Epilogue
Erica
One month later
The sound of the straight pipes still thrills me. I know it always will.
Brew is home.
I smile to myself, looking down at the cake I spent the last three hours making.
Death by chocolate. Another thing I’ve learned about Brew over the last few months is he loves chocolate.
It’s also his birthday, and he thinks I don’t know.
Brew isn’t into grand gestures or ridiculous displays of affection, so it’s thanks to Haze that I even know it’s his birthday.
He also never had a cake; they weren’t well off growing up, and while they weren’t neglected, the family went through hell with their drunk of a father.
So, I wanted to do something nice for him.
Olive wanted to help, but she had practice. Amber will drop her back later and we can all eat as a family. But for the next few hours, I have him to myself.
The cabin has been a sanctuary for all of us.
And I finally got started on the veggie patch and garden.
Brew even got some chickens and ducks, but what he really wants is a pig.
According to his brothers, he had a pet pig Maurice, and he’s always wanted another one.
So, I have a little surprise planned for after he gets in.
Since moving out of Tag and Luna’s apartment, I’ve managed to save more money and do less at work.
Nova was happy for the extra hours, and Mama Dawson calls me every other day.
I like her a lot. She’s rough and loud, but she has a good heart.
And she loves Olive, already calling her her granddaughter.
I smile at the memory of all of us having dinner together a few weeks ago, and Mama asking when we were gonna make a baby. Much to Olive’s embarrassment, I admitted we were trying. We try every day. Brew is insatiable, and I can’t say I mind one little bit.
I light the candles, finishing the last one just as he cuts the engine to his motorcycle.
I still get the jitters whenever I know he’s about to enter a room. This man is everything, and our bond has only gotten stronger.
When I hear the front door creak open, I make a mental note I need to spray the hinges. Making the cabin a home has become my mission in life. We love it.
“Erica?” he calls out. It’s a ritual. He always calls my name.
“In here,” I call back, lifting the cake from the plate as I hold it in front of me.
He stops in his tracks when he sees me.
“Happy Birthday.” I beam.
His mouth parts, but then closes again, then, “You made me a cake?”
I nod eagerly. “I know chocolate is your favorite.”
“Who told you that?”
“I’m observant.”
A small smile crosses his face. “I see.”
“Now you have to blow the candles out and make a wish,” I remind him.
“Right.” He walks toward me. “What if I have everything I want right here?”
“You’re too sweet.”
“Many would beg to differ.”
“They don’t know you like I do.”
He looks down at the cake, then back at me. “You baked.”
“I love cooking for you, and baking is something I’ve always enjoyed.”
I don’t know what look crosses his face, but he looks a little sheepish, palming the back of his neck. “Am I in trouble?”
“What for?” I grin.
“For not tellin’ you it was my birthday?”
“Yes. I don’t know how anyone wouldn’t want to celebrate such a momentous day; the day you were born.”
“It’s just another day.”
“No,” I say. “It’s not. It’s your birthday, it’s something to celebrate.”
Brew looks back down at the cake, then takes in a huge intake of breath, blowing the candles out in the next. He closes his eyes for a second and makes a wish. “There.”
“Now, remember, you don’t tell me what your wish is, or it won’t come true,” I say.
“You really believe in those superstitions?”
“Let’s not tempt fate.” I squeal when he reaches for my waist, that sexy look in his eyes I know means trouble.
“What if my wish is to eat this cake off your body?”
My cheeks flush. “Then I’ll remind you Olive will be home in less than two hours, so you’d better get busy.”
He takes the plate from me, placing it onto the bench. “I’d better do my very best then, hadn’t I?”
I swing my arms around his neck. “You already are the very best, my big grumpy biker.”
“Famous last words.”
We lie in bed, trying to catch our breaths. Age certainly doesn’t slow this man down.
“You’re certainly not slowing down anytime soon,” I pant.
He grunts a laugh. “It’s just another da—”
I place a finger over his mouth so he can’t finish that sentence. Then he bites the tip of my finger. I giggle. “Spending the afternoon in bed is extravagant.”
“Nope. I’d say it’s a birthday wish come true. I’ll order some pizzas soon for when Olive gets home. How’s she holdin’ up?”
“She’s good,” I say. “But what happened was a lot for her. Seeing Jude like that, it was horrific. I know Olive says she’s alright, but I worry about the implications.”
Jude is waiting for sentencing, but she will be facing attempted murder charges for shooting Chains. Having to go to trial again fills me with dread, but she needs help. She’s not well.
“She’s a tough kid, a lot like her mom.”
I smile, snuggling into his chest. “I don’t know. Sometimes I appear to be tough, but inside I’m jelly.”
He kisses my forehead. “You’re tougher than you think.”
“And you love your birthday present?”
He glances down my body. “Yep.”
“I meant your pig, dummy…”
“You didn’t?” Brew stares at the pig in the pen, then back at me.
“We did, I can’t take all the credit, Olive helped,” I say.
“I found him,” Olive declares proudly. “I had to educate all the kids at school because they just think pigs are dirty when in reality, they roll in the mud to stay cool and protect their skin. What are kids learning these days?”
Brew chuckles. “I guess not much.”
The brown and pink pig looks up at Brew. I never knew pigs had such funny natures, but this guy is a real character. He oinks.
“I think he likes you,” I point out.
“He knows I’m the one gonna be feedin’ him, he’s smart.”
I love that Brew looks so happy over this one small thing, not that the pig is small, but it wasn’t that hard getting him here with a little help from the boys.
He chuckles. “You got me a pet pig, nobody is ever gonna live up to that, babe.” He kisses my forehead. “He’s perfect. I think I’ll call him Chunk.”
“He might get a complex.”
“Doubt it, he’s got a pen the size of a small resort.”
“Brew?”
“Yeah.”
“We’ve been through a lot.”
“Part of MC life, babe.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I might remind you most of my crap happened long before I was part of the MC.”
“That’s true, your point bein’?”
I sigh. “Are we too much?”
He laughs. I love it when I hear him laugh like that. It’s like music to my ears. “Babe, we’re never gonna be too much. Though, I’m gonna have to keep my ass in line with your newly found shootin’ skills.”
I shake my head. “We shouldn’t laugh about that.”
“Why not? That dumb bitch deserves all she got. I could’ve lost you. Both of you.”
I snuggle farther into the crook of his shoulder. “Let’s not talk about it. It’s too depressing.”
“We can talk about what I’m gonna do to you for…” He snaps his wrist in front of his face, checking the time. “The next twenty minutes until Olive comes home.”
“Brew, that’s not enough time!”
He rolls on top of me, and I laugh as he plants his lips on mine. “You clearly don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
I stare up at him, my heart so full and happy. I wonder if his wish was for us to start a family, but I don’t want to jinx it by asking. Lord knows we’ve been practicing enough.
“Happy birthday, Dylan. I love you.”
He nuzzles his nose with mine. “Not as much as I love you.”
My heart belongs to him. Forever.
Brew
Three months later
“Very good,” I tell Olive. “You’ve learned so much. Maybe you need to bring this friend of yours over.”
Her cheeks turn pink. “Uh, he’s a little shy.”
I pique a brow. “Is that code for he doesn’t want to meet me because I can still give him a warning in ASL?”
She looks a little horrified. “Brew, you don’t need to give him any warning.”
“He’s a teenage boy, of course I do. I know how they think.”
She slaps her forehead. “Let’s not have this conversation.”
“Olive, teenage boys have one thing on their minds.”
“Ew, please no.”
“Please, no what?” Erica asks, breezing into the room. She’s wearing a long, flowing dress that shows off her curves. It’s hot, summertime, and while I don’t particularly like this time of year, Erica loves it.
“He’s giving me the birds and the bees talk,” Olive sighs. “And it’s embarrassing.”
“Brew,” Erica scolds. “We had that talk a little while ago.”
“It’s not the birds n’ the bees,” I defend. “It’s about how teenage boys think. Since we’ve never met this mysterious friend she learned sign language for, one might think that a little suspicious.”
“To be honest,” Olive says, clearing her throat. “He’s a little scared to meet you, I think.”
I crack my knuckles. “What for?”
Olive slaps me on the arm, shaking her head. “Exactly that.”
“Brew, behave.” Erica runs a hand through my hair. “But Olive, Brew has a point. You two spend a lot of time together studying, and he’s never been over here.”
“That better not be code for makin’ out,” Brew mutters. “Or I’ll be makin’ sure this Zachary character finds out which way the human knee doesn’t bend if he touches you.”
“Oh, my god.” Olive pinches the bridge of her nose. “So not doing this.”
“Invite him over for dinner,” Erica suggests. “Then we can meet him as a family.”
“Mom, that’s so not cool.”
I cock a brow. “This friend who you claim isn’t a boyfriend should be the one comin’ over here to introduce himself.”
“Like I said, he’s a little… intimidated.” Olive winces.
“Yeah, that doesn’t fill me with hope,” I say. “He should be man enough to face your mom and me, especially with all the sign language you’ve been learning for his benefit.”
“Fine, I’ll ask him,” Olive sighs. “Just don’t… don’t be your usual self.”
I stare at her. “Excuse me?”