“It wasn’t Gigi.”Nicole grinned.“I tried to get her tocrack, but she’s a deep believer in the girl code, and she doesn’t gossip abouther sisters.So we looked in another direction.”
“Gabe.That gossipy motherfucker,” Olivia said.
Keane looked surprised.“I always thought Gabe was kind ofstoic.He doesn’t look like a man who would gossip.”
Oh, how little he knew.“They all do.I know they have theseDom meetings where they’re supposed to talk about what’s best for the club andhow to support the subs, but I’ve been told it’s one big gossip session.And Iexpect you to take notes.For years I haven’t been in on the tea because Ihaven’t had a proper Dom.Now that Keane’s in, I expect a full report.”
The first bit of news she wanted was about Gigi and Gabe.
She wondered if Gigi was ever going to speak to him again.They had circled around each other for the longest time, but now Gigi wasreally angry.Olivia worried she might cut the friendship off entirely.
“I think Gabe would say he was being a good friend bykeeping us up to date on what was happening with our sister.”Josh made itsound so reasonable.
“I am not sinking to the level of gossip,” Keane announced.
“I will.”Garrett looked cheerful.“Switches can attend,from what I hear.I will get you all the dirt, baby.”
“And you will get a red ass,” Keane promised.
The threat didn’t seem to bother Garrett at all.“I lookforward to it, Master.”
Her brother might have some news she wanted to hear.They’dkept her out of work while Keane was recovering.All she’d done was take careof him, rest, and talk to her friends since every one of them wanted the fullstory.Bobby had kept her on the phone for four hours.
He was going to be her maid of honor.Man of honor.No ideawhat they would call him, but she loved him.
“What’s happening with Gladen Farms?”Olivia asked.
Josh’s eyes lit with amusement.“Well, it turns out thatMartin Gladen has a sister.She only got twenty percent of the company whentheir father passed.Apparently he thought she would sell Martin her shares,but she held on to them.She’s been a thorn in his side for years.When Martininherited, he had to sign a contract that included a morality clause.So thesister is taking over, and she promises to bring the farm in line with ourorganic principles.She’s going to be good to work with.You’ll like her.Shewants to send you flowers, but she’s worried it might offend you.”
“Not at all.Please tell her I look forward to working withher.”She would never hold what happened against the woman.Her brother wasevil.Not her.
She hoped Jessica was enjoying prison.And that Scott wasenjoying being unemployed.Again.
She wasn’t going to think about any of them.They were thepast and these people were her future.
The door swung open and her parents walked in, her fatherscarrying a large metal cube between them while her mom fussed.
“That is heavy,” her mom complained.“Do not throw out yourback, Sam.Jack, you need to watch how you hold it.Your neck has been givingyou fits.”
“Is that what I think it is?”Keane asked, sorrow in histone.
Josh smiled widely.“Oh, dude, you’re in now.Welcome to thefamily.”
They set down the cube next to the others.
“Now it’s useful,” her dad announced.“We needed a newtable.Livens up the place.That truck was a piece of junk, son.Don’t worry.My brother made me sign a damn contract that I would buy you another.”
Garrett stood.“I can handle it, Mr.Barnes.”
“No, you can’t.”Keane relaxed back.“You’re as broke as Iam.Let Daddy Warbucks handle it.He’s the one who cubed my Mabel.”
“You named your truck Mabel?”It was the first she’d heardof it.
Keane leaned in.“Nah, but if your dad thinks I wasseriously attached to the truck, we might get satellite radio out of it.”
She laughed as Garrett sat back down, putting a hand on herknee.Her parents started talking about truck shopping and all the renovationsthey needed now that their babies were getting married.
Olivia sat back and took it all in.
This was her family and her future.
She was looking forward to every minute with them.
