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Elle’s face lit up. “Yes, please do. I need someone cool to hang out with. No offense to Alabama and the other wives, but I’m not like them.”
“Mom doesn’t ride bitch,” Sutter explained. “It’s okay for me to say that word. Zodiac said so.”
“Only if he doesn’t call anyone a bitch,” Elle clarified. “Not that Sutter would be so rude. He’s the best boy.”
Sutter smiled before suddenly scowling. “What about Trent?”
“He’s just a baby. How can he compete with you when he doesn’t talk or help around the house? Look at this lazy bum.”
When Elle gave Trent a pouty expression, he stopped sucking and reached for her face. My baby fever kicked in at the sight of such cuteness. Elle’s boys were so beautiful. Sutter inherited his mom’s gray eyes, while Trent got Zodiac’s icy blue ones.
I felt a weird heat in my chest when I imagined holding a baby of my own with features that would remind me of my favorite people. Elle saw me tearing up and nodded smugly. She understood how my plans to live a fully single life had faded into the past.
YORK
Though the weather was mild with only a hint of humidity, I still didn’t want Junior to spend too long in the SUV. Zodiac had parked his vehicle behind Blackjack’s. I glanced up and down the street, making sure only neighbors were out and about.
“I appreciate you getting Goldie to Baton Rouge,” Zodiac said as he peered in at the dogs through an open window. “But you need to keep her tied down here. Here’s a thought. Why not screw up her birth control and jizz a baby in her oven? Worked for me.”
“You did that on purpose, huh?”
“Sure.”
Rolling my eyes, I smiled at Junior. The yellow collie-lab mix rested with his muzzle on his paws. The dog glanced at Zodiac and me before his tail began thumping against the opposite door.
Hobbs moved around in his little carrier, wanting out, too.
“You shouldn’t leave dogs in a car,” I scolded Zodiac.
“The window’s open. If your dog wanted out, he’d get out.”
“What about Elle’s dog?”
“He wasn’t staying in here more than a few minutes. Sutter is a stickler for the rules,” Zodiac muttered and shrugged. “Though every once in a while, the little guy rebels. He’s a fascinating kid.”
“I’m not sure I’ll take to fatherhood as easily as you have,” I said and opened the back door to let out Junior.
As I knelt to pet the excited dog, Zodiac reached inside the SUV and grabbed Hobbs’s carrier.
“You aren’t fooling me anymore, man,” Zodiac taunted. “I knew you were hot for a Crimson Guard fox, even after you acted like I was crazy to think such a thing. Now, your secret is in the open, and there’s no more pretending. You’ll have a kid in a year.”
“Maybe, but the key to finessing Goldie is to let her run things.”
Running a hand through his thick blond hair, Zodiac sneered, “You’re whipped.”
“You’re the one carrying the little dog carrier,” I said over my shoulder as we returned inside.
Zodiac called out to me, “Exile will be here soon with steaks and other grilling shit.”
Sighing deeply, I wanted to shove everyone except the Chester family out of my house. Though I’d normally keep those feelings to myself, I admitted, “I don’t want a house full of people.”
“Too late. Boone and Nova are heading this way, too. A big dinner with everyone around will show Goldie how good life in Baton Rouge can feel.”
Zodiac’s plan made sense. Goldie had enjoyed a nap on the ride today, and she was bound to start feeling homesick after a few days here. Surrounding her with family and friends would be a smart way to ease her into my world.
Junior helped sell my life by going wild for Goldie. Once she gave him a good rubbing, he was instantly in love. I worried he might bang into her while she moved on her crutches, but he was careful around her.
I was proud of the little shit. He’d been a neglected dog that ended up in the shelter. Someone adopted him, but he ended up on the street again. By the time I got him, he was skittish and prone to hiding in corners.
