“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this excited about something, Cora.” Her friend’s expression went soft. “And I’m really happy for you. We deserve this.”
And that wasn’t even all Cora had to be happy for. Her thoughts drifted back to the previous night with Slider. Sharing her secret. Receiving his support. The incredible sex that had felt as emotional as it was really freaking hot. The only problem was that, having told Slider, she really felt like she owed it to Haven to tell her, too.
To tell her all of it.
“We do deserve it,” Cora said, dropping balls of raw batter on a cool cookie sheet. The Ravens might be big, scary-looking, tough bikers, but each and every one of them seemed to have a sweet tooth thanks to Haven’s recipes. On race nights, they often went through fifteen dozen or more. “And if we can find some time soon, there are a couple other things I want to tell you about, too.”
Haven arched a brow and gave her an appraising look, one filled with questions about why Cora couldn’t just tell her now. “Okay, of course. You know I’m always here for you.”
But they didn’t find the time while they were putting the finishing touches on the party food, and then it was time to take the boys down to the track to meet Slider. Ever since the attack on the clubhouse during the summer, Bunny didn’t like to stay there on race nights, and so they said their good-byes to the older lady before piling into Cora’s car and driving the short distance down the mountain to the track.
The parking lot was a big field that extended out from two sides of the oval track, and it was already hopping. They found a spot at the end of a line and then threaded their way toward the venue, which had a huge mural filling one whole exterior wall. It read, Green Valley Racing, the words painted in green over a waving black-and-white checkered flag.
Seeing a few of the Ravens directing traffic, the boys ran ahead.
“Watch the cars!” Cora called as Sam gave a wave of acknowledgment.
“You’re such a freaking natural with them, Cora,” Haven said. “It’s really cute.”
Warm affection had her watching them as they did funny handshakes with Phoenix. “I think it’s because I’m still a kid myself.”
Haven shook her head. “Nope. You may be funny and sarcastic and playful, but you’re not a kid anymore. Neither of us are. All kinds of crap forced us to grow up way before we wanted to.” She shrugged, the slanted evening sun bringing out the blond highlights in Haven’s hair. “But we made it out the other side, and that’s what matters.”
Cora held up her hand for a high-five. “Amen to that, sister.”
Haven returned the high-five with a laugh. Then, maybe a dozen feet away from the boys, she grasped Cora’s arm. “Can you tell me whatever it is now?”
“Yo, alligators!”
Coming from one of the side aisles of the lot, Slider’s voice caught Cora’s attention, and she grinned as she watched the kids barrel right for their dad. Ben nearly tackled him with a hug, hard cast and all, while Sam hung back. What was it between them that kept Sam from showing his dad the same excited affection when he was clearly happy to see him? Or, at least, as happy as he was willing to put on.
“Another time, I guess,” Haven said with a wink.
“For sure,” Cora said, trying not to give anything away by ogling the way those jeans hung on Slider’s lean hips, or the way his Ravens cut emphasized the size of his shoulders. “And it’s nothing to worry about, I promise.”
It was true. For once, all the problems and all the danger in her life were in the past. Her present and maybe even her future, for once and finally, were looking up.
Chapter 17
“Dad! Dad! Cora saw men arguing about a hurt dog and they left it!” Ben exclaimed.
“Yeah, and it was so cool, Dad. She got pictures and everything and then the animal control officers took her statement,” Sam said, both of them almost dancing around Slider as they competed to recount the details.
Frowning, Slider’s gaze lifted to where Cora stood talking to Haven. And, damnit, there was some magnetic force between him and Cora—had been for weeks, even though he’d been fighting like hell to resist it—that made him want to go to her and hold her and make sure she was okay.
Because if she saw something related to the dogfighting ring that Caine suspected the 301 Crew ran, she had no idea how close she’d come to being in real danger.
Haven headed to the track, in search of Dare no doubt, and Cora turned his way. Jesus, she was pretty. Wavy blond hair framing an angel’s face, green eyes happy and mischievous, her curves as enticing as always in a form-fitting navy V-neck sweater, and the jeans and boots she loved to wear together.