CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE #2
“Just Dad will do, if you’re of a mind to. Ha, no just!” I can’t help but laugh, and this man has made our first meeting very casual and easy. I like this guy. Laughing along with me, he slaps me on the back.
“I can see that we’re going to get along just fine, Cork.
I liked you when we spoke on the phone, and I see my instincts were right about meeting you, too.
Hell, it’s going to be great when we sell our house and move over here.
” Seeing the shocked look on my face has him laughing loudly again.
“Nothing you or I can do about it, son. She’s already had the dream, seen our place here, and she had described Colt’s place to a tee.
I guess we’ll be ordering one of the same.
She did say ours was beside a pond and overlooked a herd of wild horses. ”
Colt nods at me. “I know the place. It’s a good way onto the property, so they’d be remote, but I do know where she’s talking about. I thought about it for myself, but it’s too remote for someone on their own and my age.”
“Well, I’ll be glad to have you aboard, Dad. I’m sure we’ll be just like the Three Musketeers in no time. One for all…”
Those two bastards just leave me hanging and stare at me like I’m some escaped lunatic. Colt and Dad just shake their heads and then laugh their damn heads off at me.
“Okay, Cork. Let’s take you to the bunkhouse so we can get you ready. Your boys are in there waiting for you. Let’s move along.” Colt pushes me towards the door, and Dad heads for the stairs.
“Colt, exactly what is going on? You didn’t invite Dallas’ parents to no leaving party.”
“It’s your wedding day, Cork. I spoke to Dallas’ parents, and they’ve been hiding out here for a week while we got everything sorted.
Your dad found the prefab company based on his wife's dream, and we pushed it through fast track with a little bonus to grease the skids. I spoke with Mia who spoke with Axel, and they agreed to get things done right smart so we could hand you the keys to this place on the same day. It’s been hell on wheels here and trying to keep it from you two all the while.
“Your man, Fox, is it? Him and his lady have been back and forth taking measurements and bringing stuff like you wouldn’t believe.
Your bed is already set up in the master bedroom ready for tonight.
Man, if she doesn’t want to be caught, you are going to have a hell of a job catching her in that bed.
She could hide out for days in that, and you’d never find her. ”
“My wedding day, Colt? You’ve organized the whole thing on the sly?” I’m amazed he’s got away with this.
“Hell no, not me. That Mrs. Dallas, just my nickname for her 'til I get to know her and Mr Dallas better, got here and went through the arrangements like a whirlwind. She had folks coming out of the woodwork and running around doing shit like a mound of termites. No one dared stand still for more than thirty seconds when she was around. Even when she wasn’t, they thought she was watching them somehow. Now, come on. Get over to the bunkhouse and get ready for your big day.”
Walking into the bunkhouse, I’m greeted by Colton, Web, Roadrunner and Mensa. They all have a white shirt under their cut, blue jeans and polished boots. They look like the smartest bikers anyone has ever seen.
“We’re responsible for getting you ready for your wedding.
You need to do as we tell you, and no arguments.
Dallas’ mom has made it very clear what will happen to all of us, including you, if you don’t follow her instructions to the letter.
I wasn’t cut out to be anyone's gelding.” Colton looks deadly serious, and so I guess I’ll just go with the flow until I decide not to.
“If you haven’t showered this morning, you have to take one.” Web looks embarrassed as all hell when he comes out with that.
“I’d like to see you guys try to enforce that one.” I give an evil grin, but as I had showered I wasn’t worried. I was worried, however, when Mensa and Roadrunner pulled their hands from behind their backs and each held a genuine, one hundred percent, cattle prod in their hands.
“You are shitting me? You were going to use them on me to get me in a shower?” I’m flabbergasted.
“Dallas’ mom said if we didn’t use them on you, she’d use them to geld us. Sorry, man, but she scares me far more than you do.” Mensa looks completely serious with his comment.
“I don’t know what kind of family you are marrying into, Cork, but if you ever need anywhere to hide from Mrs. Dallas, stay the fuck away from me. I can’t help you hide from her.” Roadrunner shakes his head, and he’s not grinning.
I am dressed in polished black boots, blue jeans, a white shirt with a ruffle down the front and my cut open to allow the ruffle to show fully, I look like a million dollars. Either that or something from the pop generation that they used to call new romantic.
At least now that I am dressed according to Dallas’ mom’s plan, the guys are way more relaxed. She really did a number on them. I’m fairly certain that Colton was just as worried as the others, and I didn’t think he was afraid of anything.
I am escorted military-style to the patio at the back of the house.
As I walk down the aisle, I see that every one of the club brothers is wearing the same blue jeans and white shirts as my escort.
All except Buzz and Wings. They have pearly white T-shirts on.
I can only guess that they couldn’t get a white shirt to fit their immense frames.
All the women are dressed the same too. At first glance, you can’t tell them from the men.
As I stand at the altar. Dallas’ mom comes hobbling down the aisle in such high heels she looks in danger of toppling over any second, with what looks like a white tablecloth draped over her arms. Seeing me, she stops and beams at me.
Quickly remembering her tablecloths, she marches over to where Wings and Buzz are seated.
“Get those godawful T-shirts off this instant and put these on. I’ve had these specially made and they’ve got them here just in time. Come on! Move your asses.”
Buzz and Wings sigh, but stand up and remove their cuts and shirts.
Checking the new shirts, she hands one first to Buzz and then the other to Wings.
When they have them on and buttoned up, she makes them open their jeans, and she tucks their shirts in.
Wings gives her a seductive look, and she tuts.
“Really? I’ve eaten bigger hot dogs than you have on offer.” She pinches his cheek and leaves him standing there, beetroot red. I think that is the first time I’ve ever seen Wings blush.
Standing at the front with Axel, I am suddenly very conscious of everyone’s eyes on me.
“Your future monster-in-law has done you both proud. She has worked her magic to get all this done in record time and apart from a bit of financial help from the club, she’s done it all on her own.
She’s delegated jobs out, but she has been like a project manager for one of those big construction firms. She’s had everything and everyone, including you and Dallas, in the right place at the right time.
Some of the officers balked at the white shirts.
She had me assemble them in the common room where she measured every one of them herself, and told them she was having white shirts made-to-measure.
If anyone didn’t wear the shirt supplied on the day, she would personally remove them from the proceedings.
Buzz and Wings said they’d like to see her try.
Their original shirts didn’t fit because they’ve been working out like demons since she measured them. You saw how that worked out for them.”
Giving a little cough, he indicates that Dallas is about to walk down the aisle. Music starts, and I only recognize it as noise. As I turn to look down the aisle, my heart stops.
Dallas is wearing a stunning white gown complete with a veil. She is the absolute model of a bride. As I watch her walk toward me, I barely notice her dad is wearing a blue suit.
Halfway down the aisle, they both stop. For a moment, I panic.
She’s changed her mind. Raven stands from the seat by Dallas and Cora from the one behind.
They take a step closer to Dallas and help her remove her veil, then her dress slips from her shoulders.
Cora slips a white Stetson onto Dallas’ head, and it has a small veil hanging from the front.
Dallas steps out of the dress and is revealed in all her glory in black boots, blue jeans, a white ruffled shirt, cut and I can just see her holster peeking from under her cut.
My eyes water at the sight of my woman, and it’s all I can do not to run to her and snatch her up. I use a thumb and finger to quickly wipe my eyes and then see that Dad has taken off his suit to reveal the same jeans and shirt as everyone else.
The ceremony itself is just a blur of words. I don’t remember what we said to each other. Our vows were handed to us by the parents. Mom gave me mine, and Dad gave Dallas hers. I couldn’t tell you a word of what we both read, except the ‘I love you’ that I added at the end myself.
The afternoon went by in a melee of backslaps, handshakes and other forms of congratulations mixed with further bouts of eating and drinking. The evening was spent dancing, eating and drinking.
All I had eyes for was my wife. My wife!