“It was an accident… I told you to forget about it. I have.” Zoey had no intention of telling her friend that she knew the identity of the rider.
Patrick could be overprotective of her. At five-foot-eight, he wasn’t as tall as Stump, but he was more heavily built. His muscular arms showed under the shoulders of his scrubs. The black gauges in his ears gave his face a fierce appearance that had his patients wary of him until they got used to him and realized he was a big Teddy bear.
“I’ve been asking around the clubs. I’ll find him.”
“Patrick, I can take care of myself.” Bending down, she gently kissed his mother on her forehead. Rising, she then went to Patrick, raised up on her toes, and kissed his cheek.
His face gentled as he stared down at her. “Sugar, you’re too sweet.”
“Sugar melts in the rain. I’m more like rubber. I let things like getting drenched in the rain bounce off me.”
“You have a positive quote for everything. Don’t you ever get angry?”
Zoey gave him a mischievous wink. “I don’t get angry. I get even.”
7
“What’s wrong with Hannibal?”
Max threw back the ball that he tossed to the listless dog.
“Damned if I know.” Stump threw the ball again, trying to pique the dog’s interest.
Both men watched the ball land and roll away while Hannibal just rested his head on his paws, staring at it uninterestedly.
“He’s not eating either.” He hadn’t switched the food, despite the dog’s traitorous behavior.
“Maybe he’s sick. Take him to the vet,” Max suggested.
“I did. He said Hannibal’s depressed.”
“Dogs get depressed?”
“They must. That’s what the vet said.”
“Rub his belly. Maybe that will work.”
“I’m not rubbing his damn belly.”
“Dogs love having their bellies rubbed.”
“How in the fuck do you know?”
“I saw it in a movie. I can’t remember the name of it. When I do, I’ll let you know.”
“Don’t bother. I don’t want to watch a movie you watched when you were a kid.”
“It was last week. Don’t look at me that way. The only television I get to watch anymore are cartoons and documentaries.”
“That’s why I don’t have kids. I didn’t watch cartoons when I was a kid, and I’m damn sure not going to watch them now.”
“I’ll remind you of that when you have kids.”
“Hell will freeze over first. I’m not having any.”
“Why not? I love them.”
“Everyone in Queen City knows you do. You’ve fathered half the population.”
Max laughed, slapping him on the back. “I don’t know why your dog is depressed—you’re funny as hell.”
“I think he’s missing Zoey.” Stump bent down to rub the dejected dog’s back.
“He was with her one night, and that was a week ago. He could have worms. Have you checked his shit?”
“No, I didn’t check his shit. If you want to check it out, most of the backyard is filled with it. Check it out yourself.”
When Max started walking toward the grass, Stump rolled his eyes.
“He doesn’t have worms. The vet checked.”
“Then why did you tell me to check it out?”
“I didn’t think you would do it!”
“I’m not scared of a little shit. You should see some of those diapers I have to change—”
“It’s not worms!”
“Okay, okay. Chill. If it’s not worms, then I’m all out of ideas.”
“Thank God!”
“Brother, I’m just trying to help.”
“If I need advice, I’d hire the kook.”
“What kook?”
“Zoey.”
“She’s not a kook.”
Stump cocked an eyebrow at Max. “How do you know?”
Embarrassed, Max turned toward the club. “Lunch hour is over. I need to get back to work.”
“Whoa… hold up. What’s the hurry? You don’t have to be back to work for another thirty minutes. Don’t tell me you follow that kook.”
“Shhh… quit calling her a kook. Someone could hear you.”
Stump stared around the empty backyard of the clubhouse, confused. “Like who? And why would I give a fuck?”
“Some of the bitches follow her and would tell on us if they heard you calling Zoey a kook. You may not have an old lady to keep happy, but I do. I don’t want to get stuck babysitting all my kids by myself because you think she’s a wacko. I think she’s great,” Max said in a raised voice so no one could misinterpret and blame him for something he was saying.
“Damn, if you’re so scared about saying something about Zoey, I’ll babysit for you if Casey gets mad.”
“No offense, but Casey doesn’t like you, and I don’t think Grace and Penni do either.”
“Why doesn’t Casey like me?”
“She hasn’t forgiven you for not stopping Lizard and Snake when they tried to fuck her.”
“I was drunk as fuck that night. I didn’t even touch her, and I still ended up in the emergency room with Lizard and Snake that night. My back hasn’t been the same since.”
“Brother, count yourself lucky you don’t have metal pins like Lizard and Snake.”
“I do. I haven’t gotten that drunk since. I’ve apologized a dozen times to Casey, and she said we’re cool.”