Chapter 23
TRUCK
I’m not sure the things moving on the desk yesterday was a good thing to happen on whoever's part that did it, because Rory was out of here so fast her ass was on fire. Rum, of course, thought it was hilarious and has not stopped chuckling for the last hour.
I will have to sit down with Rory and explain fully about Cilla, the ghosts, and who they are. I’ll always have to warn her that Tracker is doing his best to see them, and I’m guessing that he fuckin’ speaks to them when nobody is around.
Walking from the staff area to the store, I give nods to a young woman with a child, and a trucker who has made a pit stop. Reaching the counter, where Xero is busy serving a customer, I ask, “Where’s Collins?” as I lean on the edge of the counter and glass partition.
“He went outside to check one of the gas pumps,” Xero replies before turning and thanking the customer for supporting the gas station.
“Is something wrong with the gas pump?”
Xero shakes his head, “Nah, it’s the woman trying to use it.”
It’s the way he laughs that has me turning and stepping outside.
Leaning against the wall, arms folded, I watch the shit that’s going on with Collins.
The woman has a blouse that has nearly every button undone.
She’s wearing a skirt that only just covers her butt, and she’s doing her best to keep stroking Collins’ arm, which he is doing his best to dodge.
Chuckling, I shout, “Collins, are you going to come and get some work done today? Leave the bitch to fill her own gas. We can all see what her game is, and unless you want in her pussy, get your ass in here.”
The woman looks at me with daggers in her eyes.
I don’t give a shit what she has to say or how she reacts.
She’s here to get herself a biker. We’ve all seen these women and can spot them a mile away.
Not one of us will take these women as old ladies because they are not what we see as our forever women.
Collins shakes her off again, right before he leans in and whispers something quietly to her.
Her face lost all color, so whatever he said wasn’t flattery.
Leaving her standing next to her car Collins walks over to me, slaps me on the shoulder-blade and we turn and head inside.
Neither Collins nor I make any comment regarding the woman and what he said.
We head inside to the office where Rum flicks his hand to show us both something on his monitor.
“What’s that?” Collins asks as he leans over Rum’s shoulder to take a closer look.
“This is the program for the billboard. I’ve been learning how to do scrolling and other things.
But, what do you think of this?” Rum hits a key on the keyboard and the monitor shows the billboard scrolling through the gas prices and the other club businesses.
When it passes the dumpster business, an advertisement for advertising space has me nodding toward Rum.
“That’s what Rory was talking about, isn’t it Rum?” Collins asks as he steps away from the desk.
“Yes, and I’ve been doing some goggling to see what I could find…”
“You mean googling, Rum,” I say as I chuckle at his error.
“Whatever, Truck. I’ve done my research, and it tells me we could make some easy money by allowing town businesses to rent billboard space. Rory’s idea is viable, and well worth our consideration,” Rum turns to look at both of us and waits for us to comment further.
“Do what you think is best, Rum. I’m good with it. I’m going to relieve Xero from the counter. He’ll be ready for a break,” Collins throws out as he walks out of the office.
The day is going well. The gas pump sales are good, and people are using the gas station more than I thought they would in the first week.
The convenience store had quite a few people walking around and filling their hand baskets.
I reckon we have priced the stock well, as I’ve heard some comments that they expected us to be more expensive than we are.
The door opens to the store, and Cilla walks in, giving a bright smile to all of us. “Are you okay, Cilla?” Collins asks as Xero gives her a chin lift and passes through the store to the staff area.
“Yeah, I wanted a word with Truck. I cannot stay too long as I left Ayla with Finger, and of course, Tracker.” Cilla walks toward me and I turn and walk through to the office with Cilla behind me.
“Hello, Cilla,” Rum gives a huge smile, which Cilla returns.
“Hi Rum. I need to talk about Rory and the ghost thing. She’s scared I think that her husband will haunt her, but that’s not the case.
He heard what she said at the clubhouse yesterday, and it upset him somewhat, but he knows her well enough that he told me it’s fear that has her running.
I would like to speak with her, or you need to sit her down and speak to her, Truck.
It’s got to be spoken about, or she’ll run from you,” Cilla is giving me a look that tells me she knows more than she’s saying.
“I’ll speak with Rory. Leave it with me, and if she wants to speak with you, I’ll arrange it.”
“Okay, Truck. I didn’t want to push my nose in, but she reacted badly and it worried me.
” Turning to the desk, she says, “I’ve got to go, Rum.
I need to be there when Grady is picked up from school.
I told Rory that he could come with me to the clubhouse while she’s at work, and Coin said he’d go over any homework he may have. ”
“Why are you having Grady?” Rum asks, and that’s when I realize I haven’t told him about Jill’s mother.
“Jill’s mother died yesterday. Rory said she’d keep Grady with her while Jill got everything sorted out.
Jill is struggling with the financial side of things, but the home told her yesterday that her mother had paid for a funeral, so that eased her worries.
She still has to bring up Grady. He’s only eleven, so a long time before he is not going to need her help.
Rory said her mother had signed the papers for Jill to be his legal guardian, so he’d not be taken from her.
All-in-all, Jill has some responsibility on her shoulders,” I look at Rum and can see he understands that Jill is between a rock and a hard place.
“We can all help if needed, Truck. I live on my own. I don’t have anyone to consider but myself. If you need me to have Grady for any reason, then I’m available. If you need help with anything I’m your man,” Rum turns in his seat and gives me the most serious look I’ve ever seen on his face.
“Thanks, Rum. I’ll tell Rory, and if she needs you, I’m sure she will shout out. You know she sees you as family, don’t you? Before you know it, she’ll call you, Dad,” I say this with laughter in my tone.
Rum surprises me with his answer. “I’d be okay with that, Truck.”
Standing outside school with Rory, I fill her in on Rum’s declaration that he’d be okay with her calling him Dad. Instead of laughing it off as I thought she might, she got tears in her eyes and let me know in no uncertain terms that she’d be happy to call him that.
“Rory! Rory!”
We both turn and see Grady running towards us. He throws his arms around Rory when he reaches us and laughs right before giving a boy who is walking past a nasty look. “This is my big sister.” The boy rolls his eyes while continuing to walk.
Not sure I like that response from the kid, so I quickly snarl. “What’s your issue? It’s his sister. You got a problem with that?”
Shaking his head, he scuttles away like the little shit he is. Turning back to Rory and Grady, I’m shocked to see Rory giving me a nasty look, and Grady grinning so broadly he’s showing all his teeth. “What?” I ask Rory in a What the heck, tone.
“You didn’t need to speak to him, Truck.”
“Yeah, I did. Grady is one of us now, and he’s your unofficial brother, so he’s your brother, end of story. It’s nothing to do with the snot-nosed shit, anyway.”
Grady giggles at my reply, and Rory gives him a stern look right before she tells him not to encourage my inappropriate behavior. I have Grady laughing again when I cross my eyes and stick out my tongue when Rory turns her back to me.
Climbing into my truck, Rory asks if Grady would be okay staying with me until she leaves work, rather than sitting at the diner all evening. She explained I’ll take him to the clubhouse and he’ll eat with me.
“I have a room, so if you get tired, I can always take you there and you can sleep until it’s time to pick Rory up from work. Or we can head to your place, Rory, and you can come back to your place after work. Either way suits me,” I suggest.
“Oh, how about you eat at the clubhouse? Do you have homework Grady?” Rory obviously only just thought about homework as she threw that last question out.
“I have some math homework. I did my other during lunch,” Grady replies.
Nodding, I quickly add, “That’s okay because Coin can help you with that. He’s the accountant, money man, or as his official title states, ‘Treasurer,’ so he knows figures.”
“Okay with that, Grady?” Rory asks.
Grady grins. “Yeah. I’m going to the motorcycle gang's place.”
“We are not a gang, Grady. We are a motorcycle club,” I educate, but I can see it’s not registering with him as he’s grinning like a fool, and Rory is scowling at me because of it.
After kissing Rory thoroughly when I dropped her at home to get her car, much to Grady’s disgust, I head to the clubhouse.
I educate Grady on the way that kissing is something he will like when he gets older, but his childlike response of No I won’t, goes over my head.
We all know he’ll like much more than kissing, whether it’s with a girl or a boy. But he’ll learn in time.
At the clubhouse, Grady talks to everyone. He’s not a little shy, and all the brothers speak to him as though they’ve known him all his life. He soaks up the attention. “Come on, Grady. Time for homework, then we’ll eat.”
I leave him working in the office with Coin overlooking his homework, and I head back to the common room, but get called into Pres’s office as I pass by his door.
“What’s up, Pres?” I ask as I step inside.
“The cuts are here, so you get the three of them here for church on Sunday morning. We have a bit to cover, so you get them here and I’ll have the prospects cover the gas station.
Ian will be in charge because you’ve said already, you’ll be pleased to have him once his time is up and he makes full brother. ” Tracker is waiting for me to reply.
“Great. I’ll get Rum to stay around too, so if anything happens, he’ll be on hand to decide what needs to be done.
But Ian I think should work at least one day a week with us, so he’ll be ready when he graduates from prospect status.
” I say the last with a grin because I’m not sure anyone has ever said it’s a graduation.
Tracker nods. “I’m okay with Ian working at the gas station one day a week. He’s a good prospect and will make a hell of a good brother. Do what is needed to make sure the three of them make church and we can get them involved in the club fully after that point.”
“Will do, Pres.”
“Is Rory okay with all that’s happening in her life right now?
I heard she threw a fit over the Seer knowing shit,” Tracker smirks, then chuckles.
“She’s gonna see and hear a lot more shit in her time here.
Make sure you bring her around to get to know everyone.
If you are serious lock her down, Truck, before someone else does. ”
“Yeah, Pres. I will. Not sure about the Seer thing, but I’m going to talk to her about it. See if I can knock the edge off her fear. Let’s hope some little fucker doesn’t start throwing shit around or she’ll never come back.”
Tracker throws his head back laughing, “Just tell her to throw that fucker back at them. I would.”