“Why did we stop?” she asked. “Need a rest?”
“You know what I need,” he said. “Or your hand does.”
Said hand gave the bulge in his pants an appreciative squeeze.
“But someone keeps buzzing my phone.”
Adam pulled his phone out of his pocket, hoping it wasn’t who he thought it might be: his father. He did not want to deal with the old man this weekend.
Adam was surprised to see several messages from the band’s lead singer. And for once Jacob wasn’t ripping him a new one for being late or some bullshit. Adam smiled and chuckled as a photo of Owen mooning a rather offended-looking cow loaded on his screen.
A cow? Did they even have cows in New Orleans? He could only guess why Owen had his pants around his knees.
Where the hell are you guys? Adam texted.
Owen said he heard of some in-the-sticks Cajun restaurant I had to try. We stopped for some entertainment in a pasture.
Dude, that’s just wrong.
Not THAT kind of entertainment.
Is Kellen with you?
He’s with that redheaded chick. Owen and I thought we’d blow off some steam. And avoid Lindsey for a couple of hours.
Heat rose up Adam’s face, and he peeked at Madison. He should probably tell her that he might have gotten some chick pregnant, but that news was sure to put a damper on their good time this weekend.
His phone buzzed again.
Do you want to join us for an early supper? You’re not too far from us.
How did Jacob know that? Adam started to type the question when he remembered he’d been convinced to add an app to his phone that let his circle of friends locate him whether he wanted to be found or not.
I thought you were mooning cows.
Another picture came through of Owen climbing a split-rail fence with an incredibly offended-looking bull racing up behind him.
Adam laughed, and Madison’s fingers dug into his shoulder when she lifted up to look at his screen.
“What in the world?” she asked.
“Owen and Jacob’s idea of an entertaining afternoon.”
He flicked backward to the picture of Owen mooning the cow, and she laughed. She laughed harder when he showed her the second picture of the angry bull chasing the band’s bassist.
“I don’t think that bull appreciated Owen making a moooove on his woman,” Madison said.
Adam snorted and shook his head. So his woman told lame jokes, so what?
I think Owen is tired of insulting bovines. Jacob’s next text came through quickly. He always used a voice-to-text app, as if he couldn’t be bothered with typing. Join us. You can bring your girl. We won’t embarrass you.
There was a pause, and then Adam’s phone received a single word text.
Much.
Adam was sure they’d embarrass the hell out of him, but he wouldn’t mind it too bad. He missed the camaraderie of the band’s early days. Back before his troubles with addiction tried to destroy his friendships. He was grateful those bonds hadn’t been completely severed and was more than ready to strengthen them again.
“Do you like Cajun food?” Adam asked Madison.
“Sure do. The spicier the better.”
“Do you want to join Jacob and Owen for a late lunch? They say the restaurant isn’t far from here.”
“I guess so.”
At Adam’s request, Jacob sent him directions and by not far, Jacob meant twenty miles away on a completely different highway, so Adam had a bit more time to enjoy the feel of Madison at his back, the breeze against his neck, and the bike rumbling between his thighs. Life was good. He couldn’t stop grinning.
It turned out the Cajun restaurant was an old camper that had been converted into a portable kitchen. The picnic tables surrounding the little eatery were mostly full. Considering that there were only eight tables, the crowd wasn’t excessive. But the pile of crawdads in front of Jacob bordered on obscene.
“Are you going to share any of those?” Owen was asking as Adam directed Madison to the table with a protective hand on her lower back.
Jacob slapped Owen’s hand and, as his mouth was full, responded with a grunt of denial.
“No one comes between Jacob and his crawdads,” Adam said.
Jacob paused in his feasting long enough to nod at Madison and smile at Adam, but he wasn’t distracted enough to miss Owen’s attempt to sneak another crawdad from his plate.
“We’re supposed to share those,” Owen complained. “That’s why we got a double order.”
“Let’s go get some for ourselves,” Madison suggested.
“Order me another mess,” Jacob said as he snapped another crustacean’s shell to get at the presumably delicious meat inside.
“Get your own,” Owen said and climbed over the picnic table bench to get to his feet. He seemed to notice Madison for the first time. “Hey,” he said, “when did you become hot?”
“She was always hot,” Adam said, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her close at his side.
“No,” Owen said. “She was always cute. Now she’s hot.”
“Must be Louisiana’s sweltering heat,” Madison said, piling on the Southern accent and fanning herself dramatically.
“I do believe it’s the leather,” Owen said.
“It is rather stifling in this humidity, unless we’re riding. That’s a bit cooler. And fun. I love it. It’s a lot like riding horses, only faster and a bit more predictable.”
She tipped her face up at Adam to offer him a proud smile, and he couldn’t resist kissing her lips softly.
They followed Owen to the order window and talked about Owen’s adventure with disgruntled cattle while they waited for their food.
“Why were you bothering the cows in the first place?” Adam asked.
“They looked bored,” Owen said.
“Cows always look bored,” Madison said and laughed.
“They just need someone to show them how to party,” Owen insisted, drawing his basket—crawdads and Cajun fries, with sides of red beans and rice—across the counter toward him.
“And I’m sure you’re up for the task,” Adam said. He shook his head at his friend and collected his and Madison’s baskets. She carried their drinks and plastic forks.
“I’m a perpetual party, baby,” Owen said as he skirted the table and settled on the bench next to Jacob.
“Your perpetual party is in your pants,” Jacob said, eyeing the line at the counter. His pile of crawdads had dwindled to unacceptable levels, and not one of them was keen on sharing with him when he’d refused to do likewise. He’d even tried to stare Madison down, but she merely raised a brow, pulled her basket closer, and started eating.