by Debra Kayn
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Nope." Heather put the mugs on the tray. "Just working."
Gia took Heather's place at the kegs. He leaned forward. "Hey, Gia."
Gia glanced at him and grabbed a mug. "Hi."
When Gia concentrated on her task and not the conversation he tried to start, he said, "Have you seen Raelyn?"
"Of course." She looked at him and raised her brows. "She's with Choke."
He took out his phone to text Choke. Gia placed her hand on his wrist. "I'd wait. She'll be back soon."
More curious now that he knew she was with one of his MC brothers than concerned about her well-being after suffering from a hangover this morning, he nodded and set his phone on the counter.
"Have you talked to her at all today?" Gia set the mug on a tray and reached for another glass.
"Before she opened the bar and I went to the clubhouse."
Gia's mouth puckered. "Hm."
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing." Gia set down the filled mug and leaned on the counter. "Okay. I like you. I really do, and everyone is aware of you watching out for Raelyn. But, seriously? She was drunk."
His boot slid off the foot railing. "You drink."
"Yeah, but I don't get married when I'm drunk." Gia sighed. "I'm not trying to be mean, and Raelyn is one of my best friends, and I care about her. I want the best for both of you."
His jaw tightened. "But...?"
"I'm just saying she's not in the best mood. Go slowly and listen to her when she wants to talk." Gia picked up the tray of drinks and walked away.
He ran his hand along his jaw. Whether Raelyn had been drunk or not, she'd agreed. He would've married her eventually.
If he'd waited, Raelyn would've made up every excuse to not step forward. Her family was here, she couldn't add any more to her daily schedule. Her job required too many hours, and she was tired after closing the bar. Dukie was too young, he needed stability in his life. None of her excuses mattered because he had listened to what she refused to admit out loud.
She loved being married.
She wanted a father for her son.
She needed support.
Hell, he'd been patient and waited until both her mind and body were ready to think of the future, and that'd happened. She gave him every sign that she wanted him.
She could get pissed, blow up, and refuse to acknowledge that she was happy. He expected a range of emotions from her because she was a woman with so much to give. But, he refused to believe she wasn't happy.
Her girlfriends were only protecting her from what Raelyn said, not what she was feeling. She'd felt. He'd felt her.
When she had time to wrap her head around being with him for the rest of her life, she'd thank him.
Groans grew louder behind him. He swiveled on the stool. The football game on the television ended.
Choke and Raelyn walked through the crowd carry two grocery bags. Mel soaked in the smile on her face and the hurried walk. She was obviously feeling better after having a rough morning.
Raelyn's gaze collided with his and her smile faded. He stood and reached for the bags, and she avoided his help.
"Babe?" he said.
"Busy. Ran out of buns for the hamburgers." She passed him and swept into the kitchen out of sight.
Choke clamped his hand on Mel's shoulder. "How's it going, brother."
"It's going." He stared at the long line of men at the cash register. The sports crowd had enough. Each one, whether his team won or lost, would go home to a girlfriend or a wife, and move on until the next time his team played.
"I'm going to grab dinner while there's a break in the crowd and then head over to the clubhouse." Choke waved Heather over. "Are you tipping back a few later?"
"No, I'll skip out tonight." Mel stepped away and sat back down on the barstool.
He needed a drink. Last night, he'd held back wanting to give Raelyn her night to let her hair down, and he wanted tonight to be a celebration. It wasn't every day a man got hitched.
There was a long time in his life, he believed a man only tied himself to a woman if he wanted to cut out half his lifestyle and replace drinking, smoking, and other women with being home at five o'clock, Sunday dinners, and wearing fucking matching shirts for every date anniversary he'd never remember.
That mundane life his mother lived with his stepdad turned him off because he could remember his mom and dad, before his dad had died, living each day as if it was their last. It wasn't unusual to walk into the living room and find his dad play wrestling on the couch with his mom until she laughed herself silly or caught them holding hands and whispering, his mom's eyes glowing with love.
That elusive love ended when his dad died. His mom had settled for boring and companionship over soul-filled happiness.
He thought he'd never find someone who would grasp life and share it with him. He wanted to see the world through someone else's eyes and share those slow moments where words weren't necessary because someone he loved was right beside him.
He had that with Raelyn, and he wasn't going to let her doubts ruin something beautiful.
Raelyn pushed through the kitchen door and marched behind the counter, stopping in front of him. "We need to talk."
He nodded.
She walked away and stopped at the cash register. He watched her take care of the rest of the customers waiting to pay their bill and slipped his hand in his pocket. The ring he'd picked out and bought earlier sat in a tiny velvet box.
Raelyn walked in his direction. He put his hands on the counter.
"You had no right to do what you did." She lowered her voice. "We had sex, and last I looked, there's no one standing behind us with a shotgun forcing us to get married."
He opened his mouth to explain, and she walked off. Letting her set the mood, he kept his seat. If he lucked out, she'd wait until after the bar closed and they could have it out one final time, and then he could take her to bed and start on a better foot in the morning.
Heather passed him, turned, and came back to stand in front of him. "I'm sorry for not answering you when you asked where Raelyn went earlier because it could've been important. I think highly of her, and when I tried to talk with her earlier to find out what was bothering her, she only muttered your name and refused to talk. I was only looking out for her. She's obviously upset."
"You're a good friend to her," he said.
Heather sighed. "I could be better. It's all these damn hormones inside of me."
"No, you did the right thing."
"Are you really married," Heather whispered. "That's what Gia said, and my dad nodded when I asked him."
He wasn't surprised to find out that Heather went to her dad, Swiss. "It's true."
"So, that's why she's upset." Heather broke out in a smile. "I totally saw that coming. You two are perfect for each other. Everyone could see how attracted you both were to each other, and you stay at the bar like you're a family already. Don't worry about Raelyn, she'll get over whatever is bothering you. She loves you. Can I tell Rod?"
"He already knows," said Mel.
"Seriously?" Heather wrinkled her nose. "I'm totally going to get him for keeping it from me. We'll throw a party for you guys. Maybe this weekend, after I talk to the other women."
"Uh." Mel scratched the side of his face, his whisker rasping under his fingers. "You might want to wait and let Raelyn get used to the idea first."
"Good idea." Heather grinned. "I'm so happy for you."
"Thanks."
Left alone, he stood to walk upstairs and check on Dukie before his bath and bedtime, and Raelyn stopped him. His chest warmed having her close with nothing between them.
"You have to fix this." Tears flooded Raelyn's eyes, and she raised her brows to keep them at bay. "I can't be married to you," she whispered.
He hooked her neck and brought her to his chest. She came willingly, and he held her. The way her body trembled shook him to the c
ore. He'd never do anything to hurt her.
"Don't say another word." He put his lips to the top of her head and continued. "We'll talk when the bar closes."
She nodded against him.
"Want me to work your shift?" He tilted her head and looked into her eyes. "You can go up and spend time with Dukie, have a bath, and take a nap."
She sniffed and the panic he'd witnessed minutes ago in her eyes eased. "No, I'm not good for Dukie like this. I'll take an extra ten minutes with him when he comes down to tell me goodnight before he goes to bed."
He kissed her lips softly. The muscles in her neck underneath the palm of his hand relaxed. He pulled his mouth away while staying close. "Have I ever hurt you, babe?"
"No," she whispered.
"Do you trust me?"
She laughed softly. "After last night, I'm not sure you should ask me that question."
"You're letting me kiss you." He pulled her tighter against him. "You're leaning on me. You've already given me your answer without saying anything."
"I have a son," she said pulling away.
He tugged her back. "A son I've been around since he was born. A son who had a father who loved him, and because Duke was my MC brother, I only see it as an honor to help raise his son."
"Mel..." She looked away.
"Go serve your customers. We'll talk more when we can be alone." He kissed her again. "I'm going to go up and spend some time with Dukie."
She nodded. "Do you want dinner?"
"Yeah." He pulled out his phone and checked the time. "Give me an hour."
He walked off leaving her more settled than when he'd arrived. Halfway up the stairs to the apartments above the bar, Carl hurried down the steps. He stopped, shifted sideways, and let the kid pass.
Carl never uttered a word or a glance.
"Hey," said Mel.
Carl stopped at the bottom of the stairs and peered up at Mel. "What?"
"Bar closes at two o'clock. Be inside before I throw the locks or plan on spending the night outside. We're not going to have a repeat of last night." Mel lowered his chin. "Your sister has enough going on without worrying about you, and she does worry."
Carl shrugged and walked away, shutting the door behind him. Mel took the steps three at a time and knocked on Raelyn's door, before letting himself in.
Sharon looked up from the couch where she sat beside Dukie letting him run his Matchbox car along her leg. "Just the man I wanted to talk to."
"Yeah?" Mel walked over to the chair. Dukie heard his voice and slid off the couch to come sit on his lap. He hefted the child and tucked him against his chest, sticking out his arm to be used for Dukie's makeshift race track.
"I wanted to thank you for letting us stay here until I get back on my feet again." Sharon paused. "I'm afraid I wasn't too gracious when you paid off Keith to leave."
"No thanks needed," he said. "Raelyn manages the bar and the apartments."
"I seem to always make the wrong choices."
He held back any judgment. It wasn't his place to tell someone how to live their life. "You deserved better than that guy."
Sharon laughed softly, almost sadly. "I don't do well with loneliness, and that's why I wanted to thank you for allowing me, us, to stay here. I'm very happy to have this time with my daughter and grandson."
"She deserves your appreciation, not me," he said.
Sharon tilted her head. "Do you really believe that?"
He grunted. Not knowing Raelyn's mom enough to know if she questioned his motives or her daughter's successes at managing the bar, he refrained from commenting.
"I see how my daughter looks at you." Sharon sighed happily. "There was only one man who ever made me feel the way I see her looking, and that was Raelyn and Carl's dad."
One thing Raelyn never talked about was her dad. Mel never questioned her because, like him, he preferred to leave the past behind him, including people.
"I love your daughter, Sharon," he said, swiping Dukie's hair out of the boy's eyes.
"Good." Sharon stood and approached the chair. "Now, while you're here, I'm going to go change my clothes and let the babysitter earn her money."
"Be good, sweet boy," she whispered, leaning down to kiss Dukie's head. "I'll go get Allison. She's doing laundry with Grandma June."
Raelyn's mom left the room and Mel brought his attention down to Dukie. "How was camp?"
"Okay." Dukie yawned and gazed up at Mel. "Are you going to stay upstairs tonight with me while Mom works?"
"Only until it's your bath time. Then I'm going downstairs and spend time with your mom."
"Do I have camp tomorrow?" Dukie dropped his car, wiggled off Mel's lap, and picked it up.
"Yeah. There are two more days, and then you get a break." Mel stretched his legs out and hooked his hands behind his head.
Dukie rubbed his nose. "Reggie can ride a bike without training wheels."
"Does that bother you?" He assumed Reggie was another kid at the camp.
Dukie dropped to his knees and pushed the car across the round rug in the center of the room. "Mom won't let me ride my bike in town."
"Well, maybe we can figure out somewhere else for you to ride," said Mel, knowing there was too much traffic along Main Street it wasn't safe for a beginner rider. Once in a while, Raelyn would take the boy to the parking lot behind the bar early Sunday morning to ride around, but a kid his age needed to ride more often where he was free to explore and gain his confidence.
"Where?" said Dukie.
"Same place I learned how to ride a bike. A long, long time ago." Mel winked. "I'll talk to your mom and see when we can go."
Dukie rushed him, throwing himself back into his lap again. "Will you take off my training wheels?"
"Soon." He rubbed Dukie's head. "Once you're steady."
He'd do anything for Raelyn's son. All of the Ronacks members would. Living at the bar gave him the opportunity to grow close to the boy. Every day, he learned something new and more surprisingly, he understood that the only thing Dukie wanted was life to continue on. Happy. Content. Loved.
Chapter Eleven
"Enjoy your days off." Raelyn hugged Allison at the door of the apartment. "JayJay is downstairs, and he'll make sure you get home safe."
When Allison wasn't babysitting Dukie or spending the night in the spare bedroom, she lived at home with her parents, who owned the coffee shop in Haugan. At twenty years old, Allison was spreading her wings, going to college, and trying her hardest to make a life for herself that would eventually take her to a bigger city with more excitement for a young, single woman. But, right now, Dukie loved the energy and softness Allison gave him, and Raelyn loved Allison for the fact she loved her son.
"I'll see you Tuesday." Allison waved over her shoulder.
Raelyn shut the door and picked up Dukie's shoes in the middle of the floor and set them next to the wall. The myriad of emotions and stress of dealing with the fallout of Mel taking her in front of the club and declaring her as his woman no longer angered her. She was just tired. Bone tired.
To top her day off, Carl hadn't come back to the bar in time but sent a text that he was crashing at someone else's house and would be back in the morning. She had no idea what was up with her brother. He used to love spending time with her.
"Leave everything." Mel walked into the living room from the kitchen carrying two mugs of coffee. "You can straighten everything in the morning."
She grabbed the blanket off the arm of the couch and plopped down, pulling her legs underneath her, and covering up. Earlier, she would've fought Mel every time he opened his mouth. Now at two thirty in the morning, she wanted her problems to magically go away.
"Tired?" he asked, sitting down beside her and handing her a steaming mug.
She clasped the coffee in her hands. "Comatose."
"The coffee will help." Mel put his arm on the back of the couch.
She laid her head back on him. How many nights had they sat in the sa
me spot? How many times had Mel given her comfort after a long day? How many times had she fallen asleep on him and found herself in her bed in the morning, sleeping alone?
"What are we going to do?" she asked.
"We're going to bed after we finish our coffee and tomorrow, we're going to wake up and have another day. Changes will happen over time." Mel cupped the back of her head.
"It doesn't work that way," she said, wondering if life was that easy for other people. At one time, she would've thought so, but then the worst thing imaginable happened to dash all her dreams. She lost her zest for living on the edge. More responsibilities came her way. Death kicked her ass and buried her alongside Duke. When she finally dug her way to the surface, her reality had changed.
Yet, she sat on the couch wishing the life Mel offered her was reachable. That she could curl up in his arms and he'd carry her to bed, and stay with her.
Mel inhaled deeply and exhaled. "I've given you time, space, support, and though I never planned to fall in love with you, it happened."
She looked at him, melting over his honesty. "I do love you. You know that."
"I do."
"But I would never do anything to ruin Dukie's position in Ronacks." She swallowed. "Besides, loving someone is different than being with someone. We had sex."
"You liked it."
She groaned looking at him. "I loved it, but I never wanted to get involved with another biker. If it was just sex and you weren't a member of Ronacks, then sure. I'd be all over you."
His mouth softened, and she looked away. Only because she was past the point of exhaustion was she even talking about her sex life out in the open.
"I like hearing that." He leaned closer and put his hand on her thigh. "You and Dukie, no matter if we're together or you decide to go in front of the club and change my claim to you, will always be protected by the club. Your first marriage to Duke, your loss, having a member's baby gives you that security. You are the only one who can walk away from Ronacks and never look back. You're part of the family. Dukie will be raised surrounded by brothers. What I did by claiming you only changed the fact that I want you, and will support you."
