Page 31 of Wild Card (Men of Action #4)

WILLOW

“Hurry, hurry.” Rowan yanks Bex and me through the door and hustles us to the reserved bar stools. Jewls is already seated.

“Are we late?”

“Change of plans and we don’t have much time,” Jewls says low, casting a glance at the burly man doing inventory at the end of the bar. “Harley got fired tonight.”

“Didn’t fucking fire her, Jewls,” he bellows back, indifferent to the attention of the customers who hear.

“You told me it’s my last night and I have one hour to wrap up my shift. What do you call it?” Harley props her hand on her hip.

Shayla sashays by her, patting her stomach. “Little one, your mom is a drama queen.”

“That’s exactly why it’s your last night. That baby needs rest,” the man thunders this time, swinging to her. “You want to come to my bar every night of the week, you do it sitting on the other side, taking care of yourself.”

He slams down the bottle in his hand and stalks away, mumbling angrily.

“Such a softie,” Jewls surmises, taking a sip of her drink.

“Not sure anything about him seems soft.”

“Tom shows his affection in his own way.”

“Tom as in Tom’s Bar?”

“One and the same. He’s really a huge teddy bear.”

“I’m still mad.” Harley lays down beverage napkins and pours three drinks without giving us a chance to order. “Here’s our ladies’ night special. You’ll love it.”

“It’s Harley’s original creation,” Shayla informs us, raising her eyebrows in a way that screams ‘ just go with it!’.

Harley gives a little gasp and points to my bag. “Are those…”

Rowan whips out the mega-size bag of special edition tropical-flavored gummy bears she asked me to bring and waves them like a carnival prize.

“Willow found them.”

“Hand them over, sister. I’m on the verge of strangling Achilles and Tom!” she hisses their names and grabs at the candy. Her rounded stomach limits her range, banging into liquor bottles. “Dammit!”

“Harley, you saw what happened to me and had to know this was coming. Hell, you were a part of ousting me from my job.” Jewls speaks casually, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

I give Bex wide eyes, trying to convey I don’t know this story.

“Tom and Major did the same thing to Jewls when her pregnancy progressed,” Rowan speaks like she’s revealing a super-secret.

“That was different! You were planning a wedding, building a house, working two jobs, and carrying two babies,” Harley argues. “I am great, the baby is healthy, and I’m not showing any signs of stress, discomfort, or swelling.”

“Not yet. But the next seven weeks are loaded up ‘til the wedding. Then three weeks later, you’re having a baby. It’s TIME.” Jewls emphasizes the word, and Harley’s angry facade drops.

Her eyes pool with moisture and she sniffs, dropping her chin. “I love this place. We started here with a goal to visit Europe and look what’s happened. This bar is magic.”

Jewls sucks in a breath, and I swear there’s a hint of tears before she blinks them away. “You’re having a baby, Jay. Take the memories and build on them.”

That does it. Tears stream down Harley’s cheeks and Rowan pushes the gummies across the bar top.

My own tears threaten.

“Oh shit, Willow’s going down. Suck it up, ladies. Tom will never let me have another ladies’ night if he sees this.” Shayla tosses a napkin at me.

Harley swipes at her cheek. “My husband is an overbearing ass. If I knew this was my last night, I’d have invited everyone!” She rips open the candy and tosses a handful into her mouth, moaning.

A few weeks ago, at the cookout, Wyatt shared his gummies with Harley and she couldn’t stop raving. Luckily, I stocked up. Rowan remembered my stash and recommended I bring some tonight.

Now it makes sense.

She knew what was happening.

From the looks of it, Jewls and Shayla knew as well.

Before my mind can wander to all the reasons I didn’t know, Harley picks up on it and stops chewing, pointing at me accusingly. “Why did you have these? Did you know something?”

I shake my head violently, not wanting to be in the line of fire. “Swear, no idea!”

“I asked her to bring them.” Rowan comes to my rescue.

“You knew something?”

“I found out an hour ago.”

“Me too, it was a sneak attack by the men. They waited until you were here and we couldn’t get to you,” Jewls explains.

“Same here, Tom didn’t tell me until you had clocked in. Why do you think he parked his ass up here the last hour, not letting me have any time with you?” Shayla scowls toward the back. “Now he’s hiding like a coward.”

“I know I’m an outsider and have no say, but it’s really romantic.”

All attention swings to Bex, who has a glimmer in her gaze and a dreamy smile.

“You think railroading me out of my job is romantic?” Harley mocks.

“Never mind. It’s not my business,” she backtracks, taking a huge gulp of her drink.

Rowan nudges my thigh and I turn fully to Bex. “You are my best friend and nothing about me is usually off-limits. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“Tell all of us,” Shayla urges gently, sensing Bex’s unease.

“Well, these men love you. Like adore, idolize, scorch the earth, touch-her-and-die, love you. It’s what romance novels are made of and most women dream about.

There is nothing they won’t do to protect you.

Maybe they are all bossy and stuck in the stone age, but do you ever doubt their feelings?

Not one of you ever has to question their devotion because they’d die before letting you get hurt. ”

Silence fills the air until she shrugs uncomfortably, finishing her drink with a slurp. “Like I said, I’m the outsider and don’t know all the details.”

“You call yourself an outsider again and we will have problems. You don’t want problems with me.” Shayla refills her glass and goes to greet a customer.

“I do have a pretty busy schedule coming up. Maybe I was a little rash in my reaction. These pregnancy hormones are getting to me.” Harley rubs her stomach and glances around the bar.

“I’ll tell Tom it’s safe to come out and call Achilles.

He’s probably already in the parking lot waiting to hear what crazy pregnant wife he’s getting tonight.

” She walks away, then calls over her shoulder, “Shayla is right, Bex. Don’t call yourself an outsider again. ”

“Okay, the night can begin.” Rowan raises her glass in a salute. “Jewls?”

“Now that all the melodrama is out of the way, let’s talk schedules.” Jewls pulls out a printed copy of her calendar. “Any questions?”

Bex and I shake our heads. Earlier in the week, Talon warned me to watch for what he referred to as all the ‘fucking social shit’. Jewls sent an email to Bex and me outlining events through the next two months.

Between baby showers, bridal showers, birthdays, and our graduation, the calendar was packed. I asked Talon how my graduation made it onto the list and he speared me with an irritated look, saying, “We celebrate the fucking important shit, Lo.”

It wasn’t what he said, but how he said it that had me attacking him in the middle of his living room. My stomach pitters thinking about it.

“No questions, here,” Bex chirps.

I stare at the calendar, the flutter dying as one date flashes like a beacon, taunting me.

Talon’s birthday… This weekend… The birthday he hasn’t mentioned and I almost missed.

“Talon’s birthday,” Comes out as a squeak, and I clear my throat. “I need help with Talon’s birthday.”

I take a huge gulp of my drink, enjoying the hints of citrus before diving into my problem.

“He didn’t tell me it’s his birthday. I found out when I was reviewing his file. That was two days ago and I’ve been wracking my brain on what to do.”

“He’ll love anything you do,” Rowan encourages.

“It has to be special. Talon has done so much… and he’s… he’s everything.”

“We’ll come up with something special.”

“Sex marathon… perfect answer to every occasion,” Shayla calls loud enough to draw attention from most of the people at the bar.

“How did she even hear us?”

“Occupational requirement. We have to know what’s happening everywhere.” Harley rejoins us in a much cheerier mood.

Tom bustles through the space, stopping at our group. He zeroes in on me and I fight the urge to curl into myself.

He’s a big guy. I know he used to be on the force and opened this place when he retired. The girls may refer to him as a big softie, but his glower is anything but kind. He rakes his eyes over me, then does the same to Bex.

“Those guys are trying to put me in an early grave. You two keep your asses planted in those seats. You need to go to the bathroom, you tell me.” He takes off without another word.

“Did that scary man order us to tell him if we have to go to the bathroom?” Bex whispers.

“He’s obviously been given instructions. We’re under his watch until one of the guys gets here. It’s one reason we have these seats reserved. No one can get to us,” Rowan quips breezily.

“I thought Talon was overprotective. Seems like it’s a Casanova trait.”

“You have no idea. And if you ever question it, be ready for the ‘get used to it’ .” Harley lowers her voice to imitate Ace.

“How many times have I heard that…” Rowan huffs but does it with a glint in her eyes.

“Good to note, overprotective and bossy.”

“My guess is we have ten minutes tops before the men invade.” Jewls glances at her phone.

“Sex marathon is your answer!” Shayla yells again.

“Woman, stop scaring my customers,” Tom demands.

“Got it, Shayla, thanks!” I respond to hopefully placate her from announcing it again to a bar full of strangers.

Tom lances me with a glare that has me slinking back in my stool. Then something amazing happens as his gaze warms and he jerks his chin. “You’ll do.”

“Told you he is a big teddy bear. Time to enjoy my last hour on the job.” Harley steps across the bar to help a few men who greet her with familiarity.

“Sex is a good starter, but you already have a lot of that. What else does Talon enjoy?”

I try not to react to Bex’s crass comment but my face heats.