The last one being arranged by Pie with the ant collector.
“I don’t know if I’m excited. It’s Pie, and I know we’ve got something going with each other. I’m not a fool even though I’d love to pretend it’s all in our heads, you know.”
“You see, I don’t get why you’d want to do that,” Kasey said. “I’ve seen you with men and I’ve heard you with men, being your neighbor and all, and none of them have ever stuck around the way that Pie does. He’s not here for anything either. He loves spending time with you.”
“It’s because of my dazzling personality.”
“Or it’s because he likes you, has feelings, and you’re just being too much of a pain in the ass to see it.”
“Mommy, you must not swear. We don’t want delicate ears here to pick it up.”
“Please, he’s Chip’s son, and also close to the Trojans MC. I’m going to have to get used to bad language.”
“It is fun though, right. To be a little naughty. To be a little bad.” She let Liam hold the rattles, and picked him up, leaning back against the sofa, and blowing kisses at him. She loved kids so much.
They were just so innocent, cute, adorable, and she wanted one.
Actually, she wanted a couple of dozen kids herself. Maybe a small soccer team or something.
“Pie and I are good friends. I love spending time with him. He makes me laugh, smile, and it’s always so easy with him. He’s not expecting anything. There’s no high demands. There’s no nothing. He’s just him, and I’m just me.”
“And together I think you both would make an amazing couple,” Kasey said, moving to sit beside her. “Look at how you are with kids. Do you want kids?”
“I’d love to have a couple of kids.” She held Liam close, giving him a little squeeze. “I love you, little guy. So, so much. Your mommy is so lucky that she loves you. Yes, she is because if she didn’t, I’d have no problems taking you with me everywhere I go. I wouldn’t.”
“Wait until you have one of your own. You’ll know what it’s like then to not only carry him or her, but to feel them in your arms afterward. Greatest feeling of all time.” Kasey rested her head on her shoulder. “I miss Chip.”
“I miss Pie,” she said, admitting the truth.
“They’ll be back in a couple of days.”
“I know.” She had already gotten her dress dry cleaned and her hair cut so that she looked good on the night.
No matter her nerves, she still wanted to look her best.
“How’s work?”
Liam started to make a fuss, and she passed him over to Kasey, who moved him so that she could feed him.
Crossing her legs, Lindsey thought about Kasey’s question. Since Kasey had given birth to Liam, there hadn’t been much talk about her going back to work as a nurse at the local hospital in Vale Valley.
“It’s okay at the moment. Every now and then they’ll talk about Richard and if they’ve heard from him.” Those days made her nervous as they always asked her opinion. She’d always respond that if she was on vacation on some exotic island or wherever, she’d never want to come back.
The last thing she wanted to do was draw attention to herself or to the club.
Brian had found another plastic surgeon to take Richard’s place, and his stay was indefinite. She knew from Marie that Brian was more than happy with the change as his partner in practice had let him down more than once in the past few years.
This was all news to her as she avoided all conversations about the disgusting bastard. The less she had to with him the better for her.
“It must be tough,” Kasey said. “I’m so sorry you’re having to go through this.”
“From what Pie told me, Richard was a monster. He’d find the women he wanted, and he’d build this file to figure them out, to make it look like they were attention-seeking. It’s how he lured his victims in. He could do what he wanted and scare them to think no one would believe them. He picked women that were independent but not strong enough to take him on. It’s why he built up the files.”
“How though?”
“Who would believe a slut over an upstanding doctor?” She shrugged. “There was a file with the men I’d been with, including the women, and it was just … I hated seeing it.”
“Hey,” Kasey said, taking her hand. “There is nothing wrong with you or how you live your life.”
“I know that. It’s just—”
“Just what?”
“If I’d not been with those men or been so open, I don’t know. Screwed around, fucked anyone or anything, he may have never had anything to hold against me. Ugh! I hate this. He didn’t do anything to me, and I’m already struggling with this regret that I somehow made him think I was an easy target. That I in some way gave him the wrong impression. Asshole. I hate this. I hate this so much.”