Chapter Two -
Decorate the tree…
Wild, Cowboy, and Savage (Cowboy’s POV)
“S omeone wanna tell me why I’m traipsing through the snow when we could be having a beer at the clubhouse?” Savage demanded.
“Because we got nominated to cut down three big fuckin’ trees,” Wild retorted grumpily.
I snorted into my scarf. My brother glared at me as I glowered back. This wasn’t my idea of fun, either. It was Sunday afternoon, and I should be curled up with Jemma and the children. Instead, they were at Reading Hall without me. Jemma was probably gossiping and swapping anecdotes with Phoe. The kids would be running riot, no doubt.
“Did anyone pick up the axes?” I asked, and Wild stopped and groaned.
“How do you think we’re gonna cut them down? Go and get them,” Savage growled out.
Yeah, he was a grumpy bastard too.
“Forgot the fuckin’ sleigh as well. Brother, I ain’t dragging no tree through the forest,” Savage added.
“Fine! Wait here,” Wild snapped and stomped back towards the truck.
We’d driven to a Christmas tree farm and, so far, had walked ten minutes into the treeline searching for trees we knew Phoe would love. Having experienced a few Christmases at Reading Hall, we had a good idea of what we were looking for.
The ideal one for Phoe was tall, at least six feet, preferably eight or higher, bushy, green and a perfect pyramid shape. We had seen a couple, but we’d nixed them for one reason or another. After ten minutes, we were growing desperate. And yeah, it was only ten minutes, but we’d not found a single prospect.
“Think we should go tree hunting in the Black Hills?” I asked Savage, who grunted.
“Are we allowed to cut trees down there?” he mused.
“No idea, but this is starting to look like a washout,” I replied.
“Drake said Phoe gets her trees from here every year. There has to be something,” Savage added.
“This sucks. It’s much easier when the women do it,” I bitched, and Savage laughed. “Worse thing is, we gotta repeat this twice more.”
In horror, I stared at Savage.
“What?”
“You didn’t work it out, brother? We have to get the trees for the rooms or cabins at the Hall and then one for our own homes. This tree farm is gonna make a fortune out of us,” Savage explained.
“You mean I’ve got to do this again with Jemma for our house?” I asked, and Savage nodded.
“Yup. Grace has already decided we’re going out Tuesday to buy it and the decorations. Jemma’s going to expect you to do the same,” Savage grunted as we kicked our heels, waiting for Wild.
“Wonder if Wild knows,” I drawled, amused suddenly.
Wild had no idea around Christmas, much like me. We’d not exactly celebrated it, and since we had landed on Rage, they’d all been planned, and we just turned up when told. This was well beyond my comfort zone, and no doubt several, if not most, of my club brothers felt the same.
But I understood Drake’s intention. As good a Prez as he was, Drake couldn’t secure the survival of everyone. Some of us would die, and that was a fact. It would be great to think we’d be able to kill all of Fury’s assholes and walk away unscathed, but it wasn’t going to happen. I shook myself and gazed at the snow-laden trees in front of me.
“That tree looks promising,” I announced in an attempt to distract myself.
“Sure does. It’s taller than most,” Savage said and offered me a short nod.
A smirk crossed my face as we heard Wild grumbling as he stomped towards us. This time he was dragging a sleigh, and it held axes and a double handed saw. I bit back my initial comment about us being bikers and not woodsmen.
“If we’ve forgotten anything, you fuckers can get it,” Wild grumped, and a gasp came from behind us.
Savage and I grinned as a woman covered a boy’s ears with her hands. She sent Wild a disgusted stare as she moved swiftly away.
“Oops,” Savage teased as Wild looked guilty. The expression disappeared in light of Savage’s teasing.
“Let’s find a damn tree,” Wild snapped stomping off.
“Wrong way, bro, we found a candidate over there,” I called, pointing as Savage and I set off.
Wild chased after us, muttering under his breath, but refrained from commenting aloud. We stopped at the tree that we’d spotted.
“How tall is that?” I asked.
Savage cocked his head. “We’re all over six foot, and that tree is still taller than us. I think it’s big enough for the Hall. Plus, it’s bushy and well-filled out. It looks like the type that Phoe often has.”
“Good, let’s get it down,” I agreed.
That was fun in itself. None of us were sure, so we argued about which way to cut it. Finally, tired of the argument, Savage grabbed an axe and started chopping. He worked up a fine sweat as Wild, and I watched.
“Grab the saw,” Savage ordered, and Wild and I began cutting. Sawing it through was easy enough because Savage had made quite a dent with the axe. We were so busy arguing that none of us realised which way the tree would fall until we heard a crack.
Savage leapt off the sleigh he’d been sitting on as the tree crashed down. He disappeared under a flurry of pine needles, and I gaped.
“Shit! Savage!” I yelled, looking for any sign of him.
“Motherfuckers!” Savage cursed from somewhere.
“You alive?” Wild asked, unbothered by the fact the tree had eaten Savage.
“What do you think?” Savage retorted angrily.
“Just checking. Could be your ghost answering us, like that movie with the three ghosts,” Wild said, still not moving.
“This is not the Christmas Carol movie!” Savage snapped.
“No, I don’t remember a tree falling in that,” I replied, recalling the film.
“Get me the hell out of here!” Savage yelled.
“I’m trying to find you, hold your panties,” I replied.
Muffled curses met me as I finally spotted a part of the tree moving vigorously, and I moved branches and discovered Savage. Luckily, the heaviest part of the tree hadn’t fallen on him, and I got him out relatively unhurt.
Savage dived for Wild, who was happily smirking at him, and Wild went down as Savage landed on top and stuffed snow in his face. I watched as Savage completely covered Wild and kicked his ribs as he got up. I held my hands up.
“Chill out, or I go home, and you drag this fucker back yourself,” I threatened.
Savage scowled but refrained from using me as a punchbag.
Wild sat up, and I laughed. He looked like the abominable snowman. Wild scooped some snow up and threw it at me, and I easily dodged it.
“Stop playing around. We still have to get two more,” I remarked.
“At the entrance, they had some trees in nets. Let’s cheat and buy pre-wrapped,” Wild suggested, and both Savage and I nodded.
“What size?” I huffed as the three of us dragged the heavy-assed tree onto the sleigh a bit better. Luckily, while attempting to take out Savage, it had landed mainly on the sleigh. I was surprised at how much the damn thing weighed, but once we had it on board and secured, the sleigh moved pretty easily.
When we’d arrived at the tree lot, there hadn’t been a lot of people, but the car park we could see was now full. We passed groups of individuals as we dragged our burden towards the hut where the staff waited.
I was a hot, sweaty, and tired mess by the time we arrived. I was going with Wild’s cheating idea and buying pre-cut for the rest of the trees. A man stood gazing at us from the hut as we approached.
“Rage MC, right?”
“Yes?” Savage replied as we all stiffened.
“Was there something wrong with the trees I’d put aside?” he questioned. His name badge said Clint.
“What?” I asked, mystified. No one had mentioned other trees.
“These are for Reading Hall?” Clint inquired, and Savage nodded.
“Yeah. Our Prez sent us to get trees for it,” Savage answered.
“What was wrong with the trees I’d already cut for you?” Clint wondered.
“What damn trees?” I demanded, glaring at Wild.
“The ones we put aside when Mrs Michaelson ordered them earlier this year, as she always does. The order’s behind the lot, waiting for approval,” Clint responded.
“Phoe bought them, and you’ve had them packed up and ready, waiting for us to collect them?” Savage asked as my glower deepened at Wild.
Wild was staring back just as grumpily.
“Yes,” Clint responded, looking confused.
“So we didn’t need to cut this one?” Savage continued.
“No. As long as you approve the ones we chose for Reading Hall,” Clint confirmed.
“I’m gonna kill a brother,” Savage muttered, and I agreed one hundred per cent.
“Miserable asshole. ‘Don’t talk to me, it’s too early in the morning. Do not talk to the staff because I’m grumpy, and my caffeine hasn’t kicked in. Let’s just get this finished, I’m over this crap already. No, we don’t need anyone’s help’,” I snarled at Wild, quoting his words this morning. “Does any of that sound familiar?”
“This is Drake’s fault!” Wild retorted.
I sent Wild a dirty stare and ignored him. “Do you deliver?”
“Yes, everything is ready. All you need to do is confirm they’re okay, pay, and we’ll load up the truck.”
“Show us the way,” Savage said.
We followed Clint around the corner and found a huge order stacked against one wall.
“We only want the big trees. Someone else will be along for the others,” Savage informed Clint.
After thanking Clint, Savage and I both turned to Wild, who was glowering at the stack of trees. Without a word, we both jumped my older brother and pummelled the shit out of him.
◆◆◆
Wild sulked all the way back to Reading Hall. He’d have a black eye to show for his surliness, although I’m not sure if it was me or Savage that got that one in. He would also have sore ribs and have to sit down carefully for a week. A steel toe cap up your ass hurts… and I ensured my kick hurt!
I couldn’t believe we’d cut down a tree because Wild had been a surly asshole when all we’d had to do was speak to someone. Those wonderful people had cut every tree and wrapped them. Savage and I threatened to take the one we’d cut to Wild’s house, I’m sure Lynda would have loved it. Not.
Phoe met us outside as we pulled in with our offering to Reading Hall. She looked puzzled, and I couldn’t blame her.
“Hadn’t Clint cut my trees?” she asked.
“Yeah. Except some fucker is a grumpy asshole in the morning and wouldn’t talk to anyone, so we cut this down before knowing Clint had them,” Savage snarled. He cuffed Wild around the back of the head.
I guessed Savage was holding a grudge.
To my horror and trepidation (if Drake saw this), we’d be dead, Phoe’s eyes filled with tears.
“What are you crying for?” Savage questioned, looking worried.
“That you three cared enough to cut me a tree down!” Phoe said, ending on a wail.
“What on earth?” Albert Wilkes, Phoe’s pseudo-father, demanded as he approached.
“The boys cut me a tree down, Albert,” Phoe cried, waving a hand at our truck.
“That was their role, wasn’t it?” Albert inquired.
“Yeah, but they cut it down. They actually cut me a tree,” Phoe sobbed, wiping tears from her eyes.
“I don’t get it,” Albert asked, puzzled.
Nope, nor me either.
“Apparently, Phoe had ordered the trees months ago, which we didn’t know. We thought we had to cut them for her. The fact we chopped this motherfucker down means something to Phoe,” Savage explained.
“Still lost,” Albert replied.
“Makes two of us,” Wild complained.
“You cut it down because you cared about my happiness!” Phoe wailed, and I shook my head. This was getting uncomfortable, damn fast.
“Sure, it’s not because we’re more scared of Drake,” Wild muttered, and I sent him a dirty look.
“Drake loves me too!” Phoe continued, loudly. “I’m so proud of you all. You’ve all found wonderful old ladies and are starting families.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Molly and Demi, Phoe’s two soon-to-be daughters-in-law, approaching.
“And I am going to be a Nan!” Phoe shrieked through her tears and did a happy dance.
Molly and Demi froze on the spot and swapped glances. Both of them shook their heads, and I guessed they weren’t pregnant.
“You are?” Wild asked, suddenly cheering up as he saw the two women now pretending to be statues.
“Yes!” Phoe exclaimed through her years. “Tye and Carmine will soon give me babies! I’m so excited. I can’t wait to take the girls out shopping!”
Demi and Molly looked horrified and disappeared quickly, much to our amusement.
A stampede headed towards us, and I saw Harley chasing a woman.
“Get your damn ass back here before I spank it red raw!” he bellowed as she darted past us, straight out the door.
Phoe smirked.
“Harley’s not learnt from his father yet. You charm the women first, then talk to them like that. Harley seriously needs lessons in courting. Oh boy, three sons shacked up, or soon to be, and I’m going to have grandbabies galore!” Phoe broke down into tears again.
“Phoe, you menopausal or what?” Wild asked, and Phoe sent him a filthy look.
“Sort my tree out!” she snarled, her attitude flipping like a switch, and allowed Albert to lead her away.
“That was fun, not!” Wild said.
“I don’t know. Watching Molly and Demi run was funny,” I replied, and Wild grinned.
“I’m in charge of you lot,” Serenity announced, approaching.
Phoe’s second oldest daughter hugged us all and stepped back.
“You are?” Savage asked.
“Yeah. You have to decorate the three big trees, although we now have four. I’ve got the lights and stuff out to do it, which is nerve-wracking because we usually only decorate the tree in the living room. Mom normally has people in to do it for us,” Serenity said, bringing scowls to all our faces.
“Does anyone else think that Drake left out certain elements when he issued those orders?” I asked.
“Seems like the Prez set us up,” Savage agreed.
“Possibly, or Dad just wanted everybody to take part and make a memory that will stay with everyone forever,” Serenity suggested.
“Still seems like we’ve been set up,” I added.
“Well, ain’t you lucky I hate decorating? I’ve got the decorators coming in for the others. However, you guys are in charge of the drawing room one,” Serenity explained with a wink.
I relaxed, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. That was one task we didn’t have to worry about.
“Okay, let’s get this started. What do we do first?” I questioned, eyes turned toward Savage.
“What?” he demanded.
“You’re the eldest,” Wild replied.
“Doesn’t mean I know shit,” Savage retorted.
“We need to secure the tree in its stand. Mom has some heavy-duty ones for the large trees,” Serenity stated with a grin.
“You get that, and we’ll get the first tree,” I suggested, and Serenity nodded.
The three of us wrestled the huge tree down from the truck. Clint had prepared the stump for us to make it last, and all we had to do was drag it inside. Yeah, easier said than done.
Serenity was in fits of laughter as we realised we couldn’t fit it inside the Hall’s entrance top first. Ghost, Fish, and Ezra arrived as we struggled to push it back out of the Hall. By now, kids were lining the stairs and shouting ideas. The women came from the kitchen and watched, amused, as all six of us turned it around and began backing it in. This time, it worked, but Ghost and Fish had to keep bending branches that stuck out too far. An hour passed as we struggled to get it inside, which was only half the battle.
By the time we’d done that, we were a hot, sweating mess, and Lowrider and Mac had also arrived. It took all of us to get it into the drawing room without damaging the wallpaper, and then we realised it was too tall.
“Fuck me!” I groaned. I couldn’t believe this.
“Not dragging that fucker back outside. Not a chance in hell. Get the saw, and we’ll cut it here,” Savage snapped.
“Didn’t anyone measure it?” Serenity asked innocently, and we glared at her as she began to giggle.
“Shut up, kid,” Savage answered.
“I’m getting the saw,” I said and stomped off to the truck.
Phoe squealed as we cut the tree down to size and there was a lot of cursing involved, but luckily, we did not damage the wooden floor. We then proceeded to wrestle the fucking thing into its stand.
“That’s a beautiful tree,” Serenity exclaimed as we wiped our brows and gazed at it.
“Good, because we’re not getting another,” Wild muttered.
I was in complete agreement with him.
“What do we do first?” Savage asked, looking at the boxes stacked neatly.
“Lights,” Serenity replied, biting her lip.
“Are you sure? Because I’m not fuckin’ around with this,” I stated.
“Lights first,” Serenity responded firmly.
Another hour later, we were all cursing once more. It had sounded easy enough, put the end of the lights at the top and then slowly wind them down. Except, we needed several sets, and they did not go on evenly. Serenity ended up re-doing them to make them spaced. She placed the tinsel and ordered us to go nuts hanging the baubles.
We filled the tree, and to be honest, it did not look too bad. Not quite as professional as usual, but not shabby either.
It was gone six when we had finished doing the four trees. One went in the drawing room, the tree we’d cut. Clint had delivered the others for the ballroom and entrance hall. The third Phoe made us put in the library.
Ghost, Mac, Fish, Ezra, and Lowrider had spent all day running back and forth to Rivendell, the Ewok village, and the bedrooms. Tomorrow everyone was descending for a buffet meal and to decorate the tree in their cabin or bedroom.
Serenity told us that when Phoe had moved in, she’d had a bedroom dedicated to Christmas and Halloween decorations. Now, they had their own large sheds, as she had so many decorations. Savage, Wild, and I got off relatively scot-free because we didn’t have to run back and forth. Playful insults were exchanged, but overall, it wasn’t as terrible as it might have been.
Not until we plugged in the lights…
And blew every fuse in Reading Hall.
“Fuck Christmas,” Wild snarled into the darkness as the kids screamed at the top of their voices.
Yup, screw Christmas indeed.