Page 15 of My Hotshot

I shook my head fast. “Nah, I think it should be a one-to-one ratio. If your ol’ lady goes, you go.”

“Which means…?” Pirate asked.

I smirked. “My ass is staying right here.”

“Dinner!” Adalee’s voice floated from the kitchen again.

Aero looked at Sloane. “I’ll run it by Yarder.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek. “Poppy’s already talking to him. Just a formality.” She winked. “It opens at seven, but if we get there by eight, we’ll still get the good stuff.” And with that, she floated off again like a fairy in ripped jeans.

“There’sgoodstuff at a farmers market?” I asked, raising a brow.

Aero just shrugged. “God fucking knows, brother.”

I stood up and stretched, cracking my shoulders. “Yeah, well, I guessyou’regonna find out tomorrow.”

Aero flipped me off.

I made my way toward the kitchen with the smell of seasoned beef and tortillas making my stomach growl.

Adalee stood at the island and dished out tacos faster than a machine. I grabbed a plate and loaded up five of them—ground beef, cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, salsa, sour cream. I was one scoop of guac away from structural failure.

“I don’t think you can fit one more thing on your plate, Dice,” Adalee teased, grinning at the sight of me trying not to drop anything.

“That’s because your food is too damn good,” I said, carefully turning away from the counter like I was balancing a bomb. “I gotta get as much as I can.”

She laughed and waved me off.

I walked out into the common room, where guys were already finding seats—on the couches, the recliners, the bar stools, wherever there was space.

I sat down at the long table with Aero, Pirate, and Cue Ball, who was busy shoving half a taco in his mouth.

Across the room, Poppy was dragging Yarder into the common room, Fallon was sitting on the floor with Harley and Davidson begging for a scrap of, well, anything, and Dove was balancing her plate in her lap while she flipped through TV channels looking for something to watch.

I looked around, chewing slowly, and let it hit me all at once.

I wanted shit to go back to normal too. But notallthe way back.

This?

This I didn’t want to change.

Sure, I didn’t have an ol’ lady. But having all the girls around brought a vibe to the clubhouse that was different.Lighter. Warmer. It always felt like family here—but now it felt likehome.

And that wasn’t something I was willing to give up. Not even for normalcy.

I didn’t know what was going to happen with Stretch.

Didn’t know what the hell Lainey was thinking.

But I knew this—right here, tacos in hand, surrounded by brothers and women who gave a damn—this was worth fighting to keep.

And that was enough for me.

Chapter Six

Lainey

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