Page 34 of Property of BamBam
“Maybe just the water, I’ve already had enough coffee today,” I tell her.
“Let me get this order in and I’ll be back with your drink, hon,” she says, looking at Livy.
“Thank you.” Once she leaves, Livy looks at me and says, “The first couple of nights, I jumped at every noise I heard, which is crazy, because I know the security is top notch.”
“Not crazy at all, sweetheart. You’ve never really been on your own before and it’s a new environment,” I reply.
“Well, I figured out that I don’t like complete silence,” she admits. “So, I’ve been falling asleep with the television on, although I had to change the station.”
“What were you watching?” I ask, curiosity riding me hard.
“The ID channel,” she admits. “I can handle those shows during the day, but at night, it’s kind of creepy hearing about some of the hideous things people do to others.”
I start chuckling because her answer wasnotwhat I was expecting at all. “You watch shit likeEvil Lives HereandFear Thy Neighbor?” I question.
She blushes, which I find absolutely adorable, as she nods. “Yeah, I like watching true crime shows, but not at night whenI’m by myself. I gave myself the willies the first night and spent most of it checking out the windows. It was averylong night, that’s for sure.”
“Well, should you get a bee in your bonnet and want to do that again, just know that one of the prospects is outside at night, watching over the laundromat and you,” I state. At her questioning look, I continue. “Just until we’re positive that Jasper and his minions aren’t coming back.”
I leave out the fact that I’m positive that at least Jasper won’t be able to help himself. I’ve found that men like him don’t like to feel as though they’ve lost. He never thought of Livy as her own person. No, she was a possession, someone to be controlled and bossed around. Her leaving isn’t something he’s going to be able to let go. That’s okay, though, because he’ll meet the business end of my damn fists should he decide to ignore the strongly worded suggestion we gave him to fuck off.
Thelma drops off Livy’s drink while she tells me everything Theo’s now doing, including cutting his first tooth. Now I’m glad we stopped that night and got teething rings because she says he’s miserable. It’s not long before our food is brought out to us, and I hear Livy gasp. “This is a lot of food, BamBam.”
“Just eat what you can. They’ve got to-go boxes if you can’t finish everything. That way, you can just reheat it for dinner if you want.”
“That’s probably what’s going to happen,” she says as she grabs the pepper for her mashed potatoes.
“Remind me to give Thelma a couple of the flyers before we leave,” I say after I’ve swallowed a mouthful of food.
She reaches for one and I watch her read it. “My dad used to take me to rodeos,” she wistfully murmurs.
“Well, you and Theo will be there with me and the club this year,” I state. “In fact, I need to see if Grace and the other ladies at Hope House wanna come as well. It’s a huge event, Livy, and because it’s going to be Gage’s final ride, Issy has outdone herself with extra activities and whatnot.”
“I’d like that, but what about the laundromat?” she asks.
“About the only thing that’ll be open those few days will be the diner. A lot of the shops in town are setting up vendor booths since they sell ‘authentic Western gear’ as Issy says. Of course, the hotel in town will be open, as will the campground. Most of the folks who are going to compete have RVs that’ll be set up at the ranch in the designated area. There’ll be a lot of strangers in town, which helps our community, but you’ll be safe.”
“Are you sure?” she questions. “It sounds like it would be the perfect time for Jasper to show up and try something.”
I snort. “He can try, but we’ll have brothers everywhere, plus we have other chapters who are either coming en masse or sending brothers to represent their chapter. If he’s that fucking stupid to come intoourtown, and by our town, I mean the Kings, he deserves whatever happens to him.”
She shakes her head then I watch her face pinken again. “Um, so you said something the other day that I didn’t understand.”
“What?” I ask, buttering two of the warm biscuits that Thelma just brought out and setting one on her plate.
“You said I was yours. The girls at Hope House say it means you want me to be your old lady, and they explained what thatmeans. How can you say something like that when we don’t really know each other?”
“While I never anticipated finding someone I could imagine being by my side as my ol’ lady, you tick every single box I have, Livy. Like I also said the other day, I know you’re not there, yet, and I’m willing to wait.”
“I don’t know what to think about that or how to feel,” she admits.
“Not asking you to move in with me today, Livy,” I point out. “Besides, I live at the clubhouse, which isn’t conducive for Theo on a full-time basis. Maybe for a short time while I build something for us. But you control the narrative and the timeline.”
“Okay, if you’re sure,” she murmurs.
I reach over and take her hand in mine. “Livy. Look at me, sweetheart.” When she finally lifts her gaze to mine, I say, “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life. You and that little boy, regardless of how much or little time we’ve spent together, are constantly in my thoughts. Watching how you’ve blossomed in such a short time is awe-inspiring, sweetheart. I want someone by my side who isn’t afraid to fight for what she wants.”
“I only fought because he was gonna hurt Theo,” she replies, her voice so low I have to strain to hear it over the murmurs from the tables around us.
