“He’s only doing it because Lily wants to go, and I picked you up the last time you all went out drinking,” he reminded her. “I didn’t hear you calling me sweet then,” he said grumpily.
“The next time it’s your turn to pick us up, I’ll make a note to remind myself. Besides, I don’t drink, and neither does Lily. I only got drunk during my bachelorette party because Penni spiked the lemonade, and she’s not going to be there tonight.”
“Praise God,” Lucky muttered.
“I heard that, and it wasn’t nice, but I agree. I don’t ever want to feel the way I did that next morning. It was horrible.”
When her cell phone dinged with a text message, Willa picked it up, reading it.
“Shade said to shake my ass; they’re all waiting.”
“Since when did Shade start texting you?” Lucky tried to take the cell phone, but Willa slipped it inside her purse.
“Gotta go. I love you, husband.”
Lucky pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.
“What are you doing?”
“Telling Shade you’re on your way.”
Willa shook her head at her husband’s disgruntlement. “Are your fingers crossed?”
She was still laughing when she went upstairs to see Winter, Beth, Lily, and Rachel were all waiting for her in the kitchen. They were picking Diamond up at her house in town on their way.
Shade’s expression was impassive as he put his phone back in his pocket.
“Sorry about that,” Willa apologized, knowing Lucky had sent a nasty message.
“No problem.”
She followed the group out of the kitchen, wanting to apologize again, but she decided to let it go. Shade and Lucky shared a complicated relationship. They antagonized each other half the time and took each other’s back the other half.
She wished Lucky would figure out that most of Shade’s aggravation toward him had to do with helping Lucky release the stress of his PTSD. If it was directed at Shade, it wasn’t directed at himself—which, in some twisted way, worked for Lucky—and Shade had recognized the calming effect it had on him. On a psychological level, Lucky needed The Last Riders; his sanity depended on them.
Since he had moved back in with The Last Riders, he slept better, and the nights he didn’t, he kept her busy by making love until he was exhausted enough to sleep. It wasn’t perfect, though.
Sometimes, when they were watching television or each reading, she would catch a sad look on his face and knew he was missing the church, despite the fact that they both attended regularly. The new pastor was good, if a little standoffish, but she got the feeling that Lucky would rather be the one behind the pulpit.
Diamond was waiting for them when Shade pulled up in Lucky’s Yukon. The women chatted all the way to Jamestown. Lily sat in the front with Shade, their hands clasped on the console.
Her marriage to Lucky was good. She couldn’t ask for more from a husband or be happier, but Lily’s and Shade’s relationship, she had to admit, made her envious. From the looks of the other women in the vehicle, she wasn’t the only one.
By the time they arrived, the party at the Destructor’s clubhouse was in full swing. Willa was never good at parties, but with such few men there, she relaxed, especially being surrounded by so many of her friends.
Stud and another man who bore a resemblance to him were at the bar, drinking beer. Shade joined them while Willa, Lily, and Beth found room at the table Sex Piston, Crazy Bitch, and Killyama were sitting at.
“About time you all got your asses here.” Crazy Bitch slung back the beer in her hand.
“Sorry, I was late finishing a cake, and I took a long time getting dressed,” Willa admitted.
Crazy Bitch waved away her excuses. “That’s okay. You’re rockin’ that dress. Want a beer?”
“No, thanks. I’ll take a diet soda.”
Killyama’s chair scraped back as she took the drink orders.
Willa reached into her pocketbook for some cash.
“Forget it. It’s a club bar; we don’t pay unless it’s the expensive shit. Then it’s B.Y.O.B. Since we’re celebrating tonight, Stud volunteered to splurge and even buy that.” Sex Piston waved her empty beer bottle at Killyama.
“Does Stud know?” Crazy Bitch joked.
“Not yet.” Sex Piston stood up, taking Lily’s hand, and the two went onto the dance floor.
Willa watched, surprised at the natural way Lily moved on the dance floor, although Sex Piston danced exactly how she imagined she would. Her sensuality made her glad Lucky had stayed home. The other women gradually began going to the dance floor until Willa was sitting at the table alone.
“Why aren’t you dancing?” Killyama asked, setting the drinks down on the table.
The woman trailing behind her set the rest on the table. Willa thought she looked familiar in the dim light. When she straightened, Willa wanted to leave.
“Hello, Jenna.”
Jenna walked off without acknowledging her.
“What bee crawled up her ass?” Killyama’s angry frown made Willa even more uncomfortable.
“She doesn’t like me. She’s Lucky’s ex-girlfriend.”