Chapter Twenty-Three
Spider sat in the rocker across from Clint. His heart seemed to be galloping in his chest as he stacked his crutches and leaned them against the wall beside the chair.
“I wanted to talk to you man to man,” Spider said after a moment.
He met Clint’s gaze. “I want to be completely up front with you. I’ve fallen hard for your daughter.
We’ve had a lot going on recently and I get that it might not be a good time to start something, but we don’t always get to choose when the right person walks into our lives. ”
“I understand.” Clint turned and stared off into the distance. Spider tracked where he was looking and realized he was watching Jordon. “I get the idea that’s not all that’s on your mind.”
“It’s not.” Spider tilted his head as he watched Jordon standing beside the truck.
She seemed engrossed in whatever Dax was saying to her.
“I don’t know if she’s told you, but we were talking a few weeks back, and I told her I’d always dreamed of riding to Alaska, camping along the way, but that I’d probably never get to do it now.
Even if I ride again, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to spend hours on end, day after day on a bike like a trip like that would require.
” He turned back to her father. “She suggested that we take it together. She said she knows someone with a teardrop trailer that she can borrow that we can sleep in. She said we’ll take her Jeep, and we can camp or find a motel when we want.
I would love to do it. It’s given me a goal to work toward.
Something I can do at kind of a midpoint to getting back on my bike.
But I want your blessing.” He met the older cowboy’s gaze.
Clint frowned. “Jordon’s a grown woman. She doesn’t need my permission to live her life as she sees fit.”
“I know that, sir. And I’m not saying I need your permission, but that I want your blessing.
I want to take her to Craven’s Creek to meet my club.
We’ll probably have some of my brothers ride with us if you’re worried about a couple of people alone on the road, and I want to let them know the woman who’s captured my heart.
” He looked out at the truck where Dax stood with one arm resting on the edge of the bed.
Jordon had turned and was watching him and her father.
He was a little too far away to see and know for sure, but he could picture the confused frown she likely wore.
If she were here with him, he would use one thumb to smooth the creases between her brow and tease her about getting wrinkles there if she wasn’t careful.
“That’s the part I’m not sure about,” Clint said after a moment.
“What do you mean? Just the two of us on the trip or something else?”
“Your brothers, your club. I don’t know anything about your club, and only what I’ve seen on TV about motorcycle clubs in general. I don’t have a good impression about how they treat women. I don’t want her walking into that. I raised her better than to put up with the shit I’ve seen on TV.”
Spider took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds while he looked past the truck and tried to find the right words.
He’d known he’d likely have to go into this when he’d decided he needed to talk to Jordon’s father.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Do we have women around the clubhouse that sleep with anyone who wants them?
Yeah, we do. They’re called Mamas. But they’re all there because they want to be.
We also have a few old ladies. That’s the same as married to us.
Those of us with old ladies are faithful.
We’re not screwing around on them. I know there are a lot of clubs out there that don’t work that way.
How they run their clubs is up to them. But the Fallen Angels respect women and families.
We don’t have any patchlings right now, but with some of my brothers recently finding women, that will probably change before too long. ”
“Patchlings?”
Spider let one corner of his mouth quirk upwards.
“Kids. Usually they have a collection of shirts that say Fallen Angels Patchling, sometimes with their dad’s name on the front, but not always.
It lets people know who they belong to and that they’re protected.
” He turned back to look at Clint, trying to gauge how the man was taking this.
Clint watched him, a scowl creasing his brow in an expression that reminded him of Jordon, but he didn’t say anything for several seconds. “And are you wanting to make my daughter into a mama or an old lady?”
“I want her for my old lady. I’ll lay out any man who looks at her wrong.
I wanted to talk to you. Then I’ll talk to her, but I plan to have her property cut made before I take her to meet the club.
” He expected push-back about the term property, but Clint said nothing about that, instead he asked something completely different.
“And what if, after you’ve had this cut made, she doesn’t want it?”
“If she doesn’t want me, I’ll accept that. I won’t force her to do anything. Well, anything that’s not strictly for her safety. I won’t put that at risk. If it’s just the idea of it, that can be addressed.”
Clint watched him for several long seconds then he looked away and sighed.
“I’ve always known I’d have to let her go.
” He turned and looked at the horizon for a moment.
“We’ve been lucky to have her around as long as we have.
I know that. Her mama does too.” He turned back to look at Spider.
“I won’t stand in your way. If you’re the man she wants, I wish you both well.
I am going to ask for at least one of the winter holidays every year.
It can alternate or rotate but her mama will be heartbroken if we don’t get to spend either Thanksgiving or Christmas with her, and you too of course. Bring her to see us once in a while.”
“I can do that, sir. Craven’s Creek isn’t that far away.
It’s a trip that could be made a couple times a month, if that’s what she wants.
And you’ll be welcome at our place too. The Angels are a big family, even if most of us aren’t related, and we’re all about family.
You and your boys might not be part of us now, but if things go the way I want, then you’ll be part of that family too. ”
“I hope so.” Clint turned to look at where Jordon now stood facing them, her hands on her hips. “You have any idea what kind of hell you’re gonna be in for if she gets wind that you asked for my permission?”
“I didn’t ask your permission. I asked for your blessing. It’s not the same.”
“How so?” Clint didn’t look away from his daughter, but he did lift one brow as he asked.
“Because not getting your blessing wouldn’t have stopped me from making her mine if that’s what she wants. It will just make things go smoother in the long run.”
Clint chuckled. “I’m interested in seeing how that works out for you. Why don’t you call that girl up here? I’m going to go inside and get my wife. She’s eager to see you again.”
“Yes, sir.” Spider reached for his crutches.
“No. Stay where you are. If I remember all your injuries, you’re likely limited on how much time you can spend on your foot. Don’t use it all now. Colleen can come out. Just give me a couple minutes.” Clint stood then turned and went inside.
Spider lifted one arm and rotated his hand at the wrist, waving both Jordon and Dax to come closer. Jordon wasted no time. She came through the gate and up the steps.
“What’s going on?” she asked with a frown.
“Not much. I talked to your dad. He went to get your mom, said I should see her while I’m here.”
Her frown deepened into a scowl and Spider wanted to smooth away those wrinkles between her brows.
“Come here.” He crooked one finger.
Jordon narrowed her eyes but moved to stand in front of him.
“Bend down here a second.”
She did as he requested. When he could reach, he smoothed a thumb across her brows.
“Don’t frown so much, wildcat. I’m not going to do anything to embarrass you.
” He caught hold of her braid and tugged her a little closer.
Then he brushed a soft kiss across her lips, not pushing for more because he knew her parents would be out any minute.
“Trust me?” His voice was barely more than a whisper.
She smiled. “I do.”
Something in Spider’s chest seemed to swell. He didn’t know if he would ever hear her say those words to him again, but he liked the sound of them and he thought he’d like to hear them again.
A moment later, Clint returned, Colleen, who looked like a slightly older version of Jordon, right behind him.
She certainly didn’t look old enough to have a daughter Jordon’s age, much less four kids.
Spider reached for his crutches to stand so he could shake her hand, but she put her hands on her hips just like Jordon had earlier.
“Don’t you worry about getting up. I can talk to you just fine where you are.
I hear you’re wanting to spend some time with our girl?
” she said. There was a sparkle in her eye that gave Spider the idea that she thought it was about time Jordon found someone or something to light a fire under her ass. He wanted to be that man.
“I am. I’m hoping you won’t mind but I’d like to take her off your hands for a few days. I’d like to take her home to meet my family for the weekend.” He turned to Jordon. “Want to come meet my family?”
She nodded enthusiastically but didn’t say anything.
“How fast can you pack a bag?”
“Give me five minutes.” She moved around her parents and headed inside.