Loving Laurel Animals MC book 6

Chapter Two.

Laurel followed Ivan into the diner, he held the door for her like always and they picked a booth near the back of the diner. An older waitress with graying hair hurried to their table.

"Hello dears, what can I get you for drinks?" She asked.

"I'll have tea," Laurel said gently.

"Water," Ivan said.

The waitress hurried off and Laurel lifted her menu, scanning it for something to order. She glanced briefly at Ivan over the top of her menu, he was texting someone and she briefly wondered if it was a woman.

"Who is watching your club while we are gone?" He asked.

"Tanner," She replied, referring to her right hand man.

"Oh, yeah, of course."

She glanced at him, his tone was somewhat biting when he spoke.

"What?" She asked.

"What?" He asked, with a shrug.

"That tone, what is it with you and Tanner? Why can't you just get along?"

"I don't like him, I don't trust him and I...."He trailed off and shook his head.

"You what? You can tell me."

"Nothing, just forget it."

Before she could say anything else the waitress returned setting their drinks in front of them she offered Laurel a warm smile.

"Newlyweds?" She asked.

"What?" Ivan asked, his head snapping up.

"I asked if you were newlyweds, I'm pretty good at reading people and the way your beautiful bride keeps spinning her ring on her finger....must be a newlywed," She said with a smile.

"Something like that," Laurel offered.

"I thought so," The woman said happily.

Laurel forced a smile back and Ivan turned to his menu, hoping the woman would take the hint, take their order and leave.

"What can I get you?" She asked, pulling out a pad and pencil.

"I'll have the grilled chicken breast special," Laurel said.

"I'll have a steak and potatoes."

The waitress hurried off, taking their menus with her and Laurel took a sip of her tea. Ivan waited until he was sure that the waitress was out of ear shot before he spoke.

"Why did you tell her that?"

"What?"

"That we're newly weds?"

"What did it hurt? We kind of are."

"No, we're a far way from newlyweds," He replied.

She shook her head and turned her attention to her now ringing phone, she answered it quickly and he took a deep breath. Something about the older woman's questions got under his skin, his and Laurels relationship wasn't something easy to explain and now it was even worse.

"We'll be there as soon as we can mom." Laurel said.

She hung up the phone and glanced at Ivan before setting it aside.

"Mom's excited to see us," She said.

"I'm sure she is."

"I haven't been home since Christmas...it was too hard trying to make an excuse of wehre you were."