Ride Steady(158)

She tugged it down and moved it side to side.

“There it is. The handsome,” she declared.

I loved her instantly.

“Don’t get used to it. Carrie likes the beard,” Joker replied.

My heart lurched and my hand lifted so I could slap his arm.

“Do you want her to dislike me?” I snapped.

Joker pulled away from the grip Mrs. Heely had on him and grinned at me as he slung his arm around her shoulders.

“Mrs. Heely, this is Carrie,” he introduced.

“What a pretty dress,” she remarked, looking me over in a kind rather than sharp way, which was a relief.

“Thanks,” I replied, lifting a hand.

“Oh no,” she said, grabbing it and tugging on it, her look changing entirely. It was still kind but also welcoming and very warm. “We do hugs in this family.”

This family.

Gosh, I was glad Joker had that.

Though, it was strange how she emphasized it.

As Joker dropped his arm from around her, I bent in and hugged her. She hugged me back.

So far so good.

I heard the back door to the truck open and close as we let each other go.

“From Carrie. She works at LeLane’s. She got you the good stuff,” Joker said, holding the bakery box by the string and the bouquet in his other arm her way.

Mrs. Heely threw her hands up. “Too much!” she cried but didn’t hesitate reaching out and snatching both from Joker. She shoved her face in the flowers and said after pulling it out, “I haven’t had flowers in the house in years.”

Okay, that was also good.

I again smiled.

“Come inside. Candy has to see your new look, Carson,” Mrs. Heely stated, then ordered in a bossy mom’s voice, “Let’s go.”

We went (she was giving us the bossy mom), but following her to the house, Joker didn’t grab my hand. He slid his arm around my shoulders and guided us in.

When we got in, I found I was right. The place was tiny. And made more so by a bunch of furniture that used to be in a much bigger living room stuffed in, not to mention the large, good-looking man, his beautiful wife, and their three kids who were occupying it.

We barely were through the door with Joker closing it behind us before the man took one look at me and strangely burst into gales of laughter.

I went stiff.

Joker felt it.

“Something funny, brother?” he asked with low warning.

The man, who had to be Linus, kept laughing (though not roaring with it) and shook his head, saying through it, “Car, buddy, you’re the only badass biker on the planet who’d pick the prom queen as his woman.”

“I was homecoming queen. I only made the court at prom,” I told him, my voice as stiff as my body.

He burst into more laughter.

The beautiful woman with him, who I knew was his wife Kamryn, slapped his arm (a lot harder than I had earlier slapped Joker’s).

“Cut it out, Linus!” she hissed.

He quit laughing so quickly, I jumped.

He also did it focused on me.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, his voice rough. “Perfect.”

The force of his words and the emotion behind them made me push into Joker’s side and his arm tightened reflexively around my shoulders when I did.

Linus looked to Joker and his voice was still rough with meaning. “I know you’re done with him, Car, but swear to Christ, I’d pay to see his face, you walked in as all you are with this girl on your arm. Pay to see that shit.”

“Stop cursing in front of the kids,” Kamryn snapped.

Linus curved an arm around her waist and pulled her tight to his side.

I looked up at Joker. “I think I like him.”

“I’d like him more if he’d watch his mouth,” Mrs. Heely declared.

Kamryn grinned at her then turned her grin to me.

I grinned back.

“Candy, Miss Carissa gave me flowers. Do you want to help your Momma Heely put them in water?” Mrs. Heely asked a pretty little girl who was sitting on an armchair wearing a pretty little dress and swinging her legs.

She didn’t hesitate to hop right off the chair and push her way through bodies to Mrs. Heely.

When she got close, she grabbed the woman’s hand.

Apparently, that was her answer.

They got to the doorway of the kitchen before, shyly, little Candy turned back and called, “Like your hair, Mister Carson.”