CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT HARLEY
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
HARLEY
It’s moving day, and my nerves are through the roof.
We had a quick close on the house, since we agreed to take the house as is, and the owners were more than happy to sign off.
We picked up the keys yesterday, and have just a couple more boxes to pack up at Ember’s house before we can start taking things over.
I honk the horn outside Chase’s house. After a couple of minutes, he trudges out, a grimace on his face. “Your new get up is ghetto dude,” he says, climbing into the passenger seat of the U-Haul.
“You’re ghetto,” I fire back at him. “Who shot your dog? You look like hell,” I tell him, and he shoots me a death glare from the passenger side.
“Between you and I, I got some intel about the mission the guys are on, and I don’t know what to do with it,” he says. “But listen, today isn’t about that, so forget it for now, and we’ll revisit later okay?”
I don’t push it because Chase is good about communication when it comes to me and him, and honestly I appreciate him trying to not dampen today for Ember and I.
A few minutes later, we pull down the little street to Ember’s house and see Atlas carting Aria up the stairs.
“Fuck.” Chase looks panicked and puts his head down. “I thought it was just us and a few other dudes?” he says quietly, side eyeing me.
“She's Ember's sister, she’s gonna be everywhere for a bit since Asher is gone,” I tell him, really not understanding his reaction. They’ve been around each other before. Do they not like each other, and I’ve somehow missed it?
Ember runs out and comes to my window, a huge smile plastered across her face, and I swear she’s glowing. “I’m going to move Atlas’s car in front of mine up the road so that you can back in!” She hops up on the foot rails, gives me a quick peck, and then she’s down and dashing off again.
“She’s excited,” Chase says matter of factly.
I watch her through the window. She is so excited. Once we get done loading the U-Haul, Charlee, Theo, and Rawley are meeting us at our new place to help unload. Ember is talking to Charlee and Theo tonight about the money from Dean’s passing. She made herself sick last night, stressing over it.
We back the U-Haul into the driveway, and Atlas and Ember stand on the porch watching us, mumbling back and forth quietly so that we can’t hear what they’re saying. I’m intrigued, but if it's nothing serious or against sister code, Ember will tell me later.
Chase and I walk side by side up the stairs, and we follow the girls into the house. Boxes are everywhere, and the couch is wrapped in Saran Wrap.
“Where do you want us to start, babe?” I ask her.
She shrugs, and tells me to start wherever I want since we’re doing the heavy lifting.
Atlas walks into the kitchen, which is where the last of the things are being packed. The baby gate keeps Miss Aria from escaping out the door while we take boxes back and forth.
I walk over and give her a quick peck on the head, then head down the hall where we start taking boxes to the U-Haul. Chase doesn’t say much, and part of that seems normal since it's early, but whatever has him all twisted up is definitely weighing on him.
“I’m here, you know, if you need to talk,” I tell him as I stack two boxes onto the dolly.
“Soon, just not yet,” he says quietly. “Definitely not today, and not here.”
Weird.
We fall into a chain of taking things out of the house.
Boxes and furniture. Andrews is on a mission with Asher, so we don’t have our full crew, but I was able to rally a few others to help us with the move.
Ember and Atlas let me know the kitchen is done, but by the time we’ve made it through two of the rooms, we only have the kitchen and living room left.
We get the couch into the U-Haul and begin stacking the boxes around it to stabilize it. It’s about noon now, and Ember ordered pizza from the local Pizzeria.
Ember calls us in, paper plates in tow to get some grub.
“Damn, you look good when you sweat.” Ember looks me up and down, greedy with lust in her eyes.
“Ew chill the fuck out, you have a house full of people, you nasty betch.” Atlas elbows her sister.
I double over, choking on my pizza as Ember shrugs her shoulders. “You used to be just as bad about Asher, so don’t even fucking start with me,” she fires back.
Atlas drops her eyes to her pizza and her cheeks go light pink. I keep eating and almost miss that Chase is watching Atlas. I clear my throat and he meets my eyes and looks back down at his plate. We finish eating and get back to work, eager to get to the new house.
Ember packs up some smaller boxes into her car and closes the trunk. The guys are still steadily bringing boxes out to the truck, when Ember pulls me aside. “Something is going on with Atlas, and I can’t figure out what,” she says, watching me, her hands on her hips.
I use the bottom of my shirt to wipe my forehead. “Yeah I kind of noticed that,” I agree with her. “Once we get moved in, we’ll have her over and you guys can do some kind of girls night and I’ll hibernate in my Man Cave in the garage.”
Ember looks at the door and shrugs her shoulders. “I’m just worried.”
“I know, baby girl, but let’s get moved, and then we can be there for her. Maybe the house is too much for her without Asher. We can set up one of the guest rooms just for her and Aria so she has a comfort space away from home,” I tell her, pulling her into a hug.
“I love you,” she says, her arms circling around my waist.
I kiss her head. “I love you, too.”
We finally have everything in the U-Haul, except for a few smaller things Ember asked me to leave for cleaning and staging to put it on the market later this month.
Ember buckles Aria in her car seat, and Atlas jumps into her car. Ember closes the door. “I’ll text you the address, Atlas!” she says before jogging off. Before Atlas backs out, I walk over to the window.
“You doin okay?” I ask her, though I know she won't tell me anything, especially if she hasn’t talked to Ember yet.
“I will be. Life is just hard right now,” she says, looking up at me, hands on the steering wheel.
“We’ve got you, you know.” I make sure she knows we’re here for her and Aria no matter what.
Just then, her phone pings, and it’s Ember texting over the address. “I’ll meet you at the house, yeah?” I ask her.
“Yep, see you soon,” Atlas says quickly, and I swear I see a tear slide down her cheek before she turns away from me, putting her hand on the passenger headrest to check behind her before pulling out.
I jog over to the U-Haul and jump in the driver’s side. Chase is in the middle, and one of the guys is riding in the passenger seat. The other three guys are in one of their tiny bench seat trucks.
I crank on the truck and roll out of the driveway. Chase turns on the radio, and we all sing along to Five Finger Death Punch. We don’t speak until we pull into the driveway with the double garage.
As I hop out of the truck, I see Ember walking into the house with Maggie’s cat carrier. Just as I’m about to walk up the path to the house, Atlas pulls in. I start to head back to her car, but Chase rounds the truck and walks towards her.
“Can I get Aria, for you?” I hear him ask her, and I don’t hear her answer, but I see the back door open and Chase disappears as he bends over to unbuckle Aria.
I walk into the house and Ember is coming down the stairs, a smile across her face. “This doesn’t feel real.”
“It’s real sweet cheeks, and it's ours.” I give her a big wet kiss, sending my tongue into her mouth.
She moans, and my cock starts to harden. “Ember, don’t think I’m above taking you into the master bathroom and breaking it in early,” I tell her, breaking away. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t surveying her face, to see if that’s exactly what I should do.
Just then, Atlas comes through the door, her jaw dropping, mouth wide open. “Ember, Harley, this is fucking beautiful,” she says, panning from left to right.
“Harley found it,” Ember says, putting a hand on my chest as if she’s proud, and my heart swells. “It’s perfect. It’s got all the little pieces of us in it.”
“I have to agree, honestly. The brick with black shutters and door. You’re kidding,” she says.
“Wait till you see the kitchen.” Ember gives her a shit eating grin. Ember walks down the rest of the stairs and leads her sister into the kitchen to show it off.
“Oh my fucking god, I hate you.” I hear Atlas from the kitchen, just as Chase walks in, Aria passed out on his shoulder.
“You want me to take her?” I ask Chase, who looks uncomfortable with Aria.
“No, I’ve got her. Did Atlas grab her pack and play to lay her down?” he asks, looking around and not seeing it anywhere.
“No, let me run out and grab it and set it up.” I pat his shoulder and head out the door. I open the driver side door, and look for the button to pop open the trunk. Atlas’s phone lays in the seat and lights up with a message reminder that came in two minutes ago.
Asher
I’m sorry, Atlas. I love you.
Sorry for what? I wonder, but don’t want to get caught snooping, so I shove her phone in my pocket before I open the back door to grab Aria’s blankets and diaper bag. I grab the pack and play from the trunk and slam it closed. I jog into the house, and find Chase sitting on the steps waiting.
“Let’s put her in their room,” I tell him.
He nods, and we head up. We get to the room Ember deemed Atlas and Aria’s the second time we came to look at it.
I throw the bag down, and start setting up the pack and play.
Chase stands against the wall, arms still tightly wrapped around Aria’s sleeping body, and he begins rubbing circles on her back.
I struggle for a few minutes, Chase quietly trying to tell me how to do it before Ember and Atlas appear in the doorway. “This hurts,” Atlas says, before waltzing into the room and setting it up within seconds.
“No fair, we don’t have kids,” I tell her. “Yet.” And my eyes land on Ember, my eyebrows wiggling up and down playfully. She lets out a laugh, covering her mouth to try and keep herself quiet.
Once Atlas has laid out her blankets, she walks over to Chase and reaches to take her from him. He holds out his hand, stopping her, and I see Atlas’s eyes shoot up in defense.
“I can lay her down,” Chase tells her before walking around her and bending, one hand behind her head, the other behind her knees, and she lets out a sigh when she’s flat in the pack and play.
“Thank you,” Atlas says quietly, and walks out of the room.
We all follow suit, quietly closing the door before heading downstairs.
Downstairs, the guys have already started bringing boxes in since Ember meticulously labeled everything with which room it should go into.
Ember and Atlas head to the kitchen and I hear cabinets opening and boxes ripping in no time. I’m on my sixth trip back out to the U-Haul when Charlee’s car pulls in behind Atlas’s. I see Rawley in the back seat, and a man in the front, who must be Theo.
I lean in the house, both hands on the door frame. “Ember! Charlee and Theo are here.” Then turn back and head down the steps.
“Coming! I’m coming!” she yells from the kitchen.
Charlee comes up, Theo by her side, Rawley trailing behind them. “Harley, this is beautiful!” she says, pulling me into a hug. “This is Theo, my husband.” He has dark brown hair, and a strong jawline.
He sends his hand out to shake my hand and I take it, giving him a nod. “Good to meet you, man.”
“Yeah, it’s awesome to meet you too,” I tell him, “Rawley was telling me about you guys putting in the time on that game.” I laugh, trying to make him comfortable.
Just then Ember comes out of the house, wiping her hands on her leggings. A smile stretches across her face when she sees Charlee, and it makes me so happy they’ve become friends.
“Please come in!” Ember opens her arm, pointing inside the house. Charlee walks in, stopping to give Ember a big hug.
“Congratulations, Ember. It’s beautiful,” Charlee says before her and Ember walk into the entryway.
“Ember, this is Theo,” Charlee says, and there suddenly feels like there is tension in the air, and I’m not sure where it’s coming from. I look over at Ember and she’s clearly nervous, but looking at Theo, he seems nervous too.
“Theo, it’s good to meet you.” She softly places her hand into his and shakes it, giving him a small smile.
“It’s good to finally put a face with the name.” Theo smiles before he drops his hand. I can tell there’s a few meanings behind his words. He looks at me with a tight smile and I return it and give him a nod.
“Hey Rawley, how’s it going?” Ember asks him, and all eyes land on him. I just now notice that he’s got something in his hands, a baking dish.
“Oh it’s going.” He shrugs, like any fifteen-year-old would. “Here, my mom made lasagna for you guys, so you had something to eat.” He offers the dish up and Ember takes it from him with a smile.
“Rawley, can you lift boxes?” I ask, trying to help Ember because I know she’s still trying to figure this whole thing out.
“Yes sir, just tell me where it goes.” He smiles and we head out the door, Theo following, and Charlee and Ember heading into the kitchen.