Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Speedy had checked on the kids and then decided to take a quick shower when he found Violet, Deacon, and Tessie snuggled in the recliner under a blanket watching cartoons.
The shower had given him too much time to think about what he wanted for his kids. And Tessie was his, even though it was impossible for him to have fathered her. He wanted stability and love for them. His parents had given him a wonderful childhood, and it was what he wanted for his kids.
He’d already made the decision to stay at Bluff Creek, and this cemented it.
Deacon and Tessie would grow up with friends on the compound.
The fact that Regina and Baron, along with all the older couples, treated all the kids on the compound as their grandkids, whether they were or not, was a bonus.
His kids would have grandparents. He was sad that his parents hadn’t been able to meet Deacon, but Anita hadn’t been a bad woman.
He needed to figure out where he’d put the envelope to see if there was anything he should be worried about.
There had to be a reason that he was listed as Tessie’s dad and not the biological father.
He slid his cut on over his long-sleeve henley and headed out to his first full day of fatherhood. He was a tad worried he’d screw something up, but hopefully with his Bluff Creek family, they’d help him fix whatever he did wrong.
“I’m hungry,” Deacon said.
Speedy walked into the front room. “Well, we need to take care of that. We could fix something here, or we could go to the diner, get breakfast along with some clothing items. We’ll have lunch with everyone in the clubhouse, but that’s four hours away.
I’m hungry too. What do you think?” Speedy asked.
“Can I get pancakes?” Deacon asked.
“Of course. Violet, how long would it take you to get ready?” Speedy asked.
The surprise on Violet’s face was quickly replaced with pleasure. “Umm, I showered last night. I just need to get ready. Maybe fifteen minutes?” she said.
“All right. Deacon, you and I can get you and Tessie ready while Violet gets ready. I think we need to take a bag, so let’s see if we can find something manly. I don’t think the pink diaper bag you guys brought matches my outfit,” Speedy said, making goofy eyes at his kid.
Deacon laughed. “Okay,” he said, staring at Speedy.
“Do you have a question?” Speedy asked.
“Do I get to call you Dad?” Deacon asked.
Speedy lifted Deacon off Violet’s lap so she could get up but also to make sure Deacon knew Speedy was serious.
“Deacon, you and Tessie are mine. I’m your dad, and I’m going to love you forever.
You can call me Dad, Daddy, or if there’s another name you want.
I called my dad Papa growing up, but a lot of the grandparents here are called Papa,” Speedy said, holding Deacon close as Deacon’s arms squeezed around his neck.
“Do I get grandparents?” Deacon asked.
“Yes, you do,” Speedy said, inhaling the little boy scent of Deacon. Speedy had gotten a crash course last night on how messy bathtime could be, but seeing Deacon giggle as he splashed Speedy was worth every drop of water he had to mop off the floor.
“Okay, Daddy, I’m ready to get dressed,” Deacon said.
Speedy kissed his forehead and put him down. Deacon immediately ran toward his room. Speedy turned and took Tessie from Violet.
“Thanks for taking the kids this morning. If you think of anything we need for the kids, could you write it down? I’m guessing that even with all the things people brought, we’ll still need some other items,” he said.
Violet nodded, then headed toward her room. Speedy went to see what Deacon was doing. His heart was lighter for the first time since his parents had passed. He so could do this.
Violet grinned at the look of accomplishment on Speedy’s face. He’d installed both car seats and packed Tessie’s diaper bag, which was a Harley backpack. She’d giggled when Deacon had informed her that they’d needed a manly bag, not the pink one.
It had taken no time to get to Regina’s Roadside Refuge for breakfast. Despite being busy, they’d found room at one of the Bluff Creek tables kept reserved for club members.
Violet hadn’t needed to worry about her and Speedy taking turns holding Tessie while they ate because the club members at the table had confiscated her.
Rascal was currently rocking her while he had his other arm around his wife, Meg. She’d adored the story of how they’d found each other later in life. Rascal had always been nice to her over the years when she’d seen him. He deserved to be happy.
“Hey, you’ve had her long enough. You need to share her,” Dex said.
Violet found that interesting because every time she was around Dex, he always mentioned he was never getting married.
“No,” Rascal said.
Violet grinned at the consternation on Dex’s face.
If there was one thing she’d learned living here for the last three and a half months, it was that no one had a problem saying what they thought.
Violet longed for the day she didn’t consider how the consequences would affect her before she said something.
The activity with Beth and the girls had helped but a lifetime of holding her tongue was hard to overcome.
“Anybody ever tell you that you’re an obstinate old man?” Dex asked.
Rascal chuckled. “Meg, every day.”
Deacon had finished his pancakes and was staring at the men suspiciously.
“You gots to give her back because she’s ours,” he said.
Speedy slid his arm around Deacon. “They know that. I’m so glad you’re protective of her. Rascal is one of the guys I told you will be one of your grandparents.”
Deacon got down and walked over to Rascal. “What do grandparents do? I’ve never had them.”
Rascal handed Tessie to Dex and scooted his chair back to lift Deacon onto his lap.
“Well, first of all, we love you. But since we don’t have to raise you to be an adult, we get to spoil you.
Take you fishing or even shopping. I think Meg and I need to take you shopping for some Bluff Creek clothes because you’re part of the club now,” Rascal said.
Violet wondered how Deacon would respond. Would he accept the offer, or was he still feeling a little unsettled with everything new?
Deacon turned to Speedy. “Dad, can Papa take me shopping?”
Speedy nodded with a smile. “Yep, and you can call him Papa Rascal because you have a lot of Papas.”
“And Nana Meg is going to buy stuff for Deacon and Tessie. Would that be okay with you, Deacon?” Meg asked, leaning closer to put her hand on his.
“Nanas and Papas, yes please,” he said.
Speedy, Violet, and Dex stayed at the table, with Dex holding Tessie.
Violet finished her breakfast of French toast with strawberries and syrup.
Since coming here, she’d eaten better than she ever had.
She took a sip of her hot tea. She enjoyed coffee, but the diner also had hot tea, and today, she’d wanted its soothing warmth.
She appreciated being out from under her mother’s censure and getting to enjoy a sweet if she wanted.
“How are you doing with all this?” Dex asked.
“I think with everyone helping, it’s been amazing. I think I’m still in the what-the-actual-fuck, I’ve got kids stage. I’ve vacillated between how amazing it is and how sad and a little angry I am about what I missed out on. I’m sure once we get past the newness, everything will hit,” Speedy said.
A loud, wet noise came from Tessie’s diaper. Dex dropped a kiss on her forehead.
“Well, here you go. The plus of not being the dad is that I don’t need to change the nastiness that is waiting in that diaper,” Dex said, handing Tessie back to Speedy.
He stared at Tessie, then looked over to Violet. She wondered if this would be one of those you’re the nanny, change her instances.
“Can you hand me the backpack?” he asked.
Violet was surprised but pleased. She grabbed the bag and handed it over.
It wasn’t that she wouldn’t change Tessie, but she liked that Speedy was doing it because he already saw Tessie as his.
She’d heard from Beth that Speedy hadn’t seen Anita in six years, so he couldn’t be Tessie’s biological dad.
From the first time she’d been around Speedy, she’d felt safe and attracted to him, but seeing him as a dad had her realizing it was going to be really hard and darn near impossible for her to not lose her heart to him.