Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Gunner threw his arm over his eyes to block the bright sunlight piercing into his brain. Where had he gone to sleep? There wasn’t any bright sunlight in his room at the clubhouse.
He lay still, taking stock. His head hurt, and his mouth tasted like he’d dipped it in the farm’s manure pile. He stayed still, trying to remember what he’d done.
The smell of brewed coffee tickled his nose. He pulled his arm down and cracked an eye open. Stone held a cup of steaming coffee in front of his face. He accepted it, groaning at the protest his muscles made as he sat up.
“Will you keep quiet? You snored all night. It was like a freight train with asthma was in the room,” his brother Brody growled.
He took a sip of the piping hot coffee. It would do. He’d prefer it with one of the many flavored creamers he’d ordered for the shop, but he was just thrilled to have it brought to him.
Gunner took another drink of the coffee. It had cooled down enough so that he could gulp it down. Once he finished, Stone handed him another one.
“We went to the gym last night,” Gunner said.
Stone nodded.
“I went a little crazy on beating things up,” Gunner said.
Stone nodded and left the room. He returned with his own cup of coffee and dropped into the recliner near where Gunner was sitting.
“How’d he get here?” Gunner asked, waving his thumb toward Brody.
“Shut up. I came when Stone texted that he couldn’t get you to stop beating on the bag at the gym, and you paid me back by keeping me awake snoring,” Brody grumbled.
“You’d think after serving he’d be able to sleep through anything,” Gunner said, grinning when Brody uncovered his head to glare.
Gunner thought back over last night. Once Stone had unlocked the gym, they’d put on gloves because Stone said the kids shouldn’t see Gunner’s hands beat up.
They traded some punches, but Gunner had needed more.
He’d gone to the heavy bag. Once he started hitting and kicking it, every bit of anger he’d pushed down while listening to Marcus had bubbled up and out.
Stone and Brody had each grabbed an arm when Gunner wouldn’t listen to them. His muscles ached, but this morning, he was calm. Calm was what Rachel and the kids deserved.
Stone stood up and grabbed keys off the counter. “Ride to clear your head?”
Gunner nodded. “I’ll walk back to the clubhouse, shower, and then be ready. Give me twenty minutes.”
Stone nodded.
“Okay, friggin’ fine. I’ll sleep later. I’m not missing a ride now that my leg is finally strong enough to ride,” Brody grumbled, following Gunner out.
Gunner ignored Brody as they walked back. He couldn’t get this mad again. Sure, if he saw the jerk who had scared Marcus and hurt Rachel, Gunner would help him see the error of his ways. But for now, he was going to concentrate on showing Rachel the man he was and give her time to trust him.
“Thanks,” Gunner mumbled toward his brother.
“No problem. But I think you need to get that snoring fixed before you pursue her. Unless she has earplugs, she won’t sleep beside you,” Brody said, moving away when Gunner tried to push him.
“I don’t snore,” Gunner said.
“Yeah, you keep thinking that,” Brody said, walking fast to pass Gunner. Gunner sped up, but Brody started running. He wasn’t sure why Brody was running, but Gunner was sure that today wasn’t going to start with Brody lording it over Gunner that he was older and faster.
They hit the door at the same time and tried to squeeze through together. Regina looked up from the cinnamon rolls she was frosting as they fell into the clubhouse.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
“Yep. Just fine. How are you?” Brody asked, walking over to hug her.
Gunner loved seeing the lighter side of his brother. After Brody had returned injured from overseas, he’d gone through a very grumpy phase. Thank goodness he’d gotten better.
“Good. Rolls are done if you want to eat,” Regina offered.
“I need to have a quick shower, and then I’ll have one of those,” Gunner said.
Regina grinned. “Only one?”
So he might not be able to leave them alone. One was never enough.
“Maybe a couple.”
He walked down the hall and unlocked the door to his room.
Walking in, he wondered how fast he could go with Rachel.
Would she be interested in him? Or would she think she couldn’t trust him?
If Gunner had his choice, they’d be a couple and living together before Broken Hearts Brewing opened.
He hated having to leave her and the kids last night.
But if he had his way, he’d be the one taking care of all of them.
Growing up, he hadn’t had a dad around. His mom had raised him and his two brothers.
She was strong and did whatever it took to make sure they had what they needed.
He could see the same kind of strength in Rachel.
He was positive his mom would have loved her and the kids.
His mom would have spoiled the kids because she’d always talked about grandkids.
She’d passed before he, Brody, or Flick had given her any or even found their women.
A loud scream echoed from Brody’s room. Gunner chuckled.
He’d set the prank up for his brother two days ago.
Brody hated roaches. He couldn’t handle them.
It didn’t matter that Brody could deal with the cows and the horses.
There was something about roaches that made him freak out when they were close to him.
Gunner had hooked up a little spring that, when Brody opened a cabinet, would release a little slingshot filled with fake rubbery cockroaches. And it sounded like his little prank had been very successful.
Brody needed to get his heart rate up anyway. Gunner was just being a good brother.
Banging on his bathroom door had Gunner double-checking he’d locked it as he got out of the shower and dried off.
“You won’t know where and you won’t know when, but I will get you back, you jerk,” Brody yelled through the door.
“Oh, I’m so scared. What will I do?” Gunner called in a falsetto.
He grinned, slipping on his clothes and running a quick brush through his hair after brushing his teeth. He’d need to be on his guard because Brody would be gunning for payback, but Brody wouldn’t be able to get one over on the master prankster.
He grabbed his cut, slipping it on over his T-shirt. He checked his watch—just enough time for a cinnamon roll before the ride. Yeah—life was good.