“You’re dressing up two days in a row?”

Rider tucked his dress shirt into his new jeans as he watched Jewell throw herself down on his bed, making herself comfortable.

“Got a date tonight.” He buckled his belt, shifting it lower to hit him around his hips.

“No shit. The whole town knows you’re going out with Jo tonight.” Tucking a pillow behind her head, Jewell lifted a thigh, making her T-shirt hike to her waist.

Going to his dresser, he picked up his comb, running it through his damp hair. “What are you planning on doing tonight?”

“I’m planning on having a better night with Moon and Rush than you’re going to have with Jo.”

“Jealous?”

“Of Jo? Hell no.”

“Good.” Rider shrugged his shoulders to make sure his black shirt fit right. “Should I put on another shirt that fits me tighter around the shoulders?” He wanted to show off his muscles to their best advantage.

“You look good.” She raised her other leg. “You want me to show you how good you look?”

Rider laid his comb back down on the dresser, then went to his closet to shrug into an expensive black leather jacket.

“You’re really pulling out all the stops to impress her. Are you going to go through this much trouble when you go out with Aly?” Her lips pursed in a moue of disappointment as she flopped back onto the bed.

“No.” Rider went to his nightstand for his wallet, sliding it into his back pocket.

“So, Jo’s special?”

He stared down at her directly. “She could be. We’ll see, won’t we?” Snagging one of her feet, he pulled her off his bed. With a soft smack on her ass, he then turned her toward the door. “You shouldn’t keep Moon and Rush waiting. You know how Rush gets when you do.”

“You’re throwing me out of your room?” Jewell’s astonishment had her freezing and Rider nearly bumping into her.

“I don’t want my bed messed up in case I convince Jo to come back with me.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”

“You never know.”

“Yes, I do. If you’re expecting Jo to come back here to fuck you, you clearly don’t know her at all. The woman hasn’t been on a date since she came to town.”

“That’s because the right man hasn’t asked her.” Giving her a gentle push, he got her moving again.

Closing the door behind them, he locked his door, making sure it would be empty when he returned. Each of the brothers had their own room, and most of them wouldn’t enter his room unless the door was open, but if he was able to convince Jo to come back with him, he didn’t want to chance that it would have someone in there fucking, waiting for his return. It was a habit he would have to break if his date with Jo went the way he planned.

Rider felt Jewell tugging on the sleeve of his jacket as he was about to go down the steps.

“Haven’t you asked her out yourself?”

“That’s water under the bridge.”

Jewell’s hand fell away as he started down the steps.

“Rider,” she yelled down the landing.

Rider looked up to see she was leaning over the rail. Jewell seemed about to say something, then changed her mind.

“Have a good time,” she finished when he kept staring upward at her.

Hearing the pinging of his cell phone, he took it out of his pocket. The text was from Jo, telling him she was outside.

Returning his attention to Jewell, he could see the concern she couldn’t hide.

“Jewell, nothing is going to change our friendship. You know that, right?”

“I remember Razer telling me the same thing.”

“And you’re still friends with him.”

“We are, but it’s different now. Just like with Knox, Lucky, Cash, and Viper. It’s not the same.”

“Nothing stays the same. One day, you might wake up and decide to leave. Any of us could. They might not fuck you anymore, but that doesn’t mean that none of us wouldn’t die for you. Just like you will always be there for any of us if we need you.”

Rider knew how hard it had been for Jewell to switch from lover to friends with the other brothers. The men had gone through the same thing when Evie and Bliss had fallen in love.

“I just never expected you to fall in love again.”

“I’m not going to fall in love with Jo. That would be impossible.” Rider saw the relief she couldn’t hide at his admission. “I’m not looking for love from Jo.”

“Then what are you wanting from her?”

“I’ll know when I find it.” Rider couldn’t explain to her any more than he could explain to himself. “I have to go; she’s waiting. We good?”

“Yes. When you get home, let me know how your date went.”

“I will.” Rider opened the front door, giving a hurried nod toward Moon, who was watching the door. He then went down the long flight of stairs to the parking lot, seeing Jo’s headlights glowing in the dark. The lights were so bright he was halfway down the steps before he realized Jo wasn’t in the large tow truck she normally drove. It was only when he was walking to the passenger door that he saw it was Cash’s.

Opening the door, expecting to get inside, he was dumbfounded to see Mag already there. Cash’s grandmother was bundled in a coat with a blanket wrapped around her legs.

“Scoot over, Mag,” Jo urged the old woman.

Rider wanted to toss Mag out of the truck. Instead, he got inside and closed the door.

Placing an arm along the back of the seat to give himself more room, he tried to wrap his mind around how Mag had ended up going on his date with Jo.

“How you doing tonight, Mag?”

“Was better before we had to pick you up.”

“You know you love me. Don’t be so standoffish.”

The demon woman’s eyes glowered at him.

He shouldn’t have expected Jo to give in gracefully. Jo had lived up to her word, not taking their date seriously—the clothes she was wearing said as much. Her thick sweater and old jeans wouldn’t be seen on anyone trying to make an impression. Rider couldn’t imagine anyone he regularly dated wearing them on even the fourth or fifth date. At least she wasn’t wearing the coveralls. She didn’t even look his way as she backed up and started driving toward town.

“Rachel and Cash asked me to stay the weekend with Mag. They want to get an early start on their Christmas shopping. I hope you don’t mind.”

Rider didn’t think she would care if he did, so he didn’t answer. “I made reservations at both the Pink Slipper and King’s. I didn’t know which one you would prefer—”

“Mag wants to have dinner at Rosie’s. I thought you would agree since you spend a lot of time there, and it’ll be easier on your wallet after you bid so much on our date.”

“Saturday nights at Rosie’s can be a little rowdy, but I’m game if you ladies have your hearts set on it.”

“We do.” Jo flicked her blinker before turning into the parking lot.

Rider opened his door as Jo opened hers. From the lights on in the parking lot, he could see Jo lower the tailgate and the wheelchair resting in the bed.

Going to the tailgate, he lifted the chair down, opened it, and then pushed it toward the door he had left open.

Mag had swung her legs to the side so they were hanging down from her seat. Knowing he was facing a smackdown, he still bravely opened his arms.

“May I be of some assistance?” Courteously, he waited for the smack to come. Instead, Mag gave him a curt nod, her hands going to his shoulders.

“Did you climb into the truck by yourself?” Rider asked, lifting the woman down and turning to place her gently in her wheelchair.

“Cash helped,” Jo said as she reached inside the truck for Mag’s blanket. “He said you would help get her out.”

“He did? That’s interesting.”

“Why’s that interesting?” Jo swung him a sidelong glance as he pushed Mag’s wheelchair toward the bar.

“He didn’t tell me his great-grandmother was coming with us tonight when I saw him at lunch.”

“Didn’t you get my message?” Jo walked farther ahead so she could open the door for them.

“Was Cash supposed to tell me?”

Rider didn’t miss the faint blush that filled Jo’s cheeks as he and Mag went inside. He thought it was because of guilt for letting Mag tag along with them without asking.

Closing the door, she placed her hand over his, preventing him from going farther into the bar. “I’m sorry. I tried to call. When you didn’t answer, I called the factory. I spoke to Jewell. She said you were busy. I explained that I promised to take Mag to Rosie’s when Rachel and Cash went to Lexington. She was sick when I made the promise, so I haven’t been able to keep it. Rachel’s been tired of being cooped up because of the weather, so Cash and I convinced her to go tonight and tomorrow. I tried to reschedule our date, but Jewell said she was sure you wouldn’t mind and said she’d pass on my message that, if you wanted to reschedule, to call me. When you didn’t, I assumed it was okay with you.” Jo started to grab the handle of the wheelchair from him.

He hadn’t answered her call earlier in the day because he thought Jo had been trying to break their date. That Jewell was responsible for their date taking a detour was something he would have to talk to Jewell about when he got home.

“I get the company of two beautiful women, so I’m not angry.” He twisted his hand under hers, averting her from pulling Mag away from him.

“I’m settled. Can I order a hamburger now, or are we going to stand here all damn night?” Mag snorted, reaching down to wheel herself.

“I got it, Mag.” Rider laughed as Mick came from behind the counter.

“Mag! Cash and Rachel finally let you escape?”

“Like I was going to let them stop me.” The old woman raised a frail hand to Mick, who ignored it to reach down and give her a bear hug. “You trying to kill me?”

Despite her words, Mag stared up mistily at Mick.

“You look younger every time I see—”

“Cut the bullshit and fix me a hamburger. I want a beer, too. Make sure you put extra onions and mustard on it for me.”

“I’ll take the same.” Jo moved a chair from one of the tables.

As Rider started to roll Mag to the table, Mag stopped the wheels from moving.

“I want to sit at the bar.” She obstinately swiveled the wheelchair backward.

“Okay.” Rider patiently pushed the chair toward the bar, where most of the stools had already been taken.

Maneuvering it between two stools that were empty, he stopped, looking down to see what Mag would do next.

“What are you waiting for? Help me,” she brashly demanded.

“Mag, maybe you would be more comfortable at the table,” Jo tried to divert Mag from sitting at the bar, staring uneasily at the high stool.

“If you want to go sit at a table, go ahead, but I want to sit here.”

“I don’t blame her. I like sitting at the bar, too.” Lifting the fragile woman from her chair, Rider placed her on the stool. Folding the chair, he then guided it between two stools. “You take the stool next to her,” he said to Jo.

“Where are you going to sit?”

“Carter doesn’t mind giving up his seat, do you?” Rider laid his hand on Carter’s shoulder, staring down at him with the threatening gleam in his eyes that he had perfected in the military.

“No problem.” The middle-aged school janitor immediately got off his stool, took his mug of beer, and moved to the table Mag had snubbed.

“That wasn’t nice.” Jo turned from checking on Mag to him, then gave Carter a sympathetic glance.

“Mick, put Carter’s tab on my bill. I’ll take the same as Mag and Jo to eat.” Assessing if she was still irritated at him for asking Carter to move, Rider waited for her to give him another reprimand.

Instead, Jo slid the bar nuts toward Mag, saying, “Thanks, Mick.”

“I’ll get them on the grill.” Mick gave them each a beer before heading back to start the grill.

Rider took a drink of his beer, listening to the blaring music. The beer was still poised at his lips when he spotted Curt Dawkins at a large table on the other side of the bar. Curt caught his eyes, too. Using his beer bottle, Rider acknowledged the wave Curt gave him as his friends turned to see who Curt was waving to.

Fucking hell. Rider hoped Curt wouldn’t make a move to approach them. That was all he needed for his first date with Jo to become the dumpster fire that Jewell had stoked by not relaying the message Jo had given him.

When Curt remained seated, Rider gave silent thanks to the man upstairs.

“How’s it going with your car being redone?”

“Carl’s not really saying. His texts are few and far between. I’d be worried, but Train said that was the way he acted when he re-did Killyama’s car.”

“Has Train given it to her yet?”

“No, he’s waiting for Christmas.”

“It’s a nice gift. I’m sure she’ll love it.” Jo tried to take a few of the bar nuts from the bowl. Receiving a glare from Mag, she pulled her hand back.

“She should have joined the military,” Rider joked, reaching for a bowl near him and moving it within her grasp.

“Thanks.”

Taking a few nuts for himself and popping them into his mouth, he chewed them thoughtfully as they waited for their burgers.

“When’s your date with Aly?”

Her question had him wishing he hadn’t eaten the nuts when they clogged his throat.

“Sunday.”

“You and Aly will make a good match. Neither of you let any grass grow under your feet.”

“That’s about the only thing we have in common. Every time I see her, she’s talking about clothes or shoes.”

“When has she talked to you about clothes and shoes? Aly’s been gone from Treepoint so long I didn’t realize she had resumed her old friendships.”

Rider felt like he had just strayed into a hidden minefield.

“Some of the women from the club shop at the store she works at.”

“Is that how she met you?”

Rider took a long swallow of his beer, wishing Mick would hurry up with the food. However, when he saw Mick flip the burgers over on the grill, he knew he wouldn’t be able to use that as an excuse to keep from answering the question.

“Moon introduced me to her when she came to the club.”

Rider held the bowl steady when she almost flipped it over.

“Aly’s partied with The Last Riders?”

“I wouldn’t say she’s partied with us, but she has been there.” He was breaking a rule about not discussing the comings and goings of those who entered the club’s doors. Then again, one thing he had learned from the relationships of the other brothers was secrets inevitably came out. He was already starting behind the eight ball of Jo’s opinion of him. If they did develop a relationship in the future, Rider wanted all his bases covered.

“What are you two whispering about?” Mag bellowed from Jo’s other side.

“We’re talking about if we should let you eat that burger with all those onions on it.” Jo smiled at Mick as he set their basket of food down in front of them.

Mag snorted, reaching for the mustard. “That’s not what it sounded like to me.”

“Were you eavesdropping?” Rider left out the “old bitch” he wanted to add to his sentence.

“Everyone thinks I’m deaf or senile. I have a perfectly good pair of ears on my head. You were talking about The Last Riders’ parties. I tried to get Cash and Rachel to take me a couple of times, but they said it would be too strenuous for me. Like it takes any energy to sit my ass down in my wheelchair.”

Rider lost his appetite when she snorted into her beer. His date was going from bad to worse. He had to keep reminding himself how Jo had looked and smelled the night before without the battleax sitting next to her.

“The next time they tell me no, I’m going to call you, Rider,” the battleax demanded with a domineering glare.

“You do that.” Rider wouldn’t be answering any calls coming from Mag on a Friday night, or any other night of the week.

He had to give Cash props for not giving the Grim Reaper a helping hand in the old bitch’s demise.

“Where are our burgers, Mick? We ordered ours before them.”

The voice behind them had his date going from a dumpster fire to a raging inferno as Jo dropped her burger into the plastic basket.

Curt settled his arms companionably over both his and Jo’s shoulders as he squeezed between their stools. “Do I need to come over and sit with them to get waited on?”

His disparaging tone had Mag twisting on her stool. She waved her veined, purplish hand in his face as her eyes snapped out at him. “Be gone, Satan’s helper, before I get Mick to give me that shotgun he keeps under the counter and I give you a return ticket to where you were spawned from.”