Chapter Fifteen
George was not kidding.
Every morning, he was there waiting, and prepared breakfast. Larissa was able to keep down what he made her, which started out as some toast. He did extend to a couple of fluffy pancakes, and even some waffles, but they were a little harder for her to handle.
He was there to hold her hair back in the morning. She and her father shared a bathroom. It was something Raven had to get used to.
Now, as he held her hair back, Larissa felt a little relieved as there had been a couple of times she had to take a shower because of it. She’d even been tempted to cut her hair.
After doing all of that, he made her a nice warm tea. No coffee. She did miss her coffee. Sometimes, he even gave her a little warm milk, or a nice hot chocolate.
Then, it was driving to work, and George didn’t stop there, he helped her in the mornings.
The moment she was all set up, he did leave for a few hours to return at lunchtime, with food.
He would stay with her until she ate, check to see if she needed anything, or if there was anything she would want.
After that, he would leave again and be there when she closed.
She didn’t have any time to see Hailey. For the whole week, this was what happened.
By Sunday, she was a little terrified of seeing his parents. Their evenings were spent in companionable silence. Sometimes, she would go to bed early and attempt to read a book. The truth was, she didn’t read a single page during the entire week he was there.
Her thoughts constantly drifted to him, wondering what he was doing. She had to keep reminding herself to call him George, and not think of him as Big Dick. It was hard.
She was nervous by Sunday, and her father had called to let her know he was going to be another week.
Every time she tried to get him on the phone, it was next to impossible to get him on for longer than a couple of minutes.
He refused to force George out of the house.
As far as he was concerned, George was doing the right thing.
He wanted to be there for her and their child.
Her father had advised that she needed to open her heart.
To stop being so stubborn. Since then, she hadn’t called her father back. She didn’t need to stop being stubborn.
This ... hurt.
And yet, waking up to him in the house, and living as if they were a couple, felt real, and at the same time really hurt. This wasn’t real. This was his guilt trying to make up for what he did.
By Sunday, she was a little deflated and nervous.
Meeting George’s parents seemed like a terrifying prospect.
Also, meeting his family as his pregnant .
.. friend, seemed ... wrong. This was another element of her life that hadn’t gone how she had hoped.
It was just a long list of shit that kept happening, and she didn’t know how to make it stop. One thing after another.
“My mom’s name is Nancy, and my dad is Drew,” George said, as they climbed out of his car. Several cars already sat in the driveway.
According to George, they didn’t need to bring anything, but Larissa had made a batch of cookies that morning, in order to give them a gift.
Her father had always taught her to bring a gift when you were invited for dinner.
She didn’t have time to pick or buy any flowers.
Homemade cookies had an extra edge to them, because they were homemade, and that made them even more of a treat.
His father opened the door. She knew who Nancy and Drew Erickson were. She had seen them around town and had talked to them a time or two. She offered them a smile as Drew looked at her.
“Well, it is about time we got to see you,” Drew said.
Before she knew what was happening, she was pulled into a fatherly hug.
“It is so good of you to come,” Drew said.
“George has told us you’re nervous. I promise we don’t bite.
We taught the kids early in life that biting was not socially acceptable.
Of course, George here, he was the hardest one to teach. ”
“Dad, come on.”
“He was a biter?”
“First class. If they had made a sport out of it, George would have won.”
Larissa looked back toward George, and it was the first time she had seen him look embarrassed. This might not be a bad experience after all.
“You’re a biter.”
“A past one.”
“Come on, Drew. Get them both in out of that freezing cold. I just won’t accept it. Stop letting all the heat out,” Nancy said. “Let me get a good look at you.”
Before she knew what was happening, her face was being pressed between two soft hands.
“You’re absolutely gorgeous, but then I’ve always told Drew that any man who got you was going to have to be pretty damn special.”
“Mom, Dad, come on. You’re going to scare her.”
His mother blew out a raspberry. “Enough, George. She is going to be the mother of your child and she needs to know you’re here for the long haul. I know we’re a large family, but we’re not too scary.”
“Speak for yourself. We’re all terrifying.”
“Callum, man, it’s been a lifetime,” George said.
Callum looked a little like George, only not as muscular, and his hair was lighter. Larissa was used to her little family with just herself and her father. This was a lot to take in. A lot more than she expected. She tried not to panic. It was hard not to.
Before long, two more men joined. Again, they looked similar to George but with different features.
They all were introduced to her, and Larissa was pulled into one hug after another.
She didn’t know at what moment she had stopped getting nervous, only that she had, and she was laughing and enjoying all the fun with the rest of them.
Erick and Jude came next. She noticed there was a stiffness with Erick and George. They all started to tease Erick, and his head was ruffled.
Harlow and Hunter hadn’t arrived yet. She tried to not panic, but then Nancy pulled her into the kitchen.
“I am sorry if that scared you.”
“It was ... wonderful,” Larissa said, and she couldn’t help but smile. She was nervous about her place and about George’s parents liking her. She was, after all, carrying their grandchild.
She already had an appointment booked with the doctor. Actually, George had made the appointment, and he’d already told her he was going with her. She didn’t have to do this alone. According to him, she didn’t have to do any of this alone.
She did have her doubts, but little by little, she was seeing that he had every intention of being there through it all. He was not backing down.
“Wonderful?” Nancy asked.
“Your family is ... it’s amazing.” Even though she still had her doubts about George, she couldn’t help but admit he had a lovely family. “I’ve always wanted a big family.”
“Ah, trust me, a big family is awesome, but it does come with complications. It wasn’t always like this. In fact, this is the first time it has been so ... right. I know I had a lot to do with that.”
Larissa looked toward Nancy.
“If I can give you any advice, don’t let anyone ever tell you how to be. Always be true to yourself. Trust me, there is nothing worse than attempting to please another person.”
“My dad has always told me to be true to myself,” Larissa said. Although, right now, she didn’t know how to be true to anything. Her emotions were all over the place.
“Your father is a good man.”
“Thank you.” She knew her father had a lot of respect within the town. There were a lot of people that liked him.
He’d been going away a lot just lately, and she didn’t know what kept calling him away. She never checked up on her father, or asked what was going on. He’d tell her when the time was right.
She only hoped he wasn’t thinking of leaving Fort Clover.
****
Harlow and Hunter eventually arrived, and Big Dick finally had someone he could talk to. His brothers were great, the only problem was, they wanted to talk about him and the fact he was going to be a dad. They also wanted to know how he’d been able to win Larissa.
So far, he hadn’t won back Larissa, although she was talking to him now, which was an improvement.
They were currently living together and it was now companionable silence.
It helped him that he spent a lot of time working for the MC.
That was the only way he was able to get through all this shit with Larissa.
Prospecting for the club had not been a picnic.
It tested you to the limit, to the very foundation of your being, and even when you felt like you were at rock bottom, it would then demand even more.
He loved it. Lived for it, because the club brothers had to trust him.
They were not always living in peace, and on the open road, they needed to have a brotherhood that meant they relied on everyone.
If you didn’t pass the test, if there was even a semblance of doubt, you did not get through. Big Dick had always passed.
“You all right, man?” Hunter asked.
Hunter had been accepted by the Erikson household, but he saw there were still times it was a bit frosty.
“Yeah, I’m good. Thanks for coming.”
“Harlow did not want to come, but don’t worry, I’ve promised ways of making it up to her.”
“She still ... pessimistic about Mom and Dad?” Big Dick asked.
“Yeah, it’s hard for her to get past the whole, your mother being incredibly judgemental, and your dad not taking anyone’s side but your mom’s. I’m surprised you came.”
“I’ve gotten to know them in the past few weeks, and I don’t know, I guess I want to accept the fact people can change.” He shrugged.
“You’re still not close with your brothers?” Hunter asked.
“I am as close as I need to be.”