I was about to lean up and kiss him when I heard Al y cal out, “I’m gonna have pancakes. I can’t wait to have pancakes.”

I turned around to look and saw Al y was walking into the room, her eyes huge, she was looking at me with what could only be described as a “Help me!” look, Daisy by her side.

“I bet most everyone has room for pancakes. Nobody real y likes donuts anyway, they aren’t very fil ing,” Al y declared, going a little over the top but the determined look on Daisy’s face spoke volumes.

Daisy marched right up to Smithie and planted her hands on her slim hips.

“See there, Smithie. Ally wants pancakes. Let that be a lesson to you, do not ever bring donuts into a Southern woman’s home. Southern women feed their guests and not with donuts. Comprende?” she snapped.

“Fuck, woman. You got a screw loose or what?” was Smithie’s unwise response.

Before Daisy could retort, we al heard shouted from the other room, “How dare you come between me and my band! ”

Everyone went completely silent.

Then we heard the creaking of a pul out bed. Not the tel tale creaking of morning Hot Boy on Rock Chick action but creaking like World War I I had just started in Daisy’s Den.

“Uh-oh,” Roxie breathed.

“Sounds like the Hawaiian has his hands ful ,” Smithie muttered.

“Everyone out,” Lee ordered, his voice low but there was no mistaking he meant to be obeyed, and now.

When the women hesitated, Hank grabbed Roxie’s hand, pul ing her off the couch saying, “Out.” The bed kept creaking, louder and scarier.

“Let’s go,” Eddie was guiding Jet out.

“I’l get the coffeepot,” Daisy whispered, grabbing both nearly empty pots of coffee.

As quietly as we could, we exited the room and went to the kitchen, leaving the donuts behind.

Upon entering the kitchen, Luke closed the door.

“No one leaves this room until one of those two leaves theirs,” Luke announced.

Denied our donuts, Daisy was forced to make pancakes.

* * * * *

“What? ” Shirleen shouted. Lee had just announced that they were giving up, why Lee had just announced that they were giving up, why they were giving up and that he was going to have a sit down with Sid and it was pretty clear Shirleen wasn’t happy about it.

We were al sitting in Daisy’s big room.

Shirleen, Hector, Darius (Lee’s other best friend, his now employee and Shirleen’s nephew) and Ike had arrived in time for pancakes, making great strides in improving Daisy’s mood. Bobby and Matt were taking care of business. Lee was bleeding money on this venture and someone had to help pay for the wedding.

About half an hour into our kitchen incarceration, Jules had to break Luke’s rule because she had to run to the bathroom to hurl.

When she came back to the room, she announced, “Um, they’re done. I saw Stel a in the hal . Mace too.”

“Thank Christ,” Lee muttered.

Then Jules gathered a Rock Chick huddle.

“Whatever you do, do not compliment Stel a on her outfit,” she advised.

“Why?” Ava asked.

“Because it’s cute,” Jules replied.

“And why wouldn’t we tel her it’s cute?” Roxie asked.

“Because Mace packed it for her,” Jules explained.

“Ah,” Jet nodded.

“And he packed her underwear,” Jules went on.

“I see,” Daisy muttered.

“And it’s very sexy. She told me it’s the only sexy set she owns,” Jules continued.

“Welp, there you go,” Al y remarked with complete understanding.

“And he kind of bought it for her when they were together,” Jules said.

Oh my. That was interesting.

Daisy giggled and it sounded like tinkling bel s. I loved Daisy’s giggle.

“And he also kind of bought her outfit for her too when they were together.” Jules’s tale of Mace’s Wardrobe Decisions Destruction seemed to never cease.

Jet clapped her hands to her on her mouth, her eyes wide and dancing and Shirleen snorted.

“And it’s cute?” Roxie asked with obvious disbelief.

“Super cute, in a Hawaiian surfer kind of way,” Jules answered.

“I can’t wait to see this,” I whispered.

“I can’t believe Mace could buy a cute outfit,” Roxie responded.

“Is she okay?” Ava asked Jules.

Jules shook her head.

“The stitches?” Shirleen’s voice was sharp; she’d been brought up to date with The Battle of Daisy’s Den.

“No, I think it’s something else. Something that made Stel a look pretty pissed and pretty confused at the same time. However, Mace looked very pleased with himself when I saw him come into the hal with Juno as Stel a went into the bathroom.”

“Broody Mace looked pleased? ” I asked.

We al knew what that meant. Been there, done that, had We al knew what that meant. Been there, done that, had the t-shirt.

Stel a had been laid.

“Dear Lord,” Jet breathed.

“This soon?” Ava asked.

“That beats Hank’s record, I think,” Al y told Roxie.

“Yep,” Roxie replied, a smal reminiscent smile playing about her mouth.

“Holy crap,” I said.

“Shit, I haven’t even had time to sort the pool. How am I gonna win any money back at this rate?” Shirleen looked to Al y. “It’s gonna have to wait until you get nailed.” Al y opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted.

“You women mind finishing whatever the f**k you’re talkin’ about later?” Lee asked in a not very polite voice.

My head shot up and I glared at him. “This is important,” I snapped.

“Yeah?” he asked on an eyebrow raise.

Oopsie.

Okay, wel , maybe his plans that day were a tad bit more important than gossip.

We gave Stel a and Mace time to shower, have pancakes and then we al wandered into the big room.

Throughout al this I watched Stel a. Her outfit was cute. I wanted it. I loved it. It was a black OP tank with a circle of dusky blue hibiscus flowers in a band around the boobs and a pair of dusky gray OP corduroy short shorts. She looked like super-cool, rock-surfer-chick. I was a little surprised at Mace’s heretofore unknown shopping abilities and wondered what the underwear looked like.

Stel a was being quiet and avoiding al things Mace.

Mace wasn’t looking straight out pleased but he certainly wasn’t broody or pissed off, which was mostly what I knew about Mace’s inventory of emotions. He didn’t look quite happy, instead he looked energized and alert at the same time he looked mel ow, the last new to me in Mace’s emotional arsenal.