19. Chopper
Chopper
If she’s going to kiss me in a crowded bar, I'll never push her away… but she just made everything so much more complicated.
Pushing her away would’ve sealed my fate.
She would’ve built those walls taller and thicker than ever before.
She’d never stop adding new bricks to make it impossible for me to get through.
Gone would be the glimpses I’d get of the real her, she’d be locked in her self-made tower with no chances of her leaving ever again.
“What do you mean?” She whispers.
“Well, if Porter didn’t already suspect something was going on between us, he’ll definitely know for sure soon.”
I take a step back and scrub a hand down my face.
I don’t know how to handle this. I planned to go to Porter and talk to him long before anyone knew things changed between us.
I thought it would look better on my part if I wasn’t sneaking around behind his back.
If I manned up and said I wanted to date Roxy and eventually marry her and give her my property patch.
I figured Porter would have to respect that at least to a certain extent. But Roxy just blew up my plan with a simple kiss. A mind-blowing kiss. One that silenced the entire bar.
“So… does Porter know?” Storm asks as he slides onto a stool on the other side of the bar. Dixie quickly takes the seat to the left of him and Oakley to the right. Morris and Jasper stand behind them, each with wide eyes.
“Shut up,” I growl, growing more and more anxious.
“What would Dad need to know?” Roxy plants a hand on her hip and arches a brow at Storm. I don’t know how she can stand there and act like nothing is going on between us.
Because she’s been acting her entire life. No one knows the real Roxy except you.
The thought races through my head and I frown as it really sinks in. Roxy keeps everyone at arm’s length. I'm sure she even keeps Dixie and Oakley at a distance to a certain extent.
But she let me see the real her over the past few days.
“Um… that you’re clearly dating Chopper,” Jasper says slowly.
“Am I though?” Roxy scrunches up her nose as she stares at Jasper like he’s crazy.
“But you just kissed him!” Morris motions to me like everyone doesn’t already know I'm the one she kissed.
“Man, I didn’t know you had to date someone to kiss them!” Roxy rolls her eyes. “Do you want me to kiss you to prove it meant nothing?”
“Yes!” Morris shouts, earning a glare from a few of the older customers in the bar.
Roxy tries to move around the bar to get to him, but I wrap my arm around her waist and tug her back against my chest.
“Not happening, babe,” I growl before lowering my voice so only she can hear me. “I'm not letting you kiss another man, especially in front of me. You’re mine. I told you that. I'm not sharing you with anyone.”
“Morris, you’re an idiot. I'm not dating anyone. I kissed him on a dare. Oakley said I wouldn’t do it and I did so now she owes me a drink at McHugh’s this weekend.”
I watch Oakley as her eyes widen. She glances from Roxy to me and back again. She’s trying to decide if she wants to go along with this and I see the exact second she makes her choice.
“Yeah, I know,” she grumbles like she’s actually upset about having to go out. “But I'm not letting you dress me up! Last time, it took me two hours to get all of that eyeliner off and to get the leather pants and corset off. Never again. I’d rather stick with jeans and a t-shirt.”
“And you wonder why you can’t find a boyfriend,” Morris snorts with laughter. Jasper elbows him hard in the stomach, making him yelp in pain. “What?” He stares at his best friend like he doesn’t know why Jasper’s mad at him.
“I'm pretty sure Oakley doesn’t want a boyfriend,” he murmurs.
“Oakley doesn’t! Men are too much work,” she practically shouts, making a bunch of the guys chuckle.
I don’t miss the way Jasper’s expression falls slightly. He’s never made a comment, but I’ve seen the way he looks at Oakley. He has a crush on her. Big time.
“Alright, I'm going home.” Oakley stands from her stool and checks her phone.
“Did you walk here?” Jasper asks.
“Yup! I have to get my steps in. Sitting behind a desk all day makes me lazy. I wanted to stretch my legs for a little bit. But now I'm ready to go home and take a nice hot bath. See ya at home, Roxy.” Oakley smirks at her and I don’t miss the wink she gives me when no one else is watching.
She’s going to be trouble. I’ll have to keep my eye on her and figure out a way to get her to keep her mouth shut to Porter.
“I’ll walk with you. I don’t want you going alone. It’s already dark out.” Jasper hurries to fall in step with her.
“Ok.” Oakley shrugs her shoulders, not caring in the least.
Times like this, it’s so hard to not notice the differences between the Reeves’ triplets. Roxy goes on the attack every time I try to walk her home. Oakley’s indifferent to Jasper going with her, and Dixie would probably ask someone to go with her if she were alone.
My girl likes to stand on her own two feet though.
“Morris, go with them. I just need to talk to Chopper, then I'm headed back to the clubhouse too.” Storm motions towards the door where Jasper and Oakley just disappeared.
Morris doesn’t say a word, he nods his head before exiting the bar too.
“You just broke little Jasper’s heart, Stormy.” Roxy shakes her head. “He was probably so excited to have a few minutes alone with Oakley and you had to go and ruin it.”
“Well, it was either that or let him overhear the conversation we’re about to have.” Storm grins and I let out a sigh. He’s not going to let this go.
“I'm triple charging you tonight just for being annoying,” Roxy mumbles.
“I don’t care. Still have to discuss this.”
“Oh, look. I have customers to deal with.” She tries to step around me, but I stop her. The longer we put this off, the more annoyed Storm will get.
I really don’t think he’ll make as big of a deal out of this as Roxy thinks he will. After all, him and Dixie were dating behind everyone’s back. He can’t get mad at me when we kissed for the first time a few days ago.
“Are you guys good for a few minutes? We’re discussing something important,” I ask the guys sitting at the end of the bar.
“Yeah, take your time. We’re in no rush.” The older man waves me off and I can see his glassy eyes from here. I wonder how many drinks he’s had tonight.
“You have five minutes,” I say to Storm as I position Roxy between me and the bar.
I place one hand on the wood on either side of her, making sure she can’t make a run for it. I know she’ll try if she thinks she can do it.
“We’re not idiots. You two are dating.” Storm focuses on me, he knows he’ll be able to get the truth out of me easier than Roxy.
“And why do you think that?” Roxy folds her arms over her chest and stares him down.
“Last time I checked, you don’t kiss anyone. You wouldn’t kiss Chopper on a dare and you know it.” He isn’t backing down. He knows her well enough to know she wouldn’t do it.
“Hmm, but maybe after years of him chasing me, I thought it’d be nice to know if the man can kiss,” she smirks.
Storm stares at her for a moment. He isn’t sure if he should believe her or not.
“After all, I would never date someone who sucked at kissing. Duh.”
“She’s lying! She only says duh when she’s lying!
” Dixie’s bouncing in her seat as she points at her sister with excitement.
“Oh my gosh! I’ve been waiting for you to finally admit you had a crush on Chopper for basically our entire lives!
I’m so excited! Chopper, you’ve always been like a brother to me and now you can actually be my brother! ”
“Hold up!” Roxy slaps a hand over Dixie’s face and leans in as close as the bar will allow her to. “How did we go from kissing to getting married? I'm not you, Dix. I'm not going to fall into a puddle of heart eyes because Chopper’s showing me attention.”
“A puddle of heart eyes? Really?” Storm looks amused as he quirks a brow. “She didn’t fall into a puddle at my feet because I showed her attention.”
“Oh, please. If you had proposed seconds after kissing her for the first time, she would’ve cried happy tears and said yes.” Roxy rolls her eyes at Storm.
“I would not!” Dixie scowls at her.
“Yes, you would. Just because you don’t want to admit it, doesn’t make it untrue.”
“Yeah? Well, you’ve been in love with Chopper your entire life but you won't admit it to anyone. You’d rather push him away than admit it.” Dixie stares at my girl, daring her to argue.
Roxy glances at me over her shoulder and her eyes soften. I want to kiss her again, but I'm not sure how that will help this situation right now.
“You’re right, Dix. I’ve been in love with Chopper for as long as I can remember. I pushed him away because I never thought I could have him. But now I do.”
She spins to face me and loops her arms around my neck. She’s staring at me and I can’t tell if she’s waiting for a reaction or what. I'm speechless though. I never expected Roxy to admit her feelings like this, especially in front of an audience.
“I love you, Chopper. I always have and I always will.”
“I love you too,” I murmur.
I glance around Roxy and meet Dixie’s wide gaze, then Storm’s smirking face.
“We don’t say a word of this to Porter. I kept your secret, now you have to keep ours.”