CHAPTER SIXTEEN
-:- RUGER -:-
Rubbing my hands together as I have the marriage license in my hands.
I had, thanks to Specs all the requirements to hand to the county clerk.
I know the clerk, so it was a quick and simple process.
We have sixty days to get married, and I’m going to speak to Mia about using the clubhouse and compound.
I’d dropped Penny at work earlier while running this errand, so now I can inform her of what is happening. She’s no choice in this now. She gave herself to me, and she’s staying mine as much as I’m staying hers.
Entering Penny’s office, I give Jo a small nod, because let’s be honest, if I ignored her Knuckles would be after my ass. “Jo, can I have the room for a minute with Penny?”
Jo jumps from her seat and gives me, then Penny a questioning look, but I lift an eyebrow at her, then flick my head to the door, telling her to get her nosy ass out the door. After huffing, Jo leaves the office and closes the door quietly behind her.
Penny is looking worried, but I quickly walk over to where she’s sitting behind her desk, and get her standing.
Wrapping my arms around her, I kiss her gently.
“We’re getting married. I have a few questions though, so here goes.
Do you want an engagement ring as well as a wedding ring?
Are you okay with getting married at the clubhouse? Can we dress Punkin as a flower girl?”
“Wow, stop, Ruger.” Penny holds her hand over my mouth, stopping the flow of questions. “I’ve already made a list of what we are doing for our wedding.”
“You planned a wedding already?” I ask shocked.
“Of course, I’m an administrator by nature, and love coordinating things, so I have organized some things. You can do the clubhouse stuff, and I’ll do the rest.” Penny smiles so brightly I swallow hard.
“What do you mean by the rest?”
“Well, the dress, your suit…”
Growling in shock, I splutter, “No, no suit. I’m wearing my leather, the same as all the brothers will. It’s tradition.”
“Tradition my ass. It’s the fact that you lot don’t want to wear a suit…
that‘s all that’s about. But I’ve organized so hey, you’ll have to put up with it or not get married.
” Penny pushes me away and retakes her seat, right before looking up and shooing with her hands.
“Well, get moving because you have a wedding place to plan.”
“Fuck, my woman is sassy…but I like it.” I give her a huge smile and kiss her quickly while she’s looking up at me.
You know you've gotta grab the chances you get. Then I hightail it out of her office and back to the clubhouse. Arrow is watching me leave while shaking his head at me, no idea why he’s doing that, but hey I don’t care.
Walking into the clubhouse I look around for Mia, and as she’s not in the common room, I check the kitchen. Meat, Amelia and Sybil look up and although they say nothing they all three quirk an eyebrow. “Anyone seen Mia?” I ask as I turn to leave the kitchen.
“My house,” Meat grunts and goes back to cutting up the enormous piece of meat he’s working on.
“Thanks,” I reply as I pass the three of them and rush out of the back door, making my way to Meat’s house. It doesn’t take me long to get to the house, and I go around to the back door, knock twice and open the door. “Can I come in, Star?”
“Yes, of course you can. What can I do for you, Ruger?” Star and Mia are sitting at the island drinking tea and eating what looks like cucumber sandwiches. Oh no, I scrunch up my nose at the sight.
“I’m actually here to see Mia.”
“Oh, what’s up?” Mia takes a tiny bite of the sandwich in her hand, pinky up, and looks at Star.
“Yeah, that’s how they do it, Mia. Pinky up, tiny bites, and a hundred chews.” Star takes her seat once more, and they both look at me, waiting for me to speak.
“Oh, um, I’ve got the license for me and Penny to get married. Can you organize the clubhouse or compound or something for it?” I just spill it because I’m not one for lots of flowery talk.
“Oh, yes, that’ll be fun, I’ll help Mia.” Star gushes, and by the look on her face I’m not sure asking Mia while she was here was such a good idea after all!
“Okay, I can do that. There are more than enough of us to organize it. I’ll speak to Penny too, because you really do not want her to feel she had no input, now do you, Ruger?” Mia gives me an innocent look, blinks a few times, and I frown because honestly, I’m feeling like I’m being played.
“I’m bringing Penny to give her my property patch.
You can speak to her then. Of course, I want her input and involvement.
Penny is organizing her dress and my suit.
” Which I say with a scowl on my face I’m sure.
It’s obvious that I don’t want to wear a suit, but I’ll do what Penny wants because it’s her day.
I don’t give a shit where we marry as long as we marry.
“I’ll take Penny to the bridal shop,” Star gushes, and Mia is nodding her head in agreement. I take off because these two are in cahoots with Penny I’m sure. Something is going on that I don’t know about!
As I’m leaving I get a text message from Bones.
Bones: Are you in town?
Ruger: No, I’m at the clubhouse. Just leaving, why?
Bones: I’ve seen a house on Baker Street for sale. Do you know anything about the area?
Ruger: Are you there?
Bones: Yeah, I’m sitting outside looking at the place
Ruger: Stay there, I’m on my way
Arriving at Baker Street, I see Bones sitting astride his hog, looking at a nice property with a for sale sign outside. It’s a nice-sized house, and the property itself looks well maintained and has a good yard.
Parking my girl next to Bones, I turn off the engine and take off my helmet. “The street, and the area in general, are good. This is old man Simpson’s place. He is in that nursing home now from what I heard.”
“I spoke to the realtor, and the old guy isn’t in a home. He’s on a lifelong cruise. Said to the realtor apparently, I get laundry done, food cooked, medical care, and a daily holiday. What more could I want or need.” Bones smirks.
Chuckling. “Yeah, if you look at it like that, why not!”
A woman comes out of the house next door. Now, it’s quite a distance in truth. She rushes to get to us, and all the while she’s throwing her hands around, spluttering some nonsense.
“Get away from here. Riffraff like you doesn’t belong here.”
I look at Bones who has gone rigid and I can see her comment has not sat well. I’m going to wait and see how he deals with this woman. Does he want a neighbor like her?
Bones throws his leg over his hog as he straightens to his full height and steps toward the woman. She, I have to admit, has shut her fuckin’ mouth for a minute.
“Oh, riffraff, is it? This riffraff would be the one you would stand behind if war came to the streets or the country. I’ve already served my time, have you?” Bones snarls, and I can see he would love to say more, but he’s holding back.
Now, before we can say more or this bitch can reply we turn as we hear a beautiful mellow voice. “Mrs. Lincoln, stop. You know nothing about these two men so stop with the comments.”
Bones is looking at the woman with interest, and I place my hand over my mouth, because I don’t want him to catch me smirking. The old woman starts up again, and Bones spins back to look at her.
“Virginia, mind your own business…”
“Now, Mrs. Lincoln, you know nobody calls me Virginia. Let’s start with the fact that you say, mind my own business. So, tell me what is your business with these two? Hmm?”
Bones and I are now looking from one to the other, and enjoying the banter back and forth. We know better than to stick our noses between two women getting into a verbal spat.
“I live next door. I don’t want riffraff living next to me…so yes, it’s my business.”
“Who said he’s riffraff, or are you prejudiced because he has one of those biker jackets on?
Shame on you Mrs. Lincoln, you know better than what you are doing?
Mr. Lincoln would be ashamed of you at this moment if he could see it.
” Virginia is looking at the old woman like she’s disgusted, and it’s having an effect as the old woman is going as red as a tomato.
“Don’t speak of my husband…”
“I’ll do as I like, just as you are. Now get on home before I call Sheriff Forest or one of his men and report you for harassing people on the street.
It’s disturbing the peace if nothing else.
” Virginia snaps, and the old woman huffs, giving Bones and I a filthy look as she turns to rush back to her house.
“I’m sorry about that. She’s a nosy one, and she loves a bit of drama, so if you are interested in Mr. Simpson's place be warned, she’ll be on you for sneezing.”
Bones holds his hand out to shake. “Name’s Bones, and this is Ruger. Yeah, I think I’m gonna speak to the realtor about looking at the place.”
Shaking his hand in return, she gives him a bright smile. “Name’s Virginia but nobody calls me that apart from her that shall not be named.” Which has us both laughing before she continues. “Everyone calls me Ginny.”
I shake her hand, once Bones lets go of her that is. She gives him a quizzical look when she has to pull her hand out of his. “Has the place been up for sale long?” I ask, breaking the look between the two of them.
“Two weeks is all. Only you have taken an interest so far. I think it’s because there are two acres of land attached to the place.
It’s a lot to keep up. I have to hire someone to help me keep my yard tidy because it’s as big as this place.
” Ginny turns and points to the house next to this one, on the opposite side to nosy Mrs. Lincoln’s place.
“I’ll speak to the realtor. Thanks for coming out,” Bones gives Ginny a nod and a smile.
“You are welcome. Now have a nice day.” Turning as she speaks, Ginny quickly goes back to her place. I look at Bones who is still watching her house.
“Hey, Bones? You going to look at this place?”
“Yeah, but it’ll be tomorrow. You coming with me when I go to speak with the realtor?”
Nodding as I get back on my girl. “Yeah, I’ll come as I want a word about Penny’s lease.”
Later that evening I walk into the clubhouse with Punkin in one arm and the other wrapped about Penny. The clubhouse is busy tonight, and the ol ladies shout Penny over to the corner they are sitting at.
“I’ll come get you in a minute, if you want to sit with them?”
Penny smiles, “Yeah, I’m good with sitting with them. Give me Arabella, and I’ll put her on the playmat they have with them.”
The ol ladies are excellent at keeping the kids in one place.
They have a playmat on the ground, and their chairs encircle the area.
The only two that are going to cause them trouble are the twins, of course.
But I have noticed lately that Mia lets them follow Axel around more, and he is not worried about that at all.
He talks to them about most things he’s doing in a way they understand.
He’s teaching them to be presidents, without them even knowing he’s doing it.
I walk over to PT’s office where he’s sitting back, feet up on the small coffee table he has in the corner of the room with two comfy chairs. “You okay, PT?”
“Yeah. I’m having five minutes of peace before going to my room. I’m tired tonight and gonna hit the sack early. What can I do for you?”
“I’m here to pick up Penny’s property patch and get it on her back.” I give him a huge smile.
Standing from his seat, PT heads to the cabinet in the corner of the room.
On top is the box with Penny’s patch, and I can’t wait to see her wearing it.
“Here you go. You’re a lucky fucker. I’ve always said I’m not waiting for a woman.
I like the free life. But you know, seeing you all settling down has me thinking that maybe it’s time I did the same. ”
“I don’t think looking for a woman is the way to go, PT.
All of us so far have met our women by chance.
It’s like fate placing them in front of us.
You need to get out of your office more because sitting in there is not going to get you seen or seeing anyone.
” I take the box and slap his shoulder. “Take my advice and get out to TJs, and Club Whisky. Even go out of town with some of the brothers who are single and meet different people.”
PT nods as he thinks about what I’m saying. “I’ll think about it, Ruger. Now, get that on your woman’s back, and congratulations, brother.” We bump shoulders, you know, as men do, and I head back to the common room.
Walking over to Penny, I take her hand and lead her over to the bar where I place the box and open it, taking out the property patch. The room has gone silent, and everyone is looking at us, particularly Penny, for her reaction.
“Penny, you know we are getting married soon. But I want you to be my Ol’ Lady as well as wife. So, will you accept my property patch?” I have to admit I’m a little nervous, but I hold it back so it doesn’t show, and I give Penny a smile meant only for her.
“Yes, Ruger I will, and I’ll wear it proudly,” Penny replies, and the room erupts with foot stomping, clapping, hoots and whistles. I slide the patch onto her back, then turn her around and kiss her soundly, and I don’t give a fuck who’s watching.