Chapter 29
Lacy
Dinner with Jimmy and Eddie was so cozy although, Eagle made numerous comments about me working at the club and not staying at the clubhouse. Outside of that, it was fun and breezy conversations, a few tales about Eddie when he was younger, and so much to eat, I had a food baby. Hopefully that would go away before work.
Jimmy had made some amazing kabobs with chicken, steak, peppers, onions, and mushrooms with baked potatoes on the side. He also baked a yellow sheet cake with chocolate frosting, so I had to have a slice. It would’ve been rude not to.
We’d moved inside to enjoy dessert. Licking the last bit of frosting from my fork, I glanced over to find Eddie staring me down. His dad stood up from the table to put his dish away, so I made a production of licking the fork slowly while I stared back at Eddie.
Heat filled his gaze and a grin spread over his face as he reached down to adjust himself. Mission accomplished.
I grinned back, but then stood up to grab our dishes and help clean up. Jimmy turned and snatched the dish from my hand, then pushed my shoulder.
“You’re a guest. You sit. Eddie, you can help.”
“I really don’t mind. You cooked and–”
“And you’re the guest,” Jimmy said, gently guiding me back to my chair as he motioned for Eddie to get up. I could barely contain myself as Eddie stood, kissed the top of my head, and started cleaning the kitchen.
My foot shook under the table as I watched the men tidy up and put condiments away. My eyes landed on some photos on the wall. “Is that you?” I asked as I looked at one image. It almost looked like Eddie, but the photo was older and the man was dressed in formal military clothes.
Jimmy looked back. “Oh yeah. Did a few years in the Marines.” He looked back at me and said, “Scout sniper.” He gave a wink. “Eddie was young and I never saw the front line before I got out. But I learned enough to teach my boy a few things. And I still get a few benefits from it.”
I’d heard the guys mention Eagle was the best shot of anyone, but I figured he just was handy with a gun. Jimmy covered the cake with some foil then stuck his hand out. “We have a surprise for you.”
I was having such a nice time, I forgot all about that. Curiosity filled me, though. Both of them had a surprise? Jimmy was a nice looking man, but if they had some weird sharing thing, I didn’t know that I was interested. Eddie was a handful on his own.
“Meet you outside,” Jimmy said as he walked out. Okay, I definitely let my mind wander, because even if they planned that , I doubt they’d make me go outside for it.
Sliding my hand into his, I stood and he gave me a quick peck. “This way,” Eddie said with a childlike grin.
His eagerness had butterflies filling my stomach. I followed him out through the back door, down the steps, and to the side of the house where a detached garage stood. It wasn’t as large as those at the clubhouse, but it looked like it could hold two cars with one large rolling door that was still closed. Once we made it closer, Jimmy pushed the door up revealing a car and a few motorcycles. The sun hadn’t gone down completely, just starting to set, so I could make out the front end of a champagne-colored Honda Civic.
Eddie pulled me closer and Jimmy held his hand up, dangling a set of keys. Looking between them, both with wide smiles, I shook my head. “What is this?”
Jimmy reached for my hand, then put the keys into my palm. “Eddie wanted to be sure you had a safe ride. Here you go.”
Eddie pulled me inside the garage and opened the driver’s side door. “I still want you riding with me. But I can’t always be there. Now I know you have a safe ride home from work. And maybe to the clubhouse.”
Looking at the keys, then the car, then back at him, I kept shaking my head. “You can’t give me a car.”
“If you want to be technical, honey,” Jimmy said as he leaned on the side of the garage, “I gave you the car. And I’m older than you, so you can’t tell me what to do and it’s not polite to block your blessings.”
“Sir, I can’t possibly take this.” It was too much. It was thousands of dollars. “I don’t even have a copy of my license right now. And insurance, and–”
Eddie silenced me with a kiss. Still very aware that his dad was standing nearby, I didn’t completely melt into him but did take a few seconds longer to pull away than I should have. “You will take it. He can sign it over to you to get insured, but I’ll pay for it. Just take it, Lacy.”
Looking down inside the car, tears filled my eyes. Covering my face, I tried to say, “Thank you both,” but it was garbled from the sobs.
It had been a while since I had my own car. And even when I had, it was never that great. I’d danced for a while, but having to bounce from place to place after splitting up with the losers I always attracted didn’t leave me with much savings or a steady address. I also had failed to file taxes a few times, and had no real work history to show for a loan. Buy here, pay here lots were my only way to get on, and I had to be able to use cash for them.
This car wasn’t very old. I wasn’t a car girl so I wouldn’t know the year, but it looked almost new and the inside was clean and smelled like coconut.
“Well, climb in honey. See how it fits,” Jimmy said.
Eddie tipped his chin toward the driver’s seat and swiped his thumb over my face, wiping my tears. I drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly before settling into the bucket seat. I ran my hands over the gear shifter then the steering wheel as I looked around. It could pass for brand new. A small little Christmas tree air freshener hung from the rear-view mirror.
“Fire it up,” Eddie said as he leaned in, his arm settled on the open door.
“Oh, right.” I fumbled with the key and started the ignition. The engine was quiet and the clock and interior lights came on, but no music, so I fiddled with the buttons until I got the radio to sound through the speakers.
“Not a bad little system, if you like that sort of thing,” Jimmy said as he opened the passenger door. He spent a few minutes showing me all the buttons, the wipers, the blinkers, and how to open the gas tank and hood. “You bring it to the shop when it’s time and we’ll change the oil and rotate your tires. Just put new ones on yesterday, so you should be good for a while.”
I lunged over the center console and awkwardly threw my arms around Jimmy. “Thank you so much. I don’t know what to say,” I managed to say before tearing up again.
He patted my back and laughed. “Can’t have my future daughter-in-law catching rides with strangers now can we?”
There was no way he didn’t feel that flinch. I was too shocked to control it, but managed to not completely ruin the moment. Future daughter-in-law?
But there was no rebuttal from Eddie. He patiently waited as I embraced his dad in the small car. A whirlwind of emotions filled me as my body shook. It had been so long since I felt anything close to what was happening within me, if ever.
My stepfather had been wealthy, but I was not gifted anything this way. I had nice clothes and was able to drive one of my mother’s cars, but anything given to me, even for birthdays and holidays, was always leverage of some kind, or thrown in my face over and over.
Jimmy barely knew me and he was going to sign the title over to me. It would be mine. And it wouldn’t have happened at all if it wasn’t for Eddie worrying about me. He didn’t leave town except for once a month or so, but he was gone for lengths of time at odd hours fairly often. I knew he couldn’t tell me where or why and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. I’d only worry. But now, even if he was held up, I didn’t have to rely on Jeannie or get a rideshare. I could just hop in my car and go home.
Finally pulling back, I wiped at Jimmy’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I made a mess on your shirt.”
“Don’t worry about that, honey. I know how to do laundry. I’m glad you like it. Maybe now you can drag this knucklehead around more. I hardly see him these days.”
Nodding and wiping off my cheeks, I giggled. “I promise. But you’ll have to let me cook for you sometime.”
Jimmy waved me off and said, “I like cooking. But you can bring me some dessert if you want.” He patted his belly. “I like sweets.”
“I’ll do better, Dad. Promise,” Eddie said as he reached his hand out to me to climb out.
I turned off the engine and got out. “Guess I’ll have to come back once we get the insurance and stuff worked out.”
“No, it has coverage now.” Eddie pulled me close against him. “I just wanted a kiss before you drive off.”
Grabbing his cheeks, I pulled him down and kissed him hard, my hands still shaking. Pulling back, I said, “Thank you so much.”
“So, does this get me enough points to at least swing by the clubhouse and show your friends?”
I was still riding the high of a fun dinner, topped off with my own car, so I didn’t even think before I said, “Okay.”