Chapter Thirteen Bishop
Ihad to admit it felt pretty fucking surreal sitting next to Samantha surrounded by my family.
Even though we were only eating hamburgers and hot dogs and drinking cheap beer, it felt significant.
Of course, I couldn’t help thinking that the last time she had been here at the compound, it had been with Marley, and now she was here with me.
As my date. Well, sort of.
No matter how many times I repeated that in my mind, I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around it.
Sure, there were still too many gray areas between us to think of this as a date.
I had even said as much to Sam on the phone.
But deep down, I couldn’t help feeling as though we had finally turned a corner in whatever it was that we were doing.
I wanted more with her, and I was willing to wait as long as I had to.
As though maybe if enough time went by, I wouldn’t feel so bad about her being Marley’s girlfriend.
Even though my brothers had given me shit about Samantha, I was glad I had talked to them.
It was good to know I had their blessing.
From the way she was getting along with Mama Liz and Alexandra and Annabel, I knew she would get their stamp of approval as well.
Although in the end, I wouldn’t have let their opinion change my mind about her
The screech of a microphone sounded, followed by Kim’s earsplitting whistle. I turned around to see Breakneck was taking the stage with his guitar. Immediately, it felt as if I’d been punched in the chest by the memories flickering through my mind.
“Are you okay?” Sam asked.
With a nod, I replied, “Just kinda overwhelmed at the moment. Breakneck hasn’t sung or played the guitar at a party since my dad died.”
Sam gave me a sympathetic look. “Oh. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad to see him back up there. We used to have some crazy times singing along with him.”
“I would’ve liked to see that.”
I chuckled. “No. You probably wouldn’t have. None of us Malloy boys can really sing. We just think we can when we’ve had too much alcohol.”
Throwing her head back with a laugh, Samantha said, “I think the same thing happens to me. I pity anyone within a mile radius of me at a karaoke bar. I never would have stepped foot in one if Gavin hadn’t liked them. I used to tell him the things he could get me to do for love.”
My brow furrowed in confusion. “Who’s Gavin?”
Samantha’s face flushed. “Oh, just an old boyfriend.”
The mention of Samantha’s old loves had my fists clenching at my sides and I wanted to punch the wall. I hated that just the mention of an old boyfriend could turn me into a raging idiot. Samantha’s past was none of my business, and I sure as hell wouldn’t want to have to discuss mine with her.
Breakneck tapping on the mic interrupted me.
“Evening, everybody. I wanted to come up here and do a song for Rev’s birthday.
It’s been a while since I’ve done this song.
Haven’t done it since I lost two of the best friends I’ve ever had, Preacher Man and Case.
But I think it’s time to bring this one out of retirement, since it was both men’s favorite song.
” The crowd erupted into whistles and clapping, which caused Breakneck to grin.
“Before I get started, I’m going to ask Deacon, Rev, and Bishop to come up here and help me like they used to. ”
While Deacon shot off the bench, Rev furiously shook his headback and forth. “Oh hell no,” he said.
“Oh, go on, honey,” Annabel urged beside him.
Rev opened his mouth to argue, but Deacon interrupted him by grabbing his arm and dragging him up off his seat. “Come on, B. Help me get his ass up there.”
With a chuckle, I got up and took Rev’s free arm. “Asshole,”
Rev muttered as we pulled him through the crowd and onto the stage riser. Breakneck motioned to the microphone stand beside him so we could do the harmony on the chorus.
Once we were assembled, Breakneck lifted his gaze to the sky. “This one’s for you guys— Preacher Man and Case.” He then gazed back out into the crowd. “Here’s ‘The Weight.’”
Breakneck started strumming the opening of the song I knew so well.
Closing my eyes for a moment, I could see myself riding on the back of Preacher Man’s bike, my arms wrapped tight around him as “The Weight” blared out of the radio speakers.
I could always feel him humming along when I rested my head on his back.
“‘I pulled into Nazareth, was feeling ’bout half past dead,’ ”
Breakneck began in his smooth voice. So much had happened since the last time I heard him sing. We’d all faced our own personal tragedies. We’d lost a father, Kim lost a husband, and Breakneck lost a daughter, all to the violence of the MC world.
When it came time for the chorus, Deacon, Rev, and I leaned in around the microphone and sang our hearts out. Once the song ended, we received thunderous applause and whistles. I smacked Deacon and Rev on the back. “Felt good to do that again.”
Deacon grinned. “It sure as hell did.”
“Yeah. It did,” Rev said, smiling.
After I hopped down off the stage, I headed straight for Samantha. She jumped up off the bench and threw her arms around my neck to give me a hug. “That was awesome!”
I chuckled at her enthusiasm. “I think you’re just a little bit prejudiced,” I said as she pulled away.
“Nope. I just call it as I see it.”
Deacon and Rev appeared beside us then. “We still got it, huh?”
Deacon asked with a smirk.
Alex grinned at him. “Oh yeah. You do.” As she rose off the bench, she handed Wyatt to Beth. “Now I think you owe me a dance or two.”
“I think I can oblige you with that one,” Deacon said.
As they headed over to the dance floor, Rev went over to Annabel and pulled her up. “Will you honor me with a dance, Mrs. Malloy?”
A dreamy expression filled Annabel’s face. “Of course I will. But they’re not playing a slow song.”
“I’ll make them play one. It is my birthday,” Rev said.
Once they left, Samantha and I were all alone. With an awk- ward silence hanging around us, I wondered what I should do. Was asking her to dance coming on too strong, or would she be offended if I didn’t? The whole gray area of friendship was a real pain in the ass.
Just as I was about to man up and ask her, I felt a tug on the back of my shirt. I turned around to see Willow staring up at me. “Will you dance with me, Uncle B?”
Since I was incapable of ever telling Willow no, I held out my hand to her. “Of course I will.” Once she slipped her hand in mine, I glanced over my shoulder at Sam. To my surprise, she didn’t seem pissed at me picking a six- year- old over her. “I’ll be right back.”
She gave me a warm smile. “Have fun out there.”
Willow jerked me along until we were in the middle of the couples.
Rev hadn’t yet asked for a song change, so it was still a fast one.
I started making goofy moves that rewarded me with giggles from Willow.
She then started copying what I was doing.
With her love of ballet, she was a pretty natural dancer, even when doing the sprinkler.
When I looked back at the table, Sam and Mama Beth were both laughing at our antics.
As soon as the song was done, I squatted down beside Willow.
“Would it hurt your feelings if I asked Samantha to dance with me now?”
Her face lit up. “No. It wouldn’t.” She patted my shoulder.
“Samantha is really, really nice. I think it would be good if you made her your girlfriend.”
“Oh, you do, huh?”
Willow nodded. “Poe really liked her, too, and you know he doesn’t just like anyone.”
I refrained from arguing with her that I couldn’t base a potential relationship on the fact that a deer— who had probably been after the corn—approved of the woman in question. “It’s good to know that Poe liked her.”
“All the family likes her, so you should, too.”
Once again I had to remember that Willow was just a kid. She was such an old soul sometimes. “Thanks for the dance, rug rat.”
“But I’m the one who asked you.”
I grinned. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it.” Pulling her closer, I said, “Now give your favorite uncle a hug.”
“But, Uncle B, I love you and Uncle Rev the same. I promise,” she argued as she threw her arms around me.
As I rubbed her back, I said, “I know. I’m just teasing you.”
When I pulled away, I winked at her. “Now if you still want to dance, go over to Joe and tell him as a prospect, he has to dance with you.”
Willow wrinkled her nose. “That’s okay. I don’t want to dance with him.”
“Why not?”
She shrugged. “Just because.”
Although I could have pressed her, I already knew the response.
He wasn’t Archer, whom she had a crush on.
Back when he was a prospect, she would have loved to make him dance with her.
Of course, Archer was twenty- one and totally wigged out by Willow’s crush.
He worried at any moment one of us Malloy men was going to kick his ass for being a pervert. We loved to give him shit about that.
I rose. “All right, then. I’m going to ask Samantha to dance.”
“And I’m going to get more cake.”
“You do that. But just don’t let your mom and dad know it’s your third piece.”
Bringing her finger to her lips, she shushed me. “They’ll never know unless you tell them.”
I raised my hand. “Scout’s honor.”
She giggled as she ran off in the direction of the food table. With more confidence in my step than I felt, I made my way over to Samantha. She and Mama Liz were chatting like old friends, which was really nice to see.
As I stood in front of her, I cleared my throat. “You wanna dance?”
“Sure.” She climbed off the bench and turned to Mama Liz.
“Don’t go anywhere, because I want to hear more embarrassing stories about Bishop when he was little.”
With a groan, I swept my hand across my face. “Seriously, Mama? That’s what you two were over here talking about?”
“I thought you liked having beautiful women talking about you,” Samantha countered with a smile.
“Not when it includes stories that make me look bad.”