She gives me a pointed look. “As if I didn’t know you skipped your normal lunch to be at her dance class. I found that out last week. You’ll never skip lunch again. Londynn doesn’t care if you eat in this part of the studio,” Hollis explains.
I smile. “Thanks.” She nods and we turn to watch the kids practice. We can see and hear the kids from here but there is a glass wall separating us from them. We get to sit on comfortable, large oversized couches. I watch as Aubree turns around and tries to imitate everything Londynn is showing them, but it’s really funny. They all kind of wobble around, looking unsure.
My phone vibrates near the end of class and I pull it out to see a text from Zayde. “Thanks man.”
Aubree comes bouncing out the door and straight up to me. I hear all the women audibly sigh as I grab my baby girl and kiss her on the cheek, telling her how good she did. She beams up at me. It’s a little odd being the only guy in the room but that’s the price you pay when you’re a single dad to a little girl. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world but I feel like I surprise people, especially women. Maybe it’s my look. I’m sure that when most people look at me, they don’t see dad of the year, hell they probably don’t even see a dad. I think my body covered in ink makes people automatically expect the worst. I get it, I really do. Even my mom has had a hard time coming to terms with all the work I had done, but it felt right at the time and Aubree doesn’t seem to mind. “You did so good, Love Bug.”
Aubree beams with pride. “Did you see my twirl? Auntie Londynn said I did it really good.”
I nod my head. “You did. It was perfect, the best in the class if you ask me.”
“Really?” she asks, her voice full of shock.
I smile at her. “Of course.” I give her another squeeze before pulling back and looking at her. “I’ve got to get back to work, but you did so well today. I’m so proud of you.”
She wraps her little arms around my neck. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“Always, Love Bug. Now, you be good for Auntie Hollis and I’ll see you after work, okay?” She pulls away and nods her head. I press another kiss to her cheek before putting her down. “I love you.”
“Love you, too,” she tells me, before I turn to leave. I hate leaving her behind, but I got to be an adult and get back to work. I head back out to my truck and make my way to the job site. The next couple of hours flies by, and before I know it, the workday is just about done. We start to pick things up and I hear my phone ring so I grab it from my pocket.
I see Wilder’s name on the screen. He’s our current prospect to join Sons of Sin, so if he’s calling that probably means that he’s got an issue at the clubhouse. “Hello.”
“Hey Drake, I’m sorry to bother you. This is Wilder,” he replies.
I chuckle. “Yeah, I know it’s you. I have your number saved.”
“Oh cool.” Wilder pauses for a second before he speaks again. “So, I kind of have an issue here at the clubhouse.”
“What’s up?” I ask.
Wilder sighs. “There’s a girl here and she’s demanding that I let her in. I keep telling her that no one is here and she has to go, but she won’t listen. After arguing for a few minutes she told me she’s Zayde’s twin sister, but I didn’t even know Zayde had a sister. She won’t leave, man.”
Zayde had a twin sister all right, but no one had seen her in years and Zayde barely heard from her. Zoey and their dad had never gotten along, so it didn’t shock many of us when she up and ran away with her boyfriend at the time almost six years ago. “What’s her name, Wilder?”
“Hold on,” he tells me. I hear him ask her what her name is. I can practically hear her roll her eyes.
“Zoey,” she replies. That voice. I’d know that voice anywhere. That soft rasp that sounds sexy without her even trying. Zoey and Zayde were two of the first friends I’d met when I showed up in L.A. They had taken me under their wings and showed me the ropes. Of course, I’d had a major crush on Zoey, but I knew she just saw me as her best friend. That girl was a bit of a wild one and she loved the bad boys and I definitely wasn’t that.
“That’s Zayde’s twin sister. Let her in, give her a drink and something to eat. I’ll be by in a bit,” I tell him.
I disconnect the call and go back to finishing up my workday, but Zoey was on my mind. I could still picture the first day that I had met Zayde and Zoey.
I had decided to hit the beach and see what all the hype was about. There seemed to be some kind of bonfire party getting ready to start. I had walked in the opposite direction, but I still didn’t avoid them. I saw a boy and a girl walking in my direction. The boy was tall and lean with short, cropped brown hair. He seemed kind of timid and really protective of the girl. I could see why though. The girl was beautiful. Her hair was the color of coffee with streaks of cinnamon that the setting sun was catching. I couldn’t tell how long it was because it was up in a ponytail. Her skin was tanned and although she was not that tall the short denim shorts she had on made her legs look like they went on for days. She laughs at something the boy says and perfectly white teeth shine just like her eyes which look dark.
All of a sudden, I don’t want to avoid people so I don’t change my path. Eventually, we run into each other. The guy nods. “Hey,” he mumbles.
“Hey.” I nod my head as I’m passing them.
I can feel her eyes on me. “Are you new around here?” Her voice is soft and raspy and instantly my stomach is doing somersaults.
I turn back around and my eyes meet her tawny brown eyes, they are kind and warm. “Yeah, I just got here yesterday. How’d you know that?”
She smiles softly at me. “You have an accent, southern?”
I nod. “South Carolina.”
“What brings you here?” the guy asks.
I nod. “Family.” It seems like the easiest answer for the long confusing story that is currently my life.
“Cool. Well, I’m Zayde and this is my twin sister Zoey,” he tells me.
I nod my head. “Nice to meet y’all. I’m Drake.”
Zoey smiles at me. “Well, Drake. We’re about to have a bonfire thing over there,” she tells me, motioning towards the area I had avoided. “If you want to join us. It’s mostly old men talking about the glory days of being a biker, but it can be fun and the food is great.”
“I don’t want to impose,” I admit to them. I feel awkward just walking up to a party knowing I wasn’t actually invited.
Zoey steps forward and grabs my arm around the elbow. “That’s it! You’re coming with us!” She pulls me along and we talk about school and what I should expect. Luckily, we were going to be attending the same high school so I'd at least know someone. The sun disappeared and the moon came up and some stars appeared in the sky. Zayde, Zoey, and I talk the night away and I find myself making an easy friendship with them, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that Zoey is gorgeous. Getting to know her makes me like her even more. By the end of the night, we’ve all exchanged numbers and made plans to hang out the following day.