Page 14 of Chef
Instead I throw open the door to all the noise and laughter spilling out of the room and make my way to the empty seat next to Flack, stopping to give him a little hug before sitting my ass down.
“Right, someone meatball me.”
Chapter Five
Chef
She’s different. Different to the Sage I knew and loved. Love. I still love the fuck outta that girl, but what I did has fundamentally changed her. She’s stronger, definitely. She’s not putting up with shit from anyone. Even Justice who tried to sneak some of her food and she stabbed his hand with her fork before high fiving Flack and laughing her ass off. Didn’t stop her from pushing a meatball to the edge of her plate for Justice to take. So that softness is still there, just not as on show as it used to be. She’s more confident in herself, her voice ringing loud and clear around the table and she tells tales about her siblings and what shit they’ve gotten into recently. She’s holding eye contact and laughing and generally having a good time and it’s making my chest feel all fucked up because that’s what I had. I had thatand then I decided to fuck it all up because I’m a fuck- up. And now I’ve been friend zoned.
“Sage looks good,” Tumtum says around a mouthful. “I mean, she always was fun, but she kinda melted into the background. Must have sucked.”
“How do you mean?” I ask, brows pulled in.
“She’s from a big family. Then moves to another big family where she’s stuck in the middle. Too old to be a kid, but too young to be a grown up. That sucks.” I stare at him until he puts his fork down. “My mom had three families. I'm the only kid from my dad, Chuck. The next up from me is 10 years older, then next down is 5 years younger. I was in this weird middle spot. It sucks.”
My head tilts as I look at TumTum. “I never knew that. Is that why you like the big MC thing but are happier to be off doing your own shit?”
He looks thoughtful for a moment, “I never thought about it like that. Maybe. Or maybe I just like keeping my secrets.”
He winks and I huff out a laugh. We prospected together and I didn’t know a fucking thing about him until we got to the Keep. Shit, even with that little bit he’s given me, I bet there is still a fuckton hidden underneath his baby face facade.
Going back to my meal I watch Sage like a hawk. She is different here, and I’m finding the more I watch her settle in, the more I’m liking it. TumTum is right, she looks good. Happy, even if the shit is about to hit the fan.
***
“That’s me, I’m done. I need a hot shower and sleep,” Sage says, breaking away from where she’s been relaxing on the couch with the girls, Flack, Damian and Justice.
“I don’t trust that bunch,” Saint says taking a seat near me.
“What? Why?” I ask, staring between him and the gang on the couch.
“Because that -” he jabs a finger in their direction, “looks a little too much like what Chewy and Pops and the Ol Ladies got going on. Except we got Damian and no matter how much Justice seems to calm that man down, he’s worse than Chewy and Pops together.”
I snort. “There is nowayDamian is worse than Chewy and Pops. And Loyal and Joe are nice. Nell’s over there; she’s too shy to get into trouble. There’s no way we’ll have a girl gang on our hands,” I say, brushing him off.
“You mark my words,” he says ominously. “They have Sage now.” He eyes me then stands to go talk shit to someone else.
“What was that about?” Prez asks, taking a seat, beer in his hand.
“Saint is worried that bunch are going to be our version of the girl gang.” I nod toward Sage and her friends.
Dex angles his head before shaking it, a chuckle on his lips. “Ain’t no way. And if they were? I’m not gonna do shit about it.”
“You think?”
“Nah. Way I see it, the Girl Gang get up to that shit half the time to rile up Marx. The best way to deal with that is to let them. The more I try to nip that shit in the bud, the more shit they’ll get into.”
I think on it for a moment, all the times Marx lost his shit and the Girl Gang stood there looking blank. “You know, I think you’re onto something.”
He tips his beer towards me, “I learnt from the best.” He takes a long pull of his beer before nodding toward the door. “You better walk your fiancé home.” A smile plays on his lips and I flip him the bird. He throws his head back laughing as I get up, and then flip him both birds for good measure.
“Hopefully I see you in the morning. That is if Sage doesn't kill you in your sleep.”
Holding both fingers high in the air for all the brothers laughing at me, I head out the door and jog a little to catch up with Sage on the path.
“I like the little lights everywhere,” she says when I catch up. “It’s pretty.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “It makes all our guests feel safe moving around in the evening too.” I reply, kicking a stone off the path.
