Chapter 14
Chapter fourteen
Cece
“Cece, watch me,” Colby yells.
“I’m watching, buddy,” I call back as he swings his bat at the ball Wyatt tosses him.
He hits it, and all the women sitting on the back patio of the clubhouse cheer for him when he runs around the pretend bases of the pretend baseball game that a few of the kids are playing.
Everyone is at the clubhouse for a family barbecue.
Tanya likes to have one of these every month or so when the weather is nice.
It’s a great way to show the guys who work at the auto and bike shop and their families the club’s appreciation.
It’s also a good excuse for everyone to get together.
Plus, Tanya likes to make sure everyone working for the club feels like part of a big extended family.
“You look great, Cece,” Charlie says, sitting next to me. She’s sipping from a glass of wine, and it strikes me that I have no desire to have a glass in front of me. I’m perfectly happy with the watermelon concoction that I whipped up for myself. “You look happy.”
“I am,” I say. “I’ve been doing a lot of baking for Cool Beans at Cash’s. His setup is perfect for the amount of pastries she orders.” Not to mention the other various activities that have been taking place there over the last two weeks.
“I’m so glad you called her,” Maizie says from across the table. “And that new strawberry and clotted-cream turnover you make is to die for. If I don’t get there early enough, she sells out.”
“Me too.” Part of me wishes I wouldn’t have waited so damn long to call Betsy, but the other part knows I did it at the exact right time for me. “If you ever want me to make you a special batch, it’s no problem.”
“I like supporting you, though.” Maizie smiles. “But if you ever have any extras, feel free to drop them off at my house.”
I laugh and sip my watermelon drink. “Consider it done.”
“Girl, those giant peanut butter chocolate cookies you make are absolutely sinful,” Mia chimes in.
“Thanks. She wanted to see how well the cookies move in her shop, so we did a little test run last week. She’s been adding them to her daily order.”
“Pretty soon, it might be time for you to open a shop of your own. Or maybe take over for Betsy when she retires. If you’re ever interested in an investor, let me know.” Mrs. Dawson says, sitting next to her granddaughter.
I never considered owning my own business, but I kind of like the idea of having something completely mine.
Something that I actually own. I live in Lucy’s house, drive a car Lucy and Jude bought for me and have been relying on them for money in an account they set up for me.
I’m incredibly grateful, but would also really like to feel like I’m making it on my own at some point.
“Thank you, Mrs. Dawson,” I reply.
“Now, honey, like I’ve told all the other girls—and you on a couple of occasions—call me Elaine. That missus stuff makes me feel old.”
Colby comes running over to Maizie, and she wraps him in a big hug.
“Did you see my home run, Mommy?”
“I did, buddy. It was great!”
“You have quite the swing, Colby. It won’t be long before the majors call you,” Elaine says, smiling at her great-grandson.
“Thanks, Gigi,” Colby says and turns back to his mom. “I gotta go practice some more. Daddy says practice makes perfect, and I want to be the best.” Colby gives his mom a smacking kiss on the cheek and runs off in the direction of Wyatt and a few of the other guys.
“Daddy?” Lucy asks.
Maizie watches her son and her man get in position for another inning of their game. “He woke up last week and just started calling him that. You should have seen Wyatt’s face. I’ve never seen a man with a bigger smile. He was struck silent for a minute, and I almost started bawling on the spot.”
“I fucking love that so much,” my sister exclaims. “And to think you had that stupid no-biker rule.”
Irritation flares in me. Lucy calls Maizie’s old rule stupid, but she’s the one who doesn’t want me with a brother.
I remember overhearing her say I wasn’t cut out to be in this life.
That I was too soft, too fragile. But it seems that it’s good enough for everyone else except me.
It’s so fucking annoying sometimes that she still sees me as the broken girl she rescued from a cult.
She has no idea what I went through. What I can handle.
I look toward where Cash is standing as he talks to Ozzy with one of the guys from the bike shop.
His gaze finds mine, and he sends me a barely there smile.
I need to tell Lucy what’s going on between us.
All day, we’ve had to pretend that we’re just friends when what I really want to do is walk up to him and plant a kiss on his lips.
I want him to be able to put his arm around me and keep me pressed into his side.
I discreetly return his smile and stand. “I’m going to get the desserts ready,” I tell the group of women.
“Need some help?” Lucy offers.
“It’s okay, I’ve got it.”
I turn and head inside the clubhouse and into the kitchen.
Opening the refrigerator door, I pull out the cupcakes I made and the ingredients for the frosting.
I’m adding fresh fruit to the tops and didn’t want it to dry out, so I opted to wait until it was time to serve them before frosting the desserts.
When I’ve finished making the frosting, I shovel it into the piping bag I brought and begin the process on all fifty. When I’m halfway through, Cash strolls into the kitchen with a devious smile stretched across his face.
“Hey, sweetheart. Do I get a taste?”
“Sure.” I grab a spoon and add a little frosting to it.
His smile becomes more wicked, if that’s even possible.
“Not what I meant.” He grabs the spoon and tosses it in the sink, then takes my mouth in a searing kiss.
He trails his lips down my neck as he presses me against the counter.
“Fuck, I’ve been dying to do that all day,” he mumbles into my heated skin.
“Someone could walk in here,” I say in a breathless whisper.
“At this point, I don’t care. I can’t be around you all afternoon and not be able to touch you.”
I know that asking him to not tell anyone quite yet is unfair.
He doesn’t want to keep us a secret. I just need to break it to my sister first that I’m in love with a brother.
Maybe I should tell Cash the same thing.
We haven’t said the words to each other yet, but I feel them. God, I feel so much for this man.
“I’m going to tell her tomorrow. I hate hiding too,” I tell him.
He lifts his head from my neck and looks me in the eye. “Thank fuck. I don’t think I could do this again and have to make it look like I’m not wholly and completely addicted to you.”
I smile, and he leans down, taking my mouth in another kiss. I wrap one arm around him and clutch his shirt while my other hand still holds the piping bag.
“What in the actual fuck are you doing to my sister?” I hear Lucy scream from behind us.
I jerk away, though I can’t get far, considering I’m between Cash’s large frame and the counter.
Cash spins and stands with half of his body in front of mine. Lucy is standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Jude comes running in with Linc and Barrett, the three of them with wild looks in their eyes as though they think I’m being attacked. When they see Cash, the three men relax.
“I’m kissing my woman,” Cash tells my sister in a firm and decisive voice.
“You’re what?” she yells.
“Okay…this sounds like a family affair. I’m just going to…” Barrett hitches his thumb back toward the kitchen door.
“Yeah, I’m with you,” Linc says, and the two of them turn and hightail it out of the room.
“You better start explaining, Cash.” Lucy grits out the words through clenched teeth with a look of pure malevolence in her furious gaze.
“And it better go something like how you are taking advantage of my sister and end with how you’re going to fix your mistake and promise to never touch her again.
She’s in here putting together fucking desserts for Chrissake, and you…
what? Followed her in here and decided now was a good opportunity for you to make a move? Not on your life, asshole.”
“That’s not what happened, Lucy. God, I’m not some precious little thing that you have to protect from him, or anyone, for that matter!” I stare at Lucy while she’s having a ridiculous meltdown over something she clearly doesn’t understand. And from the sound of it, she doesn’t want to.
“Love, I don’t think that’s what’s going on at all,” Jude says, looking between Cash and me, noting the protective stance he’s taken in front of me.
“That’s my sister, Jude. And I trusted your brothers to look out for her. I trusted him”—she points an accusing finger at Cash—“to look out for her.”
“He has. God, more than you could possibly know,” I tell her, ready to push past the man blocking me.
“From where? Inside your pants?” she yells.
“Okay, that’s enough.” Cash crosses his arms over his broad chest and steels his spine. “You can be mad at me all you want, but you’re not going to make those remarks to her.”
“Who the hell do you think you are to tell me anything right now? You’re nothing more than some dirty old man who saw a pretty young girl and decided to take advantage of the situation!” Lucy yells back at him.
“You’re obviously pissed, love, and I can understand, but don’t say anything you’re going to regret,” Jude interjects, trying to calm her down.
She whirls around and faces her man. “I want you to punch him in the face right now. He’s taking advantage of the situation with Cece. My sister.”
“It doesn’t sound like Cece was opposed to the kiss, Lucifer.”
“She doesn’t know any better!” Lucy yells, waving her hand in my direction.