Page 2 of The Originals

Meg lifted her chin, trying her best to see through the crowd. The small bar across the room had several men surrounding it. Most of them wore the Ghosttown cut except for a younger guy standing apart from the others. It was hard to gauge if he was part of their conversation or just trying to be. One thing was clear; he wasn’t a member of the club.

“I thought you said he was a biker.”

From the story Linda had given her, she’d been invited by one of the members.

“Yeah, he is. I saw him take off on his motorcycle after I met him at the gas station this morning.”

Meg furrowed her brows, and a wave of fear washed over her. “This morning?”

“Yeah, his name is Billy.” Linda paused, knitting her brows. “Or Bobby. Something like that.”

Meg grasped her friend’s arm. “But he’s not a member of the Ghosttown Riders?”

“I don’t know,” Linda said, smiling at a man passing by.

“Linda,” she snapped. “When you said you were invited, you made it sound like the guy was in the club.”

“What’s the big deal?”

Was she joking?

Meg ground her teeth and balled her fists. “We’re party crashers at a biker club!”

Oh hell, we’re getting murdered tonight.Her statement was a little dramatic but not necessarily inaccurate. While she didn’t know all the ins and outs of club life, she was sure they wouldn’t take kindly to strangers walking into their party and drinking their beer when they weren’t personally invited. Meg had heard one story from years ago about a few guys she’d gone to high school with crashing a Ghosttown party. It didn’t end well for them.

“Got your eye on anyone?”

What the…?Meg twisted her lips and jerked her head to Linda. This was not her usual type of crowd. For starters, most of the men were older by at least a decade, wearing motorcycle club patches and rowdier than guys she’d spent time around. Meg wasn’t opposed to a gruff rebel, but these men were beyond her limit.

“So, do you?” Linda asked.

Her friend was completely oblivious to their current situation. Or maybe Meg was just overreacting. Either way, with their new status asparty crashers, Meg was eager to speed up their departure time.

“Does Eddie know you’re here?”

Linda clamped her lips, peering around the room and clearly avoiding the question. “I’m going to get another drink. You want something?”

There was Meg’s answer. Eddie, Linda’s boyfriend, and by all accounts future husband, had no clue where she was spending her Saturday night. Like most of their friends, Linda had been ina long-term committed relationship. She hadn’t gotten engaged just yet, but it was only a matter of time. It seemed like the inevitable goal for most people her age in her small town of Turnersville. Except Meg.

Meg reached out, grabbing her friend’s hand. “Lin, maybe we should…”

“He’s going to propose,” Linda blurted.

Meg raised her brows. “Eddie? When, and how do you know?”

Linda sighed, glancing around the room. Within seconds, she’d lost a little of her spark. “My sister overheard him and my dad talking. He’s already got the ring, but he wanted to speak to my dad first and get his blessing.” Linda stepped closer until they were only inches apart. “He’s going to propose, and I’m going to say yes.”

The lack of excitement was not usually how a bride-to-be reacted to the news she was getting married. It was a total contradiction to her expected response.

“You don’t have to say yes.” Meg said.

Linda snorted, rolled her eyes, and shook her head. “Of course I do. He’s a good solid man. Great job, steady income, and he loves me. I’d be a fool to say no. That’s what my mom says, and my sister, and all my friends.” Linda smirked. “Well, everyone except you.”

It was true. Meg was the only one in their friend group who never pushed the “settling down and starting a family” agenda. If anything, her resistance was outspoken, punctuated by valid points. Though, not many people shared her opinion. Unless? Had she swayed Linda into thinking there was more to life than settling down?

“If you don’t want to marry Eddie, you don’t have to. No one can force you.”

Linda knitted her brows. “Iwantto marry him.”