Haven clutched her hand. “Are you sure this is okay?”
“It’s so much more than okay. In fact, I think it’s time we break out the chocolate cake and ice cream to celebrate.”
Haven bit her lip, but even that couldn’t hold back her smile. “I’ll help.”
“No way,” Cora said, rising and needing a breather from the craziness of the mess hall. “You did most of the cooking. Besides, you should sit right there and enjoy this moment with your man.”
“I like the sound of that,” Dare said, hauling Haven’s chair flush with his own, surprising a burst of laughter out of Haven. What would it be like to have that with a man? Confusingly, the question had Cora peering down the table, and it was as if her gaze drew Slider’s, because he chose that exact moment to look her way. A shiver raced down her spine. She’d worked for him for months, but somehow something had changed between them lately, and it was almost like she was noticing him for the first time.
“I’m finished, so I’ll help,” Alexa said, pulling Cora from her thoughts. Together, the two of them grabbed a couple of the guys’ dirty dishes on their way into the kitchen.
Long ago, apparently, Bunny had put her foot down and made sure the club didn’t treat her or any of the other women as servants, expecting them to do all the work. So Phoenix, Maverick, Meat, and even Caine—the Ravens’ quietly intimidating sergeant-at-arms—got up to clear the table, too. In the kitchen, the club’s two prospects, Blake and Mike, pitched in scraping dirty plates, loading the dishwasher, and bagging up the trash.
Everyone pitched in, just like family. And that’s really what the Raven Riders were all about.
Alexa gathered up dessert plates, and it was then that Cora noticed.
“Your ring!” Cora loudly whispered, gasping at how gorgeous the diamond was as she clutched gently at Alexa’s scarred hand.
“I know. Isn’t it amazing?” Alexa said, her hazel eyes sparkling with excitement. She peered furtively over at the guys working at the sink, making Cora wonder if the ring was a secret.
Which made Cora wonder . . . “Wait. Oh, my God. Does Haven know?” Grinning, Alexa shook her head. “Then hold that thought.” Cora raced to the kitchen door, poked her head out, and waved. “Haven, we need you in here after all.”
“What’s up?” Haven asked, joining them.
Cora pantomimed at their friend with both hands, and Haven’s blue eyes went wide when she finally saw it.
“You’re engaged?” she cried, peeking closer at the emerald-cut diamond.
“Ssh,” Alexa laugh-whispered.
“When? How?” Haven asked in a hushed voice.
“Yes, start from the beginning already,” Cora joined in. “We’re dying here.”
Laughing, Alexa pressed her hands to her cheeks, happier than Cora had seen her in weeks.
“Maverick actually proposed the night of the fire,” Alexa said, the three of them in a huddle, “in our hospital room, but we weren’t ready to share the news that night. He hadn’t planned to do it then, so he didn’t yet have a ring. And he’s been waiting ever since for the doc to give me the all-clear on wearing jewelry again anyway. Given all the recent craziness, we’re not in a rush to do the ceremony, but he wanted to make it official, so he popped the question again today and gave me this.”
“That’s so sweet, Al,” Haven said. “Maverick’s one of the good ones.”
“Yeah, he really is,” Alexa said, tucking a long strand of her brown hair behind her ear. “The best.”
So Haven was moving in with her boyfriend and Alexa was getting married. Cora was happy for her friends, she really was. But she couldn’t help but feel stuck in the face of all the ways that their lives were moving on. This wasn’t about her, though, was it? So she put on a smile and elbowed Alexa. “You’re going to be an Old Lady!” Cora said, finding all the biker slang she’d learned kinda hilarious.
“Oh, my God,” Al said, chuckling and pressing her hand to her forehead. “So crazy.”
“Dude, so no one knows?” Cora asked. “We were just out there toasting Dare and Haven. We should’ve been toasting you guys, too!”
Haven gasped. “Tell me Dare does not know or I’ll kick his ass for not telling me.”
Alexa made a hesitant face. “Um, I’d seriously hate to be responsible for Dare getting his ass kicked . . .” When Haven’s mouth dropped open, they all laughed. “Mav told him weeks ago, but asked him not to tell anyone else. So it’s not his fault. And of course Mav told his mom.” Bunny, she meant, which was how even Maverick referred to her.
“Well, you’re wearing the ring now, so is he letting this secret out of the bag tonight?” Cora asked.
“I think so?” Alexa said in a giddy, questioning tone.