Chapter 5
Angel
“Holy shit, I’m tired,” Siera groans, flopping into the camp chair across from my makeshift desk. She’s not alone in feeling that. We all are. We’ve been working from sunup to sundown for the last four weeks, and we’re making headway on the refurbs.
The garden centre is ready for us to stock. We knocked out an arch in the wall between the main centre and the coffee shop on the one side and did the same on the other side.
That would become the crystal and gift shop, that way people didn’t have to walk outside to go to either, although they could if they wanted to.
Throwing my pen onto my desk, I stretch my arm over my head, cracking my fingers and groaning as I sway from side to side to release tension in my lower back, shoulders, and neck.
“Me too,” I admit. “Why don’t we finish early today, grab the girls and go over to the next town and eat? They have better food at the diner there.”
Siera rolls her head towards me and gives me a tired smile. “Sounds good. Come on.” She pushes up from her chair, leans over and switches my laptop off. Grabbing my hand, she pulls me up. “I’m not leaving you here while I go and find them. You’ll start working again.”
Laughing, I allow her to lead me out of the shop, locking it up and setting the alarm on the way out. We find the girls making the frames for the shelf in the open shed out back that we’ll eventually use to store mulch, fertiliser, and such.
Janis pushes her protective goggles to the top of her head. “What’s up?”
Tru puts her paintbrush on the lid of her paint tin.
“Your mom and I have decided we’re finishing early today and going to the next town to get something to eat. Are you guys about done?”
“Fuck yeah,” Tru mutters. Picking up the brush, she closes her tin of paint and walks over to the bucket with water, placing her brush in the holder. “I’ll wash that later. Hurry up Janis, before they change their minds.”
Janis chuckles but unplugs her plane and stacks the shelf she’d been working on with the others that needed painting. Hanging up her goggles, she locks her tools in her rolling tool chest.
The four of us walk over to the house. We’ve gotten the showers and bathrooms working as well as the kitchen sort of semi done.
Making money was more important at the moment, so getting the garden centre up and running was the first order of business.
We each split off to our vans. Siera and I have our own, and the girls share theirs.
We all shared the one SUV which was a bit of pain, but Stone had driven Janis’s car down to her this weekend.
She’d taken it to a local garage that had been recommended to Stone.
When the girls came back from there, they were all excited to let us know we were neighbours to a local motorcycle club.
I wasn’t too worried. Jake would have checked them out and would never have let us move here if they were a problem.
He’d been friends with Red at Queens Wraiths for years, even when they’d been a one percent club.
Jake was used to working in the grey and as long as they treated people with respect, he didn’t have an issue with clubs.
Unlike some law enforcement. I’d always liked that about him.
Still, as the eldest, I’ll check. Walking to my van I say to Siera, “You take your shower first, give me a shout when you’re done.”
She gives me a thumbs-up over her shoulder as she walks away.
Taking out my phone, I press call; I don’t have to wait long for Jake to answer.
“Hey girlie. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, Jake,” I groan as I sit on the edge of my bed and push my sneakers off with my toes.
Jake chuckles, “Feeling old girlie?”
“Yep,” I agree, falling back onto my bed. “Did you know that there was a motorcycle club next door?”
“I did,” he admits. “Asked Red about them. They’re a one percent club, but good guys according to Red. He didn’t get into what they do, and I didn’t want to know, but it’s not drugs and it’s not girls.”
“Okay, thanks Jake. Figured you’d already have checked them out. Thanks, old man. How’s Fern?”
“A little less of the old,” Jake laughs then continues, “Fern’s fine. She’s looking at some crystals to buy for your place. She’s found a woman that does some bracelets and things. I’m sure you’ll get a call sometime soon.”
“I look forward to it,” I tell him. We chat for a bit about where they are going next in their travels before Siera bangs on my door to let me know the bathroom is free.
I sit up. “I have to go, Jake. We’re heading to the diner in the next town for some food. Give Fern a kiss for me, and we’ll see you for the opening in a few weeks. I look forward to seeing what she’s found.”
“Bye, girlie. Love you. Give the other girls our love. See you soon, and if you have any issues call me.”
“I will,” I promise, pressing the end call button and throwing my phone on my bed.
Grabbing a clean pair of jeans, t-shirt, and underwear, I leave the van and hurry to the house.
I needed to remember to grab a sweatshirt.
It was getting colder and to most people, opening our garden centre when winter was encroaching on us might seem stupid, but we’d timed it for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
We’d be running wreath-making and ornament-making workshops.
There was plenty to do. Marketing was my job. Siera would run the garden centre, and we’d all pitch in on the coffee, crystal and gift shop. Until we turned over a profit and we could look at hiring help, we’d do everything. Wouldn’t be the first time.
I rush through my shower and get dressed, running a brush through my hair before putting on a bit of blush and lipstick.
Studying myself in the mirror I examine the added lines around my eyes.
I was fortunate to have been blessed with great hair and skin by my mum.
She’d been half Norwegian in descent. I’d inherited her pale blonde hair, and icy blue eyes.
I wasn’t sure where my short stature or curves came from, because she’d been five foot ten and thin as a rail.
I decide to leave my shoulder length hair down. I shake it out, and the choppy waves settle around my face. I’d do for a trip to the diner.
Picking up my dirty clothes, I left them in the laundry room on my way back to my van. “I won’t be long,” I shout to Siera and the girls who are waiting for me in the SUV. “Grabbing a sweater and my bag.”
“Okay,” Siera shouts back.
Grabbing a sweater from my drawer, I pick up my bag, toss my phone in and hurry down the steps of my van, locking it behind me. I rush towards the SUV, open the passenger door and clamber in. “Okay, I’m ready.”
The three of them laugh at me. “It’s not like we were going to leave you, Aunty Ang.”
“I know,” I grin, “I’m starving though, so hop to it.” I shove at Siera’s knee to get her moving.
“Okay, okay,” she chuckles, putting the vehicle in gear and driving away from the house towards the main road.
We spend the next hour belting out songs on the playlist the girls have put on.
I love my family so much.
Wanting them to know, I turn in my seat so that I can see Siera and the girls in the back. “I love you guys, you know that right?”
There’s a stunned silence. “Are you sick, Angel?” Siera asks. Hearing the trepidation in her voice, I reach over and squeeze her arm.
“No, I’m fine. I just wanted you to know, that’s all. I don't say it often enough. You guys don’t know how much you filled a hole in my heart.”
“Oh, Aunt Ang. We know. I’m sorry you had to give your little girl up. We can look for her if you want? She’s an adult now.” Janis reassures me as she reaches over the seat and takes my hand.
“No,” I shake my head. “She’s happy, or she was the last time your dad checked on her. I don’t want to derail her life, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t tell you how much I love you all.”
“Well, we love you too,” Janis assures me with a smile. “Best aunt in the world.”
“Agreed,” Tru nods.
“And the best sister,” Siera smiles at me.
Returning her smile, I settle back in my seat.
We go back to discussing things, like what we’re going to get Stone and Bridget for the birth of their surprise baby.
We were all thrilled. Stone and Bridget were still in shock.
They’d tried for years with no luck and had more or less given up and were talking about adoption when Bridget had gotten ill with what she thought was the flu, only to discover it would last nine months. We were thrilled for them.
The diner wasn’t that busy as it was mid-afternoon; we were seated by the same lady as last time.
“Good to see you back. What can I get you?” Lala asks as she fills our water glasses.
“What are you getting?” Siera asks, scanning the menu.
I glance down at mine. “The meatloaf special sounds good.”
She nods. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“With apple pie after?” I add.
She grins. “Obviously.”
“Same for us too, please,” Janis says to Lala.
“I’ll get that out to you shortly. It may be a little late, I’m by myself for the next little while.”
“No rush,” I reassure her. “We’ve not got anywhere to be.”
“Appreciate that,” she smiles at us and picks up the menus, leaving us to chat.
“So, I called Jake about the motorcycle club,” I inform them.
“And?” Tru gives me a curious look.
I fill them in on what Jake told me, and about Fern’s shopping trip.
It was so good to spend time with them; we’d been so busy working that our evenings had been a quick supper, shower and then falling exhausted into bed. We were coming to the end of the major projects though.
Lala brought our food out, but she seemed nervous and kept looking out the windows of the diner. Nearly an hour after we arrived, I went up to the till and paid our bill.
“Are you okay Lala? You seem a little jumpy.”
“Oh,” she smiled at me. “You are too sweet, worrying about me, but there’s nothing wrong. I’m expecting one of my boys. I’ve been keeping an eye out for him.”
I eye her for a minute to make sure she’s okay. She seems perfectly happy though.
“As long as you’re okay. Thanks for the lovely meal.” I say, sliding a few notes into the tip jar before I walk out after Siera and the girls.
In the distance, I hear the rumble of motorcycles. You don’t live in Shadow Haven without getting used to hearing them, so I know what the sound is.
I’m near where Siera parked, reaching for the door when I hear my name called. My breath catches as a chill slides through me. I stiffen, my shoulders tensing with shock.
I’m sure that I’ve misheard. It’s just wishful thinking. It can’t be him—not after all these years, not here, in a town only miles from where I’ve been living this whole time.
My breath rushes out of me as I turn on my heel, lifting my head up. I meet eyes that I thought I’d never see again. He’s taller than he’d been at eighteen, broader with muscular arms and shoulders. Blonde hair to his shoulders with a short beard, dressed in denim, with a leather cut on his back.
The boy I’d known and loved was a biker, and he was here now. Standing in front of me. I’m struggling to make sense of everything.
My breath hitches again as memory after memory bombards me. He calls my name again and walks towards me.
I don’t have control of my limbs. I move towards him slowly at first, then I’m running and launching myself at him. He catches me, not that I’d had any doubt that he would. We kiss like it hasn’t been twenty-eight years since we’d last seen each other, and then I break.
Long-held grief at the years missed pours out of me as I bury my face in his neck and breathe in the scent of Garret and leather with a faint tinge of oil.
I’m aware of him speaking to Siera and more bikers arriving, but I’m so deep in my head that I don’t pay attention to them.
I know I’m safe in his arms. Arms that I’ve missed so much.
Another wave of grief and sadness flows over me. As if I’m afraid he’ll disappear I close my eyes I tighten my grip on Garret, and give myself up to it.
I don’t open them while Siera drives us somewhere, or when Garret carries me inside a house, closing a door behind us and shutting out the world. I don’t open them until he places me on a soft bed, keeping his arms tight around me as he presses a kiss to my forehead.
“Missed you so much, Angel. Finally, I’ve found you.”
“I’m so sorry, Garret. I hope you don’t hate me.”
“I could never hate you, Angel. We’ve got time for you to tell me where you’ve been.”
Exhaustion flows over me. I know it’s the effect of the adrenaline dump I’ve just had.
“So tired,” I mumble into his chest.
“Sleep baby, I’ll be here when you wake up,” Garret reassures me, rubbing his hands up and down my back.
I stop shaking and relax an inch at a time into his body, allowing sleep to take me. Trusting that he’d be here when I woke up.