“June.”
Skyla came over and he ordered two more drinks like the one April had been drinking when he bumped into her. Then he turned his attention back to April. “June? So, is that what you’re going to name your first-born daughter?”
April wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “I’ve never liked that for a name.”
“Okay,” Tanner thought out loud, not wanting this conversation to end. Every time April smiled, her entire face lit up, making him want to make her smile even more. “Well, when in June were you born?”
“The thirtieth. I was almost a July baby.”
“Perfect,” Tanner said. “You could name her Summer. I mean, technically summer starts on June twenty first, so...”
“I love that name,” April gushed, then put her hand over her mouth.
“What?” Tanner asked, not sure why she was suddenly acting shy.
“Did we just name our first kid?”
Tanner’s jaw dropped and April laughed, making him crack up, too. “That depends, do you have a tradition about naming boys?” He asked.
April laughed again. “You just want to know all my family secrets, don’t you?”
Skyla brought their drinks over, but Tanner couldn’t take his gaze off April. He smiled, but didn’t say anything because in all honesty, yeah, right then and there, he wanted to know not just all her family secrets, but all of her secrets, too.
To his dismay, his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. “Sorry, excuse me for one second,” he said as he pulled it out and looked at the screen. He groaned inwardly when he saw it was hiscaptain calling. But he was on call tonight, so he had to answer. “Captain Andrews,” Tanner said, plugging his other ear so he could hear him better. “What’s going on?”
“Got a body for you. I need you to come in right away. This death could lead to an all-out club war.”
“Club war, Sir?” Tanner asked, not sure if he’d heard him right over the blaring music.
“Our victim is Arlo J. Get your ass to the precinct pronto.” Captain Andrews’ words had Tanner’s blood running cold. Arlo J was the president of the Deathly Hollow Motorcycle Club. His death would not only upend the city, it could bring danger right to Madigan’s doorstep. He needed to warn Blake and Skyla, but as he looked over at April, he caught her watching him with a curious gaze and a hint of a smile. There was something about this woman that both put him on edge and excited him in equal measure. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her now. They’d just started talking, and he wanted nothing more than to keep getting to know her.
“Yes, Sir,” Tanner said, then ended the call.
So much for a fun night. He pulled out his business card, wrote his cell phone number on the back and handed it to April. “I’m so sorry to do this to you, but I have to go. If you don’t mind hanging out with a detective, I’d love to see you again. Maybe we can talk boy names over dinner.”
She stared at him for a long moment as if considering his words, then slipped his card into her small handbag. “I’ll text you.”
“I’d like that.” He threw some money on the counter to cover their drinks and a generous tip for Skyla, then spotted Blake across the bar, talking with someone who looked like a regular. He flagged Blake down, and motioned for him to meet him in the back.
Tanner walked past the bar and stopped just inside the corridor leading to the restrooms.
“What’s going on?” Blake asked, holding a neon drink and wearing a silly grin like a man who had everything.
Tanner sighed. “We might have a problem. Just keep an eye on Skyla and this place.”
“Whoa,” Blake said. “Don’t give me some cryptic bullshit. Talk to me.”
“Arlo J was just found murdered. I’m on the case, so I’ll keep you in the loop. But keep your eyes open.”
“Will do,” Blake said, a dark shadow crossing his eyes. He and Skyla had gone through so much not too long ago, and it was all because of Arlo J. Tanner had no idea what the man’s death was going to bring up for his friends, but he didn’t want them to be blindsided. “Thanks for the heads up,” Blake added.
“No problem. I have to run.” Tanner wasn’t looking forward to what he knew would be a long night ahead of him. With any luck, they’d find Arlo J’s killer sooner rather than later. He was just about to leave through the backdoor since he’d parked his cruiser in the alley behind Madigan’s when Skyla came rushing in from the bar area., She stopped abruptly as soon as she spotted Blake, a look of panic mixed with tears in her eyes. “What is it?” Blake asked, shoving his drink at Tanner as he moved toward her.
Tanner barely had a chance to grab the glass with the neon liquid before it crashed to the floor. “Skyla?” Had Arlo J’s men already done something? Did they think she was responsible for his death because of her history with him? There was no way she could ever…
“Something’s wrong,” she told Blake. Then she pushed the door open to the ladies’ room and disappeared inside.
“What happened?” Blake called after her, following her inside.
