Chapter 8
Millie
“ M y, your young man is handsome.”
She’d waited until they were gone. I blush.
“He’s not my young man.”
Mom hugs me. She is my mom. Way more than my biological mother, whom I call by her first name.
“That’s not what he said.”
“What? He didn’t say anything.”
“His body did. The way he looks at you did. Mark my words, if that young man isn’t gone, he’s headed that direction.”
I laugh and shake my head. “Have you been hanging out with Granny Cline too much?”
She laughs. “No more than usual. Tell me if you think the same thing the day you leave.”
I nod my head. “Deal. Let’s unpack. I’m starved.”
“Does he know what he’s getting himself into?”
“He’ll find out fast,” I say with a laugh.
For the next few minutes, we set the dining room and set the trays of food from Loveless out on the table, along with serving utensils.
“Tell me about Wade. Where did you meet? Does he have a family?”
“We met at the hospital. He was admitted with a gunshot wound. The club was ambushed. He got shot defending his brothers and ultimately keeping my friend Nay out of the hands of human traffickers.”
“Human traffickers; is New Orleans safe?”
“It’s no worse than when I lived and worked in Indy, Mom. I’m careful. I have my handgun and mace with me. I always have someone walk me to my car, daylight or dark.”
“Good girl. Sorry for interrupting.”
Wrath
B ehind the main cabin sits a cottage-sized replica. A hundred yards away is a large garage with the bay door open. Brian expertly backs the trailer into the garage. I get out and unload my sled.
“Damn, that’s nice,” Tyler says.
“Sweet ride,” Micah agrees.
“Thanks. I have a couple. This is my favorite and the most comfortable for a passenger.”
Brian motions for me to follow him. He leads me to a door on one side of the garage. After he opens the door. He reaches in and flips a switch. The lights blink on to reveal several sleds of different makes and models, including half a dozen dirt bikes.
“We have our own track if you want to ride.”
“I’d love that.”
“Sis will no doubt drag you onto horseback sooner or later,” Tyler says.
“She already mentioned Soldier.”
“Her first and only horse. Dad gave her the gelding for her twelfth birthday. She loves that horse,” Micah says.
“Soldier was her first love,” Brian adds.
“Let’s drop off your stuff and get our grub on. We can come back after we help clean up and help unpack,” Tyler says.
“Deal,” I say.
We make quick work of putting our luggage downstairs. The first floor is a sitting area with a small kitchen, second floor is a master bedroom with an ensuite, and the third floor is a library with a reading area. There’s a balcony off the bedroom that’s accessed by French doors. That’s all I had time to take in before we head back to the big cabin. The ladies are in the kitchen adding the final touches to the feast laid out on a large wooden table that could easily sit ten.
“Do we need anything else before we sit down, Mama?” Brian asks Lisa.”
Lisa shakes her head. “We have everything. Let’s sit down and eat.”
Everyone takes a seat at the table. I wind up sitting in between Brian and Millie. And across from Lisa. My mouth waters taking in the feast before me. Brian says grace over the food, and we dig in.
Besides trays of those amazing biscuits, there’s meatloaf, fried catfish, fried chicken, thick slices of ham, country fried steak, chicken gizzards, mashed potatoes, greens, green beans, mac n’ cheese, corn, slaw, grits, and gravy.
Just when I don’t think I can eat another bite, Lisa carries this lemony-looking multi-layer confection on a glass pedestal. I feel someone touch my arm and look to see Millie’s hand on my arm.
“You’re going to love this. It’s a lemon and blueberry dream,” she says.
“Made with wild blueberries from our own farm in Maine,” Micah says.
“You have a place in Maine?”
“In Roque Bluffs,” Brian supplies.
Millie
A fter everyone is full, we clean up and head to the garage. The guys are dying to show Wrath the bikes and dirt track we have. I have to say I haven’t been riding in forever. I might be a little rusty, but I’m all for it.
Wrath slips his hand in mine as we walk to the garage.
“It’s a beautiful place.”
“I can’t wait to show you more. The dirt track and the trails. There’s a lake that’s a thirty-minute ride from the barn. We could go sometime if you want to see it?”
“I’d love to Nightingale. I’ll make us lunch or dinner if your mom doesn’t mind me in the kitchen.”
“My kitchen is your kitchen,” Lisa says from my left.
When we get to the bike garage, the guys immediately start talking bikes. It takes Wrath about five minutes to notice the pink motocross bike. He turns and looks at me.
“You ride?”
I smile at him. “I do. It’s been a few years, though.”
“Will you go riding with us?” Tyler asks.
“I will. Some of the time. I figure you guys might want to have some testosterone time at some point,” I say with a laugh.
Everyone chuckles.
Sometime later, Wrath and I walk hand in hand into the cottage. Our suitcases and belongings are nowhere to be found on the main floor. I make my way wearily up the stairs, happy to see the closet open and our clothes hanging it in.
“Someone unpacked our stuff?” Wrath asks.
“Likely Mom and Micah. While Dad and Tyler went to the barn with us. I’m thrilled. I’m way too tired to do anything but brush my teeth, strip my clothes, and sleep.”
“I second that motion,” Wrath says.