Build

by Gillian Archer

  I picked at the thin blanket on my hospital bed as I thought over her words. “I never even let him tell me what was going on. I just cut him out of my life without an explanation. I don’t… What do I even say to him?”

  Mom tilted her head. “You start with I’m sorry and go from there.”

  *

  I had to wait another day and a half for my doctor to feel comfortable enough to discharge me. Between all the blood and urine tests, I felt like I was a fluid factory. And I could probably float out on my own with all the liquid they’d been pushing on me. I just wanted to lie down in my own bed and relax and try not to worry about how I was going to pay for all this. Hopefully that asshole’s insurance would pony up without dragging their heels. I couldn’t afford to hire a lawyer so I really hoped I wouldn’t need one.

  But I had some business to take care of first.

  An orderly pushed my wheelchair out the hospital doors to where Dylan waited at the curb with a sedate sedan.

  Before I could even think of up a smartass retort, he raised a hand. “Don’t even start. It’s Wendy’s car. She thought it’d be easier to get you and Trish home in this instead of my pickup.”

  “I didn’t say a word.” I felt a little awkward seeing Dylan given all that Wendy had spilled. But it didn’t feel like my place to say anything, so I gave him an awkward little smile.

  Dylan’s cheek turned a dusky pink, but he didn’t say another word as he helped me into the front seat, my mom into the backseat then stored her chair in the trunk.

  “I think that’s everything?” He asked as he turned back to look at my mom. “You okay back there, Trish?”

  “Comfy as can be. Thank you, Dylan.”

  “Yes, thank you, Dylan.” I echoed before I cleared my throat and started awkwardly. “Is Wyatt waiting for us at home?” The hospital had a strict no children visitor policy, and honestly, I’d been afraid to have Wyatt see me in that environment. I didn’t want to give him any horrible memories of hospitals. I’d been an adult when my mom had had her accident and it’d marked me. I didn’t want to do that to my child when he was so young.

  Dylan pulled away from the curb after checking his mirrors. He tossed me a quick glance. “No, I think Austin said something about letting you get settled in first so Wyatt wasn’t jumping all over you like an overexcited puppy. He wanted me to give him a call when I left, and he’d have me or Nathan bring Wyatt over.”

  “Oh.” I deflated slightly. There went that plan. “Do you know where they are?”

  “Well, I think they spend their afternoons at the shop. Austin lets Wyatt follow him around and play with Blue in his office when he’s busy. Why? Do you want him to meet us at your place instead?”

  “No. I want you to take me to the shop. I gotta see a man about a relationship.”

  My mom squealed in the backseat. “I knew it! I knew it! I’m texting Wendy right now!”

  I rolled my eyes and sat back in my seat, ignoring my mom’s crowing and the huge grin on Dylan’s face. The butterflies swirling around my stomach were enough of a distraction. I just hoped I wasn’t too late.

  27

  Austin

  I couldn’t stop checking my phone. Waiting for Dylan to call and let me know how the ride home with Rachel went was driving me out of my mind. I felt like I was back in middle school. Did she ask about me? Did she want to see me? Was she still mad at me? Argh.

  My silent phone was mocking me.

  I had to accept the fact that she didn’t want me. If Rachel had made one thing clear these last two weeks, it was that we were through. All my calls and texts had gone unanswered. She’d broken ties completely. But for the fact that her mother had asked for my help, I wouldn’t have seen Wyatt again. And more likely than not, I wasn’t going to see Rachel again. I just had to accept it.

  “Hey buddy, how are you feeling? You hungry? We can go grab some lunch before…” I trailed off awkwardly. I didn’t want to mention his mom and get him all riled up. Who knew how long it’d take for Rachel to get discharged and settled at home. But Wyatt didn’t notice my awkward phrasing. He was too busy trying to climb onto Blue like a pony.

  “Giddy up!” Wyatt crowed.

  Blue’s left ear twitched, but otherwise he didn’t move.

  “Hey, kiddo, you can’t ride Blue.” I crossed the room and plucked Wyatt off my dog. I was dying to laugh, but after almost a week with Wyatt I knew better. The last thing he needed was to think I was encouraging this behavior. Even though it was funny as hell. Blue was so exhausted from their racing around all morning he was practically comatose. But still I didn’t want Wyatt to accidently hurt the dog. “Even though he’s really big, he’s still not a horse. You can’t ride him.”

  “I wasn’t riding him, Austin. I was just pretending.” Wyatt blinked up at me with the same bright blue eyes as his mom, and I tried really hard not to melt.

  “Just don’t treat Blue like a horse, okay? You might accidently hurt him.”

  “Okay.” Wyatt stood next to Blue and patted him on the head. “Sorry, Blue.”

  Blue groaned and rolled over onto his side.

  Wyatt giggled and tried to mimic the sound Blue had made.

  “All right, kiddo. Let’s go grab some food. I’m hungry.”

  “Me too. Me too!” Wyatt beamed up at me.

  “Do you guys mind if we get something to eat back home?” A familiar voice asked from the doorway. “I don’t know that I’m up for too much excitement.”

  “Mom!” Wyatt cried before racing to the doorway where Rachel stood, looking so frail and beautiful all at the same time.

  “Whoa, kiddo. Careful.” Rachel held her hands out to keep Wyatt from crashing into her. “Go easy on me. I’m still pretty sore.”

  Wyatt stopped a few inches away from her, his head tilted back. “Did the doctor make you all better?”

  “Yeah, but I still have a few owies that’ll take a few more days to heal. Come here. Give me a gentle hug. Ooooh, I missed you!” Rachel groaned as she gave Wyatt a hug.

  “I missed you too, Mommy, but look, I met Blue! And Austin took me to school and picked me up in his truck. It’s so big!”

  Rachel laughed. The sound made my heart clench. This might very well be the last time I’d get to hear it. After a moment, she turned her twinkling eyes to me and she sobered.

  “It sounds like you had an awesome week.” Rachel smoothed a hand over the top of Wyatt’s head. “How about you run outside and go see Grandma and Dylan while I talk to Austin?”

  “Can Blue come with me?” Wyatt asked.

  “Sure, buddy,” I answered then whistled for Blue.

  Blue perked up, and after a bit of coaxing from Wyatt, followed the child out of my office and down the hall. I closed the door behind them and turned to Rachel standing a few feet away.

  “I’m sorry—”

  “No. Don’t.” I cut in. She was apologizing. Again. It would be funny if it didn’t hurt so damn much. “I don’t want you to ever apologize for looking out for you and your family. Wyatt comes first. I get it.”

  “I just… I have a thing about abandonment.”

  “Your ex—the douche? I know.”

  “No. Well, yes, but not just Jordan. My mom dated a lot of guys and it felt like just when I was starting to like them, they’d disappear. It uh, seems to be a pattern with me. My father left when I was six. He’d visit every week or so but after a while the time between visits got longer and longer until he stopped coming all together. He started a new family in southern California, and I wasn’t a priority anymore.”

  “Shit, that’s fucked up, baby—Rachel. There’s no excuse for a man walking away from his family.” I closed my eyes with a wince. “I was wrong. I know I was wrong. It’s something that I have to work on, but I can promise you—whether you want to get back together with me or not—I have learned from this. I’m done running. When shit gets hard, I’m gonna stick around. I’m gonna lean on my family and not run away from t
hem. I’m gonna work it out with them.”

  “So I heard. Thank you for calling in the troops and helping out my mom this week. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.”

  “You’re welcome. I don’t think I’ve ever been so freaked out as when your mom called. I didn’t know if you were okay. All I knew was that you’d been in accident, and that it wasn’t good. I uh, I wanted to come by the hospital and see you but…”

  “But you didn’t know if I wanted to see you.”

  “Yeah.”

  “To be honest, I don’t know if I would’ve. I had a lot to work through on my own. But I do now. Want to see you that is.”

  “Obviously. You’re standing here in my shop instead of curled up at home in your comfy bed.”

  “Well yeah, but I mean I want to see you again. Date you or whatever—go back to where we were before it all went to hell. That is if you want to, too.”

  I stood there for a long moment, looking my fill at Rachel’s wan but hopeful expression. Finally I shook my head. “I don’t think I could do that.”

  “Oh.” Pain washed over Rachel’s face that had nothing to do with her physical injuries.

  “I don’t want to go back to where we were. I want to go forward with all this shit under our belts. I learned from it. I’m better because of it. I love you more for having the ability to stand up for your yourself and your son despite your feelings for me. And I hope one day you love me half as much as I love you and Wyatt.”

  Tears wells in her eyes. “Austin.”

  I pulled her into my arms and kissed her, putting every bit of my love and the angst I’d felt over the past month into our kiss. It only took a few moments for Rachel to pull away panting. When I saw her pale face, I cussed myself for pushing her.

  “Sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have—”

  “What is it you say about apologizing?” She cut in with a smirk.

  “I believe the deal was I’d stop being an asshole if you stopped apologizing all the time.”

  “And I think that should go both ways. I was kind of an asshole for not even talking about our whole situation, and you’ve apologized enough.”

  “Wait, I’m confused. Are you saying I don’t have to apologize ever again?”

  Rachel snorted. “No, that won’t work either.”

  “How about we both try like hell to be considerate of the other person and not be afraid to apologize when we’re wrong.”

  “You are a very smart man. I love you.”

  “Love you too.” I kissed the tip of her nose. “Now how about we get you home and in bed. My bed so I can take care of you.”

  She sighed. “That sounds really good. I want to, but…”

  “Wyatt?”

  “Yeah. And my mom. I don’t know—”

  “Do you honestly believe that I don’t know you’re a package deal? Bring them all. I don’t only love you—I love Wyatt too. He’s so funny and sweet and awesome in his own right. I want him in my life. If I’ve learned anything this last week, it’s that my house has been too quiet for too long. I’m ready for all the craziness that having you and your family in my life will bring.”

  Rachel sighed and dropped her head onto my shoulder. “And just when I think it isn’t possible to love you more…”

  She tipped her head back and looked up at me under her eyelashes. I’d seen that look plenty of times before. If she wasn’t just out of the hospital…

  “Mommy?” Wyatt called through my office door. “Grandma wants to know if you guys are done making up yet. I’m hungry, and she’s tired.”

  I closed my eyes with a laugh. It was a tiny preview of what our life was going to be like.

  “You sure you’re ready for a Tannenbaum invasion?” Rachel whispered.

  “Hell yeah.”

  I was going to love every damn minute.

  Epilogue

  Austin

  Three months later

  California Kings MC Clubhouse

  “Those fucking curves are giving me a hard on,” a gruff voice boomed next to me.

  I’d been a little nervous bringing Rachel into the belly of the beast, but now that I was here and seeing her in action all my nervous had disappeared. “Might make riding her a little uncomfortable.”

  Hawk, the Vice President of the MC, ran his hand over the fender of the bike we’d just delivered and groaned. I smirked. It felt fucking fantastic when I got this kinda response from a client. It made all the hours, sweat, and bullshit so fucking worth it.

  On the other side of the courtyard, Rachel gave a peal of laughter, drawing my attention away from Hawk and his fondling of his bike. She looked gorgeous. Her long, brown hair falling like waves of chocolate behind her as she tossed her head and laughed at whatever T-Bone had said. Her breasts bounced in the tight tank she wore. Talk about hard-ons. Fuck me.

  Hawk grunted. “You might wanna go make sure T-Bone isn’t making a play for your woman.”

  “I’m not worried.” My woman only had eyes for me. I was surprised that the clubhouse hadn’t caught fire with the looks Rachel had been throwing me.

  “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like some time alone with this little lady.” Hawk ran his hand over the gleaming gas tank. “We need to get better acquainted.”

  “Sure, man. Take her for a spin and let me know what you think.” I was half way across the courtyard toward Rachel before I finished the sentence. I heard Hawk chuckle behind me and then the roar of the bike’s engine cut through everything. Safe bikes were loud bikes and my bikes were the safest of them all.

  I reached Rachel’s side and pulled her to me until I could wrap both my arms around her. With her nestled in front of me, I buried my face in the nape of her neck for a moment. I wanted to find a room down the hall and mark her as mine, but we’d only been here five minutes. Instead I kissed the side of her neck and breathed in that scent that was purely Rachel while I mentally counted the minutes until I could take her home.

  To our home.

  Rachel, Wyatt, and Trish had moved into my house last week. Rachel into the master bedroom with me, Wyatt in his very own superhero themed bedroom down the hall while Trish took over the pool house in the backyard. It’d been a crazy week with the move and finishing up the Kings’ build that we hadn’t properly christened the house yet. And since Trish had Wyatt in the pool house all night long, we could finally make the house ours. Especially the living room. And the dining room. And the kitchen. And the master bath. And the hallway.

  I had plans, and this fucking build reveal was getting in the way of them all.

  I jumped as a hand slapped my shoulder.

  “You did a fucking fantastic job,” T-Bone boomed.

  “Thanks.” I jerked my chin in acknowledgement, my arms still wrapped around Rachel. “I can’t take all the credit. Nathan and Ryan did a lot of the work. And Dylan is a master when it comes to paint.”

  “The bike is purdy, don’t get me wrong, but I was talking about your woman here. You clearly have good taste. Don’t let this one go.”

  “Not planning on it.” I bared my teeth in a semblance of a smile that I sure as hell wasn’t feeling.

  “And I mean it little lady. If you ever want a job tending bar, I’ll hook you up.” T-Bone nodded at Rachel then me. “Amazing job on the bike.”

  I jerked my chin at him again, and Rachel and I watched silently as T-Bone ambled away.

  I dropped my head onto her shoulder with a groan. “Do you really have to charm every man you meet? I was worried for a second there that I’d have to throw down with the baddest man in Sactown.”

  “What can I say? All my time tending bar has perfected my schmoozing skills.”

  “Are you interested in his offer?” I asked with raised eyebrows. Rachel had cut back on her hours just before the move—quitting her job at Finnegans so she could apply to local colleges.

  “Do I miss listening to sob stories and wiping up after stinky men? I do enough of that at home.�
� Rachel laughed.

  My heart pounded, both at her words and the sound of her laugh. “Do you think it’s too early to duck out? We don’t even have to say goodbye and I doubt anyone would even notice.”

  Rachel bit her bottom lip with a soft groan. “I really, really want to…”

  “Then let’s do it.”

  “Austin! Get your ass over here!” Ryan waved an arm over his head like his voice wasn’t enough of an attention getter. “We’ve got celebratory shots to do!”

  I sighed and pressed my forehead against Rachel’s. “Raincheck? Like in an hour?”

  “I’m holding you to that, bucko.” Rachel smirked as she pulled away.

  Rachel spent the next hour drinking beer, doing shots, and bullshitting with some of the scariest bikers in the state. Meanwhile, I nursed my one and only beer and tried like hell to keep my hands off her. I don’t know if it was possible to love her any more than I did. She just fit so seamlessly into my life. I don’t know how I ever got this far without her.

  And I couldn’t wait to get her alone so I could show her how much I loved her.

  I slid my hand down her back, ready to make our getaway when I noticed Ryan slipping out the side door with a gorgeous blond. Son of a bitch. Taking a quick glance around the room, it didn’t look like anyone had noticed their exit. Until I tipped my head down and found Rachel’s eyes pointed in the same direction as mine were.

  “Is that…” she whispered.

  I cleared my throat, cutting her off, then muttered. “Not here. We should uh, stay a minute so it’s not an obvious mass exodus.”

  Rachel shook her head. “Why would he—”

  “Because he’s a dipshit who lets his little head do his thinking. I just hope like hell that she’s not tied to anyone here. She wasn’t wearing a “Property of” vest so he’s got that going for him at least. Maybe he’ll live to see tomorrow.”