by A. M. Myers
Turning back to the racks, I pull out a red dress that would barely even cover my ass and my phone buzzes. Sighing, I set the dress back and glance down.
Unknown:
Oh, not that dress, Darling.
It would clash with your gorgeous hair.
My hands tremble and I read the message three more times before it sinks in that someone is truly watching me. With tears burning my eyes, I type out my reply.
Me:
Who is this?
I turn back to the dresses and try to focus but my mind is solely focused on the phone in my hand as I wait for it to vibrate. An emerald green dress catches my eye and I pull it out, examining it as the phone buzzes.
Unknown:
That green would look stunning on you.
The room feels like it’s closing in on me as I look up, scanning the rest of the store for anyone with a phone. A few people glance in my direction but no one looks out of place. My heartbeat thrashes in my ear and black spots dance across my vision. I grip the rack and close my eyes, drawing a fortifying breath before opening them again and turning toward the dressing rooms. Mia walks out of the first one and smiles as she does a little spin in her dress.
I gulp in air and force what I hope is a convincing smile to my face as I give her a thumbs-up.
“Shaun’s jaw is going to drop.”
She moves to the mirror and runs her hands down the front of the dress. “You think? I was kind of wanting something with color.”
“What about this?” I ask, holding up a chunky coral necklace and she beams as she spins around and takes it from me.
“Yes, this is perfect. Oh, and they have a matching bracelet.” She holds the necklace up to her body and I nod.
“You look gorgeous.”
“I’m so excited,” she squeals, doing a little dance on the pedestal. “What about you? Did you find anything you like?”
I shake my head. “No, we should go check out a different store.”
“Okay, just let me change and pay for this stuff.” She retreats back into the dressing rooms just as my phone buzzes.
Unknown:
Beware the man you think you know.
Chapter Seventeen
Tatum
“You nervous?” Lincoln asks, grabbing my hand as he pulls the Camaro into the clubhouse parking lot. Classic rock blares through two large speakers set up by the door and people mill around the grill, drinking beers and laughing. I suck in a breath and nod.
“A little. I want them to like me.”
He flashes me an easy grin and grabs my hand, lacing our fingers before he brings it to his lips. “They’re going to love you, baby.”
“If you say so.” Butterflies flap around in my belly as I look out over the parking lot.
“Hey,” he says, nudging my chin with his finger. “I do say so. Don’t stress it. You’ve already won Ali and Carly over and that’s probably the hardest part. Oh, and if you get a chance, ask the guys to tell you how they got their names.”
I smile and nod, feeling a little bit better but I don’t know why I’m surprised. That’s just what Lincoln does for me. He makes everything better. My mind drifts to last night and the unsettled feeling that haunted me into the early hours of the morning while Lincoln slept peacefully in my bed. After Mia and I went to the second store, I didn’t get any more texts but that didn’t make the feeling of being watched go away. If anything, it made it worse because I didn’t know if he was there or not. I’m also beginning to wonder if this is really Reed’s doing.
“Did you handle that Reed thing?” I ask as we climb out of the Camaro and he nods.
“Yeah. Storm, Chance, Smith, and I took care of it last night.”
I nod. “How did it go?”
He chuckles, meeting me at the back of the car and wrapping his arm around my waist. “Uh, let’s just say he won’t be bothering you again.”
“What time did you go over there?”
He stops, scowling down at me. “Why?”
“Just wondering.”
“Did you get another call?”
I shake my head. “Just a text but it was earlier in the day.”
“It was probably before we went over there, then. Have you heard anything from him since I got to your house last night?” he asks, his brow furrowed and I shake my head.
“No.”
“Okay. You let me know the second something else happens, okay? It’s my job to take care of you.”
I scoff, shoving him as I roll my eyes. “I don’t need you to take care of me. I’m terrifying as you like to point out.”
“Don’t fight me on this,” he grumbles through a smile as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me into a kiss. A moan builds in my throat and I grab the back of his neck as I reach up on my tippy toes, trying to get just a little bit closer to him. Whistles pierce the air around us and we pull apart as Lincoln holds up both middle fingers.
“Go up to your room!” Chance yells from his seat by the fire. Carly smiles from his lap, flashing me a subtle wave.
“Tate!” someone yells and I glance up as Ali runs over to me.
“Alison!”
She stops mid-step and we both turn to see a very pissed Storm stomping over to her.
“No running.”
“Logan James Chambers, if you don’t ease up, I’m going to go live at the cabin until this baby is born. Do you hear me?”
He growls at her. “Keep pushing me, Kitten. I’ll haul your ass inside and spank it raw, pregnant or not.”
“Oh, whatever,” she mumbles, rolling her eyes but I can see the smile teasing her lips as she turns back to me and gives me a hug.
“I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Me, too.”
She hooks her arm through mine and pulls me away from the boys. Lincoln lets out a small noise of protest but I peek over my shoulder and flash him a smile.
“Are you hungry?” Ali asks. “We’ve got hot dogs and hamburgers.”
“Yeah, I’ll grab some food here in a minute.”
She nods. “Oh, let me go around and introduce you to the guys. First up, we have Blaze; he’s in charge of all these toddlers.”
I laugh and extend my hand. “Hi, it’s really nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” he mumbles, shaking my hand as his gaze bores into me like he’s just seen a ghost but Ali either doesn’t notice or chooses not to acknowledge it.
“And this here is Smith.”
Smith stands and grabs my hand before kissing it, making me giggle. “My lady.”
“Dude,” Storm groans from his chair and all the other guys laugh.
“Keep your lips off my woman!” Lincoln yells and I beam at him as my cheeks heat. It’s the first time he’s ever said something like that and it does crazy things to my hammering heart.
“This is Moose,” Ali says, pointing to another handsome man with a beard. Jesus, are all these guys ridiculously good looking? Is that a requirement for this club?
“Nice to meet you,” Moose says from his seat with a kind smile and I nod.
“And that is Fuzz and Streak,” she says, pointing to two men sitting on top of a picnic table.
“Hey,” one calls while the other nods in my direction and I hold up a hand to wave.
“Uh, hey, y’all. Thanks for inviting me.”
Lincoln grabs my hand and pulls me into his lap before handing me a beer.
“Tate, you’ve got to settle a bet for us,” Smith says and I nod as I take a sip of my drink.
“Okay, what is it?”
Lincoln starts laughing and I flash him a confused expression before turning back to Smith.
“Last night, Kodiak bet us that you would have no less than three weapons on you when you came tonight. I said one, at the most.”
Beer shoots through my nose as I laugh and start to cough as Lincoln rubs my back.
“Uh,” I hum, wiping at my nose. “Going anywhere with only one weapon is as bad as going
with none.”
“Aw, shit,” he whines. “Did I just lose fifty bucks?”
“Wait,” Moose interjects. “We’ve got to see proof.”
Lincoln’s body shakes underneath me as he loses it and I fight back a smile as I set my beer down on the arm of the chair and open my purse. First, I pull out the Taser and show it to them before digging out the can of pepper spray. Smith lets out a low whistle when the knife comes out next.
“That’s only three,” Storm points out and I nod, lifting up my pants leg to show them the pistol in my ankle holster.
“Jesus,” someone whispers and I laugh.
“You just made me a whole lot of money, baby,” Lincoln whispers in my ear and I grin at him.
“Glad I could help.”
I glance around the circle as half the guys step forward to toss fifty-dollar bills at Lincoln and I catch Blaze staring at me again. He doesn’t look away when he meets my gaze and I shift in Lincoln’s lap.
“Wait, there’s one more bet,” Lincoln points out and Smith groans, tapping his beer bottle against his head.
“I don’t even doubt the second one now and I don’t want to lose any more money.”
I arch a brow. “What was the second one?”
“Kodiak said you tased him,” Fuzz says with a smirk and I laugh, nodding my head.
“Uh, yeah. I did.”
“Why?”
I shrug. “’Cause he was being a dick.”
Hoots and hollers rise up around us.
“Oh, she’s going to fit right in,” someone says and my heat skips a beat because for the first time in my life, I really do feel like I belong here. My skin crawls with the sensation of being watched again and I glance toward the grill where Blaze is still staring at me, his face white and his eyes filled with pain. What the hell is with this guy?
Smith stands up and trudges over to us before dropping another fifty in Lincoln’s lap.
“Thanks, Tate,” he grumbles and I shrug.
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
Moose snorts out a laugh and slaps Smith on the back as he plops back down in his seat and chugs his beer.
“Now, I’m told that I need to ask y’all the stories behind your names?” I ask, glancing back at Lincoln as he grins. Moose groans and the guys start to laugh.
“What’s wrong, Moose? Don’t you want to tell Tate how you got your name?” Chance asks and he shakes his head.
“Naw, I’m good.”
“Well, I’ll tell it,” Smith says, launching into a story about a girl who knocked Moose out with a tranquilizer dart in an attempt to kidnap him and when he went down, he started moaning like a moose.
The entire circle falls into hysterics and my belly aches by the time we finally calm down.
“That story gets better every time I hear it,” Ali says, wiping at her eyes.
Moose grumbles and takes a sip of his beer. “Speak for yourself.”
“What about you, Smith?” I ask and he shrugs.
“That’s just my name, same as Chance. Fuzz was a cop in a previous life, Streak is the luckiest son of a bitch you’ll ever meet, Kodiak used to be a moody bear but not so much since he met you and the same goes for Storm since he met Ali.”
“And Blaze used to like to set fires,” Lincoln says and I glance toward the grill, scowling when I find two blue eyes still locked on me. Finally, he blinks and turns away from us before stomping into the clubhouse. No one else even notices but I glance back at Lincoln, who just shakes his head. What the hell is going on?
“Tate, come dance with us,” Ali says, holding her hand out to me and I smile as I take it and let her pull me off Lincoln’s lap.
“Just don’t bounce too much,” Storm grumbles and she rolls her eyes before arching a brow.
“Not even on your…”
“Watch it,” he snaps, cutting her off and I laugh as she wraps her arm around my waist with a victorious grin on her face. Carly, Ali, and I move away from the boys a little bit, closer to the speakers as Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen starts playing. Ali starts out singing the first part and when she stops, I pick up where she left off, really getting into it as they laugh. After a few minutes, they sit down at one of the picnic tables and I join them.
“So, what do you do, Tate?” Carly asks.
“Uh, I’m just a waitress.”
Ali shrugs. “Hey, no harm in that. If you’re doing what you love, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.”
“I wouldn’t say that I love it but I like it and it pays my bills. I’m actually thinking about going to school, though.”
“For what?” Ali asks, leaning back and propping her arms up on the table. Gravel crunches as someone walks up behind us and we all turn as Storm slams a bottle of water down on the table.
“Drink.”
She rolls her eyes again. “For fuck’s sake, Logan.”
“Drink,” he repeats, pointing to the bottle and she nods as she grabs it.
“Man, he’s bossy,” I point out as he walks away and she laughs, shooting water out of her nose.
“Oh, you’ve got no idea. Don’t worry, though. He’ll get his later for being such an ass tonight. He’s been especially uptight since we found out I’m pregnant.” She places a hand against her belly and I smile, imagining that for myself one day.
“How far along are you?”
“Only about six weeks which is why I’ve been trying to convince her to get pregnant with me,” she says, nudging Carly who sputters out a laugh and holds her hands up.
“Uh, no. I think Chance and I are good on the baby front for a while.”
The guys drop off three plates of food for us before going back to the grill and we chat as we eat. I’ve never been all that good at making new friends but with Ali and Carly, it’s easy to just be myself and they seem to like me. As I turn to glance at Lincoln, I see Blaze watching me from his seat by the fire and I scowl.
“What’s the deal with Blaze?” I ask and both girls turn to look at him.
“What do you mean?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. He’s just been watching me all night long.”
“Don’t let it bother you,” Ali urges. “Logan says that something has been off with him lately and he’s just grumpy.”
“So he doesn’t hate me then?”
Carly shakes her head. “No way. I don’t think Blaze hates anyone. He may look mean but the man’s a big teddy bear.”
“Speaking of bears… How did you and Kodiak meet?” Ali asks and I laugh, remembering the first time he came into the diner.
“Uh, I was his waitress and he was rude to me so I pretty much told him to go fuck himself.”
Both girls burst out laughing and the guys glance in our direction before turning back to the fire.
“That’s just perfect,” Ali mutters, shaking her head. “I swear, it’s what these guys need most of the time.”
I giggle. “What? Someone to put them in their place?”
She nods and starts talking about how ridiculous the guys can be, which has me in stitches by the time Lincoln approaches the table.
“Hey, baby. You about ready to get out of here?”
I turn to him and smile. “Yeah.”
“It was so nice to see you again,” Ali says, standing up and giving me a hug. “Get my number from Kodiak and we’ll hang out sometime, okay?”
I nod. “Yeah, that sounds great.”
Lincoln leads me back over to the fire where all the guys are. “Hey, we’re heading out.”
“Great to meet you, Tate,” Moose calls from his chair, holding his beer up and I nod.
“You, too.”
Smith jumps up and gives me a hug that makes Lincoln growl. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
“I think that’s enough,” Lincoln snaps, peeling Smith away from me and I grin at the knowing look in his eye.
“Thanks for inviting me,” I say to the whole circle. “It was great meeting all of you.”
We turn to leave and Lincoln slips his hand in mine, lacing our fingers together as we walk toward the car.
“Tate!” someone calls and I glance over my shoulder to see Smith waving to me. “When Kodi fucks up, I’ll be right here waiting, baby.”
I start laughing as Lincoln spins around and flips him off.
“You’re damn lucky I don’t break your neck tonight, Lucas,” he growls and a few of the guys laugh.
“Lucas?” I whisper and Lincoln nods.
“His first name.”
My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion starts playing and I glance back again to see Smith waving his phone over his head with his eyes closed.
“Come back to me, Tate!” he yells and Lincoln sighs as I giggle.
“Jesus, he’s drunk tonight.”
Turning back toward the Camaro, I drop my head back and yell, “Good-bye, Smith!”
“Get down before you fall in the fire, dumbass!” someone else yells and I laugh, feeling more carefree than I have in weeks.
“Did you have fun?” Lincoln asks as he opens my door and I nod, turning to face him with the door between us.
“Yes. This is amazing. Thank you for bringing me.” Leaning up on my tippy toes, I press my lips to his and he groans as his fingers slip into my hair.
“I’ve got to get you home,” he whispers against my lips, urgency in his voice and I nod before slipping into my seat. He closes my door and jogs around the back of the Camaro before getting behind the wheel. As we pull out of the parking lot, I glance in the side mirror and watch the scene behind me. It was exactly what I always imagined having a big family would feel like and it hits me that I don’t want to lose any of this.
We spend the rest of the ride to my house in a comfortable silence with our hands clasped between us and in my mind, I’m imagining an entire life with Lincoln. For the first time, I’m thinking of this as long term because the truth is that I’m completely and totally in love with the man sitting next to me and I’m ready for more. I’m ready for all of it.
When we pull up in front of the house, Lincoln parks the car and instructs me to wait while he jogs to open my door. Hand in hand, we walk up the front walk as butterflies flutter around in my belly. Tonight is the night. I’m done waiting for some sign that this is right because I already know that it is. Lincoln is the one I’ve been waiting for.
