Free Honey Whiskey (A Bastards MC Novel) by Carina Adams Page B

already lost. I opened the blanket, covering her,
before dropping down beside her. “It feels like it’s been forever
since I’ve seen you.”
    She nodded. “It has
been.”
    I slipped an arm around her
shoulders, pulling her close. I stared at the skyline, not sure
what to say, not sure how we got so screwed up. Just last year we’d
been inseparable, together whenever we could find the time. So much
had changed since then, and I missed her more than words could
explain. I reached out, brushing a few flyaway strands of bright
pink behind her ear. “This is new.”
    She gave me a tight smile. “Yep. I
needed a change, something that wasn’t…”
    “Expected,” I
interrupted, nodding. “Something different, something you never
would have done before, right?” She didn’t have to answer because I
knew that was exactly why she’d done it. “You always said you
wanted pink and blue hair,” I chuckled, remembering all the times
she told me she was going to shave her head and dye it blue. “If
I’d known it would look so fucking hot, I would’ve begged you to
dye it months ago.”
    She laughed and smiled in that
slow sexy way I adored. My dick hardened in response. “Well, thank
you. But, I’m dying it back to the mundane brown
tomorrow.”
    “ Why?”
    “Because I’m too old to pull it
off. I need to find a part-time job and I’m pretty sure this won’t
help. And, Cris hates it.”
    Her reasons surprised me. Jo’d
never been one to care what other people thought. “You’re not too
old, in fact, I think you rock it better than someone half your age
could. It’s sexy as fuck on you. Any job where you can’t have your
hair the color you want isn’t worth your time or energy. As for
Cris, she really doesn’t like it?” Jo shook her head. “Wow. Seems
like something she’d love. Didn’t she give you pink hair last
year?”
    “I know, right?” She giggled,
rolling her eyes.
    “ Her opinion doesn’t matter. It
isn’t like you’re gonna see her all the time.”
    The smile disappeared, and, in
seconds, my Joes was gone. She sighed, turning her head away from
me, and I knew by the way her hands were fidgeting with the blanket
that her mind was on overdrive. “I will see her all the time,
Matty, because I live here now. I quit my job, enrolled in a grad
program, and Rocker offered me the extra room so I could save on
rent.” Her words came out in a hurried whisper, and she glanced at
me, wringing her hands. “I was going to tell you a few weeks ago,
really, but I just didn’t know how and now…”
    “I know, Joes.” She looked
terrified, and I reached for her, wanting to do anything to take
that fear away.
    “Wait.” She narrowed her eyes,
pulling back from my touch. “What? How’d you know?”
    I smirked at her tone. She was
like a tidal wave of emotion—from worried to pissed in point five
seconds flat. “I have my sources.”
    “ And you’re not
angry?” Her cold tone sent off warning bells, and I needed to
figure out a way to backtrack.
    I didn’t answer right away. I
wanted to be honest, but I didn’t want her to leave. “I’m irritated
that you didn’t tell. I mean, fuck, we’ve been talking for weeks
and there were plenty of times you could have. So, yeah, I’m pissed
that you didn’t.” She watched me, eyes wary, and I rushed to
finish. “But, I’m so fucking proud of you for getting accepted into
BC. That’s a big fucking deal with some seriously tough
competition. Good job, kid!”
    In that instant, I realized I
would never get enough of her. I smiled and pulled on a few pieces
of blue hair, vocalizing my thoughts. “It’ll be nice to see you
more, and I figure if I come down on the weekends I don’t have Sam,
we’ll get to do more than text. I fuckin’ miss you!”
    Her entire body tensed and she
jerked back from me. She stared for a few seconds as if struggling
to understand my words. Then she jumped up and practically ran to
the edge of the porch,