Chapter 17
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Riptide
Seconds after Van laid that smoldering kiss on me, Icer showed up on our doorstep, wanting to spend some time with our little man before Elodie showed up and his attention became divided.
I took his offer and whisked Van up the stairs and into our room, where I spent some time proving to her on the bed, on the dresser, and in the shower how much I appreciate and love her.
By the time we were clean and dressed, the doorbell was ringing and the rambunctious sounds of Elodie greeting our boy echoed throughout the house.
Turning to Van as we descend down the stairs, I state, “If nothing else, she’ll keep our little guy occupied and entertained so we can get a few things settled.”
“She usually does, especially if we pull out the toy trunk and pop on one of her favorite animated shows on the big screen,” Van replies.
“Speaking of, remind me to thank Indiana for bringing half of her toy collection over,” I grumble.
I had to go to an antique store to get one of those old trunks that was big and deep enough to hold her dolls and other shit so it wasn’t stacked in a corner in the living room.
After he had dropped them off so she had shit here, it looked like a toy store had exploded in our house.
It had my eyes twitching and crossing as my head was thundering with a headache.
I came up with a solution and implemented it and now my house, for the most part, looks like a home.
Yes, there’s still kid shit sprawled out but it’s stacked and organized when it’s not in use which gives me a reprieve from the chaos.
I’m just glad that Van is as orderly as I am and that disordered clutter makes her fidgety.
“Don’t be a sourpuss, Rush,” she says, smacking me in the pecs with the back of her hand.
“If you didn’t know what the trunk was used for you wouldn’t know the difference.
You’d think we put it there to add to the aesthetics of the room.
The one you found fits in with our decor. It adds a little charm, and I love it.”
“I’m glad you do. That old lady haggled me,” I gripe. “There’s no way that thing was worth two-hundred and fifty bucks.”
“It’s an antique, Rush. Of course it was. They don’t make things nowadays like they did back then. That trunk will stand the test of time.”
“Not if Elodie keeps shoving shit in it,” I rebuff as our feet hit the landing.
“Why are you moody all of a sudden?” she asks, twirling on her feet and facing me. “You’d think after the hour we just spent upstairs you’d be calm and happy.”
“I’m not moody,” I argue. “I’m not, promise. Just have a lot on my mind and I’m having a hard time slowing my thoughts down.”
“You’re worried and it has you agitated,” she guesses.
“I suppose,” I mumble. “There’s so much to do and I’m not sure if Elodie can wait long enough for us to get everything smoothed out and ready for her.”
“Her homeschooling starts tomorrow, she’s going to be fine, Rush. She won’t have to see those shitheads on a daily basis and I think once that sinks into her head, she’ll calm down and her attitude will adjust accordingly.”
“And you’re good with taking on that task on top of everything else you have going on?
” I ask, not wanting her to take on more than she can chew.
That’s been another worry of mine. She’s agreed to do the school thing with Elodie while also wrapping up her contract with that fuckface who deceived her once she got to town and started working for him.
I’m still pissed as fuck at the jackass, they swore that she wouldn’t be required to do any traveling and he went back on his word, which in my books, means he’s not a man at all.
A real man doesn’t go back on a promise, he keeps them.
“I’m good, Rush. I would tell you if I wasn’t,” she says as we head toward where the adults are gathered around the kitchen island. I squeeze her hand letting her know I’ll take her word for it and not question her on it anymore. At least, not now.
The girls separate from us and go over Elodie’s curriculum while the guys and I step out onto the back porch with a beer in hand.
“You don’t know how much Zoey and I appreciate you and Van keeping Elodie and helping her with her school shit while we’re away,” Indiana tells me.
“Zoey’s been tense about leaving her, but we know she’s in good hands so that makes it easier to head out of town. ”
I snort before replying, “Van’s acting like it’s not a big deal and I’m trying to be supportive of that and not hound her about it. Letting go of her job has been playing havoc in her head, but anytime I bring it up, she waves me off.”
Indiana shoots me an understanding look before switching the subject, “You messaged me earlier and said that Van had a different idea than the one we came up with, tell me about that.” I lay out everything she brought up and by the time I’m done explaining it, he’s nodding his head.
“I like that better. It’ll be easier all the way around when we switch her from the public school environment and into a homeschooling one.
We won’t get tangled up in legalities and paperwork. ”
“Now we just have to find the right person to tutor her and keep her on schedule,” I state.
Indiana rubs his hand through his scruff, his beard is starting to grow back and it’s at that awkward stage. It’s too short to comb your fingers through but just long enough that it’s itchy as fuck. “Y’all remember Jersey Thornton from back in the day?”
“Isn’t that the girl that followed Icer around with stars in her eyes when we were in grade school?” I ask, trying to recall the memories from our childhood and put a face with the name.
“That’s her,” Indiana says as Icer grunts, taking another sip of his beer before mumbling about her being an annoying little shit.
“I remember. What about her?”
“She just graduated from college with a Bachelor degree in education,” Indiana informs us. “Top of her class from what I was told and is having a hard time finding a position. She’s overqualified for those small towns and the bigger ones aren’t hiring.”
“No,” Icer snarls. “Don’t want her here.”
“Icer,” I scold, “kids grow the fuck up. I doubt she’ll have any interest in following you around like a love sick puppy.”
“Don’t care,” he rumbles. “People don’t change that much. She never gave me a moment of peace and I don’t want to relive that.”
“I think that’s the most words I’ve heard strung together come out of you,” Indiana taunts. “But Rip’s right, man. She’s grown up and from my understanding is far from the kid she was when we knew her.”
“How so?” I ask, wanting to know as much as Indiana does about Jersey.
Her father was a hang around when Paps was in charge of the West Texas chapter of the Kings, so she knows about the MC lifestyle and how to conduct herself.
If we don’t think she’ll do anything to cause Icer to string her up in the nearest tree, she’d be the ideal candidate.
“From the reports I got from back home from some of my buddies I still talk to every now and again, she either witnessed or was involved in something in college that changed her. She’s no longer a follower, she’s more of a loner.
She doesn’t attend parties and stays as far away from their catch up reunions.
But she’s always the first one to volunteer when someone’s kid needs help or watching over. ”
“Still not convinced,” Icer declares. “You haven’t said anything to convince me otherwise. My answer is still no.”
“Damn,” I spit out. “What a shame it’s not up to you.”
“I won’t have someone like that around my princess influencing her to be a pain in the ass,” he vehemently denies. Both of our heads swivel in his direction because if that’s not the pot calling the kettle black, I don’t know what is.
“As opposed to you?” Indiana asks, raising his brows. “If anyone influences her to be a pain in the ass, it’s you.”
Wanting to stop this squabble before it becomes a brawl, I clear my throat and order, “Get me a jacket put together for Jersey and have it to me after Valentine’s.”
“Will do,” Indiana says, his tone bragging as he shoots Icer a triumphant look. I roll my eyes and head inside, leaving them to sort out their own shit.
I’m getting too fucking old for this brand of malarky. And people wonder why I always act like I’m walking on a sword’s edge. All they have to do is spend five minutes alone with the clowns I call brothers and they’ll have their answer.