“Mm, gimlets.Is Ivy taking another day off tomorrow?”Kristen asked.
I beamed at her.“No.Yesterday, Ryan, Lark, and Volt took care of everything.I’m headed back to the office and I have two closings tomorrow.”
“That’s outstanding news,” Kristen said.
“My sentiments exactly,” Chad chimed in, then looked at Ryan.“I definitely like you now.”
“Good to know, but I had plenty of help from the other brothers,” Ryan said while pouring four cocktails.
“I thought there were some missing people involved here.How is this over so fast – not that I’m complaining,” Kristen said.
Ryan filled them in on the connection to Corrupt Chrome MC and what was going on with the bodies.
“What a wicked web,” Chad said, sipping his gimlet.
“Are we doing lunch on Wednesday?”Kristen asked.
“That’s not a good idea,” Ryan said.
She aimed a confused look at him.“Why?”Her expression shifted to realization “Oh, I was talking to Ivy.I didn’t mean for us to horn in on your lunch with your brother and sister.”
“Let’s do Thursday.I have a staff meeting on Wednesday,” Chad said looking at his phone.
From behind me, Ryan wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling my back to his front.I felt his whiskers tickle the shell of my ear.“You’re coming to lunch with me, Kill, and Mick on Wednesday,” he whispered.
I smiled.
Chad stared at us.“As thrilled as I am for you, girlie, you two are making me feel ill.”
Kristen laughed and so did I.
