Chapter 37 #2
The twins come back inside as if on cue, and Wolfe moves behind the bar to get them a beer.
“What’s going on in here?” Cole asks before bringing the bottle to his lips.
“This pretty little lady is looking for Chase Turner,” he tells them.
My heart does a weird little flip, remembering the first time I saw the man in question. Wolfe gives me a cheesy smile, confirming that he’s here again today.
Carson sits forward, catching my eye. “Are you sure you aren’t looking for someone taller, more handsome perhaps?” He tugs on his cut, letting me know he’s talking about himself.
“Less grumpy,” Cole adds.
It makes me giggle, and the three men surrounding me puff up their chests, happy to have lightened my mood.
“Actually, I prefer grumpy,” I tell them.
“We gave it a shot, brother,” Carson says, shrugging at Cole.
“Chase Turner is sitting in the back corner, isn’t he?”
Wolfe shifts the toothpick in his mouth to the other side. “How’d you guess?”
“It’s just my lucky day.”
This makes him smile wide.
Cole gives me a little jab in the ribs, encouraging me to get moving. “Go on. He may look mean, but he doesn’t bite.”
“That’s a lie. I’ve got the marks to prove it.” I grab my purse from the bar, letting the twins fuss over me as they help me out of my chair.
“Ew,” they say in unison.
A feeling washes over me, and for a mere second it reminds me of the other side. It’s love.
That is what I’ve been searching for. I reach out, wrapping my arms around both of their necks. I give each of them a kiss on the cheek. “I love you guys so much.”
It’s the first time I’ve seen them blush.
“I’ll be back to settle up,” I tell Wolfe.
He nods, but I see a flicker of apprehension pass over his face.
When I turn around, I head straight over to Carver, avoiding the man glaring at me from the darkest corner of the room. Carver jumps to his feet, moving in front of the door.
I barrel into him, wrapping my arms around him too.
He holds his hands over his head, not sure what to do, but that’s okay. I’ll take the lead. Somehow I know it’s because no one has ever shown him physical love.
“Thank you for always watching over me.”
“I didn’t think you noticed,” he says, slowly dropping his arms and lightly placing them around me. He gives me a few awkward pats on the back, and then I release him, not wanting to overwhelm him too much the first time.
“Well, I did … do.” I place my hand on his cheek and then take a step back. “I guess that makes us best friends.”
The real Carver grins at me. “I told you we were going to be friends.”
Someone opens the door behind him, and the mask quickly falls back in place. Wolfe was right, the bar is slowly filling up. We step to the side as a few more club members filter in.
“I better …” I point to the corner.
“I can feel his scowl, can you?” he asks.
“I can.” We both chuckle. “I’ll see you later.”
He nods.
I take a deep breath and turn around, my eyes instantly clashing with Rage’s dark stormy ones. No wonder I didn’t approach him last time.
But this time I’m going to live a little.
I walk over and thrust my hand out. “I’m Serenity. You don’t know me, but I’m looking for Chase Turner. The men over there …” I pause to point over my shoulder, “told me you were the one and only.”
His scowl deepens, and I almost retreat, but not this time.
I’m choosing love.
“No one uses my government name but my wife.”
“Oh,” I say. My heart takes a little dip, but I don’t get discouraged. “What should I call you then?”
He pushes his phone across the table, showing me a video. His finger presses play with a bit of a dramatic flair. What is this about?
I watch as the club’s chaplain stands beside my hospital bed. Then the camera pans to Rage and me.
“Did you marry me while I was in a coma?” I ask, grabbing his phone and pulling it to my face for a closer look.
“If you were going to the other side, you were going as my fucking wife. Period.”
My mouth falls open, and I stare at him. “I don’t remember this part.”
“You don’t remember because you were unconscious, but don’t worry. We’ll do it again.”
I fall to the seat beside him. “No, I mean, I remember you were always by my bed. I watched you, but …” I scratch my head. Maybe I was dreaming, because why would I have missed this part? It’s literally my wedding.
I watch Carver once again wrap his hand around mine, signing what I’m assuming is a marriage license.
“Carver’s been your proxy,” he explains.
“I’m pretty sure that’s not legal,” I say, frowning.
He scoots close and wraps his arm around me. “Does your head hurt? We should get you home.”
I push him away from me. “No, I want to talk.”
His gaze bounces over mine. “Okay.”
He slides back in his seat, and that’s what I do.
I tell him about what happened when I got home that day.
How I found Peanut on the ground. How I talked to my mom and his.
How Mr. Johnson tricked me into coming back.
And then we talk about everything else. From our hopes and dreams to our fears and worries.
We’re holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes at the end of the night when Wolfe turns the back lights off.
I giggle. “I think we’re about to be kicked out.”
Rage rolls his eyes. “I’m the fucking president. Ain’t no one kicking me anywhere.”
Wolfe walks over to us. “Time for you youngins to get on home. Bar’s closed.” He winks at me.
An image of Wolfe standing over me at the hospital pops into my mind.
“Oh, wait!” I hold my finger up. “I almost forgot. You told me at the hospital I needed to come back because I still owed you for the drink.” I dig through my purse, my hand pausing over the ten-dollar bill Mr. Johnson gave me the last time I saw him alive.
“You were unconscious when I told you that,” Wolfe says, falling into the seat across from us.
Rage leans forward. “You heard him?”
I smile wide. “Yeah. I saw both of you. He was standing by my bed, touching my hair, and you were sitting behind him.”
I hand the bill over to Wolfe. This is a reminder from the other side that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Wolfe takes it from me with a shaky hand, and the two of them look at each other.
“I think I’m ready to go home now.”
They jump to their feet before I change my mind.
“I’ll follow you guys out, so I can pick up my wife.
Shelly says Mila’s been asleep for a few hours,” Wolfe says, leaning against my window as Rage rounds the truck.
He flicks the ten he’s still holding in his hand.
“Why don’t you hold on to this? I got the message loud and clear. Keep it for the next person.”
I hesitantly take it from him. “So, you believe me.”
“Should of never doubted you to begin with.” He taps the end of my nose.