Page 19 of Wyatt (The Black Roses MC #5)

“You’re already ten times the man your father was, and you don’t even realize it.

It doesn’t sound like your old man gave two shits about making you and your mom feel like a burden.

” He waves his hand in front of me. “But here you are, tangled in knots because you’re afraid of causing Colby and Maizie any hurt.

You think your dad would care this much? ”

I scoff. “That man never cared about anything more than himself and what skirts he could chase.”

“Listen, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing you aren’t looking at this from all angles and playing out the what-ifs.

Maizie is a friend, an employee, and a single mom.

I would be pissed if you just wanted to get in her pants a few times and be on your merry fucking way.

But I don’t think that’s what you want.”

It’s not. Not by a long shot.

I look through the window and see Maizie has just returned. She’s inside, smiling at the girls and looking happy. Doesn't look like she experienced the worst date of her life. Lucy hands her a glass of wine, and she laughs at something.

She’s fucking breathtaking when she laughs.

My gaze travels back to Knox, who is eyeing me with that scrupulous expression that tells me he sees something, but I’m not sure what.

“Yeah.” Quiet laughter rumbles out of him. “I think you know exactly what you want. Too bad you’re too chickenshit to do anything about it.”

My head rears back. “Is this some sort of tough-love thing you’re trying out? Gotta say, I’m not a fan.”

“Just calling it like I see it. Although I’m not opposed to being proven wrong.”

I give him a flat look and stand. “Want another?” I ask, pointing to the bottle in front of him.

He nods. “Sure.”

I walk into the kitchen and the girls are in the living room. Grabbing two bottles, I’m about to head back outside, but their conversation stops me.

“Aw, honey. It was the first date. The first one you’ve had in years. I’m sure there were a lot of nerves,” Mia says.

“Yeah, I don’t know. I wouldn’t say no to a second, see if maybe I was just in my head too much.” Maizie groans. “There wasn’t that instant spark, though. Maybe I expected too much right out of the gate.”

“I don’t know. There’s something to be said for an instant attraction,” Lucy chimes in.

“Did you feel that way when you first met Jude?” Maizie asks, and I hear Charlie laugh.

“Hell no, she didn’t. She couldn’t stand Jude when they first met,” Charlie answers.

“If you recall, sister, he didn’t make the best first impression—and there was that whole gunfight that erupted not too long after. But yeah, I thought Jude was a complete ass.”

“Wow, never a dull moment,” Maizie says in a flat tone. “Steven was nice, though. He’s an accountant. I doubt he has much use for firearms.”

“You sound less than thrilled when you say his name, sweetie,” Lucy says.

I feel like an absolute creep standing in Maizie’s kitchen and eavesdropping on her private conversation. Does that mean I walk back out to the patio with the beers I’m supposed to bring Knox? No, it does not.

“Ugh, I don’t know. Maybe I’m not ready. It’s not like I don’t have a happy life. I’m not desperate for a man or anything like that,” Maizie says.

“It’s not about being desperate, it’s about finding someone to spend your life with. Or at the very least, someone to spend the night with,” Lucy says, finishing with a laugh. “But if he doesn’t do it for you, there’re plenty of others who would. I can think of one in particular.”

Excuse me?

“Don’t start with that again,” Maizie says on a sigh.

“It’s not like he isn’t interested. Hell, it’s not like you aren’t either,” Lucy argues.

What moron wouldn’t be interested in Maizie? Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to make this woman and her kid a part of their life?

“It’s not that easy. He’s a brother and one of my bosses,” Maizie says. “And he’s not exactly relationship material. Besides, if anything happens and it falls apart, Colby would be devastated.”

Which one of my brothers am I going to have to kill?

“Yeah, but this is Wyatt we’re talking about. He doesn't strike me as the type who would disappear from your life, or Colby’s,” Mia says. “And it’s not like we don’t all see the way he looks at you.”

“Looking and acting are two different things. He finds me attractive. So what? It’s not as though I don’t come with a kid. Maybe he’s scared to be with a single mom. Maybe he thinks I’m tainted somehow.”

“Woah there, sister. Those are your parents’ words coming out of your mouth. You aren’t tainted, and there’s no way in hell Wyatt thinks that. If he did, I’d—” Lucy says before she abruptly stops.

Pepper must have walked out of Colby’s room to see who’s home—and probably to see if he can beg for some food.

Instead of going into the living room, he turns toward the kitchen and finds me hiding behind the wall that separates the kitchen from the hallway, which opens up into the room where the girls are sitting.

It would have been fine if he would have just walked into the kitchen.

But no, the dog is wagging his tail and looking up at me from the hallway, in plain view of the girls.

“Knox?” Mia calls

“Nope,” I say, stepping into the hallway. “It’s me. I was just grabbing a couple more beers for us. Pepper must have heard the door.”

Each of the girls has varying degrees of embarrassment on her face. Maizie’s is the reddest of the four.

“Hey, how was your date?” I ask, attempting to be as casual as possible, like I hadn’t been standing here for the majority of their conversation.

“Uh, good. It was good. How was Colby?” Maizie asks.

“Awesome as ever. Hope you don’t mind that I let Pepper sleep in his room. I can’t guarantee he didn’t jump on his bed.”

Maizie chuckles. “It’s totally fine. I can throw his sheets in the wash.”

We stare at each other for a couple beats. She’s probably wondering if I heard what she said, and I’m wondering if she suspects that I was listening in.

“Okay, I’m going to bring these to Knox,” I say, holding the beers up.

I turn and head back to the patio.

So she’s interested, but scared. Sounds familiar. But maybe she has the right idea. It’s not as though anyone would consider me a sure bet. What if I’m too much like my dad and end up ditching her and Colby when shit gets too real?