Page 7 of Peer & Coco

At the bar, at the club, at home, he always helped everyone else. He needed help. Not only with Tyr but the sheer responsibilities around the house on top belonging to Slag. But, he rarely asked others for anything. It drove her crazy.

It'd taken her several weeks of living with him to figure out that during their long conversations, he'd given her the illusions that their friendship was two-sided. When she finally figured out how he distanced himself from not only her but everyone, it hurt.

She tried hard not to fall for him asking questions about what was going on in her life as caring. Their arrangement was for Tyr. She understood what he'd asked of her, but she wanted more from him.

She walked in front of the counter. Peer looked up and followed her with his gaze. She looked over her shoulder, letting him know she was paying attention and he turned away from her.

Dejected, she rethought her personal goal to get closer to him. It was a daily struggle. Maybe she needed to amp her game. There had to be something she could do.

Slag men were a rare breed. Traditional in their views toward women and proud. They put women on a pedestal and respected them.

Peer probably never even thought of being friends with her the way other men were willing to do. She constantly had to remind herself not to run home and unload her thoughts on him the way she had with Lizzy when they lived together.

Ten minutes until closing, she finally got a chance to talk to Peer while she took the cleanup bin back behind the counter.

"Tyr's putting miles on that walker you bought for the clubhouse. He'll be walking in no time." She took the tips out of her apron and put the cash in her pocket to count later.

"Ja." He picked up two bottles in each hand. "He'll probably run right out the door."

She gasped. "Don't say that. We'll be extra diligent and always keep an eye on him. They have those child locks you can put high up on a door."

"It's tough enough with him crawling and walking around the furniture," he muttered.

She opened her mouth to ask him why he was giving out all the negativity, and a customer came up to the counter to pay. Leaving Peer to do his job, she helped Heather, Monica, and Dinah clean their sections of the room.

Marcus, standing by the front door, locked the bar and shut off the outside light.

"Why are you so quiet?" Heather took off her apron. "You're usually whooping it up when the last customer walks out."

"Tired." She blew out her breath. "I'm thinking about my bed. Nothing sounds better at the moment."

"Girl, I could list a few things that would be more fun than going to sleep. Like what you can put in the bed with you." Heather raised her brows. "I'm going to the clubhouse and plan on filling mine with something scrumptious."

"Ugh." She shook her finger. "That takes too much energy."

Monica, overhearing the conversation, pouted. "Everyone needs someone."

Heather hip bumped Monica. "You have Joel. When's the last time you were on the hunt for love?"

"Honey, I hunt for it every day." Monica walked around the table and shoved in each chair. "It's all about the chase."

"No, it's always about the capture." Heather laughed. "Tie me up."

"No wonder Joel is so deep in love with you." Coco looked over her area, deeming it clean and orderly for the ladies from Slag to come in the morning and clean properly. "You guys have a good night...with whatever you do. I'm out of here."

Checking to see how soon Peer would be ready to go home, she found him gone from behind the bar. She went to the breakroom, grabbed her sweater, and walked out into the alley.

Peer's motorcycle was still parked in the fourth spot in the long, line of bikes. She yawned. The way he acted tonight, she wasn't sure if he would stick to the normal routine of bringing Tyr out to her car, so she could bring him home.

His mood change put her in a funk. She opened her car door and slid into the seat to wait. Normally, she'd talk with other Slag members or go inside and visit with the women while she waited for Peer. Tonight, she only wanted to go home.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. The weather had cooled off from the summer heat and burrowing herself under the covers in bed and letting go was right up there with getting off her tired feet.

The back door of her car opened. She blinked, shaking off the tiredness. With Tyr in the vehicle, she needed to stay fully aware.

"Hey, sweet face. Are you ready to go home?" She looked in the rearview mirror, unable to see him with Peer's head blocking her view to the mirror they'd attached to the headrest making it possible to see a baby in a rear-facing car seat.

Tyr gave her a string of babble as an answer. She found herself smiling. That kid was the coolest baby ever.