Chapter Four
Echo
D ANI LED ME to a couple of chairs by the window and we sat beside each other. “I’m wondering if I should wait for Hatchet to get back.”
“Just Hatch, honey.”
“Hm?”
“He just goes by Hatch,” Dani said with a gentle smile.
“Oh.” I cocked my head. “Do you call him old poppin’ peepers Hatchet?”
“What?” Dani’s eyes widened. “Ah, no, not if you want to keep a limb. ”
I felt my face heat. “Why didn’t Archer correct me?”
“Let me tell you a little secret about my kid.”
I pivoted to face her, suddenly all in on whatever she was about to disclose.
“Archer is, well, Archer.” Dani chuckled.
“He’s the middle child, overly protective of his baby sister, Daisy, irreverent of his big brother, Cash, and the type to push the boundaries in every situation.
But when it comes to matters of the heart, he’s a little on the clueless side.
He either freezes or pushes buttons until someone pushes back. Hard.”
“He does?”
She nodded. “It’s gotten him in trouble, but it also reaps him some big rewards. With women, he’s different, though.”
“How so?”
“Well, he’s not always great with emotions.
He tends to hug it out with me and Ducky.
Sorry, Daisy. We call her Ducky. If one of us is upset, especially to the point of crying, he just pulls us into a hug, and good lord, the amount of times Daisy has nearly broken one of his ribs for his efforts…
” She sighed. “She’s not much of a hugger when she’s upset.
I mean, unless she really needs a hug, but Archer’s not always the best at knowing when she wants to be hugged or left alone. ”
I pressed my lips into a flat line. “I can relate.”
“He’s the most sensitive of us, really, he’s just not always the best at showing that with his words.
He has a wicked sense of humor, tends to say all the wrong things, but if anyone comes for us, man, you better watch out.
He’s the first to fight for the ones he loves, and he will fight to the death. ”
“That’s kind of sweet.”
“Well, yeah. He’s like his dad that way. I guess all my kids are in that regard.”
“Are you and their dad still together?” I gasped. “Sorry, you do not have to answer that.”
Dani grinned. “Oh, honey, I’m an open book. You can ask me anything. And yes, we’re still together. Decades.”
“Wow,” I breathed out. “That’s awesome.”
“Well, Booker’s pretty awesome.”
“Your husband’s name is Booker?”
“His club name. His real name’s Austin, but I only use it when I’m mad at him. Or, well, never mind.”
“Does Archer have a club name?”
“Not yet. He just got his member badge, and he’s a bit of an enigma, so his name hasn’t really come to Hatch or the officers yet.”
I bit my lip and Dani smiled gently.
“What?” she prompted.
“I just don’t know, as a mother, how you could be okay with the whole motorcycle thing.”
“Oh, honey, believe me, that ship has sailed. I’m married to the VP of an MC, both of my boys ride, every man around me rides, a couple of my best girlfriends ride, my baby is married to a man who patched in not long ago, so I either had to accept it, drive myself crazy while staying in, or walk away.
And when you fall in love as hard and deep as I did, there was no way in hell I was going to walk away.
And believe me, my family had concerns.”
“They did?”
“My brother was a detective at the time, Daddy was the chief, and my sister was an ADA. Of course, Daddy’s retired now, my brother’s chief and my sister’s the DA, and although they love my husband, it took a little time for my brother to come around.”
I gasped. “My brother’s a detective.”
“Really? Where?”
“Vancouver PD.”
“Shut up,” Dani hissed. “That’s where my brother’s chief.”
“Your brother’s Elliot Harris?” I asked.
“He sure is.”
“God, this town is so small,” I breathed out.
Dani laughed. “Oh, I know. Try having your man be in an MC and your brother constantly on your ass about it. Talk about boundary issues.”
“Don’t you worry?”
“About the overprotectiveness or the bikes?”
“The bikes,” I clarified. “Definitely the bikes.”
“All the time,” she admitted. “But the guys are all very careful, and don’t ride like assholes. Last week was an anomaly, I promise you.”
“I get all that, but you can’t account for the drunk driver, or the unfocused driver, or the inexperienced driver.”
“I know, honey. But you also can’t account for any of that while you’re crossing a street, or walking on a sidewalk, or driving your sedan and a truck hits you. I mean, a plane might hit your house for pete’s sake. You just have to do your best. ”
“My dad’s a pilot.”
“He is?”
I nodded. “Luckily, he’s never crashed into anyone’s house.”
Dani chuckled. “That’s definitely a good thing.”
I bit my lip. “Sorry, I’m being literal.”
“You don’t have to apologize, sweetie. I see you.”
I let out the deep breath I didn’t realize I was holding and sank further into the chair. “I’m used to explaining.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that.” She smiled again. “Did your dad have a hand in naming you?”
I nodded. “All of us. Oscar is the eldest, then Delta, then me. Mom said she stopped at me because if Dad had his choice we’d go through the entire aviation call signs until we got to Whiskey, and she couldn’t name any of her kids Whiskey.”
“She sounds like a wise woman.”
I grinned. “She’s way smarter than all of us combined I think.”
“Most moms are.”
I nodded. “That’s what she says.”
“Are you in school or working? Or both?”
“I’m a hospice nurse.”
“Ooph,” Dani breathed out. “Rough job.”
“It can be,” I agreed. “But for me, there aren’t a whole lot of surprises.
” I studied my jeans as I spoke. “I was an ER nurse for a while, and the constant changes made it difficult for me to pivot. With hospice, I know exactly what I’m doing, for the most part, and I can give families a soft place to land.
I’ve been told I have an empathy that others don’t, although, I’m not always the most sympathetic.
” I glanced at her. “I’m not really sure how that works, honestly.
Being empathetic without having sympathy. ”
“Oh, I do.” Dani raised an eyebrow. “Empathy is something you feel, down deep in your bones. It’s something you can relate to, so you have an ability to walk alongside your patients or your patients’ families, guiding them in their grief, whereas sympathy is more of a surface emotion.
You don’t feel that. It can be mimicked. Empathy can’t be faked.”
“Oh, that makes total sense.” I widened my eyes. “What do you do for work?”
“I’m a teacher.”
“You must be really good at it.”
“It’s my passion, so I hope so.”
The bell on the door dinged and Dani and I turned that way. Archer walked back in, and I had to keep myself from letting out an audible sigh. The man was gorgeous. Tall, muscular, but lean, and he had short dark blond hair with a little red in it, which showed more in the scruff of his beard.
He closed the distance between us and smiled. “Okay, I’m thinking you’ve got some suspension issues, but I’m going to need to keep your car for a few days, maybe a week, to know for sure.”
I bit my lip. “Oh, gosh, I, ah, have a full schedule starting the day after tomorrow. I need my car. Can I—”
“I can hook you up with a loaner,” he said.
“I’m not sure my budget will accommodate— ”
“Hatch said it was covered, Echo,” Archer said.
“I cannot expect Old Poppin’ Peepers Hatchet to cover all of that,” I argued, giving Archer a very pointed stare.
“Busted, kid,” Dani retorted.
Archer had the good sense to look contrite.
For about three seconds, then he grinned wide. “Old Poppin’ Peepers Hatchet said he’d cover it, which means he will cover it. All of it.”
“He really will, honey,” Dani confirmed.
Before I could argue further, Hatch walked in, a gorgeous blonde leading him through the door. The blonde’s face lit up as she smiled and Dani stood, rushing to give her a hug.
“I didn’t know you were going to be here, love.”
“I wanted to make sure Arch wasn’t driving your husband too, too crazy,” Dani said.
Of course, Hatch would have a gorgeous, British wife.
“Rude,” Archer snapped.
“Accurate,” Dani retorted.
Both of them were grinning, so I think they were teasing each other, but I wasn’t entirely sure.
“Echo?”
Hatch’s deep voice had me focusing on the group again, and I smiled, giving him a slight wave as I stood. “Hi. Um, I, um brought my car. I hope that’s okay.”
“Yeah, sweetheart, of course.”
“Pretty sure she’s got suspension issues,” Archer said. “It’s gonna take a few days. She’ll need a loaner. ”
“You really don’t need to do that,” I said.
“The alternative is to have Archer shuttle you,” Hatch said.
“Oh, no, absolutely not,” I rushed to say at the same time as Archer said, “Fine by me.”
“What?” I breathed out. “Um, no.”
“Can you drive a stick?” Hatch asked.
“I learned to drive on a manual,” I said. “It’s been a long time, but I can definitely do it. Why?”
“Because it’s what I have left as a loaner,” Hatch said. “I have an automatic coming back in on Thursday, but it means you’ll need to swing back and pick that up if your car’s not done.”
“Oh.” I bit my lip. “Let me call my sister. She works from home. I’m sure I can borrow hers for a couple of days.”
“I’m happy to chauffeur you around for the day until that car comes back in,” Archer said.
I shook my head. “Let me call my sister.”
* * *
Archer
Echo stepped outside and Hatch chuckled. “Well, I tried, brother.”
“Hatch,” Maisie admonished.
“What?” he said innocently. “He’s fuckin’ gaggin’ for the girl. She’s cute, and he’s, well, Archer. Echo doesn’t take shit off anyone, and let’s be honest, the boy needs that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked as my mother hid her grin behind her hands .
“How many women have you turned down in the last two days?”
“None,” I said.
“Bullshit,” he retorted. “How many offer themselves up to you on a fuckin’ silver platter on the reg?”
I frowned. “Yeah, I’m not gonna answer that.”