Chapter 1 #4
“Not today,” Steel told him gently. “We didn’t know how the ride would be for you and didn’t want to put too much on you at once. I convinced them to give you a week or so to get reacclimatized. Knowing the ol’ ladies, though, it’ll probably be sooner.”
Frankie rounded the back of the SUV with SJ. His son was now making “ma-ma-ma” sounds, which gave Pumpkin a weird feeling. He didn’t want SJ thinking of Frankie as his mother, even though that was essentially the role she’d taken on in his absence.
Needing to not think about that right now, Pumpkin turned to Steel. “We need to have a serious talk. Please tell me that the club did not buy me a house.”
“The club did not buy you a house,” Steel said with a straight face. “However, the club members did. This is your Congrats on Not Dying present from all of us to you.”
Pumpkin’s eyebrows rose. “The fuck?!”
Steel looked to Frankie. “I’ve got him. Can you take SJ inside please?”
Frankie nodded silently. She ducked her head, holding SJ tighter against her chest as if seeking comfort from him, and practically ran inside the house.
Pumpkin’s eyes followed her as she pulled a key out and unlocked his house in a way that gave away her familiarity with the place.
Then he narrowed his eyes on Steel. “You’ve ‘got’ me?
” Steel just stared at him, not giving an inch.
Pumpkin sighed, leaning heavily on his walker. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“Because you had enough on your plate.”
Pumpkin was torn between swallowing his pride and accepting this gift or sticking to his guns and refusing. He’d been hit while on his motorcycle. There was nothing heroic or worthy of praise. It wasn’t like he’d killed the Night King.
But it wasn’t like he could return a house. He was pretty sure they didn’t make gift receipts that big.
Gritting his teeth, Pumpkin growled. “Fine. I’ll keep the fucking house.”
“Good, because the ol’ ladies spent a long time getting it ready for you and I’d have to put you back in the hospital if you’d hurt Jenna’s feelings by trying to refuse it.” Steel reached into the inner pocket of his cut. “Here’s your key.”
Pumpkin’s eyes narrowed when he saw the fucking pumpkin keychain. “Really? I nearly die and you guys couldn’t let the pumpkin thing go? Just once?”
“Never,” Steel assured him, though it sounded more like a threat.
Noise from the back of the SUV drew Pumpkin’s attention to Darrin, who was collecting all of his equipment and suitcase.
“Was the ramp really necessary?” Pumpkin grumbled.
“I’m not going to dignify that with a response,” Steel said.
“Darrin is going to get your things inside. He’s yours for the night, in case you need anything.
I’ve already assigned him to your couch.
Frankie lives here too. She and SJ moved in almost two months ago, as soon as the house was finished.
We thought you’d want SJ to have his home and be in his new nursery. ”
That was…sweet, but there was still something off about it all. Pumpkin was feeling very displaced, and he didn’t like it. But his gratitude for Frankie and the club taking care of his son outweighed his anxiety.
“Thank you. I’m sure he loves it.”
As Darrin walked towards the house, Steel lowered his voice.
“ There’s one more thing that you and I need to discuss.
I know you’ve been worried about your finances.
When you joined the club, you signed the paperwork that made me your medical and financial power of attorney, should you need it.
Days after your accident, a lawyer came to Pirate looking to settle.
He negotiated not only a settlement for himself, but also for Jumper’s ruined wedding and you. I accepted on your behalf.”
Pumpkin blinked. He hadn’t considered a settlement or a lawsuit or anything in that regard as far as getting his medical expenses paid.
It had been close to two months after his accident that he even knew the full extent of what had happened on that bridge.
The club and his doctors hadn’t wanted to stress him out or cause him grief.
“How much?” Getting a couple thousand would certainly help, but again, decisions were made without his knowledge about his life. He didn’t want to be babied or pitied.
Steel held his gaze for a long moment before he answered, “Four million.”
Pumpkin nearly fell over. Steel was quick to put his arms out to steady him. “What the—what? I mean, did you just say… Like, million . As in the number four with six zeros, million?”
Steel seemed more concerned about Pumpkin keeping his balance than he did Pumpkin’s shock at the settlement number. “Yes.”
Pumpkin was fairly certain the only other time he’d ever been this surprised was when he’d been told he was going to be a father. “Um, where is it? I mean, I assume it’s in a bank account and not gold bars, but you know, like it is in my account or another account or…”
“It’s in escrow. I was able to negotiate on your behalf but I did not want to actually receive the funds until we knew more about your condition.
After you started your recovery, I knew it would be safe there until you were ready.
In a few days or weeks, whatever you prefer, we’ll head over to the bank with the paperwork and Susan Black”—the club’s attorney—“to take care of the transfer for you.”
“Wow,” Pumpkin breathed. “Just…wow.”
“I know it’s a lot to take in. You had a good amount in savings and I’ve been using that to take care of SJ’s, Frankie’s, and your expenses. Grumpy also continued your salary so your health insurance and benefits continued too.”
Pumpkin nodded slowly. “Thank you. I really don’t know what to say. This is…a lot.”
“And now you understand why I didn’t think a party today was a good idea.”
Pumpkin had to agree. It was what made Steel such a formidable leader and President. He was always thinking three, four moves ahead. Pumpkin wondered if the man had ever played chess before. He’d probably be a Grand Master if he did.
There’d been times over the years when Pumpkin had questioned or not agreed with a decision Steel had made.
But he’d fallen in line like a good little soldier.
Then later, he would discover something Steel had known or suspected, or figured out why Steel had done what he’d done, and it would all make sense.
Because at the end of the day, every decision Steel made was about protecting his family.
It was what made Jenna’s illness twice as heartbreaking. Because if it was anything else, any other battle, Steel would have fought it until the bitter end. He would have gone out swinging for his woman, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. But an incurable disease?
He couldn’t fight that.
Clearing his throat, Pumpkin looked towards his new house. “So, um, I take it Frankie is going to move back to her old trailer now that I’m home?” He needed to set a new normal for him and SJ. He needed to start taking responsibility for his son again.
“No, Frankie’s staying on as your nanny.”
His head snapped back towards Steel, his eyes narrowing. “Why? I’m here now. I can take care of SJ.”
“I’m sure you can, but you didn’t hear me: she’s your nanny.”
Pumpkin frowned. And then the lightbulb went off. “I do not need a nanny!” He was a fucking grown-ass man! Walker aside, he could take care of himself.
“You do until I say otherwise,” Steel said without remorse before he started towards the house.
Pumpkin walked forward too, leaning on his walker. “Steel! I’m serious, I appreciate everything she’s done, but I need to be the one who is taking care of SJ!”
“Take care of your son all you want,” Steel said without turning, “She’ll still be here taking care of you.”
Pumpkin was a lot slower than Steel. The man made it up the ramp and inside Pumpkin’s house before Pumpkin had even reached the bottom.
Grumbling, he followed. He was fairly sure the ramp wasn’t permanent. He was certain he recognized it from when Bear had broken his leg and it had been attached to his house.
Pumpkin was sore by the time he reached the top but not enough to keep him from moving forward. And he would keep on moving forward. He’d gain back his strength and his independence.
He’d do it for himself, for his club, but mostly for his son.
“On your mark… Get set…”
Pumpkin leaned forward a little more in his wheelchair, his hands tense on the metal rung of the wheels.
“ Go! ”
Pumpkin pushed off. The rubber tread of his wheels moved smoothly against the concrete slabs of the sidewalk.
When Angel had adopted Bree two years ago, Steel had commissioned a walkway to be added around the club’s property.
The path circled around the clubhouse, past the houses in The Pentagon, through a wide field, and around the pond, totaling a quarter of a mile.
It created a nice walking path for the ol’ ladies, especially for those with strollers, and it allowed Bree to get from her house to the clubhouse without going onto any gravel or grass.
And now? It was a racetrack.
The entire club—or most, Pumpkin couldn’t recall if he’d seen Scar there—had gathered around the sidewalk to cheer on the racers. While it was supposed to be a friendly match, Pumpkin had seen several bills being exchanged between the brothers. Lucky even let Scotty put a dollar in on Bree.
Bree’s chair was certainly better equipped for speed over Pumpkin’s. She also had upper body strength that was impressive for someone her age.
But Pumpkin was not about to lose this race to a girl. Even if that girl was his sixteen year old niece. He’d considered taking the fall for this race, but then Bree had trash talked him—no doubt with training from her parents—and so Pumpkin gave no quarter.
The race was twice around the path. It had originally only been once, but Bree had goaded him into agreeing to twice.