Page 61 of Bitten By Zombie

Before they got carried away, she had to know. “What’s under the cover?”

“A gift,” he answered before lowering her to her feet then let out a loud whistle. “Hook, get your ass out here.”

Hook’s birthday was coming up, she’d planned the party herself, but she didn’t know about this gift.

Hook emerged, followed closely by Outlaw and the rest of the club.

With a playful slap to Zombie’s shoulder, she asked indignantly. “Why didn’t you tell me you were getting him a car?”

It was Outlaw who answered her question instead. “Because, sis, you can’t keep a secret to save your life.”

She feigned offense.

He wasn’t wrong.

Her new family gathered around them and if felt good. Comforting. Until Sherry came strolling out and walked up to their circle. “What’s going on?”

The sight of her caused nausea to roil in her stomach. She didn’t want her there but knew that the other girls would think she was threatened by her if she sent her away as Zombie had wanted. No, she had to put up with her until she crossed a line again for her own position around the RBMC clubhouse. That didn’t mean she couldn’t continue to make her pay for her deception.

“You weren’t invited, Sherry. I suggest you get back inside.” Heidi changed her tone to be sugary sweet. “If you’re bored, all the toilets need cleaning. I mean, it was taco night last night.”

Sherry shot her a look of rage, but Heidi just raised an eyebrow. Not only had Heidi assigned Sherry all the worst tasks around, but she also made her enroll in classes at the community college. That went for Lyla and Gwyn too.

She wasn’t a total bitch after all, and she had a feeling Sherry would most certainly cross the line again soon. The nasty woman would need some skill to rely on when that happened. That was a two-fold approach on her part. One, because she wouldn’t have Zombie feeling guilty about just putting her on the street. Two, because Zombie had rubbed off on her a little, and she, ahem, cared.

Yeah, she was incorporating a little sunshine and rainbows and sweet coffee into her personality.

Her attitude change wasn’t overnight and also it was. When she went to visit Zombie’s mother with him, she entered with a chip on her shoulder and her walls up. However, after seeing them together, she left with a different viewpoint. Just like Outlaw had said, forgiveness wasn’t on her plate, but she understood the power of it seeing Zombie with his mom.

Like Sherry, his mother was another person she’d never be best friends with. Forgiveness was still a hard thing for her where anyone was concerned, but she could look outside herself. Being able to forgive his mom made him who he was, and she couldn’t fault that.

When she came out of her own head, Sherry was still standing there. “Shoo.”

Sherry stomped her foot, but complied. “And while you’re in there, scoop Vlad’s litter box,” Zombie added. It was just his way of showing he backed up her treatment of Sherry, but it made heat pool between her legs.

Yep, Sherry wouldn’t take much more.

“Why is that thing here anyway? Little fucker won’t stop grooming my beard,” Santa complained, but it was total bullshit.

When no one was around, Santa sought out the black cat. Vlad was happier here with a fan club rather than back at Zombie’s. Vlad had become the unofficial mascot of the club, and not to mention, he kept the rodent activity around the salvage yard to a minimum.

Zombie wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead. Just like that, she forgot all about Sherry.

“Hook.” Zombie cleared his throat. “The brothers got together to get you a little something to not only say happy birthday, but also to show our appreciation for all you do.”

Zombie hopped up on the back of the flatbed and threw back the car cover. Squatch gave a low whistle of appreciation as Hook circled around the truck with a look of awe on his tattooed face.

“Holy shit, it’s—”

Heidi cut him off. “A Corvair.”

All eyes turned to her with looks ranging from shock to amazement.

“What.” Heidi felt self-conscious with all the attention, so she donned her helmet and tried to return to her sculpture.

“Oh no, no, no, sister.” Santa grabbed the weld gun from her hand and reached for her shield. “How do you know what that rust bucket is with just a glance?”

Now she was certainly self-conscious. “Um, I really like cars.”

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