“Don’t ask. We’ve got less than two months to finalise it all, and I feel like I’m drowning in plans.”
“That’s because your man was so bloody adamant that he wanted that ring on your finger fast. Maybe you should tell him you’re pushing the date out.”
She lifted a brow. “You think Nitro is going to go for that? I’d have more luck telling him I was knocking our house down and pitching a tent for us to live in.”
I smiled. “I love the way he’s changed you.”
“He’s changed me in so many ways. Which one are you referring to?”
“All of it. If there was ever meant to be a couple, it was you two. And I actually don’t know if you have changed each other or if you’ve just changed yourselves so you can love each other and yourselves better.”
She finished her glass of wine. “You’re just a big old romantic, Roe. I don’t know anyone else who loves love like you do. You’re going to find your man one day, and he’s going to love you so hard.”
“Yes, and until then, I’m going to buy shoes and hit day spas with my mum.” God help me.
Tatum laughed. “I do love your mother, but there is no way I’ll ever allow you to spend all your weekends with her.”
“Thank fuck. I was beginning to think I’d turn into a crazy old cat lady living on my own.”
She grinned. “With all your shoes. Don’t forget them.”
“Fuck. I need another drink. And then maybe I’ll just take a quick peek around the club and see if there are any men I wanna talk to.” At the shake of her head, I added, “Just a really quick peek. Like, five minutes max.”
“Five minutes!” She tapped her imaginary watch. “I’m counting those minutes.”
I left her and headed towards the bar, checking the pub out for men as I walked. It was Wednesday, not a busy night, so I lucked out on finding anyone that matched my list of requirements.
As I handed Tatum her drink a few moments later, she said, “That was quick. Let me guess, none of the guys in here were a fit.”
I ignored her sarcasm. She made fun of my list, but I held fast to it. And the longer it took me to find the one, the more items were added to it. “I don’t think there are any men in here taller than me, Tatum. That’s an automatic strike.”
“Yeah, I don’t blame you. I couldn’t imagine being with a man shorter than me.” She placed her drink down on the table. “Okay, enough talk about men. Tell me how the gym’s going.”
I pulled a face. “How the fuck do you think the gym is going? You know of my hate affair with the fucking gym.” I’d joined for the fifth time in my life two days ago in my latest attempt at shifting some weight. And it was still the home of horror as far as I was concerned.
“What are you doing there?”
“They’ve written me up a weights programme and recommended some classes, including a pilates one that I’m dreading. It starts next Tuesday, so I have almost a week to psych myself up for that one.”
“I was surprised when you said you were going back to the gym. I thought you were done with that place.”
“Yeah, I was. But I got caught at the shopping centre the other day at one of those bloody stands where they talk you into all kinds of shit. I signed up for three months. I was proud of myself for resisting the guy’s charms when he tried to convince me that I was made for a year’s membership. I mean, do I fucking look like I’m made for twelve months of horror?”
“You know those agreements have a cooling off period? You can get out of it if you want.”
“Yeah, I know.” I fell silent for a moment before admitting the truth to her. It was a truth I struggled with, because honestly, I would have preferred to be completely confident in my body, but I wasn’t. “I think I actually want to do this, though. I act like I don’t care about my curves, and mostly I do love them, but there’s this tiny part of me that secretly wants to know what it’s like to be your shape. I want to know how it feels to be able to walk into any clothes shop and choose a sexy dress knowing it will definitely fit me. And then to wear that dress out and receive the kind of attention you do when you enter a room.”
Her face softened. “Oh, babe, you do realise that you attract a lot of attention, right? And when I say a lot, I mean a fuckload. I see guys ogling you from miles away.”
A wolf whistle and then a lot of cheering from a group of guys cut through the noise of the pub, breaking up our conversation. Turning, I saw a guy down on one knee making what looked like a marriage proposal to his girlfriend. When they quietened down, Tatum said, “Okay, I don’t have to work tomorrow, so I’m gonna have a few drinks. You in?”
“Fuck yes!” I pulled out my phone. “I’ll text Fox. He can open up at work for me tomorrow so I can go in late.”
“Perfect.”
It was just what we needed. Between our hectic schedules lately, we hadn’t managed Friday drinks together in weeks. And I needed my drinks with Tatum to keep my sanity. Well, the drinks were optional, but she was the keeper of my sanity. I wasn’t sure what I would do without her in my life.
Chapter 7
Hyde
I watched from where my bike was parked on the other side of the street as the redhead stumbled down the path to her front door. She was clearly drunk, which meant she was of no use to me tonight.
I’d arrived back in Sydney an hour earlier, and King had given me instructions to come here and get as much information out of her as possible about the guy she worked with and who he bought his drugs from. She’d just arrived home in a cab, thank fuck. I’d started to think she was out for the entire night. King was on the warpath trying to figure out who was behind Jacko’s death, and for some reason, he thought she would have information that’d help us.
Monroe—the redhead—tripped just as she almost made it to her front door. It wasn’t a surprise. The heels she wore were so fucking high I wasn’t sure how she even managed to stand in them, let alone walk in them.
“Fuck,” I muttered when she landed on her ass. Moving off my bike, I crossed the street and jogged to where she sat.
“Why the fuck do women insist on wearing heels like that?”
Her back was to me when I asked my question. She swiftly turned her upper body to look at me. “Jesus, do you always sneak up on women near midnight?” I didn’t miss the panic in her eyes before she realised it was me. Couldn’t blame her—it was fucking late. I’d tried to talk King into putting this visit off until the morning, but he’d been forceful in his desire to see it done tonight. I guessed the fact she’d met me once helped ease some of her concern.
“Can’t say it’s on my regular list of jobs, no.” I watched as her eyes traced every inch of my body. Monroe appeared to be a woman who wasn’t afraid to show her healthy appreciation for men. I crouched next to her. “See anything you like?”