CHAPTER NINE
Son, just because you don’t see something as a crisis or emergency doesn’t mean your woman feels the same thing. The one thing you don’t EVER want to do is tell her to calm down.
~Text from Pa to Max~
Max
Today’s the day. I get to tie my woman to me in a way that no one, not even her fuckface of a father, can deny.
There’s been no sightings of him since that day a couple of months ago, but I’m not na?ve enough to believe that will be the last time we see him, especially since the land was officially sold last week.
How do I know this little fact? Well, I know because Pa, Wyatt, Jackson, and I went in together and bought it.
We didn’t want anyone purchasing it and letting the fuckers stay on the land continue with their history of abuse and…
other despicable activities. The leaders up there, whoever is left, were notified a couple of days ago.
So I wouldn’t be shocked if her father resurfaces at some point.
But today’s not about that. Today’s about getting married and giving my girl the wedding of her dreams. I was annoyed when, after dinner last night, Ma informed me that Christy couldn’t come home with me.
Before I could even argue the fact that we have lived together for a couple of months now, Mick, Shane, and Asher all informed me that they had to keep this tradition too and that Ma and Anna don’t play about it.
Asher even grumbled out. “Mom said she was gonna have people do drive-bys to make sure I wasn’t trying to sneak back home.
I lasted until about six a.m. and brought him breakfast.”
That’s how I found myself alone in bed this morning. Christy spent the night with Mary at Ma and Pa’s. This better be the last night we have to spend apart because I definitely didn’t sleep great.
I grab my phone and check the time. It’s just a few minutes after seven.
I know I’m not gonna get any more sleep, so I get up, shower, dress in comfy clothes, and get my coffee brewing.
I’m doctoring up my first cup when I hear an unmistakable roar outside.
I take a sip of the sweet and strong nectar as I make my way to my front door.
When I open it, I’m surprised at who all’s outside.
Pa, Jon, Juan, Rory, and Ry are all outside parking their bikes. Pa gets off his trike and comes up to the front stoop. “Go get your boots on, son. Time for a ride and breakfast with me and your brothers.” Sounds like the perfect morning to me.
After an hour or so, we pull into Millie’s parking lot.
We all make our way inside, and I notice a table is already ready and waiting for us.
I look back at Pa, and he shrugs his shoulders.
“That’s your Ma’s doing. She knew we’d end up here.
” We all sit down and enjoy a delicious breakfast, reminiscing about past breakfasts like this.
Pa was known to take all of us most of the time, but on occasion, he’d call it a boys' day, and it would be just us. It’s a great memory and one I hope to make with my kids one day.
We’re all finished eating and finishing up our coffee when Pa leans back in his chair and gets a sentimental look on his face.
“After today, breakfasts like this are going to be a thing of the past for the most part. What makes me okay with that is looking forward to seeing you boys do this with your kids, and, of course, my turn with my grandbabies. These are the kinds of traditions that matter. All y’all recollect these breakfasts as something fond from your childhood, whereas at the time, I just saw them as a way to give your Ma a couple of hours to herself.
Sometimes the best memories we have of our childhood ain’t because it was expensive or some big gesture, but because it was there.
It was time spent together. Other than love, giving someone the gift of time spent together is the greatest gift of all. ”
I feel like Pa was directing that to me, and I get it.
Before Christy, I was super focused on work.
I missed family dinners, club get-togethers, and a lot of life because I was working twelve to sixteen-hour days, seven days a week.
I haven’t worked more than ten hours in a single day in months, and nowadays it’s usually closer to eight.
I’ve rarely even gone into the office on Saturdays in that time.
I realized after meeting Christy that I was living to work and not balancing things. Now I’m eager to leave work and come home. I love walking through the door and seeing her smile. Just thinking about that has me wondering where she’s at right now.
“Where are Christy and the rest of the ladies right now?” Ry speaks up from next to me.
“They’re having breakfast together. Ma, Romona, and Anna put it together.
Then they’re gonna be getting their hair and makeup done before they come to the clubhouse.
At least that’s what Nicky told me and what’s written in that wedding binder of his.
I’m so fucking glad it’s going away after today, I’ve had enough of it. ”
Juan gets a gleam in his eye and asks Ry a question I think we all want answered. “When are you gonna make an honest man out of Nicky? You know when you do, that binder is gonna be like three times as big.”
Ry glares at Juan. “All in good time. It’s gonna happen, but I’ll be damned if I’m gonna give him a long time to plan any shit.
Neither of us would survive that. However, today’s not about me.
It’s about our baby brother getting hitched to a woman, who, now that I’ve gotten to know her better, is way out of your fucking league, youngest Weston. ”
I stand up, ready to get back to riding, but give Ry a knowing smile. “Brother, I’ve known she’s outta my league since the moment I met her, I’m just happy she chose me.” Rory walks up to me and clasps both of my shoulders. “Littlest brother really is a genius. Let’s get him ready.”
**********
Sitting in Jon’s office, waiting for the all clear for me to come out and start greeting guests, my mind wanders back to an evening a couple of weeks ago.
It was the only time that I really considered hopping on a plane and eloping.
I had actually managed to get off work right at five and hurried home because I knew Christy was already home.
Two weeks before
I park my truck and head up the walk, excited to spend an evening with my woman. I open the door, and instead of music playing or sounds of my girl puttering around the house, I see her sitting on the couch with tears streaming down her face.
I rush over and kneel in front of her. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? What’s going on?” She keeps crying, but does manage to get out, “I’m not hurt.”
I really hate seeing her cry, especially when I don’t know why, and I can’t fix what I don’t know.
I move and sit next to her on the couch and pull her into my lap.
Being her, she moves slightly, and a knee meets my nose.
“Ooofff!” That stops her tears as she moves and looks at me.
“Oh my God! Are you okay?” Luckily, she wasn’t moving fast, so it didn’t knock my noggin’ much.
“Yeah, beautiful. I’m okay. I’d be even better if you would tell me why I came home to you sitting here crying your eyes out. What’s goin’ on?”
She sighs and looks down at her lap, a sign of hers that tells me she thinks that what she’s feeling isn’t warranted or that people might think she’s dumb. The few times I’ve seen it, I’ve wanted to go hunt down her father and beat the ever-loving shit out of him.
I wait my girl out. After a minute or two, she opens up. “I was working on wedding stuff and have a list of stuff that Nicky said was for me and only me to decide. Most of it was really easy, till I got to the last thing.”
I kiss her temple. “What is it? Maybe I can help you.” She doesn’t tell me, just hands me a paper. I look at the list, and everything is crossed off but the last thing. It reads, Decide who you want to walk you down the aisle.
It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. Notice I don’t say that. I’m not a complete idiot and have sisters, so I know better than to blurt out shit like that. I give her a squeeze and ask as diplomatically as I can. “So, what about this task has you all upset?”
She sighs and lets everything out. “Because I don’t know who to pick.
I’ve got Mary as my maid of honor, so she’s already standing with me.
Jon is marrying us. Part of me wants to pick Pa because he’s about to become my father-in-law and has accepted me with open arms. But then another part of me wants to ask Jackson and Wyatt because they’ve been there supporting me since the moment I got here.
But then I want to ask Asher because he’s become one of my closest friends and is always there for me.
Then I think I should ask Rory or Juan, since they’re your brothers, and I want them included.
Then I think about walking down the aisle by myself, but I really don’t want to do that.
I just don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or have someone feel left out, but how do I choose? ”
My girl. She’s not worried about herself, but about disappointing people. People who have come to mean so much to her. I realize at this moment that this is something I can solve and take off her hands. I squeeze her to me, and she looks at me, teary-eyed and all. I reach up and wipe her cheeks.
“How about this? How about you let me handle this part? I will get the right person and make sure no one feels left out or anything?” Christy gives me a questioning look.
“How are you gonna do that? I don’t—” I shake my head, stopping her from talking. “You just leave it to me. You’re doing almost everything for our wedding. Let me take care of this for you.”