Page 76 of Until Joy

“What the fuck?” Kayan shouted.

“Kayan! Lower your voice. Miss Laverne will hear you.”

“What the ever-loving-fuck?” Kayan whisper-yelled. “Some asshole from London followed you to Tennessee?”

“How did you find out so fast?”

“Wes told Z, then he told me,” she explained.

I looked over at July and she shrugged. “Graham told Wes. He must have told Z. These guys gossip worse than a sewing circle.”

“No wonder you were so freaked about the flowers. I would have plucked off all the petals, then put the stems through the shredder.” Kayan went to the cabinet and started pulling out plates.

I giggled. It felt good. Really good.

July peered over my shoulder. “Did you bake that cake with sour cream?”

I stood up straight. “Is there any other way?”

“And dark cocoa?”

“Damn straight.” I grinned.

“Wes is going to dump me and marry you.”

I laughed again. These women were good for my soul. Miss Laverne and I had only taken small pieces to taste test, so there was plenty left. Well, maybe not plenty, considering how big Graham, Wes, and Z were.

“I’ll take out the cake. You can get the drinks, glasses, plates and forks.” I nodded to the girls.

“On it.”

We had everything set out in the dining room in a quick minute.

“Wes, Joy baked a dark chocolate cake. You might want to come in here before we eat it all,” July hollered.

I didn’t hear the thud of motorcycle boots. Instead Miss Laverne came into the dining room. “Those boys went out to the porch to talk. Apparently, they didn’t want a little old lady to hear what they had to say,” she grumbled. “Where’s the milk? You can’t serve dark chocolate sour cream cake without milk.”

“You’re right.” Kayan hustled back to the kitchen.

“I’ll go get the men,” I said.

“I think you should leave them alone right now, sugar. They seem pretty intent on working some things out, and if I were you, I’d let them be.”

I pulled out Miss Laverne’s chair, and she sat down. July cut her a thin slice of cake.

“That’s perfect, honey.” Miss Laverne patted her hand.

Kayan came back with a gallon of milk. She immediately poured Miss Laverne a glass. “What did I miss?”

“I was just telling Joy to leave the boys alone, for the time being. They need to figure out how they think they can protect her best. It will make them feel better.”

“It won’t just make them feel better,” July shook her head. “All three of them were in the military. Special operations. I’d trust Wes with my life. Hell, I did.” She looked over at me. “You’re in good hands, Joy.”

I looked from July to Miss Laverne. She immediately caught onto my concerns.

“Why don’t we all sit down and have a piece of cake while we wait for the young men?”

“Sounds like a good idea.” Kayan held out a plate to July. “Cut me a slice twice as large as the one you cut Miss Laverne.”