13. 13
Caden introduced Olivia to some of his brothers as they moved through the clubhouse. After a few minutes they met Cowboy and Ava.
“This is Cowboy,” he said as introduction, “he’s the club president, and his woman, Ava.” Caden turned to his president, “This is Olivia.”
They exchanged pleasantries and chatted for a few minutes before moving on. After a bit, he found them a table and they sat.
“Wow, this is a lot of people,” Olivia said looking around the large room. “Do you do this often?”
“What do you mean?”
“Get together like this.” She swirled one finger in the air, indicating everyone in the place.
“We’re starting to,” he said with a slow nod. “But it’s a recent change. We had some trouble last year, but that was before Cowboy became president. He’s made a lot of changes, and these barbeques are just one of them.”
“You like him, don’t you?” she asked.
“Yeah, I do.” He didn’t bother to try to keep his gaze from seeking out the newish club leader. Cowboy was making his way from brother to brother, checking on them, making sure everything was good and they felt recognized. Cowboy was a far better president than Tank had been. He had the best interest of the club in mind, not just what he wanted done or his personal vendettas.
“Do you like all the members of your club?”
“Brothers, we call each other brothers. And not all of them, but most. There are a few I don’t have much to do with for one reason or another.” He frowned. “Why?”
“Just curious.” She covered his hand with hers and let it rest there.
He wondered if she really was curious or if she was asking something else, something she wasn’t ready to tell him.
A while later when food was coming off the grill, he fetched the two of them plates and Miles and his new girlfriend Courtney joined them at the table.
“Where’s Drew?” Caden asked as they chatted while eating.
“He had a birthday party with some of his friends. We gave him the option of coming, but he decided it would be more fun to spend time with kids his own age rather than his dad’s friends,” Miles said with a half shrug.
“How’s he coming around to the idea of you being around more?” Caden asked.
The boy was Miles’, but Miles had only recently discovered him. He and Courtney had been together years before while Miles was still on the rodeo circuit. He’d left town before Courtney had found out about her pregnancy and she’d never told him, not wanting to take him away from the career he loved.
Now they’d found each other again and were stumbling through getting to know each other again and working on making up for the years they’d lost.
Was that even possible? Caden didn’t know but he didn’t want to have to try either.
“How long have you two been seeing each other?” Courtney asked.
“That depends, do you want the truth or what my family believes?” Olivia asked with a grin.
“Um, both?” Courtney asked, chatting excitedly with Olivia.
Miles caught Caden’s eye and lifted a single brow, as if asking what the hell was going on here?
Caden grinned. He wasn’t going to tell him, to see if his brother had the nerve to ask.
“Let’s start with what your family thinks, then move on to the truth,” Miles said, narrowing his eyes at Olivia.
“They think we’ve been dating several weeks. Somewhere between two or three months. I’ve been vague, but they’re pushy sometimes.”
“And how long really?” Miles lifted one brow again.
Olivia turned to look at Caden. “What’s it been forty-four hours? Forty-five?”
“About that yeah.” Caden almost laughed out loud at the shocked look that crossed Miles’ face.
He saw so many questions cross his mind, then flee again unasked.
“Your family thought you were dating Caden for almost two months before you actually did?” Miles seemed dumbfounded.
“Well, not Caden exactly. They just thought I was dating someone. I never told them who. That’s because I wasn’t seeing anyone, not as seriously as they thought. When I took him to my sister’s wedding yesterday, we led them to believe he is the mysterious guy I’d been telling them I was seeing.”
Miles only looked more confused. Caden hadn’t seen anything as amusing in quite some time. His friend looked back and forth between Caden and Olivia several times, then finally seemed to decide what he wanted to say.
“So are you actually dating or just screwing with her family?”
“Dating. I originally told them I was seeing someone new after my sisters were bugging me about going to the wedding alone. I was just lucky that when I talked someone into going with me that we hit it off.” She reached over and wove her fingers with his, then left both hands resting on his leg.
“But you let your family believe he’s the guy you’d been telling them you were seeing?”
“Sure… Not only will it drive them crazy wondering where I’ve been hiding him, but who takes someone they’ve only just met to a wedding?” She shrugged. “Serves them right for trying to tell me how to live my life.”
“Do they do that often?” Miles seemed intrigued.
“Try to run my life? Every chance they get. And they all do it, well, all but my dad, he doesn’t do it. But Mom and all five of my siblings do over one thing or another.”
“Five siblings?” Miles blinked, eyes wide with horror.
“Yep, there are six of us. My oldest sister is more than ten years older than I am. And you would think she was my mom from the way she bosses me around.” Olivia shook her head. “Either way, it’s none of their business who I date and how long I’ve been seeing them. All they should care about is that I’m happy.”
“And is our boy here keeping you happy?” Miles asked, clapping Caden on the shoulder with one hand.
Caden rolled his eyes Why did half his brothers insist on treating him like a kid tagging along even though he wasn’t old enough to do what they were doing? He might be the youngest member, or at least youngest fully patched in member, but he wasn’t a kid, and hadn’t been for several years.
He knew some of them, especially Miles, did it to get under his skin. Caden did his best to ignore it because if he reacted, in any way, it would only get worse. Still, he loved these guys and if it happened, he’d take the teasing because having the brothers and the companionship and people he knew would back him up was worth a little teasing.
“So has he introduced you around?” Miles asked.
“I’ve met several people. The names and faces are all blurring together. I might know everyone after a few meetings, but I’ll be lucky to remember a half dozen after today.”
“So, you think you’ll be back for the event on the Fourth?” Courtney asked, speaking up for the first time since the introductions.
“There’s another event on the Fourth?” she turned to Caden.
“There is. I didn’t know what you might be doing yet, and we hadn’t talked that far ahead yet, but I’d be thrilled if you want to come.”
“I think I’m free, but let me double check before I commit.”
“No problem. I thought you might have plans with your family and not want to do this again so soon,” Caden said.
“He means that he thought we might have scared you off,” Miles put in.
“It takes a lot more than friendly people and good food to scare me off.” Olivia turned and gave him an impish wink. “Those five siblings I mentioned? Three are brothers. The older one was my guard, he’s done his best to make sure no one hurt me or threatened me my whole life, but the other two, while they’re older than me, they’re not as protective as Rick. Tom and Steve were different. They acted like it was their job to make sure I could handle anything, whether it was someone who got a little handsy or a party where someone might try to push me in to something I wasn’t ready for. A few rowdy bikers and their families aren’t about to scare me off.”