Chapter 19
TRUCK
Walking into the gas station, I give Collins a nod as I start to pass. He is cleaning the area behind the registers ready for us to open the station on Tuesday.
“Where’s Xero?” I ask, pausing my stride.
Collins quickly replies, “He’s in the back with Bull. The recovery team is all out on jobs, and Bull needed a hand with a table. You’ll find them in the office.”
“Thanks,” I turn and head through the station and out the back to where the office has been situated.
Stepping inside, I smirk at Bull, Mitchell, and Xero struggling to position a long table against the wall. I quickly step up and take a corner, lift and take some of the weight.
“Why the fuck have you got something this heavy and how did you even get it in here?” I ask as I breathe hard while holding my end of the table.
Bull smirks. “It didn’t come in this size, numbskull. We’ve built it and are now positioning it.”
“Why he didn’t build it against the wall, I don’t know?” Mitchell snorts, taking some of the cockiness from Bull.
Bull snorts but remains quiet otherwise. We all give him a scathing look as we eventually push the damn thing into place. “Why is it so damn long?”
“It is the main desk for the computers, and the monitors will be placed on the wall above it. There will be three workstations covering the length, and each of us at a station will be able to place recovery vehicles where needed. We are going to put systems into the truck so that we know exactly where they are. That way, if anything happens, we know where to reach them, either by telephone or physically get to them.” Bull stands back with his hands on his hips, looking pleased with himself.
“We’ll also know in the system which vehicle is in dock being serviced or being fixed.
We’ll be able to keep track of the stock we have in the bays for the trucks.
I don’t want us in a position where we can’t fix a vehicle because we are waiting for parts. ”
“Good move, Bull,” Mitchell responds as he heads for the door.
I turn and follow him with Xero behind me.
I give a flick of my chin to Bull as I leave, and I turn to Xero.
“Tonight, make sure you three are at the clubhouse. I’ve spoken to Pres, and he’s going to bring up the subject of you three being full brothers during church this evening.
He’s okay with the idea and you’d have to be fully onboard because we don’t leave the brotherhood, except in a box. ”
“Okay, we’ll be there. We have discussed it, Truck, and we feel okay here, like we belong.
I think that’s why we are invested in the gas station.
It’s a commitment we are ready to work with,” Xero looks at Mitchell who is standing alongside us and nodding his head in agreement.
“We can fit in with the brotherhood. Let’s be honest, we are all prior service and know what it is like to have each other’s backs.
None of us suffer fools, and we are not fools. ”
I slap Xero’s shoulder. “I’m off now. But I’ll see you later at the clubhouse. Not sure there is more to do here today and I’m not wasting my time.” I don’t wait for either of them to say more, I rush over to my hog and fire her up. I need to get to the clubhouse before lunch is over.
Parking outside Rory’s house, I climb out of the truck and walk around to the passenger side.
Opening the door, I pick up the box that is in the foot space and head to the front door of the house.
I give the door a sharp knock and lean on the frame, waiting for Rory to answer.
I know she’s home because her car is parked in her small driveway.
The door opens, and Rory gives me a surprised look, but follows it quickly with a smile. “Hi, Truck, what’s going on?”
“I brought lunch. A nice one that Jo put together for me. I’m going to be busy tonight with a club meeting, so thought I’d see you now.”
Rory opens the door wider. “Come in. I’ve not eaten lunch yet, so this is a pleasant surprise.”
I follow her into the kitchen and lay out the box on the table. I quickly take out the assortment of food that Jo put together, and Rory places plates and cutlery on the table.
“Would you like a drink?”
“If you have a bottle of water that would be good, thanks,” I reply as I place a piece of fried chicken, potato salad and coleslaw onto Rory’s plate.
“Wow, this is like a picnic, but indoors,” Rory says as she takes her seat at the table. Passing me a bottle of water and placing one for herself on the table in front of her. “Thank you, Truck. This is amazing, and a welcome surprise.”
“You're welcome.” I take a bite of the fried chicken from my own plate and look at the sandwiches that were added to the box. Pastrami Reubens, one of my favorites, and I know that Jo makes a mean Reuben using her home-made Russian dressing.
We eat quietly for a moment, and after I wipe my hands on a paper napkin that was in the box, I turn to Rory. “So, what have you planned for the week?”
“Well, I’ve sent my last report to my previous boss. I have no other clients I’m going to work with at this point. I need a break from financial management, but your friend Coin wants me to look at the club’s businesses. He is going to speak to your president about it, but I made no promises.”
“We have a tattoo studio, dumpster business, and vehicle recovery. The gas station, as you know isn’t open yet, but we are aiming to get it open Tuesday.”
Rory leans forward and takes a Swiss cheese sandwich, then looks at me again. “I’m working at the diner, and I know it’s not a career-building job, but you know I’m meeting people and making friends. To be honest with you, I am loving it, although it is often tiring work.”
“If you don’t want to stay in the financial field of work, I’m sure you don’t have to.
Consider helping the club, we pay well, and we are not on any type of illegal road.
Everything we do is legal, and we’ve worked hard to get to this point.
Tracker has been, and is, the best president we could have asked for.
I’d follow him to hell and back. He’ll have your back if you work with the club, and he’d help you in any way that he could if you needed it,” I say all that before I realize it looks like I’m pushing her to help with the club.
“Fuck, forget I said all that, Rory. It is entirely up to you whether you want to work with the club or not.”
I look at Rory more fully when she throws her head back laughing. “Oh, dear, Truck. That was funny. You changed your mind faster than changing your underwear.”
I chuckle because she’s right that I tried to backtrack somewhat. “Yeah, I did try to reverse what I said. But both comments are right. The first is true, as is the second. You make your decision because it is only yours to make.”
Nodding and wiping her mouth, Rory continues.
“I’m helping Jill with her brother, Grady.
She changed shifts at the diner because she was struggling to get to work on time in the morning.
So, she is covering the second shift of the day, and I’m picking Grady up from school and taking him to the diner with me when I start work.
She can take him home with her when her shift ends.
It works out well. I’m also teaching him math.
He’s been neglected by his teacher, and to be honest, she shouldn’t really be teaching at all if she can’t do her job correctly. ”
“Well, that is a nice thing for you to do, Rory.” I grasp her hand, bring it to my lips and kiss her knuckles, all the while keeping eye contact with her.
The little flush of color tells me she found that endearing, and I’ll remember to do that again another time.
“How are the math lessons coming along?” I ask genuinely interested.
“Oh, Grady is doing well. He’s only had one Saturday lesson so far, but we’ve been doing mini lessons while driving home, eating at the diner before my shift starts, that sort of thing.
But he’s quick and picking things up that I thought would take a while.
He’s also adopted me as his second sister, and he told Jill that made me her sister too.
We both laughed, but you know, I don’t mind having a ready-made family.
” Rory looks at me with what I think is the start of some fierce emotion.
She has damp eyes and is swallowing hard.
I get out of my seat and pull her up from hers, wrapping my arms around her while making sure she is tucked tightly against me.
I kiss the top of her head and whisper, “You’re gonna be my family, Rory.
I have a feeling you are my one and we are going to be together until the end.
But you never know, do you? Not until you commit to it.
I’m telling you now that I am committing to you, so hang on because it’s a biker ride. ”
Giggling, along with a little hiccup, Rory looks up at me and asks. “What’s a biker ride?”
I chuckle. “Fucked if I know, Rory, but I’m a biker so anything could happen.”
I lean down to her and kiss her thoroughly, and this time I let some of the heat I feel for her flow into the kiss.
Plundering her mouth is what romance books call it.
I can taste what she has been eating, and you know I don’t give a shit.
All I care about is the small whimpering noises she is making.
I can feel myself getting hard at the sounds, and I don’t hide the fact.
Breaking the kiss, I look at her flushed face and can’t resist kissing her nose.
“Come on, let’s finish lunch. If we don’t stop kissing, we may take it a step further than we are ready for.
But let me be clear, I’m ready at this point.
You are not, and I’m okay with waiting as long as it takes.
” I adjust my aching dick and retake my seat, and I chuckle at the look of surprise Rory gives me when I do it.
But she’s gotta know how she affects me, and I’m never going to hide it, as I thought only a moment ago.