Chapter Twelve
“You don’t think this is overkill?” Kit asked as Bridger unhooked the enormous RV from the back of his truck.
“No,” he said, casting her a grin. “I want you to be comfortable.”
Hands on her hips, Kit twisted and looked around the wilderness camp at the tents the Pack was setting up. Bridger was the only one who had opted to not only buy a huge RV last night, but to haul it up here on this camping trip.
Tabian was already aiming cameras in their direction.
“It’s just, no one else is sleeping in a house on wheels,” she pointed out.
Bridger stood and made his way to her, gripped her shoulders, and kissed her forehead. “I have big instincts with you. Let me take care of you.”
Her shoulders slumped as she melted. “You mean spoil me?”
“Girl, let that man spoil you! My air mattress already has a hole in it!” Delta called from where Nate was patching it with masking tape.
“Yeah,” Vic said as he walked by with a giant inflatable penis.
“Besides, this is the first time Bridger has ever camped with us and not across the whole river trying to avoid us. If he needs an RV with outdoor lights and an outdoor rug and its own firepit and a refrigerator and a comfortable bed and storage for food that the chipmunks can’t get into, well then, he should do that, and I am not jealous at all. ”
“We’re going RV shopping soon, aren’t we?” Lyric asked from where she was organizing a blue cooler beside her and Vic’s tent.
“Probably the minute we get back,” Vic agreed, staring with envy at Bridger’s RV. “I need a bigger one than Bridger.” He took his giant blow-up wiener and headed for the river to swim.
“Dude, help your mate!” Liam barked.
“We already set up our camp, Bossman,” Vic said, walking backward. “My lady and I are like a well-oiled machine. Focus on your own shack.”
Indeed, Liam’s tent looked lopsided as hell.
“Dude, every time you bring one of those stupid floats, I have to edit it out of the videos!” Tabian griped.
“Why do you think I bring them?” Vic asked, and then ran and jumped into the water.
Tabian was standing by Bayen and Tru near their camp-truck set-up. They had all the fancy gear, but that made sense because Tabian made a living off camping videos.
Kit laughed a lot around these people, and just like so many times before, she caught Bridger watching the smile on her lips.
He loved her. They hadn’t said the words yet, but she knew he did. She loved him too.
She’d bought two nights at that hotel before Bridger asked her to get a few bartending shifts covered because he had a surprise trip for them.
He’d talked about the Pack camping trips, and they had sounded dreamy. Now, being here with them, she understood more why he smiled when he talked about the trips.
Even if he had been camping away from the Pack, something about this made him enjoy it.
“Why are you camping with the Pack this time?” she asked softly, wanting to know.
He brushed a strand of hair that had escaped her braid and tucked it behind her ear. “I hated being around all the couples. The more the Pack paired up, the more it reminded me of the hole in my chest.”
“The hole isn’t so bad now?” she asked.
He leaned down and kissed her lips. “The hole isn’t there anymore.”
Oof. Her eyes prickled with emotion. She’d never been much of a crier, but lately she had all of these happy emotions surging through her, thanks to Bridger.
“Your RV?” she asked.
He turned her and pulled her in close to his side.
“Ours. We are going to camp with the Pack. This won’t be our only time.
I want a den with you even when we are traveling.
We can tent-camp, I know. You don’t require a lot, but I like the idea of you sitting in the passenger seat of my truck singing songs while I haul our RV to different sites in a caravan with our friends and getting to sleep comfortable in here. ”
“Away from us heathens!” Dodger called out from where he and Destiny were sitting in camp chairs, kicking out of their shoes.
“Away from you, but still here. And if one of you knocks on this door in the middle of the night needing anything, I will eat you. Leave us alone.”
“The scariest part of that is I heard the truth in your voice,” Liam said, looking disturbed. “You would really eat us.”
Bridger pulled his shirt over his head. They’d both worn their bathing suits here. It was one of those hot, perfect, late summer days. His eyes lightened as he tilted his head toward the water.
Bayen was running toward it with a float in the shape of a pizza slice in his hands.
“Come on, Mad Wolf,” Nate said. “I’ll race you.”
“Race me?”
“It’s the only thing I can freaking beat you at,” he grumbled, lining up beside Bridger.
Kit cracked up as they both took off at a sprint for the water. Nate tried to push Bridger over before they hit the water, but he was barely swayed off his path. “Fuck!” Nate yelled as Bridger hit the water first.
“I have a float you can borrow,” Vic called to Bridger.
“No!” Tabian and Bayen both yelled in unison.
Kit stood there with her arms crossed, sinking into the happy moment as the other guys were peer-pressured into swimming.
Tru stood to the side with Bayen’s girlfriend, Breah, chatting happily. Tru had her baby, Blu, on her hip and was bouncing him absently as she talked. Delta, Nory, Lyric, and Destiny were gathering near the center firepit, and Kit sauntered over to join them.
Nory rested her head against Kit’s shoulder as they watched the guys trying to drown each other. “So cute,” she joked.
Kit rested her cheek on top of Nory’s head. She was growing meaningful friendships with all of the women here. They were so different, each of them, and so special. So genuine.
Kit was deeply happy near this Pack. Now, she couldn’t take her eyes off the smile on Bridger’s face.
“I still can’t believe he’s the Mad Wolf,” Delta murmured.
Bridger had told the Pack at the meeting last night. He’d told them about Amelia, and her parents, and about his past. No one had shunned or shamed him. He had been met with understanding, and that made Kit love these people even more.
This right here is what a Pack should feel like.
She didn’t know what the future held, or how many more days she would be telling Bridger, “One more day,” and buying more time at the hotel, but she had learned to enjoy the moments as they came. She thought Bridger was doing the same.
“Kit,” he called.
“Yes?” she asked, straightening her spine.
He was standing in the water, up to his muscular chest. He tilted his head. Come here.
“Yep,” she muttered and made her way to the water’s edge as the girls teased her from behind.
“Damn, Bridger, you have her whooped,” Nory joked.
“He sure does,” Kit said shamelessly.
“And watch me go trotting after her if she asks,” Bridger called out. “I bet I’m more whooped.”
“He is!” Vic said. “He bought her a whole ass house for camping.”
As Kit peeled off her tank top and shimmied out of her jean shorts, she heard Lyric grumble beside her, “He’s not going to stop talking about the dang RV.”
Kit giggled and kicked out of her flipflops as the other girls followed her into the waves one-by-one.
She dragged her legs through the heavy water until she reached Bridger, and he pulled her in immediately. “Are you happy?” he asked.
“I couldn’t be any happier than I am right now,” she admitted, looking around at her friends as they splashed and talked.
She hadn’t realized just how much she had never belonged anywhere until she’d met Bridger, and this misfit Pack of Rogues.
Liam was standing near them, his arm thrown around Nory, who was melted at his side and looking at Kit with this mushy glint in her eye. “Can we tell her now?” Nory asked.
“Tell me what?” Kit asked, confused as she looked from Bridger, back to Nory.
It was Liam who cleared his throat and spoke up. “We have a Pack initiation planned for tonight. If you want it.”
Kit frowned, and shook her head, thinking she had misheard. “Wait, what?”
“I asked Liam for a place for you,” Bridger said softly. “With us.”
Tears prickled her eyes and she stood up straight. “Wait, what!” she said louder, her words echoing through the river clearing.
“We can initiate you tonight and you’ll go back home a Rogue Pack member,” Liam said. “If you’ll have us.”
A sob took her and she looked from Bridger to Liam, Nory, Delta, and Destiny as they had quieted and were treading through the water toward them. The boys were settling down and paying attention now.
“Me?” she squeaked.
Liam chuckled and nodded.
Kit dragged her tear-filled eyes to Bridger as she threw her hands over her mouth to quiet the sob that scratched its way up her throat. “Bridger,” she uttered.
He nodded. “I want you.”
Another sob wracked her body. “Are you being serious right now?”
Bridger pulled her in front of him in the water. “The RV is a present. It’s a promise of more trips like this, with our people, if you want to make them our people. If you want to say yes to me?”
“Say yes,” she whispered, shocked.
“I want you to be mine, Kit.” He nodded, his eyes so full of emotion. “I want to do this life gig with you.”
“Does this mean you aren’t mad at me and Lyric anymore for catfishing her?” Vic asked.
Bridger splashed at him and they all laughed, including Kit. Crying and laughing. Crying and laughing. This was a dream come true.
She’d found it.
Hands clasped over her mouth, she looked up at him and nodded.
“Yeah?”
She nodded again.
“It means no more hotels,” Bridger said. “Do you want to make a den with me?”
“Uh huh,” she squeaked out. No moment had ever been happier than this.
“That’s it,” Liam said in an official tone. “The Pack will be complete. The missing piece found us.”
Kit’s shoulders shook with her crying as she buried her face against Bridger’s chest. And then something so perfect happened.
She felt a hand on her back, and then someone wrapped their arms around her and Bridger.
It was Delta. Next was Nory, then Tabian.
The others joined one-by-one until the entire Rogue Pack was holding them.
Bridger didn’t even bite them. He stayed still and only growled a little.
The Rogue Pack was complete.
She had friends who she knew would become family.
She had a sense of belonging, and a home.
She had Bridger to care for, always.
Kit had been wrong when she’d told Bridger she couldn’t be any happier than she was.
This moment topped it all.
Whatever came at the Rogue Pack from here on out, they would face it together.
She would be right beside Bridger, enjoying her happily ever after, and making sure he got his.
Liam had called her the missing piece, but he didn’t know. He didn’t understand.
They had been the missing piece for her.