Chapter Eighteen #2
“Does she know who you are?” His father stalked closer, staring him down. “The real you? The guy who goes home with different women every week? The one who woke up with two women the morning of the accident?”
“Zander, is that true?” his mother snapped.
Zander gritted his teeth and didn’t bother answering his mother. He didn’t have to. She knew who he was. “Shauna knows exactly who I used to be.”
His parents exchanged a glance that was sharp and loaded with doubt, pissing him off even more.
“Zander, I know right now the accident is still fresh in your mind, and you think you want to change,” his mother said carefully but firmly.
“But change is not that easy, sweetheart. You have to stop and think about Shauna. Three months is a long time, and your father is right. For you two to pull this off, people have to believe you’re in love, and I’m sorry, honey, but while you know about loving family and friends, being in love is a subject you know nothing about.
You can’t be flirting with other women or even checking them out—”
“No shit,” Zander barked. “You think I’m a fucking idiot?”
“Watch your mouth,” his father warned. “Your mother is right. You’re going to hurt this girl, Zander, and you’ll never forgive yourself.”
His father’s words landed like spears, sparking fury and disillusionment.
He looked between his parents and his grandfather.
“Thanks for having faith in me,” he gritted out sarcastically.
“All this time I thought you stood behind the lessons you taught us about putting others first. This marriage is happening with or without your support, and if you care about me at all, you won’t screw this up for her by telling anyone outside the family the reason we’re getting married. ”
He turned and stalked out the door, storming past Zeke in the driveway.
“Whoa, dude.” Zeke grabbed his arm. “What happened? You look like you want to kill someone.”
“Ask your parents,” he fumed.
“I’m asking you.”
In no mood to repeat the whole fucking story, he said, “Shauna’s got an inheritance and needs the money for Brian’s rehab, but she’s got to be married for a few months to get it. I told Mom and Dad I’m marrying her on Friday, and they’re up my ass about it.”
“You’re getting married?” he said incredulously. “Bro, what’s the rush? Brian’s already in rehab.”
“Yeah, because I paid for it. She wants to pay me back, which means getting the marriage clock ticking so she can get her money.” He headed to his truck, but Zeke followed.
“Slow down, Zan. Can we just sit down, have a beer, and talk about this? There’s got to be another way.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? I thought if anyone had my back, it would be you.”
“I’m trying to have your back, but come on. You and marriage? Those two things do not go together, and you know it.”
“Like I said, way to have my back, bro. I’m out of here.” Ignoring Zeke’s pleas to chill the fuck out, he climbed into his truck and sped away.
If ever there was a time when Zander wished he had his motorcycle, it was now.
He could use some wind therapy to cool off before going home.
Instead, he hit the highway, cranked the tunes, and ground his back teeth.
He felt blindsided. Not just by his parents and grandfather, but by Zeke.
He was the one person who had always had his back, no matter what kind of shit he got himself into, and this wasn’t even for himself.
He was still on edge when he got home.
As he headed up to the front door, he saw Shauna through the window.
She was vacuuming in her workout shorts and a crop top, her head bobbing and her ass swinging to some beat he couldn’t hear.
He laughed to himself, the tension draining out of him.
How could coming home to someone he barely knew make him so happy?
He never imagined he’d go against his family for anything, but as he made his way inside, there wasn’t even a question.
He refused to be just another person who let Shauna down.
She was shaking her ass, belting out something about moonbeam ice cream and taking off jeans—his kind of song—and the living room looked like it had been hit by a hurricane. Cat treats and glitter littered the floor and furniture, along with what appeared to be pieces of balloons and feathers.
Shauna looked up and startled. She quickly turned off the vacuum, and as she took out her earbuds, she said, “You scared the crap out of me. How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough to see this.” He turned around and shook his ass.
She covered her face with her hand, laughing, but her smile faded fast, and she wrinkled her nose adorably. “I’m sorry about the mess, but don’t worry. I’ll clean up everything.”
“I don’t care about the mess. What happened?”
“Ask her.” She pointed to Kitty, lounging on the couch like a queen. As if on cue, Kitty rolled onto her back and stretched, looking insanely cute.
He cocked a brow and picked Kitty up.
“Don’t fall for that cuteness. This is all her doing.”
“This sweet little girl?” he teased, snuggling Kitty. “No way.”
“I’m telling you, she’s got a little devil in her.
I stopped by the craft store after my pole class to get stuff to make a glitter bomb birthday card for Mike, one of the guys I work with, and I thought it might be fun to get Kitty a new toy.
But they didn’t sell cat toys, and I had ordered takeout to pick up on the way home to surprise you since you’re doing so much for me.
Rather than take the time to go to the pet store, I thought I’d make her toys.
I bought helium balloons and feathers to tie to the strings, thinking that when the balloons floated up to the ceiling, she’d chase the feathers around. ”
He freaking loved that she’d thought about making something for his cat, but he loved that she wanted to surprise him with dinner even more.
“Little did I know devil cat would launch herself off the couch, trying to get the balloons instead of the feathers, and knock over my glitter jar. I tried to catch it, and missed, but I managed to knock over the bag of Kitty’s treats I found in the cabinet.
Meanwhile, she was freaking out about the glitter jar crashing to the floor. ”
He laughed.
She planted a hand on her hip. “You laugh, but I swear she’s possessed, because that’s when she noticed the feathers tied to the strings on the balloons.
I kid you not, she leapt onto the back of the couch and turned into a flying squirrel right before my eyes, launching herself onto one of the balloons and puncturing it with her claws.
As she’s going down with the loudest meow you’ve ever heard, I dive across the room to catch her, and my foot slips on glitter. ”
“Oh, man.” He winced.
“You’re telling me? I’m stumbling forward, arms flailing, and manage to catch her on my way down.”
“Did you get hurt?” he asked through his laughter.
“Just my ego.”
And there they were. The dimples that had him pulling her into his arms for a quick hug with Kitty as he said, “You’re my hero for saving my girl.”
“Your girl is a demon.” She scratched Kitty’s back, and Kitty purred. “Oh my gosh, I have been a nervous wreck all day about how things would go with your parents, and I got so caught up in this mess, I almost forgot to ask how it went.”
He kissed Kitty’s head and put her on the couch. “It didn’t go great, but fuck ’em. We’re doing this.”
“What? No. I don’t want to cause a rift between you and your family. I’ll find another way to pay you back.”
“You’re not causing a rift.”
“Yes, I am. I’m the one you’re marrying.”
“This was my idea, remember? You didn’t tie me down and force me to say I’ll marry you. I want to do this for you, and you’re not going to change my mind, so you might as well save your energy.”
Her brow furrowed, her eyes narrowing. “I appreciate that, but will you at least tell me what happened?”
He shook his head. “I don’t want you worrying about it.”
“Too late.” She crossed her arms. “I’ve been worried about it since you convinced me this was a good idea.”
“It is a good idea. Brian is where he needs to be, and you’re not in danger of getting physically or emotionally battered.”
She uncrossed her arms, her expression softening.
“I appreciate it, but if we’re doing this, then we have to be honest with each other.
I know you’re tough, but this is your family.
I know how much you love them, and to be honest, I can’t blame them for thinking this is crazy.
I haven’t told Cap yet, for that very reason.
You’re not just helping me, Zan. You’re changing your life, even if only temporarily, for a recovering alcoholic.
You moved me in, and you’re putting a ring on your finger—”
“I never told them about your background. We never got that far, and I wouldn’t have anyway. It’s up to you to decide who you want to share that with.”
“Oh,” she said with surprise. “Thank you, but you could have told them. I wouldn’t have minded. I understand why they’re upset, but still, I wish you’d talk to me about it. It has to hurt that they’re not supportive when you were so sure they would be.”
“What do you want me to say?” he snapped.
“That I’m bummed? You’re damn right I am.
” He paced. “I thought I’d have their support without question.
I was raised to believe nobody rides alone, and it’s always been that way.
It’s not like I don’t understand their worries about the sanctity of marriage.
I get it. They think we’ll spin around in a few years and find our soul mates, and regret having already been married once. ”
“Well, that’s not going to happen. At least not for me.”
“Me either, and I told them that.” He didn’t want to admit the next part, but she deserved to hear it, because even though he’d do everything within his power not to fuck this up, this was new territory for him, and honesty had to be paramount.
“They’re also worried that I’m the same guy I was before the accident, and I’ll embarrass you or hurt your feelings by flirting with other women when we’re married. ”
“Oh…um…? Do they know it’s not like that between us?”
“That doesn’t matter. It still has to look real, but as I said before, I’m not that guy anymore, and I sure as hell wouldn’t do that to you.”
“I believe you,” she said without hesitation.
She couldn’t know how much her trust meant to him. “Good. Now can we stop talking about them and have some of that takeout you mentioned?”
“Yes,” she relented. “But I need to finish cleaning up first, and—”
“The mess can wait.” He hooked an arm around her neck, pulling her against his side as they headed into the kitchen.
“You’ve had a hard day of making up stories about my cat when we both know you had a wild party with your pole-class friends while I was gone.
Thank you for getting them out before I got home. ”
“It was the least I could do,” she said without missing a beat.
Coolest woman on the planet. “Just so you know, I’m getting a nanny cam.” He reached for the bag of Chinese food on the counter.
“Hey, Zan?”
The change in her tone from playful to softer had him glancing over as he opened the bag. “Yeah?”
“Thanks for sticking by me. I know it’s not the same, but you don’t have to ride alone. You’ve still got me. I’ve never ridden on a motorcycle, but I’m loyal, and you know I can save your life.”
“I’ll be proud to have you as my ride or die, Flores. It’s you and me against the world.”
“You, me, and Kitty,” she said, picking up Kitty to cuddle her.
That sounds pretty damn good to me. “Do you think they’ll accept a paw print as the witness signature at the courthouse?”
“You’ve taken care of everything else. Leave finding a witness to me.”