Chapter 11 #2
“Neither am I, but I plan on having our lives as entwined as possible. Including financially. No his and her accounts. Our house, our money, our life.”
Tears built in her eyes at the declaration. “Would you mind a big wedding, though? I mean, not massive, but the club and our friends and family? My dad’s not here to walk me down the aisle, but I feel like Mom’s earned that right. And Bubbe’s always dreamed of seeing me in a white dress.”
“What about you?” he asked. “Do you want the white dress and the big wedding?”
Kelly thought about it for a second, and then nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I really do.”
He lifted their hands to his lips. “Then plan a big wedding. The ol’ ladies will be thrilled to help. I’d offer, but I truly would be no help at all.”
“You and Tanya didn’t have a big wedding?” Kelly inquired, more curious than jealous.
“We thought about it, but we were still young and money was tight. We decided to spend our money on our marriage, not our wedding. We had a courthouse ceremony and then took Maddie to Six Flags for a weekend honeymoon.”
Despite hearing about his life with another woman, Kelly smiled at the image he presented. “And you think your track record as a father is lacking,” she scolded playfully. “Not many stepdads would take their daughter with them on a family-friendly honeymoon.”
Grumpy shrugged, his eye looking away from her like he was embarrassed. “If I’m being honest, I think I want to concentrate on repairing the relationship with the daughter I have rather than worry about bringing any other children into the world right now.”
“I get it,” Kelly said, squeezing his hand. “And I agree. One hurdle at a time.” Hearing a noise from the living room area, Kelly added, “Sounds like Jackson is here with breakfast. Let’s get you up and fed.”
When Kelly made to rise, though, Grumpy pulled on their clasped hands and dragged her back down to him. He kissed her thoroughly. “I’m not sure I’ve said ‘thank you’ for coming with me.”
Kelly smiled against his lips. “Nowhere I’d rather be. Plus, I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who would or could put up with your surly ass this long.”
* * *
The anticipation of finally making it to Texas pushed both Kelly and Grumpy to want to drive through the day and forgo any more long stops. They still took breaks, allowing Grumpy to walk around and stretch. Their easy communication and banter died away the closer they got to Austin.
But despite powering through, they ended up stopping in Dallas, which was three hours north of Maddie.
Dinner was a quiet affair. Jackson seemed to sense the rising tension, and smartly kept his mouth shut rather than striking up a conversation with Kelly as he normally did during meal times. Kelly held Grumpy’s hand, though he wasn’t sure if that was for her comfort or his.
Maybe a bit of both.
They video called with Ruth before they started to get ready for bed.
She’d been staying in the clubhouse since discovering the massive commercial kitchen it held.
Each morning, she’d been making a spread similar to what Jenna used to do so everyone in the club had the option of a solid breakfast before starting their day.
Despite that Grumpy’s house was newer and had an extra bedroom, Ruth preferred remaining in her home.
She did not mind the idea of Grumpy moving in with Kelly and Ruth, and even offered to change bedrooms with the couple so they had the master.
Her time away from her home the past two days was a great mini-vacation, but Ruth missed her house and her kitchen.
Grumpy could understand. He wasn’t overly attached to his home. It was just the place where he lived. All he cared about was not being separated from Kelly again, and if that required him moving, then that was what he’d do.
Although, some of his club brothers were contemplating asking Ruth to move into the clubhouse with them as a sort of Den Mother. Apparently Ruth hadn’t just taken the club kids under hand, but the single club members too.
True to her word, Kelly helped him with his compression wraps and his shower.
She had a fixation with his hair that Grumpy found he didn’t mind in the least. He doubted either of them would ever be okay with her taking his prosthetic eye out for him, as he knew Scar did for Tally.
If that worked for them, then more power to them, but Grumpy didn’t think he could handle watching or feeling Kelly remove his eyeball—even if it was fake.
While their shower was intimate, neither of them crossed into passionate. The mood was too tense, the future looming over them like a guillotine blade.
“I will burn that bed before I let you get in it,” Grumpy growled that night when Kelly made to crawl into the other queen.
She turned, looking startled. She’d already removed her mint green robe over her nightgown. “I figured you needed your rest tonight.”
“And you think I’m going to get it with you all the way over there?” he inquired. His pillow army was already in place around him, which meant he had to lift his head up to be able to still see.
Kelly pulled back the covers and climbed in beside him. “What’s going on, Grumpy? You’re not exactly a Chatty Cathy, but you’ve always been able to talk to me.”
He settled down onto his pillow, even though it meant he couldn’t see her anymore.
She reached for his hand. He’d never considered handholding to be all that important in his past relationships, but he found he loved when Kelly reached for his.
Maybe because hugging and other typical forms of intimacy were out for them for the time being.
Even when his body was healed, Grumpy hoped she never stopped.
“You were right this morning. I’m not the same man she knew. I’m not talking about my scars and the explosion. But me. I don’t smile anymore. The man Maddie knew doesn’t exist anymore.”
“She’s going to have to learn to love the new you, just as you will her.” He felt Kelly shift on the bed. “Maybe it would help if you called. It feels later for us because we crossed the time zone, but it’s really not that late. Do you want me to ask Keys for her number?”
Grumpy had been debating on this all day, back and forth on the spontaneity of his decision to just show up at Maddie’s dorm.
She’d come to Mount Grove for a reason. Was it just because she’d heard about him being involved in the explosion?
While it had been national news, it hadn’t been that big of national news.
What had his mother said to her? Kelly had said Mads left the hospital crying.
He needed to set the record straight of what happened between Tanya and Grumpy ten years ago, too.
Did his little Mads believe he’d cheated on her mother and then abandoned them?
What had Tanya told her? The restraining order had kept Grumpy from being able to defend himself to her, and legally, he had no claim on Maddie to fight in court.
Maybe it was old-school of him. But he didn’t want their first conversation in a decade to be over the phone.
Too many things could be misinterpreted, especially via text message.
He needed to see her, and more importantly, he needed her to see him, to see the truth of what had happened on his face and in his body language, rather than just hearing the tale over the phone.
“No,” he vocalized after a beat of silence. “In the morning, he can track her to tell us where she is. I’ll figure out what to say to her once I see her again.”
Kelly’s grip on his hand tightened. “Okay. So I’ve been thinking about our wedding.”
Grumpy almost raised an eyebrow. He knew the change of subject was deliberate, her way of trying to get his mind off tomorrow, and he loved her all the more for it. If nothing else, wedding planning would certainly put him to sleep. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, and I’m thinking late spring. I like the idea of an outdoor wedding.
We’d have to have a rain alternative. My mom is going to want us to have a Jewish ceremony.
Personally, I’m religious but not as religious as her.
I think I can compromise the church wedding with having a rabbi present to officiate.
Spring would also mean you’re that much more healed.
Depending on dates, we’re talking eleven months to a year from the explosion anyway.
Which also makes me wonder what to tell people.
I mean, you asked me out on a date then, but technically we didn’t start dating until, like, four days ago.
So have we been together all this time or are we calling this a whirlwind romance? ”
Grumpy honestly didn’t give a fuck. Why did it matter anyway? But he knew Kelly cared about that sort of thing, even when he thought the need to define it ridiculous. “Whatever you want it to be,” he mumbled.
“I’ll think about it. I don’t want to lie, but it also seems like more of a complicated answer than it should be. Then again,” she giggled, “I’d like to see some of those old biddies’ faces when they hear I’m getting married to a man I’ve only been seeing for four days.”
Grumpy snorted into his pillow, enjoying her mischievous delight.
“I like the idea of spring, too, because it’s Goldilocks temperature, you know.
Not too hot, not too cold. The men could wear dress shirts under their cuts and the ladies don’t have to worry about flannel pantyhose.
Plus, I don’t know how much longer I’ll have this cleavage before my boobs drop, so I’d like to show it off while I’ve got it.
I know the club’s had other weddings at the clubhouse, but I’m thinking maybe a barn venue.
I know there’s a few out towards Johnstown… ”
Grumpy breathed easier, drifting off to the sound of Kelly’s planning while wondering if his daughter would be attending the wedding.
* * *