Page 71 of Bolo's Curveball
Flir grumbled to himself and tried to nudge the dog off his feet, but Norman echoed the grumbling sound and leaned harder into Flir’s legs. He wasn’t planning to go anywhere. “How does a dog this big just…melt into a blob on my feet? Shouldn’t be possible.”
“Guys, this is Devyn,” I told the kids. They weren’t really kids, they were both sixteen, but I felt ancient next to them sometimes. At thirty-five I really shouldn’t feel that old, but I did. Which made me realize I was really going to be feeling my age once I had a newborn. Or, who knew, maybe the kid would make me young again. We’d just have to see. “Dev, this is Ryan and Teddy, OD and Rue’s boys.”
I didn’t bother to explain that one was Rue’s brother and the other was his friend, who they’d unofficially adopted. Everyone just called them Rue’s boys. And the kids didn’t seem to mind, so it stuck.
“Hi,” Ryan said, wiping off his hand—somehow he’d slid closer to the table and was shoveling the appetizers into his mouth, Teddy too—and then shaking Devyn’s hand.
“Hey,” Teddy echoed, spraying a couple crumbs as he spoke with his mouth stuffed full like a chipmunk.
“Jesus,” Flir said, sounding disgusted and distressed at the same time.
“Don’t worry, Flir, Norman-” Teddy broke off, coughed hard, spraying more food out as he choked on whatever he’d put in his mouth.
Everyone looked over at OD, who looked as proud as any father at his boys’ behavior.
Norman came creeping out from under the table and started hoovering up the mess.
“It’s…nice to meet you,” Devyn said, trying to bite back a laugh.
“Oh my God! Hi!”
We all focused on Camila as she came out of the kitchen, belly leading the way.
“Rue! She’s here!” She slapped Kilo’s shoulder. “Why didn’t you come and get me!”
Camila came over and pulled Devyn into a hug. Her big belly prevented them from standing very close together. Dev had to be getting a flash of what she was going to look like soon.
Grinning over at me, Dev hugged her back. Growing up with five sisters had prepared her to handle the love she was getting from Camila. Rue was the one who still didn’t seem to know how to deal with all the hugs she got.
Rue came out of the kitchen and I choked back my own laugh. Her eyes whipped over in my direction and she pointed a dirty finger at me. That wasn’t the only part of her that was a mess. She was covered in flour, or some silty white substance, from head to toe and there were streaks of…fuck if I knew what…all over her hands and up her arms. We weren’t even going to speak about what was all over the front of her apron.
“You’re supposed to make dinner, Rue,” Code called out with a huge grin, “not roll in it.”
I was saved by the idiot.
She turned in his direction and advanced on him. Code held up his hands in a gesture of peace, but he’d said too much. While she laid into him about having to be in that damn kitchen all day just to feed his ungrateful, ornery, entitled ass—her words not mine—I focused in on Camila and Devyn.
Devyn had her hand on Camila’s belly, a soft glazed expression on her face as she felt the baby move. I knew these women were going to get along great. She’d love Rue just as much—they both had the same fiery nature—once she was done ripping Code a new asshole and came over to meet Devyn. Being here was going to be a lot easier for my girl now that she’d met the others. I knew she was missing her family, especially her sisters, but she’d promised to give me a week. I was hoping to convince her to stay longer. I needed her to agree to it so that I could keep her safe.
Rue finally ran out of steam—having taken out all her frustrations on Code while OD shoved more food in his mouth—while grinning—and came over. “I won’t hug you since,” she gestured down at herself, “you know. You look amazing though. Love the shorts.”
“Thank you. It’s so nice to meet you both.”
“Sorry about them,” Rue said, jerking a finger over her shoulder. Most of the men and the teens gave matching toothy grins.
Dev’s eyes swept over everyone. “The bikers or the boys?”
Rue’s own grin grew huge. “Yes.”
They all laughed together while Code and Hype rolled their eyes. Ruck chuckled and shrugged when Code looked at him in disbelief. “What?” he asked. “Pretty sure they’re not talking about me.”
“Yeah, he’s alright,” Rue said, waving toward Ruck.
“Though he is the leader of this group,” Camila pointed out.
Rue turned and all three women stared at Ruck. “Good point,” Rue said.
“Hey,” Ruck started, but that didn’t stop the girls.
