Blossom Street Brides (Blossom Street #10)(34)

“Are you going outside to talk to her?” It was more suggestion than question.

“No.”

“Any particular reason?”

“A few. She has something to prove to me.”

The music, which had been loud and raunchy, seemed to fade to a whisper as Lauren came inside and headed toward the bar. One of the bikers, a big guy with a large belly and an unkempt beard who’d been standing on the outskirts of the pool table, waylaid her.

From the corner of his eye, Rooster watched as Lauren tensed, politely listened, and then shook her head. Reading her lips, he guessed that she was thanking him but declining his invitation. The other man shrugged and returned to where he’d been standing earlier. As soon as he moved away, Lauren hurried to the bar where Rooster sat with Max.

“Hello, Lauren,” Max greeted her cheerfully, grinning from ear to ear.

Rooster, who’d turned back to the bar, cradled his mug of beer with both hands. He darted a look at Max and frowned. He didn’t understand why Max should look so pleased with himself.

“Hello, Rooster,” Lauren said softly, hesitatingly.

He ignored her.

“I hope you don’t mind me stopping by like this.”

Again he chose to pretend he didn’t hear.

She glanced over at Max, who raised his hands as if to say this wasn’t his doing.

“I came because I felt wretched over what happened with Todd and dinner. I didn’t sleep a wink all night.”

She wasn’t the only one who’d spent the better portion of the night staring at the ceiling.

“I can’t leave matters the way we did … I can’t.”

Max elbowed him with a gentle nudge, and Rooster chose to ignore that, too.

“I came to apologize,” Lauren murmured, again with a voice as soft as calf leather.

He nodded, indicating that he was willing to let bygones be bygones. He appreciated that she’d made the effort to find him and apologize, but that was as far as he was willing to go.

“Would you …” She hesitated as if unsure she should continue. “I mean, I can see you’re still upset … I don’t blame you. What happened was dreadful and—”

“What happened?” Max quizzed.

Rooster straightened. “That’s between me and Lauren,” he said, glaring at his friend.

“Okay, fine. I’ll stay out of it.”

That silly grin of Max’s remained firmly in place. He was enjoying this little exchange far too much.

“You were saying,” Max said, returning his attention to Lauren.

Lauren focused her attention on Rooster. “I thought … I hoped you’d be willing to give me a second chance.”

Until this moment, Rooster had resisted her with every ounce of self-control he possessed. Every word she said ripped into the wall of stone he’d erected against her. They fell in a cavalcade and pooled at his feet until he stood vulnerable and exposed before her. That she had this much power over him, in such a short amount of time, left him stunned and speechless.

Rooster turned, and his eyes met hers. Everything about her spoke of sincerity. Her look, her stance, the way she clasped her hands in front of her. The way her beautiful clear blue eyes looked up at him with such honesty was his undoing.

“I mean,” she said, and lifted one shoulder, “if you’re not interested, I just got another offer.”

“Bozo over there is interested,” Max said.

Again, Rooster glared at his friend. “I think it’s time you got back to Bethanne.”

Max chuckled. “I can see I’m no longer wanted or needed here.” He slapped Rooster across the back and left cash on the counter for his lunch. He took one last sip of his beer, set the mug down on the bar, and said, “I’ll check in with you later.”

“Later,” Rooster repeated, and while he tried, he couldn’t take his eyes off Lauren. He couldn’t make himself do it. Silently, she stood before him, waiting for him to speak.

“So Bozo made you an offer,” Rooster said with a soft snicker and nodded in the direction of the man with the big belly and the shaggy beard.

“He did,” she returned, brightening.

“Anything that might interest you?”

“Maybe.”

He could see she was struggling to hold back a smile but with little success. “He told me I could be his woman.”

Rooster chuckled. “That sounds too good to be true. Are you sure you aren’t making this up?”

“Cross my heart.” Taking her index finger, she made a giant X across her heart.

“Then I suggest we leave before the temptation becomes too great.” He reached for the tab and paid the bill. When he’d finished, he took Lauren’s hand and led her out of Hog’s Hideout.

Rooster squinted in the bright light of day and wished he’d thought to grab his sunglasses when he’d left the hotel.

Lauren’s phone buzzed. She reached for it and checked caller ID. “It’s Bethanne.”

“Ah, so that’s how you knew where to find me.”

She nodded as she pressed the phone to her ear. “Hi, Bethanne.”

“Did you find him?” Rooster heard Bethanne ask.

“I did. I can’t thank you enough for your help.”