Page 24 of Blue

Wait. What? Blue followed Ginger’s gaze. What in the what?

“Did it feel like we were hitting on you? Is that why you were all nervous?”

Blue’s head fell forward and collided with the bar. She did not catch it. With a thunk, she hit the wood, and the deserved pain ricocheted through her. Embarrassment bloomed up from her chest and into her cheeks with a flush. She covered what remained of her heated face.

“I’m such an idiot.” If she could crawl behind the bar and hide under it, she would. The queasiness she’d fought most of the night waned.

“I’d argue things have been pretty stressful, and you’re all over the place,” Ginger offered.

Peering from behind a curtain of blue and green strands, Blue sighed. “I’m a mess.”

“But a hot mess,” Ginger countered quickly with a wink. “But I don’t want to fuck you.” She grinned. “I mean that in the most platonic way possible.”

The too-soon joke landed perfectly. Call it stress, call it relief, call it whatever, but the giggles bubbled from within Blue and burst from her like the explosion from a volcano overdue for an eruption. Her entire body shook as she considered the absurdity of her assumption. Perhaps the tequila and the beer played a part in her outrageous laughter.

The woman beside her slid an arm around her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. She joined in the fit of chuckling insanity. Blue had definitely lost her mind.

Resting her head on Blue’s shoulder, Ginger sighed.

“So, where is Mooky? I swear, every time I’ve come around, you two are joined at the hip.”

Blue stiffened and pulled back. For half a second, she’d let herself believe she could come around the clubhouse without Mooky being an issue. She had actually seen herself getting along with Ginger and having a good time.

Keeping her eyes on her beverage, Blue let her hair curtain her features. It felt like all she did was talk about Mooky, explain their relationship, defend how she got there. It was nice for one night not to have to actually verbalize it. And now that was shot to hell.

“I’m sorry.” Ginger’s voice sounded timid. “I didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject or anything.”

It wasn’t her fault. Blue waved a hand as she tried to collect herself. A summary. She didn’t need to get into the dirty details.

“We aren’t a thing anymore.” There. Short and sweet.

She glanced at Ginger and held a brave face.

The other woman’s tight-lipped frown seemed like a dam holding back unasked questions.

Blue sighed. There was no way around it, was there? “He’s married.”

Her head fell in time with Ginger’s gasp.

Closing her eyes, regret engulfed Blue. The time wasted, the love lost, everything enveloped her. But she had to trudge on and explain.

“He wants to get divorced. He’s trying to get divorced. I saw the papers. His wife just won’t let him.”

As Blue glanced up and caught Ginger’s eye, she was instantly back in the nail salon with Sarah, as the nail technician offered advice. The sweet woman in the nail salon had meant well, but she didn’t get it. While Ginger may have thought she understood, she never could.

She’d never been a club whore. Dash couldn’t have been more single when they met. Their situations were beyond different.

Ginger canted her head and screwed her features into something resembling contemplation. The ol’ lady shifted her focus to the bar as she pursed her lips. Her fingers tapped at the shellacked wood.

“So, you have this guy who is crazy in love with you… so much so he is divorcing his wife?”

Blue swallowed. “It’s more complicated—”

Ginger waved off Blue’s protest. “Listen, I may not have been around as long as you have, but if there is one thing I know, it’s that bikers are complicated.”

A weak laugh bubbled in Blue’s throat. But she didn’t feel it was appropriate to laugh at that moment. So, it came out as a snort. Ginger had a point.

“Nothing is easy with them. Everything is messy. But the thing I’m certain of.” Ginger reached for Blue’s chin.

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