Roni put her head back and closed her eyes. “If you could have seen him Friday night with all his friends and their kids.” She met Angela’s gaze and said, “And with me, Ang. He treats me so well. When we were doing the scavenger hunt, and at the bar afterward, I felt like we’d been dating for months. It’s so easy to be with him, and I was so happy during the scavenger hunt and when we were at the bar. All those scary-looking bikers that we saw at the auction were there, and they’re not scary when you get to know them. They’re like one big family. I loved being around his friends, getting to know the people who love him—and trust me, they do love him.” And they’d loved her, too. Josie had texted Sunday morning with the information about her bachelorette/bridal shower, and while Roni had been thrilled to hear from her, it had also made her even sadder, so she hadn’t responded. “They think the world of him, and that means something because several of them have known him since Tru first met Bear when Quincy was only nine. Those bikers fight to keep our streets safe. If Quincy was a threat, he wouldn’t be around them. And his friends knew how hooked on me he’d been for all those months. He even talked to Red Whiskey, who’s like a mother to him, about wanting to see me after Gram died. It’s like we were already dating back then for both of us. And he waited until he was clean for two full years before trying to go out with me. Doesn’t that tell us something about him, too?”

“I guess,” Angela said. “But how do you know they aren’t all recovering addicts?”

“I don’t, but so what if they are?” Roni said softly. “Does that matter if they’re not using drugs now? I met the greatest group of girls, and they even invited me to a bachelorette party and bridal shower they’re combining into one celebration, where they’re going to be making gingerbread. Does that sound like a group of bad people to you? Quincy doesn’t drink, either, and he told me the truth about everything, knowing it could end things between us. He didn’t have to do that. He could have waited until months down the line, or even kept it to himself forever.”

“That’s true, and I was very pro-Quincy before you told me all of this. You know that. I like that he has been there for you all these months and that he didn’t pressure you to jump into bed with him. But I’m your best friend, and I need to watch out for you and say the things you don’t want to hear.” She sat beside Roni and said, “There are a lot of guys out there. You could find someone who doesn’t have that kind of baggage, a guy who treats you just as well as Quincy does, who won’t make you wonder if he’s going to get caught up in drugs again. Someone who is hardworking and who will always be there for you. You deserve that, Roni. You deserve someone you can count on.”