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Face red, probably from embarrassment, Maddie stopped at the bedroom doorway. I swung my arm around her shoulders and dragged her forward. There was no point in hiding who we were or what we were doing.
“Mornin’,” I said.
“Good morning,” sang Roni, sweeping her gaze between the two of us. “I hope you don’t mind. I was hungry.”
I very much minded, but Roni was basically already done making breakfast. “Where’s Celt?”
“Somewhere outside,” said Roni. “He couldn’t handle hearing his best friend fucking.”
Maddie ducked her head. Embarrassment looked adorable on her. When had she become so shy, though? Maybe she had been spending too much time with Lanie. Or Roni.
But Roni couldn’t be that shy, right? After all, she’d just called us out red-handed.
“You can call him in,” I said to Roni, scooching her out of the way and slipping the spatula from her hand. “Now that it’s safe.”
Roni laughed. “He probably won’t believe me.” But she walked to the door and belted out his name.
Celt came around the side of the house, stalking by the window to the front door. When he entered, he kissed Roni and turned a narrow gaze at me.
I shrugged.
If it weren’t for the girls present and grabbing dishes to set the table, he may have walked right over and punched the daylights out of me. But when he saw Maddie and Roni talking, he melted. Having an old lady had made him weak. Me too.
“Breakfast is up!” I joined the rest of the group on our patio.
Maddie
Cook pulled the motorcycle—not his,but one Bou had bought and fixed up—up to Louie’s Diner. Apparently, this one still needed an owner, but everyone in town already had their own. This one wasn’t as big as Daddy’s, but it purred nicely.
Celt stopped his bike beside us. Roni slipped off with ease, but I clung onto Cook. My bones vibrated, and my legs were like jelly. I was still getting used to riding. Cook tapped my knee, and I slipped off the motorcycle, nearly falling. But Cook grabbed my arm and steadied me.
“You good?” he asked, concern leeching into his voice.
My ass was sore, but any pain was all numbed by him. “Yeah.”
Cook slipped his arm around my shoulders as we headed up toward the diner. Celt and Roni entered first, ringing the bell above the door.
Celt greeted the hostess and server like they were old friends. “Heya, Margo. Looking hot today.”
Louie, behind the counter, pointed a greasy spatula at him. “Hands off my girl, Red.”
Cook kissed Margo on the cheek, and she waved off all the men, including Louie. Pointing at the booth in the back, she said, “They’ve been waiting for half an hour.”
Apparently, these kinds of connections were normal when you lived in the town you grew up in. Would I have connections like this if I hadn’t been abducted? Somehow, I doubted it because I lived in LA before I was abducted. Mel didn’t act this familiar with anyone that I’d seen so far.
As Roni and Celt headed toward a booth by the windows, two people stood: one woman, one man. They both wore suits, and briefcases waited at the base of the booth. They had only ordered coffee.
Cook stepped in front of me. “Eyes on me. If you’re nervous here, look at me.”
Something released between my shoulder blades when I looked into his chocolate-brown eyes.
“Do you want to leave?” he asked. “You don’t have to do this.”
Mel had asked for Hellen Heels to come down to the Ridge. Roni had already been working with them in the DA’s office, but it was my turn now.
“I can do this,” I said.
Cook nodded and then stepped out of the way.
