She rose off the couch with a determined expression. “I think I’d like to try.”

“Then I’d like to have you join me.”

Glancing down at her clothes, she asked, “Am I dressed okay?”

I laughed. “Compared to what some of the women will be wearing, you’re overdressed.”

“Should I go change into something more revealing?” she teased.

“No,” I replied a little too quickly. Annabel ducked her head, but I thought I saw the hint of a smile on her lips. “Come on. We’d better be going.”

When we got to the back door of the roadhouse, I stopped her. “What is it?” she asked.

“If at any time you don’t feel comfortable, you just let me know. Even if I’m taking part in the patching, you can come and get me. Okay?”

“Thank you, Rev,” she replied. She then proceeded to shock the hell out of me by reaching up and tenderly kissing my cheek. “You’re so good to me.”

Feeling like I had been knocked on my ass, I threw open the back door and ushered her inside. Live music blared from the house band that played on special occasions. The steady roar of conversation came from all around us. At the far end of the roadhouse, the women had set up a long table filled with home-cooked food. Kim and Alexandra, along with some of the other wives, were helping the men through the line.

“Hungry?” I asked Annabel.

“Not right now. But don’t let me stop you.”

I glanced from the table back to her. “Kim’s chili is fucking amazing.”

Annabel smiled. “Then let’s get you some before it’s all gone.”

Placing my hand on the small of her back, I started to guide her through the crowd. At Annabel’s sudden intake of breath, I quickly demanded, “What’s wrong?”

She motioned to Willow, across the room. “I was just surprised to see her here.”

“Since it’s a patching ceremony, wives, girlfriends, and families are invited. The first part of the night is pretty calm with the celebrating.” I grinned at her. “It’ll be around midnight, after the kids are put to bed, when things get really crazy.”

When she caught sight of us, Willow made a beeline to our sides. After giving us both hugs, she asked, “How’s Poe?”

“I just gave him his bottle right before we left.”

“Did you remember to poop and pee him?”

“Yes, Miss Priss, I did. I think I know how to care for Poe.”

“Just checking.”

Annabel grinned. “We were going to get Uncle Rev some chili. Do you want some?”

“Sure.” She slipped her hand into Annabel’s, and they started walking together slightly ahead of me. I figured Annabel was just as safe with Willow as she was with me. After all, the guys knew if one hair on Willow’s head was harmed, Deacon would have their asses.

We got in line behind Archer, who was talking to Alexandra. The two shared a bond over joining forces to save Deacon’s life. After he leaned over to give her a hug, he caught my eye. “Prez! Good to see you, man.” He threw out his hand, and I happily shook his.

Turning to Annabel, I said, “You remember Archer? He came by the house a few times.”

She smiled and offered her hand, which surprised me. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“He just got patched a few months ago,” I told her.

Archer chuckled. “Yeah, I was saying to Alexandra it feels like I was just at my patch ceremony.”

“Hard to believe it’s been four months, huh?”

He nodded. Archer had just taken a long pull of beer when Willow said to Annabel, “Archer is my favorite. I’m going to marry him someday.”

Archer’s beer spewed out of his mouth all over the plastic plates and forks. After he wiped his mouth, he shook his head. “Jesus, kid. You want your old man to kill me?”

Willow’s dark brows scrunched together in confusion. “Why would my daddy kill you for marrying me?”

I chuckled. “Because daddies are very particular about who their little girls marry.”

Willow waved her hand dismissively. “But Daddy likes Archer. After all, he helped save Mommy’s life.”

Archer sat his beer down on the table. Alexandra was managing to stay out of the conversation by cleaning up Archer’s beer mess. Archer crouched down to where he could be on eye level with Willow. “I like you a lot, kid. You know that, right?” She nodded. “But I can never be your boyfriend.”

“Why not?”

“For starters, there ain’t no way in hell your daddy is ever going to let you date one of his brothers. But the most important reason is I’m too old for you.”

“Just how old are you?”

“Twenty.”

Willow cocked her head and gazed up at the ceiling like she was concentrating hard. “But one day I’ll be twenty, and you’ll be thirty-four.”

“And I’ll still be too old for you.”

Her lips turned down in a pout. “Don’t you want to be my boyfriend?”

Archer jerked his head up and gave me a pleading look.

“Willow, it’s fine to pretend that Archer is your boyfriend for now. But it’ll just have to be pretend, okay?”

“I guess so,” she replied glumly.

Both Archer and I froze at her sniffle. Without a word, Annabel put her arm around Willow’s shoulder. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s have a woman-to-woman talk about boyfriends.” She then took Willow behind the table where the women were gathered, which I knew would feel safe to both her and Willow.

Archer let out a low whistle. “Son of a bitch. She’s gonna be the death of me at six years old.”

I laughed. “Deacon isn’t going to put you to ground just because his daughter has a little crush.”

With a shudder, Archer replied, “I just don’t want anyone thinking anything pervy about me. Like I was encouraging her or something.”

Now it was my turn to do the comforting. I put my arm around the kid’s shoulder. Even though he was just seven years younger than me, he was new to the club, and it aged you like dog years. “You just keep acting the same way to Willow as you always have. Next week she’ll have moved on to someone else.”

“I sure as hell hope so.”

I smacked his back. “Come on. Let’s get some chili.”

Whatever Annabel said to Willow worked like a charm, and she was back to her sunny self within minutes. When they rejoined me, I leaned over to whisper into Annabel’s ear, “Thanks for doing that.”

“I was glad to help.” She cocked her head at me. “No matter what the age, it always hurts to be rejected,” she said knowingly.

I dropped my gaze to my bowl of chili, since it seemed a hell of a lot safer than looking at Annabel at that moment. Her words were as loaded as if I were looking down the barrel of a shotgun. The last thing I wanted to do was press the matter of the underlying tension between us.

Thankfully, I was saved by Deacon coming up to get me for the ceremony. “I have to go to the front now. Why don’t you go back with Alexandra and Kim?”

She smiled. “Okay. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

I watched her move around the side of the table and go stand between Alexandra and Kim. I was so thankful they all got along so well. It was almost a test of how well your girl would fare in the long run if she could get along with the other old ladies. I shook my head, as I sure as hell shouldn’t have been thinking of Annabel in those terms. Don’t even go there. She isn’t your girl or your old lady, and she never will be.

After I motioned to the band, the music stopped. All the patch-holding guys came forward to form a circle. “Tonight we bring another brother into our ranks. Over the last year, he’s proven himself to be worthy of wearing a Raiders patch.” I signaled to Archer, who went out the back door to get Crazy Ace. As per tradition, he had been forced to wait away from the party until he was called for.

Although his usual persona was cocky as hell, he came in with his head down. His usual pimp walk was gone. I could tell he took this as seriously as he was supposed to. The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Even the babies in some of the women’s arms were subdued. When he approached me, I turned to Deacon, who handed me the new patch. “Crazy Ace, do you wish to patch in as a full member to the Georgia chapter of the Hells Raiders?”