Booker (Bluff Creek Brotherhood MC: Nomads)

5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

B ooker had texted to make sure that Twist was joining him and Compass for breakfast. He’d replied that he thought all the guys were joining them because Bootstrap was worried about Compass too.

He’d given Compass the choice of riding somewhere for breakfast or eating in the hotel and having their weekend brunch. Compass had requested to eat in the hotel, which had surprised Booker.

Once everyone had arrived, ordered, and gotten their food, Booker didn’t know exactly how to start. If he’d known Compass before, it would have been easier.

Compass took a bite of food and chewed. He didn’t look like he was going to make it easy on them. Fuck.

“How’s life on the road? Anywhere interesting you’ve ridden?” Booker asked.

Compass swallowed, then took a sip of his coffee and nodded.

“How about you tell me what War and Baron need to not have these meetings checking on me?”

So it didn’t seem like the nice, smiling guy from last night was going to make an appearance today.

“War’s just worried about you…” Booker said before Compass rolled his eyes.

“I helped raise that boy. He needs to take care of business and leave me alone.”

Brew chuckled, then slapped the table, shaking his head.

“Yeah, my uptight older brother is just going to leave you alone. War has an insane need to make sure everyone is safe, especially his family. When you don’t answer texts for two weeks, yeah, he’s going to send people to check on you,” Brew said.

Compass huffed and took another bite of his breakfast. Booker really wished he knew what to say or what to ask.

“I was surprised you wanted to meet here in the hotel instead of riding to breakfast. The Compass I’ve been around takes every chance he can to ride,” Bootstrap said.

Compass rolled his eyes. “Fine. I wasn’t up to riding. I wrecked two weeks ago and it wrenched my back and neck. It’s not getting better as quickly as I’d like.”

“How’d you wreck?” Dodge asked.

Booker wanted to know too, and he was positive if anyone at Bluff Creek had known, they would have gone to take care of Compass.

“Jerk driving a little sports car cut me off in traffic. I had to go onto the shoulder to miss running into the back of him. Soft shoulder had me laying my bike down.”

“Ouch, man. How’s the bike?” Brew asked.

Compass grinned. “Better than this old man. I have it being worked on and picked up my spare from a storage facility I keep.”

“Why didn’t you let us know? We could have at least helped,” Bootstrap asked.

Compass shook his head. “You can’t keep a secret to save your life if it involves a brother, Bootstrap. You would have let Regina and the women know. This was the first time I’ve gotten hurt since I lost my Lucille. I couldn’t handle the smothering from a woman who wasn’t my Lucille.”

Booker motioned for more coffee for all of them.

“I’ve never lost someone like you did, but I understand you wanting to deal with this as you wanted. Can’t control much but you can control at least who you let in.”

Compass nodded. “Being on the road has been good but I don’t know if that’s where I want to stay. I just don’t know.”

“I think Twist can tell you that I can be a pretty quiet companion. I like to read and don’t need to talk much.”

“He’s not kidding. When we first went on the road, there were days he’d say three or four words, and that was if we asked questions,” Twist said.

Booker stared directly at Compass. “What I’m saying is how about until you get to feeling better, we all plan on staying together? Whether that means renting a cabin for you to recuperate or riding somewhere because you’re doing better, let us help you. It’s what your brothers are for.”

Booker hoped Compass would allow them to help him.

“I thought you just found your girl?” Compass questioned.

“She invited all of us to lunch and said she’d explain everything. I get the feeling something is going on that she can’t handle, but I’m sure I can make it all work.”

Compass nodded. “Okay, I’ll listen and agree to maybe having you around until I’m a hundred percent.”

Booker looked down at his plate before taking another bite. It wouldn’t do for Compass to see that Booker was having a hard time not laughing. Not at Compass’s predicament but at his tone. Booker had heard Locks and Baron, two of the Bluff Creek originals, both use that tone multiple times when they knew they should do something but still wanted to sound like they were in control.

Booker felt for Compass. He couldn’t imagine dealing with the loss Compass had, but War had requested Booker check on Compass. Booker planned on doing what his President said and not leaving until he was positive Compass was okay.

But he had to admit, he had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he wasn’t going to like what Lexi had to tell him. If it wasn’t a big deal, she would have just blurted it out yesterday.

If everything was okay, her mom wouldn’t feel the need to travel with Lexi. What could worry Lexi and her mom enough to have her mom leave her home?