21.

I love to insult people, and with you and the other birdbrains around, it's always a target-rich environment.

Text from Amethyst to Crow.

A METHYST

"Talk to me, silly girl. I know there's something wrong, and it's starting to worry me that you won't share," I said as I walked past Cydney who was sitting at the kitchen table with a sad expression.

"You've got a lot going on right now, Amy. I'm fine. We'll catch up when things calm down."

"I don't know that they will anytime soon," I admitted. "Everything's been a whirlwind."

"Isn't that the truth?" Cydney said softly.

"It's been just over a month since we had our first kiss, and he's moving in with me!" I said, a tinge of mania in my voice. "Am I crazy? I'm crazy. No, I'm not. Look at our parents."

"They'd agree that you've always been at least a little bit crazy," Cydney said sarcastically.

"You know what I mean, Squid. I know it seems wild when you look at my situation from the outside, but just think - my parents' love story is legendary. Your parents' love story is just as nuts. We've watched and learned from them our entire lives, and their example shows us just how good things can turn out when you take a chance."

"You're right. My mom was a single parent and pregnant with Tad when she met my dad, and they've been happy together for years and years."

"Exactly. My mom had known my dad for a little while, but she moved in and started raising us within weeks of starting to talk to him."

"That's just crazy, but it worked, and they're still so in love that the sweetness gives me a toothache every time I'm near them."

"It can happen for me, and someday, it will happen for you too."

"Yeah," Cydney said hesitantly. "I just hope I get the happy ending my mom has."

"So, he's moving in this weekend since his brother-in-law will be home on Tuesday, and he's got friends coming in today who are bringing all of his stuff and staying for a week or so. I'm not ready at all!"

"What do you mean you're not ready? Your house is always clean because you're a germ freak who refuses to wear her work clothes further into the house than the laundry room."

"I see some really gross stuff every day, and I don't want to bring all of that in here. I'll be thanking myself for that habit when me and Tama'i have kids."

"Yep."

"Holy shit. I just said it out loud."

"That you and Tiny are going to have kids? Look at the man. Who wouldn't want to birth his spawn?" Cydney winced and said, "Okay, maybe not, because he's a really big guy, and his genetics are probably off the charts."

I sat down with a thump and said, "That's terrifying."

"Childbirth itself is terrifying, but with the size of that man, it would be a horror show. His kids are going to come out doing arm curls and bench pressing Buicks."

"He's so hot when he does that."

"He bench presses Buicks?" Cydney asked in shock.

"No, goober! I mean he's so hot when he's working out and all sweaty. His muscles start to ripple and the veins pop out. He's a phlebotomist's wet dream."

"Only someone in the medical profession would notice or say something like that."

"True," I conceded as I stood up again. "I need to check and make sure that the bedroom is cleared out before they get here."

"Didn't you already do that twice?" Cydney asked.

"But I just want to . . ."

"You're procrasticleaning."

"What the hell is that?"

"It's when you have to be up moving around doing shit that doesn't need to be done because you're trying not to think about whatever it is that's upsetting you."

"Oh."

"Exactly. Get another cup of coffee and sit down before you wear a path in the hardwood."

"Do you want a cup?" I asked as I looked at the mug of tea in front of her. "Since when do you drink tea? What are you, British?"

"I'm fine," Cydney said, but her voice was less convincing than it had been earlier when she had said the same thing.

I had already asked her what was going on three or four times, but Squid was the kind of woman that kept things close to her vest until she was good and ready - she had always been that way.

"Did you ride over here?" I asked as I glanced out the front window. I saw a box truck pulling up at the curb and squealed. "Oh no! Tama'i's not back but his friends have already arrived. I need to call him. Will you get the door for me?"

"Sure," Cydney said as she pushed her chair back.

I grabbed my phone and called Tama'i, and he was out of breath when he answered. It took everything I had to form a coherent sentence because all I could think about was how sexy he must look right now, covered in sweat with his muscles bulging . . .

"Your friends are here."

"They just called. I'm getting on my bike now."

"See you in a minute. Ride safe."

"Love you, Lalelei."

"Love you too."

"This is the best meal I've had in ages," Dice, one of Tama'i's friends who had arrived with all of his belongings, said as he leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach. "I'm pretty sure I have a food baby."

Cydney choked on the tea she'd been sipping all evening and started sputtering. Tank, another of Tama'i's friends who had joined Dice on the drive to Texas, gently patted her on the back as he handed her a napkin to wipe her mouth. She gave him a weak smile and then excused herself and walked toward the bathroom.

I watched my friend go and then rejoined the conversation as my brother Lazlo told the guys about Gamma's diner and all of the goodies she had there.

"You'll love my Gamma," I assured Dice and Tank. "I'll call her tomorrow and see if she's got a free evening for me to bring y'all over so you can taste her cooking."

"Tutu is my one true love," Dice said sincerely. "Someday, I'm going to marry that woman."

"He keeps threatening me with that, but Tutu's not quite on board yet," Tama'i insisted.

"She told him if he didn't marry me, she'd find his high school science teacher and turn him into Tama'i's new grandpa," I told the guys. They were still laughing when Cydney sat back down at the table to finish her food.

"Have you met Tutu?" Dice asked Cydney.

Cydney shook her head, and I said, "Squid and the girls haven't gotten to meet her yet, but they're gonna love her."

"Squid?" Dice asked.

"It's my childhood nickname."

"You've got a road name. That's awesome," Tank said.

"Squid's a biker," I boasted. "She even belongs to a club here in town."

"Oh, really?" Dice asked.

"It's an all female MC that her cousin started," Cydney explained.

"With Squid's help," I added.

"It's too bad you guys don't have your bikes with you. The scenery around here is beautiful, especially in the early morning and at sunset," Tama'i explained.

"Is there a place we can rent one?" Tank asked.

"Let me make some calls. I might be able to find motorcycles for you to borrow while you're here," I said, sure that my dad or some of his friends would loan one of their motorcycles out to a family friend, especially since they were seasoned riders.

"That would be great," Dice said happily. "Maybe you and your all-female MC can show us around."

"My bike is out of commission for a while," Cydney said sadly.

"It is?" I asked. "I wondered why you didn't ride today since it was beautiful outside."

"I can't resist," Dice said as he reached for the bowl of fruit salad I'd made to go with dinner. "I've gotta have some more."

"You're gonna be fat for the reunion show," Tank teased.

"Fuck them," Dice muttered as he stirred the fruit with the wooden serving spoon. "It won't matter because hearts all over are going to break when they find out Tiny is spoken for."

"Whatever," Tama'i said as he rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious. The amount of fan mail your man got was insane, Amy. You'll have to beat the women off with a stick."

"I'm more of an aluminum bat kind of girl," I muttered.

The men laughed, and Cydney gasped. "That's where I know you from! The TV show!"

"And you didn't recognize Tiny?" Dice asked.

Tank laughed and said, "It's not like that big bastard blends in."

"I knew I recognized you from somewhere!" Cydney exclaimed. "That's crazy."

"When do they want to film?" Tama'i asked.

"Sometime next spring," Dice said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "We'll see what comes of it."

"Amethyst hasn't seen a single episode," Tama'i said with a laugh. "Not one."

"Technically, I have," I admitted. "I started watching them during my lunch breaks at work."

"Apparently, it's good television. You wouldn't believe the amount of drama they can stir up just for filming," Tank said with a grin. "Shit. I watched it and was surprised at how they spun things to make it look more interesting."

"Years ago, our fathers were involved in a reality television show about their clubhouse and the garage," I explained.

"I've met Tucker Martin," Tama'i boasted.

"No shit?" Dice asked. "Here?"

"He's part of their extended club family," Tama'i explained.

"His paint work is flawless. That man is a true artist," Tank said in awe. "I'd love to meet him."

"He sells actual paintings at the same gallery that carries Dub's stained glass," Tama'i said. "He was at Dub's wedding."

"How did I miss that?"

"Oh, I don't know, because it wasn't his wedding," Tama'i said sarcastically.

I picked up my phone to text my dad to see if he could find some bikes for the guys to ride while they were here and asked, "How long can you stay?"

"We'll be here for a week," Tank explained. "At some point, we need to ride up and say hello to Okie, but we were hoping you'd be able to join us, Tiny."

"I'd love to. Let me look at my schedule, and we'll arrange that."

"Until then, will you lovely ladies show us around town?" Tank asked.

"I work from nine to at least four everyday, but Squid's hours are more flexible," I explained. "Squid, can you and some of the girls show them around while I'm working?"

Tank smiled at Cydney and said, "I can't think of a better tour guide than a beautiful woman who knows the area. Would you mind showing me around?"

"Sure."

"Are you free tomorrow morning? I'll spring for breakfast."

"Actually, I am free tomorrow."

"It's a date."

I smiled when I realized that Cydney may have just met the man of her dreams - a big, tattooed biker with a heart of gold. That was all we'd ever dreamed of, and I'd found mine - now it was her turn.

I looked over at Dice and saw him watching Tank and Cydney's interaction and wondered which one of my friends I could set him up with.

Tama'i leaned closer to me and whispered, "I can see the wheels turning, Amy, and let me just say that Dice is not the kind of guy you want to hook up with your friends."

"You never know, I've got some crazy friends."

"I like your friends, Tama'i. They're hilarious," I told him as I tucked my braids into my silk bonnet as he prepared to brush his teeth.

He and I had spent enough nights together that we had developed a steady routine, doing the dance that couples seemed to do when they got ready together. We had the same sort of routine in the mornings, and it made my heart flutter to realize that there would be a lifetime of moments like these in my future.

"They're good guys. If they weren't, they wouldn't be my friends."

"I think Dice and Wren would be cute together," I said as I picked up my own toothbrush and got ready for my turn at the sink. Tama'i couldn't talk, but he started shaking his head. "Not Wren? What about Gracy? How old is Dice, anyway?"

"No," Tama'i mumbled through a mouth full of toothpaste. Once he'd rinsed, he reached for the hand towel and wiped his face before he said, "I roomed with Dice when we lived at Pop's compound, and let me just say, there's not a woman out there that can - or should - put up with him."

"Wren was raised with three wild ass brothers. I'm sure she can handle him."

"I said no, Amethyst."

"Oh, you did, huh?" I asked as I put my toothbrush in my mouth to stop me from snapping at him even more.

"You heard me."

I saw red until I noticed the glint in Tama'i's eyes and realized he was teasing me. By the time I finished brushing my teeth, Tama'i was leaning against the doorframe, apparently aching for a fight.

"Are you trying to start an argument?" I asked as I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Yep."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because when we argued last week, the make-up sex was wild and fantastic," Tama'i said as he pushed away from the doorframe and walked closer to me. He turned me so my butt was against the counter and then reached down and lifted me onto it. I hissed when my bare legs hit the cold marble, and Tama'i smiled as he said, "If memory serves, it was right here in this exact spot where we made up."

"Maybe," I hedged, trying not to smile.

"That was the first of what will probably be many arguments, but if they all end up like that one, I'm willing to risk your fire."

"Fire?"

"Honey, you have very expressive eyes - especially when they get red and start glowing." I scoffed, and he said, "Although, when your head started spinning, it kind of freaked me out."

I pushed at his shoulder. "Shut up."

"I'm serious. I wondered if I needed an exorcist or a fallout shelter. I've been through some shit in my life, and that was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen."

"Well, then I suggest you not make me that mad again."

"You stuck me with a needle!"

"You didn't even know I'd done it until you saw it in the trash can."

"You got me while I wasn't expecting it, and that's just crooked."

"And I'm gonna do it again in three months because I want you to live a long and healthy life as my husband."

"It wasn't fair."

"Why are you complaining, Tama'i? You got a blow job out of the deal!"

"Yeah, but still."

"Okay, let's try this a different way."

"Does it include you tricking me?"

"No, but it includes this mouth you like so much only going near Mr. Happy every three months when it's time for your shot. How about that? You take your shot like a good patient and instead of rewarding you with a sucker, I just suck on you."

"Your eyes are getting red again."

"Then you shouldn't provoke me and make them that way."

"You shouldn't trick the man you love."

"I want the man I love to have many healthy years ahead, Tama'i. I want him to be around to be old and gray and tired with me after we have our grandchildren over for the afternoon. Then I want him to snuggle up on the couch with me while we reminisce about him and his goofy friends talking crap in a tattoo shop and making all the girls lightheaded."

"Nobody got lightheaded."

"You're gonna get lightheaded when I tell Tutu that you're being a turd and she smacks you with her flip-flop."

"You wouldn't."

"I could tell her to only make your favorite food every three months and only if you take your shot like a good boy."

"That's cruel."

"So is starting a fight with me on purpose. Are you gonna do that again?"

"Oh, I'm gonna, just so I can make up with you over and over."

"For the rest of our lives?" I asked, all anger gone now as he moved his hips against me, nudging me in just the right place that made all thoughts other than the orgasm I knew was coming my way disappear.

"Yes. For the rest of our lives."

"I love you, Tama'i."

"And I love you, Lalelei. I'll love you forever."