“Think that’s a good idea,” Chief says. “You need to be here more so you can be with your daughter. I understand why you’ve been taking the runs, but she needs you too.” I happen to agree with his assessment, only it’s not only Lily that I need to be home for anymore. Needing to change the subject and get it off me I ask if there’s any other business that needs to be brought up at today’s meeting.
“What about your mom and her shenanigans here at the clubhouse?” Hatchet asks me. I’m glad he brought it up, I was so focused on getting the attention off of myself that I completely forgot that she’s taken over here.
“I’m seriously debating taking her credit cards and keys away from her,” I say with all seriousness.
“Sure, then we all get to hand over cash when she needs it and we start a driving service. We’ll be driving miss daisy!”
“The fact that you even know about that movie, Hatchet, is a bit disturbing,” I say to him.
“What? I like Morgan Freeman,” he says, which has the rest of us laughing.
“Alright, we know what we want done around here, maybe we let her know that before she embarks on her next trip to Ikea, she has to tell us so we’re prepared,” I state. “That way, if we’re not ready for something, we can hold her off.”
“Yeah, like a stampede of wildebeasts,” Hatch states, causing more laughter around the room.
“It’s a better solution than each one of us being her keeper,” I say with my eyebrows raised at my brothers.
“She’s very persistent,” Chief mutters. “I was concerned the day she tried to get in here, considering this is our sanctuary away from the women...period.”
“I agree, this room is sacred to the brothers, everything done and said in here is confidential and patched club members are the only ones allowed to enter those doors. It’s in our bylaws,” Twisted says with a voice of finality. They’re right, this room is off-limits to anyone not wearing a bottom rocker on their cut.
“Alright, guys, I’ll deal with Mom later and make the stipulations known to her of what she is and isn’t allowed to do without our approval first. Any other business?” No one says anything and I see a lot of head shakes. “This meeting is adjourned,” I slam down my gavel indicating that everyone can leave. As the brothers get up and leave the room, I stay in my chair and am thinking of how disappointed I am in the fact that I’ll be leaving so soon.
“You alright, man?” Twisted asks me, I wasn’t aware that he’d stuck around. I need to get better about being lost in my thoughts and not be one-hundred percent aware of my surroundings.
“I’m good, brother, just thinking about life and how quickly it can change.”
“What’s with the frown then? I thought all the changes happening with you are what you want.”
“They are, just wishing I wasn’t leaving so quick after making Cara mine is all. I don’t even think at this point an overnight trip would be welcoming to me...you get my drift?”
“I getcha, man, I don’t think I could personally take being away from Paisley and Tig for even a short amount of time either.” Which I know is a fact, he told me once he married her and their son was born that he’d no longer be taking any runs, he wanted to stay in the background and run things from our office. He’ll sometimes take a day run, as long as he’s home in time for dinner, he gives me no shit. He likes handling the office things that drive me insane, so it’s a win-win situation as far as I was concerned in the beginning. Things have changed however, and I want nothing more than to sit behind a desk beside him so I’m home every night as well. “Don’t worry Axe, I’ve got your back, I’ll help Cara get us more drivers so you can stay home more often.” He slaps me on the back, stands up and walks out of the room with determination marked on his face. My brothers, they always take care of me, even when I don’t realize I need it.
Knowing I need to get home and take my baby girl to dinner, I shoot Cara a text message.
* * *
Braxton: Would you and Luca like to go to dinner with Lily and me?
Cara: Yes
Braxton: Be there soon sweetheart
Cara: Can’t wait...I’ve missed you today. I am excited to see you
Braxton: Same here, beautiful, I missed holding you in my arms. See ya soon
* * *
I put my phone in my back pocket and get on my bike, damn it's good to be me. With a smile on my face I head towards the house to grab my family and treat them to a night out.
* * *
Caraleigh
* * *
This day has dragged on, DJ didn’t get home until after Braxton had left this morning. When she got home, she had a cup of coffee and I had some lemonade. We talked about our double-date last night, but we didn’t get into what happened once we went our separate ways. I’m kind of glad about that, though, because I’m still processing everything he said and all that we did. Once we felt like we had enough energy stored, we went down to Braxton’s and picked up our two rugrats, who were anything but pleased to be leaving Lily’s side. Back at home, we downloaded an enrollment packet and got it filled out so that things would be easier for DJ when she goes in the morning to enroll Ralynn in school. This morning as we were talking, we decided that while DJ went home to pack up her house and settle a few things, I would keep Ralynn so she could go ahead and start at the school with the other kids.
We printed out Ralynn’s transcripts from her homeschooling hoping to make things simpler, and easier for her to begin right away. Luca talks to Ralynn throughout the day about his new school and how much fun it is. I see the weight leave her shoulders, poor girl is a ball of nerves at going to a school with kids in it. She’s so used to doing things in her own time frame, and it just being her mother and her, that she managed to work herself up.
“You’re going to have so much fun going to the same school as Luca and Lily,” I say to her, trying to encourage her and get her excited. “Who knows, you may all have lunch and recess together.”
“I hopes so,” she says to me, blowing her bangs out of her eyes.
“Yous will loves it, Ray,” Luca tells her.
“Oh, honey bear, think of it this way, you won’t be lonely anymore,” DJ reminds her.
“That’s trues,” she says nodding her head up and down. At the rate she’s moving I’m worried she’s going to shake her head off the top of her shoulders. I hear my phone ping with a notification from my pocket. I pull my phone out and notice a text from Braxton. I smile at him asking me and Luca out for dinner. I look at the time and see it’s already five p.m. Time really flew today once we got the kids. We send a couple of texts back and forth and excitement bubbles inside my stomach.
“Hey Luca, Braxton has invited you and me to dinner with him and Lily, you want to go?”
“Yes, yes, yes! But whats about Ray? Is she coming too?” I look at DJ, I’m a sorry excuse for a friend, I didn’t even think about her or Ralynn.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I told Hatchet that Ralynn and I would go to dinner with him tonight, then we’re taking Ralynn to buy some new school supplies and clothes. He suggested she may want some new things to start school with. I thought it was a sweet idea and couldn’t say no when he asked me.”
“Awww, that was so thoughtful of him. I have a feeling though that it is just an excuse to spend more time with you and get Ralynn on his side,” I say batting my eyelashes at her. We’ve always teased each other, and this time is no exception to that rule.
“He doesn’t need an excuse,” I hear her say under her breath.
“What was that?” I ask, even though I heard her perfectly fine.
“Nothing, it was nothing. We printed up the school supply list for her grade, do you have any other suggestions on things she’ll need?” she asks, changing the subject. She must really like Hatchet not to come back with a sarcastic remark...so unlike my friend.
“There isn’t a dress code at the school so I can’t think of anything else to add.”
“Don�
��t forgets, she’ll need a pillow and blanket for nap time. Lily has her own and so do all the others,” Luca informs us. He doesn't have nap time, so those items never even came to mind.
“Good idea, buddy.”
“Thanks yous.” I can’t help but smile at his thoughtfulness.
“You’re a good friend, Luca, I’m going to add that to her list right now.” DJ praises him, which causes him to puff his chest out under her praise. Forty-five minutes later, there’s a knock at the door, instantly knowing who it is I rush over and fling the door open in excitement.
“Jesus, woman, you didn’t even ask who it was, did you even look out the peephole?”
“Calm down, Braxton, I knew it was you?”
“You did, huh? And how exactly did you know that?” Good question, I’ve got nothing.
“Exactly, there’s precious cargo in this house. Don’t ever do that again…. please,” he adds at the end, smoothing out his aggressive demeanor.
“I promise, I’ll be more careful in the future.”
“Thank you, that’s all I can ask, now—get those lips over here and welcome me properly.” I do as asked until we hear three kids all saying, “ewww!” Which causes the three adults in the room to break out into laughter.
“Does this mean you’re my momma’s boyfriend?” Luca asks Braxton, causing me to freeze instantly. This is something we didn't talk about, how we were going to tell the kids about us.
Braxton kneels down in front of Luca, “I was hoping to talk to you about this, as the man in her life. Would it be okay with you if I was? I would like very much to be, I really care about you and your mom, Luca.”
“Does that mean you’d be my new daddy too?” he asks apprehensively.
“I don’t know about all of that, you had a daddy, until we decide, you and I, about it, I’d really like to be your friend. Can we do that first and then we’ll talk about the other later?”
“Okays, I’m starvlin, can we go to dinner now?”
“Me too,” Lily puts her two-cents in. Knowing that this topic is officially closed so easily takes weight off my chest. I need to talk to Braxton and see how he feels about my son’s slight inquisition.
“We’re off, Hatchet texted me a few minutes ago and told me he was on his way to pick you and Ralynn up, so I guess we don’t need to bring you back dinner?” Braxton asks DJ.
“No we’re good, you guys have fun and we’ll see you later.” With that, Braxton grabs my hand and we’re out the door.
Dinner was fun, we took the kids to a local hamburger diner, where they had milkshakes and we played some games with them in the kids playground area. It was a good idea for them to build a play area for kids, the place was packed! It became overwhelming so we left, and we stopped at the park because the kids still had a lot of built up energy. I stood wrapped in Baxton’s arms as the kids slid down the slide, played on the merry go round and pushed each other on the swings. Now we’re home and I don’t want to let him go, I know I’ll see him early in the morning, but it doesn't make it any easier to tell him goodnight. We drop Lily off with Nan and Braxton walks Luca and I home. It’s a bittersweet feeling to be home, on one hand I’m exhausted, on another I want to take Braxton to my room and have some fun once Luca’s asleep.
Knowing he needs to spend some time with Lily, I send Luca to his room so Braxton can wish me goodbye properly. Standing in my living room, both of our hands intertwined, he leans down and places a slow gentle kiss to my lips. He swipes his tongue across and I open immediately giving him access to insert his tongue into my mouth. I moan into his mouth, we kiss for a few minutes before he pulls away.
“I don’t want to leave, but I promised Lily I’d give her a bath and read her a story before bed. Some cat story she’s reading at school. She brought the book home and has been begging me to read it to her. I’ve gotta go, baby,” I melt at him calling me baby.
“I know,” I tell him breathlessly. We untangle our hands and I walk him over to the door, once inside the door frame, he kisses me again.
“Lock this behind me,” he says and steps back allowing me to shut the door. I lean my forehead against it trying to get control of my emotions. “Lock the door, Cara.” Shit, I didn’t realize he was standing outside the door listening for when the lock engaged!
I lock the door and holler out, “Okay, bossy! The damn door is locked, go home to your daughter.” I hear him chuckle before he calls out one final goodnight to me.
Making my way upstairs, I walk into Luca’s room to see him playing with his dinosaurs. He’s on his bed and when he notices I entered his room he says to me, “Momma, I really likes Mr. Braxton, I wouldn’t minds him beins my new daddy.” I’m lost for words at what I should say to him, Braxton and I really need to have a conversation about all of this.
“Sweetie, I’m glad you like him. I like him a lot too.” Smooth, Cara, now how about addressing what else he said? The elephant that is in this room is weighing heavily upon my shoulders. “I don’t think we’re at that point yet, but I’m glad you would be okay if he and I got married someday. You know that if that were to ever happen, he wouldn’t replace your daddy, right?”
“Of courses him wouldn’t, Momma! But my daddy is in Heavens now and I is going to needs a daddy to learn to be a big, strong man. Uncle Chan teached me a lot, but him doesn’t lives here.”
My heart is overfull right now at my son’s words and I am absolutely speechless. “Luca, you’re such a good boy and you’re already growing up to be a fine young man.”
He’s apparently done with our heart-to-heart, because his next words have me laughing. “Momma, can we sees if we has any ice cream? My tummy has a hole in it.”
“Come on, I think we can handle that and then? Let’s get your bath out of the way so when Ralynn and DJ get home, she can take hers. Do you want to surprise her and make her sandwich for her lunch?”
“We need cookies, too!” he tells me as he goes to rush downstairs. Calling out his name, I see him stop, take a breath and then walk down the stairs. Always in such a hurry to get from point A to point B, one day I’m not going to be there to remind him to slow down.
By the time he has eaten his ice cream and made two peanut butter and fluffernutter sandwiches, I have the cookie dough made. “Okay, young man, head upstairs and get your bath started.”
“I can’t makes the cookies?”
Looking at the clock, I see it’s later than normal so I shake my head no. “I’ll make sure they’re all done once you go to bed and you two can pack them in your lunchboxes in the morning, okay?”
He sighs and I have to hold back my smile. “Okays, Momma.”
I get his water started then head into his room to gather his pajamas. “Let’s go ahead and pick out your clothes for tomorrow.”
Running in, he pulls out a yellow t-shirt with some game character on it and says, “This one!”
“Who is that?” I ask, looking at the crazy blue creature.
“Momma! It’s Sonic!” As if that tells me anything! Deciding I won’t show my ignorance because I’m supposed to know everything, I merely nod then point toward the bedroom door, grabbing his book as I follow him.
“We’re running late tonight, buddy, so I’m going to read to you while you wash up, okay?”
Thirty minutes later, bath done, teeth brushed and one very tired little boy tucked in, I head into my room to figure out what I’m wearing for my first day at work. I don’t really have anything that would be considered office wear, but he said it didn’t matter, so I find my favorite pair of jeans and a flowy, off the shoulder, top. I’ll pair it with my boots, I guess. “That looks good,” DJ’s voice says, causing me to jump.
“Shit! I didn’t even hear y’all come back!” I tell her, my heart pounding a mile a minute.
She bursts into laughter, making me want to hit her. “Yeah, already got Ray in the tub, just wanted to see what you were doing.”
“Well, now that I’m done with this, I�
��ll be headed down to make cookies. Luca felt it would be a nice addition to their lunches.”
“She’ll love that, you want some help? She’s already passed out and I have to wash some of the things we bought tonight.”
“Let’s get this done, shall we?” I ask.
* * *
Braxton
* * *
“Daddy?” Lily’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. “Is Miss Cara going to be my mommy?”
Eventually, yes. Yes, she is. Nope, can’t tell her that yet, especially since Cara doesn’t know. “We just started dating, sweet pea, so it’s a little early for that, don’t you think?”
“She’d make a good mommy, I want her to be my mommy and Luca to bes my brother,” she murmurs. We’d done the bath and jammies and I had just finished reading to her now that she’s tucked in bed. Her sleepy voice makes me realize that she’s almost out, so instead of responding, I lean over and smooth away her hair and kiss her.
“Good night, sweet pea. I’ll see you in the morning bright and early, okay?”
“M’kay, Daddy. I loves you,” she mumbles, turning toward the wall, her doll tucked under her arm.
“Love you too.”
Back downstairs, I’m feeling at loose ends. I would love nothing more than to walk a few doors down, knock, then carry a certain female upstairs to make love to her all night long. Yeah, not happening tonight. Dammit. I grab a beer and sit down with the remote to see what I can find to watch.
“Braxton?” Hearing Mom, I turn the volume down and motion for her to continue. “How was your night out?”
Yeah, like I’m gonna tell my mom how it went. Nope, not going there. “Had a good time, Mom. What’s up?”
“You’ve got a trip this week?”
“Yeah, out to Cali to deliver some parts. Just making sure Cara knows the lay of the land at the office before I head out.”
“I really like her.”
Braxton Page 12
