I sighed in relief that he wasn’t encouraging her behavior. He was seriously good at this parenting stuff.
“Okay,” she agreed around a huge bite of ice cream. “You can make googly eyes at her though,” she added earnestly.
He shot her a grin that melted me from the inside out. “Glad to hear that, baby.” He shot me a wink over her head. “Not sure I could help myself.”
I was trying and failing to keep Riley’s outfit from getting ice cream all over it when he pulled out his phone. glancing at an incoming text.
“Everything okay?” I asked, watching him carefully.
“Impromptu barbeque at the club with the Riders. Sounds like they want a meet,” he replied pensively. I knew he was thinking about his next meeting with Thorn and how he would handle it with what he now knew.
“You want me to come.” It wasn’t a question.
His eyes shifted to mine, softening as his full lips tilted into a tender smile. “Yeah, baby. So long as we can find a sitter for Ri. Not the kind of evening for her.”
“I’ll text Amelia.” I nodded. She’d offered to sit several times but I had yet to take her up on it.
He nodded his agreement, his gaze dropping to Riley’s overflowing bowl of ice cream. “You’ll get a serious belly ache if you eat all of that, baby.” Cash chuckled. “And besides, weren’t you going to save some for me?” He quirked a playful brow.
She giggled and shook her head but allowed me to take her bowl without complaint.
The three of us headed toward Cash’s truck, Riley’s hand in his, his arm around my shoulder.
It was so simple, that moment, and yet like a dream.
A dream that I desperately hoped to never wake up from.
****
When we walked into the club a short time later, having left a contented Riley playing with Amelia, who she idolized, my nerves began to kick in. I’d only been with Cash a few times, and it was still just as intimidating.
He squeezed my hand, sensing my mood. “You belong here. Same as me.”
I shot him a grateful look as he slung an arm around my shoulder, surveying the scene.
The place was packed with both familiar and unfamiliar faces; music blared and drinks flowed.
“Layla!” Emmie and Grace chorused, gesturing to me from the couches near the pool table where they sat with Wren, Olivia, and Ginnie.
“Go on, baby, I’ll find you in a bit,” Cash murmured in my ear, giving my ass a squeeze in parting.
“You don’t hang out with us near enough, woman. Have a beer,” Ginnie offered, handing me a can. I’d only met X’s girlfriend a few times, but I liked her no-nonsense attitude.
“It’s true,” I replied as I plopped into the seat alongside Olivia.
“Well, you have a valid and very cute excuse.” Wren winked from her spot on the couch across from us.
“Riley is cute,” I agreed, lifting up my beer in toast. “We’re a lot more settled than we were a few months ago, so hopefully I’ll be able to hang out more.” For the first time since I adopted Riley, I had people around that I felt comfortable leaving her with. I loved my time with Riley but being able to have some independence to build friendships was something I’d missed and hadn’t had since college.
“I think it’s Cash we have to worry about sharing her more than Riley.” Wren laughed.
“Heard you guys were shacking up,” Grace mentioned.
“We are, we… well, I guess we did.” I shrugged with a laugh. “Aside from a few more things he has to move over, and he’s pretty much been living with us since we met.”
“I have to admit, I was skeptical at first,” Grace admitted. “But Gunner straightened me out, reminded me the kind of man Cash is. That you were different. And obviously, you are. I’m happy for you both.” Her green eyes shone with sincerity.
“Thanks.” I smiled just as the couch got bumped by a stumbling biker and I fought to keep my beer from spilling. “Crowded tonight.”