“You’re right. Just like her parents. We even told her she shouldn’t bartend.”
“As if we should dictate what she does with her future.”
“Fuck, we’re assholes. Natalie’s going to be pissed.” Nathan brings up a valid point.
“Let’s make this right.”
“What if she needs more than we can offer?” Nathan’s wise to consider everything.
“You said you love her.”
“Yeah, and I would do anything for her. I’m ready to put it all on the line.”
“We both are. I’m willing to fucking marry her right here right now.”
The car is silent for a second and I can’t believe that he’s actually thinking. He needs to get out of his head.
“I was expecting more of a ‘hell yeah’ than silence. You just said you would marry her. I’m serious about wanting to fill her with babies.”
“No, I wasn’t doubting it. I’ll marry her as soon as she’ll let us, and you’ll have to get in line for putting a baby in her. I was lost in a fucking daydream that we already got her pregnant. What if she freaked because she had a positive pregnancy test?”
I almost veer off the road. He’s serious. I’ve never seen him look so happy.
He continues. “I can’t go on without her. If it comes down to losing her or losing clients, I’ll let the clients walk away every single time.”
“That’s a mother fucking plan.” We high five and I take the curves a little faster.
“I’ve never been so screwed up. This seemed like the perfect arrangement. Our secret. We didn’t have to deal with any of the hard stuff like how people would judge us. But when she said she quit, then ran to her car and drove away, it was like watching my life slip from my fingers.”
He pounds his chest and takes a couple of breaths. “It’s like I’m having a heart attack.”
Crossing the mountain in record time, I drive straight to the Bottom Bar.
“She’s here, but so are they.” Nathan spies her car in the lot, one of the few vehicles that’s not a motorcycle. The motorcycle club must all be there. Fan-fucking-tastic. They’re big on protecting women. Can we catch a break?
“We have to be honest. I can feel it in my bones that this will work.”
We stride in, immediately scanning the room for Goldie in the dim lighting. There’s a rustle at the end of the bar and extra-thick bikers stand side by side.
They’re intimidating in their own right, but nothing will stop us from getting to Goldie, not even the dirty dozen of other bikers who are watching us approach.
I hold my hands up. “We’re looking for Goldie, um Zoe Simon. I think she might be behind you.”
Rev, according to the name on the biker’s vest, crosses his arms. “She asked not to be disturbed. Told us she quit her job today and could use a friend.”
Anger rumbles through me but if I don’t keep it under control, Nathan and I are no match for the gang. I’m determined, not stupid.
“Her bosses didn’t get a chance to discuss her resignation.”
I glance at Nathan and he says, “She didn’t give them a chance to make things right.”
The two men are planted firmly in place, their eyes steady on us. If not for the faint murmuring of Goldie’s voice coming from behind them, I wouldn’t be sure anyone heard us.
“That was on purpose.” The biker relays.
My fingers twitch. I want to shove the two of them out of the way and have this conversation directly.
Regardless of how awkward it is to talk through these men, I keep the conversation going. “Come home so we can talk.”