“They’re waiting,” she yelled out over the sound of his motor.
The ride back was even more fun. The sky had grown darker, and she didn’t feel as if she were going to fall off. The hum of the powerful motor and the wind whipping at her clothes made her feel as if she were flying. She was disappointed when they arrived back at the clubhouse.
Lucky stayed upstairs with the men while she went downstairs to shower and get ready for bed. When she heard the music from above her head, she tried not to think about Lucky being up there with all the women. Then she opened the bathroom door and almost dropped her hairbrush when she saw Lucky undressing.
“Dammit. I was hoping to join you before you got out.”
Willa unwound the towel she had knotted at her breasts, letting it drop to the floor. “I missed my back.”
*
Willa rolled over in bed, stretching her hand and hitting Lucky’s shoulder. Rising up, she peered at him in the darkness, seeing him sleeping deeply. She lay back down, curling against his side and placing a hand on his flat abdomen.
A tear slid out of the corner of her eye, landing on his shoulder. Seeing her husband sleeping soundly was worth any price she had to pay. After all, he had been willing to live a life that was driving him crazy for her, so the least she could do was be willing to try to adjust to a different way of life for him.
Chapter 29
Willa poured herself another cup of coffee, trying to wake up. She had another forty-five minutes before she had to leave for the church. The deacons had agreed to let her rent the church kitchen after Lucky had left as pastor. She was happy with the way it had worked out. She still had all the space she needed to make her desserts to supply her growing customer base. Plus, she was able to sell in the church store. She had even been able to call Ginny and offer her a job. The girl had been thrilled about quitting her job at the theatre and had started two days ago.
“Would you like some help?” Willa offered Ember who was flipping bacon.
“No, thanks. I have it under control.” The woman flinched when bacon grease popped up. It was the second pan she had watched the woman fry.
Keep your mouth shut, keep it shut, Willa kept telling herself.
Ember flinched again when a bubble of hot grease landed on her hand.
“Damn.” Ember shook her hand in pain.
Willa couldn’t take it anymore. “It’s easier if you bake it in the oven. You can cook twice the amount and no popping grease.”
“You can bake it in the oven?” Ember looked at her questioningly.
“Yes. Do you need to make more, or is that the last of it?”
“With the way the men eat, I have two more packs to fry.”
“Where are the baking pans?” Willa turned the oven on to preheat then set her coffee cup down when Ember pointed to a lower cabinet.
Ember and Raci both watched as she pulled out two baking sheets then went to the refrigerator and pulled out the bacon. It took Willa no time to spread out the bacon on the baking sheets then slide them in the oven.
“Is it going to taste the same? The men can be picky.”
Willa stared down at the fatty mess that Ember had cooked. “The men won’t notice the difference,” she lied. Her own name wasn’t on the chore list for four weeks, and it was going to be hell for her. She had only been there three days, and each morning, she had watched instead of helping the way she wanted.
Winter stood up from the table to pour herself another cup of coffee.
“I’m on kitchen duty next week.”
Willa nodded her head absently, watching as Raci filled a kettle with boiling water.
Willa couldn’t help herself. “Are you going to boil eggs with that?”
“Yes. Why?”
“If you have a muffin tin, you can bake them in the oven, too.”
As Raci dumped the water back into the sink, going for the cabinet, Winter cleared her throat, drawing Willa’s attention back to her.
“Because I have to be at school so early, I have to get up at four-thirty to cook breakfast before I leave. I saw you down for laundry in three weeks. We can switch if you want. I can do that when I get home from work,” she said.
“Are we allowed to switch?”
Winter frowned. “Allowed?”
“We don’t get in trouble?”
Ember and Raci both stopped what they were doing to stare at her.
“We don’t get in trouble,” Winter explained. “We’re not children, and we’re not in boot camp. If you don’t do a chore, someone else usually steps up and takes care of it. The only time someone gets in trouble here is if you hurt someone within the club or show disrespect.”
“Disrespect?”
“Like, for example, you can’t tell Viper to go fuck himself. Only I can do that.” Winter smiled. “Seriously, Willa, we’re pretty laid-back. So, do you want to switch?”
“I would love to.”
“You just made my day. I get to keep my regular schedule next week.”
Willa didn’t notice Raci and Ember rolling their eyes behind her back.