“It’s normal to feel a little satisfied when your ex-boyfriend or husband downgrades,” Tia says, shrugging. “Even if you’re super happy with your life now, it’s a moment you’re allowed to enjoy.”
“It’s not mean,” Anna adds, amusement flashing in her green eyes. “It’s a little petty, but I think if the circumstances are right, we’re allowed petty.”
I lift up my cup of juice. “To pettiness!”
Everyone laughs and cheers, lifting their cups in the air before taking a sip.
“So what did she look like?” I ask Steph, whose ex is the topic of today’s discussion. She ran into him and his new woman the other day and was telling us the story. Her ex-boyfriend cheated on her when they were together, which makes this moment that much better, even if Steph is too nice to enjoy it herself.
“I don’t know,” she says, obviously not wanting to be mean. The only reason we know that her ex downgraded is because Ronan told us all.
He left Steph for that? He must be fuckin’ blind or on some shit, were his exact words, delivered with a wicked grin. His loss, my gain. I should thank the fucker.
“Why don’t you just show us a photo?” I suggest, now curious. “Do you have him on your social media?”
She nods, presses a few buttons on her phone, then hands it to Tia, who is sitting to her right.
Tia’s blue eyes widen, almost comically. “I’m sure she’s a lovely person.”
I suddenly can’t stop laughing, so much so that Lana takes Asher from my arms. “That’s it, let me see.”
They hand me the phone.
I look at the picture.
I tighten my lips. “Is she rich? She must be loaded, right?”
More laughter.
I’m being mean, I know. I’m not usually such a terrible person. At least I don’t think I am. But come on, we’ve all been there. I remember checking out Dex’s ex from head to toe when she showed up at the clubhouse one night and thinking that, yeah, he upgraded, even though I didn’t say it out loud. I think we all have a little petty in us. The difference is, when I’m with these women, I don’t need to filter what I say. I just say it. They never judge me for it, and vice versa. We’re loyal to one another, but we don’t owe that same loyalty to anyone else. If I stood up and announced that I needed to hide a body, they’d probably stand up and ask me where the shovels are.
“Oh my god, we’re all going to hell,” Steph murmurs, scrubbing her hands down her face, then dropping her forehead to the table in a dramatic gesture.
“But at least we’ll all be hot there,” I say, making her groan and the rest of the women continue to laugh. “I’d rather be sexy in hell than look like that in heaven.”
“We really are going to hell though,” Lana laughs, writing something in her little notebook with her free hand. I swear, the woman should pay me royalties with all the lines of mine she uses. I make a mental note to look into copyright protection.
“How did you and Ronan meet?” Bailey asks Steph, resting her hand under her chin.
“He saw me at a restaurant. When I was leaving he followed me outside and started talking to me. He invited me to the clubhouse.”
“Ahhh, the good old ‘come back to the clubhouse’ trick,” Anna says, grinning. “What did you say to him?”
“I said no,” Steph says, smiling. “But then our paths crossed again about a month later, and I decided to give him a chance.”
Tracker walks into the room, completely at ease with the group of us. He heads straight for Lana and wraps his arms around her from behind, gently, because she’s still holding Asher.
“I can’t get over how much he looks like Sin,” he comments, staring down at the adorableness that is my son. And he’s right: with his black hair and blue eyes, Asher is a mini Dex. I’m going to have to fight the girls off with a baseball bat. Better yet, my nunchakus—don’t want to be too predictable. Hell, Clover will probably kick their asses for me. I look at Asher’s cute little pudgy face and smirk. The poor kid is going to be a virgin until he’s in his late twenties.
Dex walks in and glances around the room before his gaze stops on me. “Where are the kids? I want to show them the playground.”
“You’re already finished?” I ask, pointing to the lounge room. “They’re all in there.”
Curious, I stand up and head out back. When I open the door and step outside, my eyes widen. They’ve put together a whole playground, complete with a slide and swings—everything a little kid can dream of.
“Holy crap,” I mutter under my breath. Clover is going to love this. Hell, all the kids are. I hear the back door opening, so I turn around and watch as they rush out, looking extremely excited. Clover squeals when she sees it. Rhett—Tia and Talon’s son—fist pumps, and Bailey and Rake’s daughter, Cara, stands there with her mouth hanging open, palms pressed to her cute little cheeks.
“I love it!” Clover yells, then rushes to it. The other two follow. Everyone comes out to watch, and Dex stands to my right, hand resting on my hip.
“You guys did well,” I say, smiling as the kids rush around checking everything out.
“I know,” my cocky husband replies, kissing my temple. He then takes Asher from Lana, holding our son against his chest. “Never thought I’d see the day, but here we are with a fuckin’ playground in our clubhouse. I’m sure Jim is rolling over in his grave right now.”