Page 10 of Courting the Consequences

“Closed and moved in!” her friend exclaimed. The woman looked older than Kara and was of Hispanic descent.

“Oh my God, Marisol! That’s so quick! Congratulations, Sola! That’s exciting! What about Jordan? Is he with you or your daughter?”

“Arthur moved in,” Erica deadpanned, giving Kara a look.

Kevin watched Kara’s eyes widen in shock as her mouth dropped open in a perfect O.The thoughts that went through his mind as he watched her full lips curve.

“What the fuck!” Kara exclaimed, then quickly glanced around to see who had heard her. A blush bloomed over her cheeks as she made eye contact with him and noticed Johnny and Derrick behind him.

He smirked but didn’t say anything. Johnny and Derrick snickered behind him.

Marisol laughed and nodded as she finished paying and grabbed her food. Kevin moved up in line, set his breakfast sandwich down for the cashier to see, and pulled out his wallet.

“Girl, I asked about Jordan, and you go left field!” Kara cracked, smile on her face, still clearly shocked.

Marisol laughed and nodded again. Both women moved to a counter past the checkout area so they could stand out of the way, but Kevin was still able to hear everything. “Girl, so much has happened!”

“I know! I haven’t seen you in two weeks and you’ve moved in with your ex-husband! Daaaaang girl. Alright we need to do lunch. What’s your day look like today? We’ll go out.” Kara’s eyes were bright and excited.

Kevin finished paying but took his time putting his card back in his wallet. He didn’t know why he lingered, but he enjoyed seeing her so uncharacteristically unprofessional. He used waiting for Johnny and Derrick to pay as a ruse to hang around.

“I’m open! Noon?” Marisol suggested.

“Yes. Absolutely! I can’t wait!” she glanced at her watch. “Shit! I gotta run! I’ve got a meeting in five minutes. I still need to grab breakfast.”

Kevin stepped forward before he even thought about it. “Here,” he said, holding out the plastic container holding his fresh-off-the-griddle breakfast sandwich.

Kara turned to him, shock evident on her face. “No, it’ll be OK. I’ll run back down in a bit.”

“It’s no big deal. I’ve got time. Go ahead,” he insisted. He could already sense his buddies waiting to give him hell over it.

The blush that spread across her chest and face was breathtaking. “I— thank you, Kevin,” she conceded. “I really appreciate this. I’ll buy tomorrow. Thank you.”

He grinned broadly. “Don’t mention it, but I’ll hold you to that tomorrow.” He winked. He had already given up his breakfast for her, he might as well go the full mile. His buddies were watching after all.

Her blush deepened, but her smile grew wider. “You got it. It’s a date.” She squeezed his hand before she rushed off.

Once both women were gone, Derrick laughed and shook his head. “Damn bro.”

Kevin was too dazed to respond. Instead, he walked back toward the grill to order a new breakfast sandwich.

Derrick was tired of pussyfooting around the subject of Kara. Kevin clearly wanted her. Something had obviously happened between her and Johnny. Derrick could agree there was something special about her. She was hot as fuck too.

Johnny and Kevin had been short with each other ever since “the Breakfast Date,” as Derrick was referring to it. Johnny had been more snappish than usual. While Kevin had initially been happy, he was now feeling the rage pouring off their brother.

The three of them sat around a lunch table in the lower-level atrium of the Carmichael building, eating their lunches in silence. They’d been friends and brothers a long time now, from Iraq, to back home to the States, to the brotherhood of the Ravager Knights motorcycle club, an MC formed by Johnny’s dad back in the day.

After Iraq, it was the home that Derrick, a.k.a. Devil, had needed.

His brothers in arms.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve shared a chick,” Derrick said, being the devil’s advocate that earned him his road name. He kept his voice low so only his buddies would be able to hear him.

Johnny snorted and shook his head. “And you think prim and proper Princess is the one to do that with?”

“She’s not as prim and proper as you’d think,” Kevin answered with a knowing grin.

Derrick chuckled. “’Cause you heard her sayfuckthis morning?” he shook his head. “Nah, I’m with Johnny on this one. No way she’d be into the three of us.”

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